It is my humble opinion that champagne should be imbibed at every opportunity. I enjoy it with a splash of orange juice with breakfast, by itself during lunch, and with a shot of brandy over dinner. Most wine drinkers are not as dedicated, however, and break out the bubbly only for special events and celebrations. New Year's Eve has become the quintessential holiday for champagne drinking, witnessing most celebrants tipping back at least a glass or two. With this fresh new beginning days away, the time to pick out a champagne for the occasion is upon us once again.

Or maybe not.

As many of us slide through the holiday season during a tough economic climate, true champagne may be out of our comfort zone. The price for a nice bottle of champagne these days is absolutely outlandish. Designer names, the strength of the euro, and the general snobbery of the wine business have all contributed to even pedestrian champagne running around $30 at your local wine shop. If you plan on drinking the bubbles at a restaurant, you might want to bring an extra credit card. But not to worry, your savior has arrived: non-champagne champagne.

Official champagne is the stuff from the Champagne region of northern France, complete with the name recognition of Veuve Clicquot, Moet & Chandon and Cristal, and the requisite price hikes involved. Without question, these producers make phenomenal sparkling wines, and as long as you are not fronting the bill, you should drink them frequently and with extreme vigor. When finances are a concern, as they are now for so many of us, one need only to look toward Spain, Italy and even California. These wine regions can produce exceptional sparkling wines for a fraction of the price, and often contain a much more accessible fruit-forward quality than the biscuit-yeastiness of their French counterparts. Sparkling wines from outside of France have become increasingly popular over the past few years, and this New Year's Eve could be the perfect storm to kill expensive champagne for good.

Among the wine cognoscenti, Spain is a go-to region for all types of quality vino. Spanish sparkling wine, called cava, is one of the best values in wine showbiz. Cava is created using a host of grape varieties not easily pronounced by even the most knowledgeable sommelier. Grapes such as parallada, macabeo and xarel-lo are blended and vinified in a similar manner to true champagne. The result is a wine with a similar taste profile to the French version; with a touch more forward fruit on the palate and a lot more cash staying in your wallet.

Topping Spain, Italy is the ringleader of inexpensive bubblies. A cafe in northern Italy, even at noon, would appear naked without bottles of prosecco dancing everywhere. This delightful, sparkling wine named after a grape quickly becomes a favorite for even the most veteran wine snob. The sparkles are produced differently than traditional champagne, resulting in far more fresh-fruit aromatics without the usual yeasty odors of France. The flavors of prosecco are reminiscent of green apples and white peaches, creating an addictive alternative to the stoic champagne.

Italy's second contribution to the sparkling-wine revolution is moscato d'Asti. Moscato d'Asti is often frizzante (semi-sparkling) and, like prosecco, created differently than champagne. Its uniqueness, however, stems from a certain cream-soda sweetness that is simply sublime to most women. Men who are capable of shelving their masculinity for an hour or two would also attest to the quality. This fluffy candy has caused more than one moscato virgin to swoon like she was just asked to the prom by Mr. Popular. Both prosecco and moscato d'Asti have amazingly low alcohol content (some as low as 7 per cent), meaning a girl can hit the bottle all night long and still act like a lady.

Finally, California throws its hat into the ring with champagne-method (méthode Champenoise, for the Francophiles) sparklers that rival the best in the world. Recent years have seen the prices steadily rising, but they still represent a fraction of the lofty champagne. Akin to Spain, these warmer-climate versions lessen the earthy biscuit aromas and maximize fruit character, qualities appreciated by young wine drinkers. Many famous champagne producers have purchased property in California for producing New World bubblies. The result is high quality without the high price tag.

New Year's Eve non-champagne recommendations (Keep in mind that the infamous Cristal runs more than $400 a bottle in most restaurants):

• Segura Vuidas Brut Reserva Heredad, Penedes, Spain, nonvintage; restaurant price $60. This bottle is the sexiest, least-expensive thing you have ever seen. Appears way more expensive than Dom Perignon. This is the perfect bubbly wine to bring to a special occasion because most will assume you spent a pretty penny.

• Ca' Vittoria Brut prosecco, Conegliano Valdobbidenne, Veneto, Italy, NV; restaurant price $44. Ideal sparkler for afternoon and early-evening drinking in Hawai'i. To make your New Year's party even more original, purée fresh peaches and drop a wedge into the bottom of the glass for the perfect Venetian-style Bellini cocktail.

• Cascinetta Vietti, Moscato d'Asti, Piedmont, Italy, 2006; restaurant price $39. If you are a young woman, prepare to experience sparkling-wine bliss.

• Domaine Carneros Brut Sparkling, Carneros, Calif., 2005; restaurant price $57. Looks like champagne, tastes like champagne, owned by a champagne producer but doesn't cost like champagne.

Jason "Cass" Castle is a certified specialist of wine and certified sommelier. He is the beverage director and sommelier for Merriman's Kapalua on Maui.