Categories
Holidays

“Too Much Champagne” Is An Oxymoron

Which is why we’re talking about it again this week. These nine exceptional and affordable sparkling wines are perfect for toasting, dining, and gifting, letting you burst some bubbles without breaking the bank. And they won’t be insulted if you use them for Mimosas, which will probably sound like a good idea some morning during the holiday season.

If you’re old enough, you may remember a time when if you wanted to enjoy some bubbly for under thirty or more dollars, you’d have to accept the fact that you’d be imbibing a soda-pop like concoction that was likely to give you a headache while you drank it, rather than the day after. Thankfully, those days are long gone, and there are many exceptional sparklers available for under twenty dollars. We featured some of our higher-end sparkling wines and Champagnes a couple of weeks ago, but as we head into the home stretch of the holidays, we thought we’d highlight some of our less expensive bubbly. For many of us, the two weeks around Christmas and New Years are a minefield of office parties, social obligations and gifting that can really challenge your holiday cheer. A quality sparkling wine can offer a single simple solution to all of these holiday checklists. Going to a party? Take along a couple of nice Cavas from Spain. Need an inexpensive but festive gift to show your appreciation to all the people in the cube farm? It would be nice to put a bottle of Moët & Chandon or Pommery on everyone’s desk, but we don’t all work for Goldman Sachs, and at a mere seven or eight dollars a pop, you can make a lot of corks pop, while bringing a lot of smiles without breaking the bank. Below are nine exceptional sparkling wines, all for under twenty dollars. And while these are all highly-rated sparkling wines on their own, they’re affordable enough that they can pull double duty for a deliciously refreshing Mimosa. And there’s bound to be a morning or two during the hectic holidays where that’s going to sound like a really good idea!

Cristalino Cava Brut Cristalino Cava Brut

Cristalino Cava Brut is bright green-gold in color with fine bubbles. It shows pleasing aromas of green apples, peaches, toast, flowers, cinnamon and herbal notes. Crisp and bright, dry with medium-full body, this sparkling wine has rich flavors of apples, figs, lemon, roasted almonds and pie crust. It is fruit-forward and nicely balanced, with a clean, citrusy finish. Enjoy Cristalino Cava Brut as an apéritif and with filet of sole, grilled shrimp, paella, chicken salad, and fruit desserts.

$8.99/$7.99

Cristalino Cava Rosé Cristalino Cava Rosé

60% Pinot Nior, 40% Trepat Beautiful scents of raspberry and cherry on the nose with fresh, clean strawberry and cherry flavors in the mouth and a consistent bead. The finish is clean and crisp and invites another sip.

Cristalino Brut Rose Cava is an excellent match for fried appetizers such as calamari or light desserts such as creme brulee. It is also excellent on its own or with fresh fruit.

$8.99/$7.99

Cristalino Cava Extra Dry Cristalino Cava Extra Dry

Floral aromas of apple blossom, apple and minerals. Generous, ripe and slightly sweet, with rather full but fresh apple flavor. Finishes long with a refreshing lemon and tart apple

$8.99/$7.99

Adriano Adami Garbel Prosecco Adriano Adami Garbel Prosecco

Nimble and light, with bubbles lifting the ripe peach and melon notes. Ideal for seafood antipasti, like a chilled calamari salad. Made from the grapes grown on the hills located between Venice and the Alps. Straw yellow in colour with a delicate bubble. Fruit driven bouquet with a light acidity and a clean off-dry finish. For a traditional Bellini, top up with Alain Milliat Red Peach Nectar.

$16.99/$12.99

Rotari Talento Trentodoc Brut Rotari Talento Trentodoc Brut

It is hand harvested on the estate vineyards and produced in the “Metodo Classico”, adherng to the strict quality standards mandated by the “Trento DOC” guarantee. The Rotari Brut is bottle fermented for 18-24 months. Color: straw yellow; Fragrance: intense and fruity; Flavor: dry, full, fragrant, well balanced and harmonious; Perlage: fine and persistent.
Ideal as an aperitif, or recommended with first and second course dishes.

$14.99/$12.99

Rotari Talento Trentodoc Rose Rotari Talento Trentodoc Rosé

The Rotari Rosé is a combination of 25% Chardonnay and 75% Pinot Nero (lending to this spumante its characteristic rose color). All grapes are grown in the Adige Valley north of Trento.
It is produced in the “metodo classico”, and adheres to the strict standards of quality mandated by the Trento Doc guarantee. Rotari Rosé is bottle fermented for 24 months.
Color: soft rose; Fragrance: elegant, fruity and persistent; Flavor: dry, fresh and fragrant Perlage: fine and persistent. Ideal as an aperitif, or with light seafood dishes.

$14.99/$12.99

Cupcake Vineyards Blanc De Blancs Chardonnay Cupcake Vineyards Blanc De Blancs Chardonnay

100% Chardonnay. This wine was a collaborative effort between Adam Richardson and winemaker Paul Epsitalie at Lacheteau winery in the Loire Valley. This wine starts off with hints of brioche and white flowers on the nose. The palate is smooth and creamy with hints of pears, almonds and just a touch of caramel sweetness. It has a long dry finish that’s quite refreshing.The Chardonnay is harvested and brought into the winery for a gentle pressing. The juice is cold fermented for several weeks in stainless steel tanks to preserve the wine’s delicate fruit characters. The base wines are then blended in a process known as assemblage. Next the wine undergoes secondary fermentation in the bottle and then ages on its lees for up to twelve months, during which the flavor, texture and of course the bubbles develop. The sparkling wine is then riddled, and disgorged before final corking and labeling. It takes almost two years of craftsmanship to create this crisp and creamy sparkling wine. Santé. Pair it with classics like butter poached scallops, angel hair pasta in a cream sauce, or a mushroom risotto.

$15.99/$10.99

Cupcake Vineyards Brut Rose Pinot Noir Cupcake Vineyards Brut Rose Pinot Noir

100% Pinot Noir. This was a collaborative effort between Adam Richardson and winemaker Paul Epsitalie at Lacheteau winery in the Loire Valley. This is a bright and bubbly Rosé, that shows the vibrant aromas of strawberries and watermelon, with hints of rose petals. It has a creamy palate and long refreshing finish. A good choice to pair with full flavored cuisine, like Peking duck, Paella, or lobster risotto.

$15.99/$10.99

2008 Kila Cava Brut Penedes 2008 Kila Cava Brut

Light, fresh, dry and toasty, with apple, citrus and grapefruit. Produced from a blend of the three main cava grapes: macabeo, xarel-lo and parellada, estate bottled and aged over 12 months on its lees, this is a lovely sparkler from Vins El Cep in Penedes. A bit fruitier and riper than most cavas, this is a great choice for all holiday and entertaining needs.

$8.99