Memorable moments with family and friends call for a glass of bubbly! For the growing contingent that prefer to drink dry, there are lots of festive bottles of sparkling, nonalcoholic bubbly drinks in champagne-style bottles that are fun to pop open.
Sparkling cider was once limited to apple, but the variety of sparkling ciders and juices has expanded in response to the growing demand. Martinelli’s, the top producer, now sells seven different apple-based sparkling juices. Other companies have also jumped in, making kid-friendly sparkling drinks from other juices, including grape, pear and plum.
It’s important to know that, like traditional soda, sparkling juices tend to be quite sweet. Sugar content aside, these effervescent pours are a healthier alternative, as they contain natural fruit and antioxidants, and are generally free of artificial colors and additives.
A pleasant sparkling juice starts with using the right fruit. It needs to be ripe and fresh, of course, but the varieties used must include those that are distinctly tart, with a fair amount of naturally occurring malic acid. The juice must also have a blast of carbonation, as bubbles cut through the sugar.
As a side note, when opening sparkling ciders and juices, it’s best to do so when the bottle is very cold, and over a sink. More than half of the sparklers we tried spewed every bit as enthusiastically as a bottle of champagne.
Good sparkling juice delivers a blast of crisp, fresh flavor of just-picked fruit. It has lots of bubbles and a touch of acid that makes it bright and refreshing. Bad sparkling juices range from sour to so sweet and syrupy that the flavor of the fruit is lost.
Here are details on the best sparkling juices to pour at your next celebration, and the cloying pours that taste more like corn syrup than juice. Nutrition info refers to 8 ounces.
Favorite Day Sparkling Apple Cider
This crisp cider has huge fresh apple flavor, and the perfect shot of acid. It’s everything a great cider should be — sweet, tart and refreshing. 110 calories, 10 milligrams sodium, 24 grams sugar. $2.99 for 25.4 ounces at Target. (4 stars)
Martinelli’s Sparkling Apple-Cranberry
Combining tart cranberries with apple is inspired. The dusty pink-colored juice isn’t as pretty as others, but it’s a luscious balance of tart-sweet flavors that may just need a second pour. 110 calories, 4 milligrams sodium, 22 grams sugar. $2.88 for 25.4 ounces at Target. (4 stars)
Welch’s Sparkling Red Grape
While the twist-off cap on this bottle is nearly impossible to remove without a set of pliers, the deep purple juice inside is impressive. It’s super bubbly and delivers a punch of rich grape flavor. 110 calories, 10 milligrams sodium, 27 grams sugar. $3.99 for 25.4 ounces at Target; $2 on sale at Walmart. (3 1/2 stars)
Martinelli’s Sparkling Apple-Grape
This is very sweet, but the pink color is gorgeous and the combination of apple and grape juice makes it more interesting than most. As with all Martinelli’s, this one has great effervescence, but it opens with a bottle cap, so it can’t really be stored. 130 calories, 10 milligrams sodium, 29 g sugar. $3.99 for 25.4 ounces at Total Wines. (3 stars)
Trader Joe’s Sparkling Apple Cider
Bold apple flavor and lots of bubbles make this a decent choice, but it’s begging for a bit more citric acid. Add a few tart apples into the mix, and it would be perfect. 110 calories, 10 milligrams sodium, 24 milligrams sugar. $3.49 for 25.4 ounces. (2 1/2 stars)
Martinelli’s Sparkling Apple-Mango
The flavor of mango comes through in this handsome, amber-colored drink and it has definite sparkle in the glass, but it’s simply too sweet. 140 calories, no sodium, 28 grams sugar. $3.99 for 25.4 ounces at Total Wines. (2 stars)
Martinelli’s Sparkling Blush
While the light pink color is lovely, it’s sorely lacking in apple flavor. It tastes like watered-down corn syrup. 130 calories, no sodium, 31 grams sugar. $3.99 for 25.4 ounces at Total Wines. (1 star)
Sprouts Sparkling Organic Apple Cider
Minimal effervescence and a lack of acid make for an unappealing, flat, cloyingly drink. This is one to avoid. 130 calories, no sodium, 26 grams sugar. $4.39 for 25.36 ounces. (1 star)
Trader Joe’s Sugar Plum Sparkling Beverage
Yikes! This extra-bubbly pink pour looks festive, but it’s just so unexpectedly and unpleasantly sour. 70 calories, 15 mg sodium, 17 grams sugar. $3.99 for 25.4 ounces. (1/2 star)
Trader Joe’s Sparkling White Chardonnay Grape Juice
This juice that’s sealed with a champagne cork has the same warm color as Chardonnay, but it has little fizz and no fruit flavor. Best to leave this one on the shelf. 160 calories, 13 milligrams sodium, 39 grams sugar. $3.99 for 25.36 ounces. (no stars)
Reviews are based on product samples purchased by this newspaper or provided by manufacturers. Contact Jolene Thym at timespickyeater@gmail.com. Read more Taste-off columns at mercurynews.com/tag/taste-off.