Bud & Bubbly: Pairing Your New Year’s Champagne With Cannabis

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It’s New Year’s Eve! And we’re guessing your party planning is already in full swing. Traditionally, the most important element of the evening has been the sparkling wine for a midnight toast. Bringing cannabis into the mix this year is the perfect way to celebrate everything the legalization movement has achieved in 2016, and the delectable pairing virtually guarantees a feel-good start to 2017.

How to go about pairing bud with your bubbly? As with any wine pairing, you’ll want to be aware of how the cannabis’s tasting notes will complement those of your sparkling wine. You’ll also want to take into account the effects of the strain you choose — steer clear of anything that might cause you to nod off before midnight!

While everyone’s preferences will vary slightly, read on for four pairing ideas to end the year on a high note.

If you’re drinking cava…

Wine to try: Can Macià Bohigas Cava Brut Penedes ($15, K&L Wine Merchants)

Strain to try: Outer Space

A style of sparkling wine that has made great gains in popularity of late, cava is Spain’s signature sparkler. This particular iteration from Can Macià reveals crisp apple and sweet pear notes upon popping the cork. For a full range of holiday fruit flavors, pair with a cherry- and berry-flavored sativa like Outer Space. Its cheery, chatty aftereffects are an excellent added bonus.

If you’re drinking sparkling rosé…

Wine to try: Argyle Winery 2012 Brut Rosé ($50, Argyle Winery)

Strain to try: Tangerine Dream

Looking to sip outside the box this year? Switch out the classic golden bubbles for something a little pinker: sparkling rosé. This particular bottling is a bit spendy at $50, but Argyle’s Brut Rosé has also been served at White House dinners by two different presidential administrations, so you know it’s worth the splurge. Pair it with an equally highly regarded hybrid like the appetizing, award-winning Tangerine Dream.

If you’re drinking brut…

Wine to try: NV Mumm Napa Brut Prestige ($18, BevMo!)

Strain to try: Cactus

On the dry end of the sparkling wine spectrum, a brut classification indicates that your bottle of sparkling wine contains hardly any residual sugar. This lets the grapes’ naturally occurring flavor notes shine through. Pair with a relaxed yet chatty indica like Cactus; if big parties aren’t always your cup of tea, an anxiety-quelling strain like this one is a great way to go.

If you’re drinking demi-sec…

Wine to try: Veuve Clicquot Demi-Sec ($31, Total Wine)

Strain to try: Laughing Buddha

Toward the other end of sparkling wine’s sweetness spectrum lie demi-sec Champagnes, which maintain more residual sugar than their drier brut cousins. To offset this sweetness, match a demi-sec wine with the herbal, earthy aromas and giggly, feel-good effects of a sativa like Laughing Buddha. What better way to go into the new year than with a smile on your face?