Sparkling Wine Buying Guide

So a friend of mine asked me if I could recommend a great sparkling wine in the $30 range. Here was my answer to her....

Before we start here are some terms to understand:

Sweetness level
1. Brut: The driest sparkling wine; this is the one to buy.
2. Extra-dry: off-dry (a little sweet). Only drink with spicy food.
3. Demi-sec: semi-sweet. Just say no, except for dessert with a pungent cheese.
4. Sec. Never get this.

Grapes
1. Blanc-de-blancs: Only the Chardonnay grape is used
2. Blanc-de-noirs: Only Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier is used.

Fermentation Styles (not applicable to Champagne, where all wines are fermented in the same style by law)
1. Method Champenoise: the same method as used in Champagne
2. Method Traditionelle: Slightly inferior to method Champenoise, but can still produce great sparkling wines
3. Anything else: any American sparkling wine not labeled "Method Champenoise" or "Method Traditionelle" should NOT be drunk.

Perhaps any sparking wine discussion should start with what NOT to buy. Lets first go to the Champagne region of France, and look at the top producers by volume:

(DO NOT BUY THESE)
Moet & Chandon
Veuve Cliquot
Perrier Jouët
Mumm
Taittinger
Krug

These guys, except for their top and most expensive bottlings, are expensive brand-driven mass-produced industrial products not worth seeking out. Sometimes even their most expensive bottlings are crap.

Here are some well-known brands that have some decent mid-range production. Typically they have smaller volume and more commitment to quality as opposed to brand:

(CONSIDER THESE)
Ayala
Bollinger
Deutz
Louis Roederer
any producer with the name "Heidsieck" in it (there are 3)
Pol Roger
Pommery


Now having said that, the best Champagne will be from mom-and-pop unknown wineries.

See http://www.wineexpo.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=44&Itemid=205

Wine Expo is the greatest Champagne store in California (and probably the entire West Coast), and everything that these guys sell has been pre-tasted and pre-selected for a high quality/price ratio.

Looking at the list of fantastic champagne, however, it's hard to find something in your $30 range. So we can reduce our standards just a little and look at some of these very good bottles in your range:

http://www.klwines.com/detail.asp?sku=100189
http://www.klwines.com/detail.asp?sku=1009551
http://www.klwines.com/detail.asp?sku=1002262
http://www.klwines.com/detail.asp?sku=1034207
http://www.klwines.com/detail.asp?sku=1022709

Now that we have considered Champagne, lets look at American sparking wine. Although it won't have the chalky minerality, fresh-baked-sourdough yeastiness, or the bracing raciness of French Champagne, American sparklers can have brighter floral aromas, deeper fruit flavors, and a zestly, refreshing acidity, usually at a fraction of the cost.

My favorite is Korbel Natural Brut:

http://www.korbel.com/Natural.aspx

It's cheap (~$15-17), delicious, and made from estate grapes.

Their Brut, Bland de Noirs, and Rose selections are even cheaper, delicious, and easy to find in any grocery store.

Another cheap and delicious wine producer is Domain Ste. Michelle.

My personally favorite is the Blanc-de-blancs: http://www.domaine-ste-michelle.com/wines/blancdeblancs.html

Some other very good American sparkling wine producers:

Domaine Carneros
Gloria Ferrer
Iron Horse
J


Alex