ChefJune
Master Chef
The holidays, especially New Year's, seem to awaken most folks' interest in sparkling wine. Most of us think first of Champagne -- that light and sparkly wine from France. But the price for the "real" stuff starts around $30 per bottle. In these times of economic downturn, that can be out of most folks reach, especially if you want more than one bottle.
There are a bunch of mostly awful-tasting alternatives that advertise heavily this time of year, and if you like them well, then go for it. I don't, and I thought maybe a short list of some fairly widely available affordable AND tasty alternatives might be useful, so here goes!
Gruet Brut -- sparkling wine from (you're reading right) New Mexico -- $10.99
St. Hilaire -- French sparkling wine in the Champagne style from the Limoux region -- $10.99
Segura Viudas Aria Brut -- Cava from Spain, from local Spanish grapes -- $14.99
Less specifically, there are a number of French sparkling wines called "Crémant" -- either de Loire, d'Alsace, de Bourgogne, that are all pretty tasty and all (I've seen) under $20.
Prosecco's and Cava's abound. some are very good, others, less so, but all pretty affordable.
imho, the best of the California sparklings under $20 is Roederer Estate Anderson Valley, found around here between $17 and $20.99
Hope everyone has a fabulous, sparkly New Years....
(We won't be drinking Krug this year!)
There are a bunch of mostly awful-tasting alternatives that advertise heavily this time of year, and if you like them well, then go for it. I don't, and I thought maybe a short list of some fairly widely available affordable AND tasty alternatives might be useful, so here goes!
Gruet Brut -- sparkling wine from (you're reading right) New Mexico -- $10.99
St. Hilaire -- French sparkling wine in the Champagne style from the Limoux region -- $10.99
Segura Viudas Aria Brut -- Cava from Spain, from local Spanish grapes -- $14.99
Less specifically, there are a number of French sparkling wines called "Crémant" -- either de Loire, d'Alsace, de Bourgogne, that are all pretty tasty and all (I've seen) under $20.
Prosecco's and Cava's abound. some are very good, others, less so, but all pretty affordable.
imho, the best of the California sparklings under $20 is Roederer Estate Anderson Valley, found around here between $17 and $20.99
Hope everyone has a fabulous, sparkly New Years....
(We won't be drinking Krug this year!)