The 2023 holiday season is in full swing. It’s time to celebrate all the December things, from Hanukkah to Christmas to New Year’s Eve—and everything in between. We know it’s a challenging time to savor the meaningful moments, so we’ve come up with three beverages you can have on hand to do many things at once—grab as a last-minute gift, throw on the table for a holiday dinner, or open all by yourself for a little “me” time.

Stolpman Vineyards Love You Bunches Orange 2022
($23, Winebow)
This exotic white wine blend—with an orange hue—comes to us from Pete Stolpman of Santa Barbara County, CA. The mix of Pinot Gris, Tokai Friulano, Gewurztraminer, and orange Muscat comes together seamlessly in this lively offering. There are stone fruit tones, orange notes, and floral aromas, all supported by the supplest hint of structure. It’s a perfect aperitif, but that structure suggests it plays great with food, too. Think medium soft cheeses, winter salads or a plate of leftovers.

Maison Antech Blanquette de Limoux Brut Nature
($23, Free Run Wine Merchant)
Located in the eastern foothills of the Pyrenees in southern France, the burg of Limoux is famous for sparkling wines. Here, in the mid- 1500s, sparkling wine was likely first invented, although the monk Dom Perignon often gets the credit in pop culture. Limoux is made from the Mauzac grape, and offers a crisp, refreshing alternative to Champagne. This example is electric on the finish. It’s a sophisticated bubbly to take to holiday gatherings without breaking your budget.

Pago de Carraovejas Ribera del Duero 2020
($55, Kysela Pere et Pils)
This one is just for you, or maybe to share with a special someone on a cold winter’s night. Ribera del Duero is located on the plateau that defines Spain’s northern geography. A winemaking tradition stretches back over 2,000 years in Ribera del Duero, but things really got going in the ’80s when it became famous for age-worthy reds made mostly from the Tempranillo grape. This example exudes notes of cherry, herbs, and traces of Asian spice. It’s drinking very well now but will certainly reward patience in the cellar.

Last summer, six Johns Hopkins University archaeology students were conducting preservation work around the perimeter of the university’s Homewood Museum when they unearthed an early 19th-century bottle of champagne.

A previous trenching project conducted in the 1980s, when Homewood was being restored into a museum, uncovered similar artifacts including wire cork cradles and bottlenecks dating back to the early 1800s—when Maryland’s historic Carroll family inhabited the estate.

“What we were able to do is compare what was found in 2017 to what was found in 1980s,” says Homewood’s director and curator Dr. Julie Rose. “And there was a significant amount of material that spoke to sparkling wine consumption, commerce, and service at that time.”

Suffice it to say, the Homewood team had plenty of inspiration for the theme of this year’s Evening of Traditional Beverages—an annual summer event that explores the history behind classic spirits and cocktails.

In previous years, the outdoor program has taught attendees about everything from ciders and shrub cocktails to bourbon and rye. This time around, Homewood’s 22nd annual event on Wednesday, June 13 at 6 p.m. will celebrate all things bubbly with a sampling of five sparkling wines and light bites by Woodberry Kitchen.

“It’s this opportunity for people interested in history and Maryland’s culture to be thinking about it in a different context,” Rose says. “Drinking champagne at home or at a restaurant is great, but to consume sparkling wines in this setting of the historic house really elevates the experience in terms of how we are still so tied to our past.”

Aside from the archaeological findings, Rose mentions that a survey of the wine cellar in the Homewood Museum revealed that the Carroll family had an extensive collection of French Champagne.

“It was very fashionable and relatively new for Americans at the time,” Rose says. “Both Charles Carroll of Carrollton and his son, Charles Carroll of Homewood, had their formal education in France. So they were fluent in French and had an affinity for French culture. It makes a lot of sense that Champagne would be on their dining room table.”

Some of the cellar findings will be on display for attendees at the event, which will feature remarks by Al Spoler of WYPR’s “Cellar Notes” and sparkling beverages including Dibon NV Brut Reserve Cava, Bisol Jeio Prosecco, Roederer American sparkling wine, and the Albariño Pét-Nat from our own Old Westminster Winery (OWW).

“This particular albariño really captures the essence of what we’re out to do,” says OWW co-owner Drew Baker. “We grow the grape in our home vineyard, and it offers so much interest. Unlike a cabernet or sauvignon blanc that is made with grapes grown throughout the world, it isn’t ubiquitous. Albariño is a little more niche.”

Baker describes the pét-nat as one of the most ancient styles of sparkling wine. The process, which pre-dates champagne production by several hundred years, involves bottle-conditioning the wine so that it is naturally carbonated without adding any sugar or yeast. The historical element, says Baker, couples well with the academic nature of the event.

“It’s kind of like what’s old is new again,” he says. “When consumers discover this style and understand how it’s made, they quickly fall in love with it. People want to go back to their roots.”

