Bubbles for your Budget

Sparkling wine and Champagne are great options for almost any occasion. They make a great hostess gift, thank-you gift, and a nice case with a note for each month of the year makes a great wedding gift for wine lovers. They also tend to be very food friendly wines, a great dinner party choice when you don’t know what is being served for dinner.

It can be hard to figure out which sparkling wines are really great especially in the low to mid price ranges. As always, tasting is the best way to find out what works for you, but I thought I would share a few of my favorites in a wide range of prices, something appropriate for every occasion.

Ruinart Blanc de Blancs Champagne, $59.99

I actually received this bottle in a happy accident. A public relations agency sending me wine to sample had a warehouse mix-up which resulted in this bottle arriving at my door. I offered to send it back, and they kindly told me to keep it. We saved it all winter long and enjoyed it on a recent summer evening, just because. This champagne’s tiny, festive, and abundant bubbles made me smile, and its classic, yeasty nose and toasty flavors give it a great creaminess.

Veuve Clicquot Brut Yellow Label, $44.99 (Boston Wine Exchange often has deals on Veuve for under $40)

A true classic, Veuve Clicquot Brut Yellow Label shouts celebration and elegance to me. It’s crisp fruit and nice mineral flavors make this dry bubbly a perfect pairing for a large variety of meals including a regular old pizza, a tip I learned while reading French Women Don’t Get Fat by Mireille Guiliano, a favorite book of mine, and as I say on my About page, one that was life-changing for me in terms of eating and exercise.

J Cuvée 20 Brut, $22

A Sonoma Valley favorite, this bubbly offers toasty, yeasty flavors with hints of honey and a little bit of lemon. Sweeter than some of my other choices, and as corny as it sounds, this sparkling wine really evokes a spring day in wine country. We enjoyed this bottle at Dry Creek Kitchen in Healdsburg and will no doubt enjoy it in the future, hopefully at a visit to J Vineyards 🙂

Chateau Ste. Michelle Blanc de Blancs, around $10

For this price point, and really just in general, this sparkling wine from Washington’s Columbia Valley is outstanding. It is citrusy, very dry, with flavors of tropical fruits and green apples. I absolutely love it and would happily serve this as an everyday bubbly or at a special meal. We enjoyed this at Lineage last weekend, and it will always be one of my favorites.

As you can see, sparkling wines do not have to be expensive to be delicious. I hope you will think of these options the next time you are shopping for that special bottle, whether for some big occasion or just to celebrate a summer evening.

Have a great Saturday everyone! And if you get a chance, please check out the two guest posts I did this week, one on The Wine Bottega for CRAVE Boston and one on Vianne Chocolat for Boston Local Food Festival