By Amy Simmons
Enquirer contributor

Our house is covered in dust from a drywall professional's day of finishing an important home project. But that's OK, because we celebrated this milestone in home renovation with champagne.

Many folks save champagne and sparkling wine for the holiday season, but I've learned you're missing chances to celebrate special occasions throughout the year with this special wine.

If you've waited until the holidays to break out the sparkling wines, it's time to start reviewing the basics of bubbly, given the range of wines that fall into the sparkling category and other confusion over production processes and geography.

Any wine that bubbles can be designated a "sparkling wine." But legally, to be called "champagne," the sparkling wine must be made in the Champagne region of France, north of Paris. These wines are produced by the methode champenoise process, in which a second fermentation occurs in the bottle.

Champagne is often a blend of juice from chardonnay and pinot noir grapes. These wines can be easily enjoyed with and without food. About 75 percent of all champagnes are non-vintage (NV), which means they are made from wine blends from two or more years. Vintage champagnes, which means the wine must be made from at least 80 percent of the wine harvested in the single, declared vintage year, tend to be more expensive. But vintage champagne provides a richer experience - especially those from strong vintages such as 1990, 1995 and 1999.

Champagne styles range from light to full-bodied, and are usually drier than sparkling wines. If you're unfamiliar with champagne, try Chartogne-Taillet Merfy Brut ($23.99) which offers a light, dry style that's a good value for the category.

If you want to splurge a little, try a J. Lassalle 1st Cru Brut ($37.99), a medium-bodied champagne that offers a richer, more complex flavor than the Chartogne-Taillet. It's delicious with dark chocolate. Other quality champagne houses include Veuve Clicquot, Moet & Chandon, Bollinger, Piper-Heidsieck and Taittinger.

Sparkling wines: Wines produced outside of Champagne are classified as sparkling wines, but they might also carry the methode champenoise designation on their label. These wines often originate from California wineries, but are also coming from newer regions such as New Mexico and Australia, where the Alkoomi winery makes a sparkling shiraz. Gruet Winery in Albuquerque, N.M., makes a terrific sparkling wine in the mÈthode champenoise style.

Good starters in this category include Roederer Estate Anderson Valley Brut Sparkling Wine ($18.99) and Iron Horse 1995 Classic Vintage Brut Sparkling Wine ($26.99). These wines offer a light, somewhat sweet experience, perfect for folks who are looking to experience a higher quality sparkling wine.

Other wineries that produce good sparkling wines include Gloria Ferrer, Mumm Cuvee Napa and Domaine Carneros.

Cava: Refers to the sparkling wines produced in Spain. Most local stores typically stock a one to two cavas. Paul Cheneau offers terrific cavas for a great price. Freixenet offers a range of quality styles for a great value that are found in wine stores and local groceries.

Prosecco: This sparkling wine is made in Italy. Its light, friendly style, which ranges from semisweet to dry, makes it a good selection for holiday parties and for those who find some sparkling wines cloying. Stores usually carry a small selection of prosecco, such as Zardetto, so look closely or ask a sales associate.

As the holidays pass, don't forget to enjoy sparkling wines throughout the year. Nothing makes a dinner a little nicer or marks a special moment than opening a bottle of champagne or sparking and pulling out the glasses from the china closet - even if they are covered in drywall dust.