The annual event, located on the lush lawn outside of Homewood Museum, always adds a bit of education to after-work libation.

“We like to think of the event as sort of the unofficial kick-off to summer,” Rose says. “There’s been a clear interest to look at alcoholic beverages and all the history and culture that goes along with them.”

October 6, 1979
The Orioles took the American League Championship from the California Angels in four straight games in October of 1979. The final win, at Anaheim Stadium, was a doozy with the Orioles shutting out the Angels 8-0. The only home run of the entire game came from O’s outfielder Pat Kelly, who got quite the champagne shower back in the locker room. But absolutely no one else was spared, as Frank Robinson famously drenched manager Earl Weaver in celebration, too.

October 16, 1983
After defeating the Philadelphia Phillies in the 1983 championship series, otherwise known as the I-95 Series, the Orioles celebrated at The Vet in Philly. Victims of the champagne deluge included owner Edward Bennett Williams, in his trench coat no less, who has famously said he had the wrong temperament for a sport where pennant winners still lost 60 times a year. Another memorable moment came when Rick Dempsey accepted congratulations over the phone with President Ronald Reagan. “You tell the Russians,” Dempsey said to Reagan, “that we’re having an awful good time over here playing baseball.”

Particularly excited was first baseman and DH Eddie Murray, who had two home runs that game and enjoyed sipping champagne with his teammate Cal Ripken Jr. Ripken has continually said that catching the last out of that game was the “best baseball moment” of his life.

September 24, 1997
The Orioles clinched the AL East after the team rattled off a 9-3 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays. Stars of the game included outfielders B.J. Surhoff and Brady Anderson and second baseman Roberto Alomar. But the real hero was Rafael Palmeiro, who capped off the night with a seventh inning home run, led the team with 38 homers that season, and was accordingly bathed in bubbly in the clubhouse of Toronto’s SkyDome.

October 5, 2012
In 2012, it looked like the Orioles might not get that celebratory moment they had been waiting 15 very dry seasons for. The team was on a plane from Baltimore to Tampa Bay when their playoff berth was clinched, however they really got to celebrate after their play-in game against the Rangers in Arlington, Texas. After the first inning, both starters pitched a shutout until the sixth when Adam Jones knocked in a run via a sac fly. And it surely, too, was Jones who led the celebrations following the 5-1 victory. This go-round, it was GM Dan Duquette who got the brunt of the champagne spray.

September 16, 2014
Otherwise known as Clichmas, the Orioles won their first AL East crown since 1997 against the Toronto Blue Jays before an ecstatic crowd of 35,297 fans at Camden Yards. After the game there were fireworks, selfies, streamers, and a Jones lap around the field. The party continued in the clubhouse with the requisite beer and champagne—and this epic picture of Showalter, who was celebrating his 1254th career victory, really says it all.

Marquis Bar Cart ($1,896) at The House Downtown. Zebra cocktail napkins ($30) at Becket Hitch. Dauville platter in gold with white trim ($27) at Trohv. Punch bowl courtesy of Brendan Dorr. Coasters ($24) at Becket Hitch. Gold leaf dish ($20) at Becket Hitch. St. Germain ($29.99) and large Freixenet brut champagne ($12.99) at The Wine Source. Presidio ice bucket ($99) at Williams-Sonoma. Short mixed cut goblets ($79/set) at Williams-Sonoma. Champagne flutes ($12/each) at Williams-Sonoma. Split Freixenet champagne ($3.99/each) at The Wine Source. Chevron straws ($7.50) at Trohv. White cake stand ($39.95) at Williams-Sonoma. Sarah’s Stands Sweet & Low Black Tie Affair 10-inch cake stand ($65) at sarahsstands.com. Gold urchin ($36) at Curiosity. Shot on location at Church & Co. Flowers courtesy of Local Color Flowers. Cupcakes courtesy of La Cakerie.

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An Autumn Nocturne

• 1 750 ml bottle Pierre Ferrand
  Cognac
• 1 cup Averna amaro
• 1 cup St. George Pear Brandy
• 1 oz. Angostura bitters
• 2 cups simple syrup
• 2 cups fresh lemon juice
• 9 cups cold-brew Earl Grey tea
• Dehydrated orange wheels
• Star anise pods

For best results, prep Earl Grey tea four hours beforehand. Combine all ingredients (except garnishes) in a punch bowl. Add a few scoops of chipped ice to chill and dilute. Add large block ice mold to keep cool. Garnish with orange wheels and anise. Serve. Recipe from veteran bartender and Dutch Courage owner Brendan Dorr.

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In the Details: Using toothpicks, dress up your champagne flutes with a simple fruit garnish.

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Striped Straws: Attach patterned straws to mini bottles of champagne with gold thread for a festive look.

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Ribbon Rundown: Curl a piece of ribbon and tape it to the end of your garnish stick to add a fun flair to your punch cups.