After the election, it's time to toast - or not

You will wake up Wednesday either extremely excited or extremely upset about Tuesday's results. As a wine guy, I usually don't involve myself in politics, but I do feel it is my duty to offer you some guidance in dealing the election results.

The way I see it, either way, you are going to need some sparkling wine. If you are celebrating, it's an obvious choice. If, however, you are in mourning then it's better to drowned your sorrows in a bottle of bubbly than a bottle of whiskey. You might think that champagne is a touch spendy for these economic times but fear not. The world makes rivers of great sparkling wine for every budget.

There are many ways to give wine that little bit of fizz though they are not all created equally. The process of method champenoise is widely regarded as the finest, requiring meticulous attention to detail and great care and consideration. As of 1994, the use of this terminology is outlawed outside of France's Champagne region, though it has been replaced by terms such as "methode traditionelle," "methode classique" or simply, "fermented in this bottle," in other parts of the world. While this is not a full-proof way of ensuring that you are drinking the good stuff, it does, however, significantly increase your chances of buying a wine with a softer and more elegant fizz.

Another tip is to try to think of wine in terms of geography. One essential requirement of any sparkling wine is to have the proper amount of acidity which keeps the wine bright tasting. This is an easier goal to achieve in cooler climates where the sugar levels in the grapes are not as high. As a result, places like Champagne, Northern Italy, Northeastern Spain and now in Oregon and cool pockets of Sonoma in California.

The most important thing is that you drink up to prepare for the next four years.

Here's to the next four years

NV Cristalino Brut » ($8) This is, of course, a poor man's Cristal but you are better off with 27 bottles of Cristalino than one bottle of overpriced Cristal. Cristalino is made via the traditional method in the Penedes region of Spain where the traditional grapes of the region are used along with a touch of chardonnay. This wine may not be brilliant but it is hard to beat for the price.

NV Bouvet Brut » ($16) Made in France's Loire Valley, this wine is made primarily from chenin blanc, the world's most underrated white variety. It also is made via the traditional method and has biting acidity, fresh minerality and a richness that is rare to wines made from alternative grape varieties such as chardonnay or pinot noir.

2002 Argyle Brut » ($24) This really is a spectacular wine with stunningly clear aromas of flower, honey and citrus. The mousse is soft and tight and the finish is giving and long. This wine is disgorged to order and sits on its yeast in bottle for three years.