Buffalo Spree Magazine

Champagne wannabes

By Mark Criden

Photo by Ablestock.

Your kid’s getting married and you’re going broke. You’re funding the clergy, wedding dress, caterer, florist, reception hall and band. You might be able to come out whole if you hit the Powerball or float a bond offering. Even that term life policy is looking mighty fine. You, my friend, need to cut some corners. The best idea: start with the bubbly.

Champagne—the real stuff from France—may be the world’s greatest sparkling wine, but it’s priced accordingly. With its labor-intensive, made-by-hand production, and its well-wrought public relations image, it’s hard to find a bottle of quality non-vintage Champagne for less than $25. If you fondle fancy labels like Dom Perignon, you’re well into triple digits.But let’s be honest, here. Your wedding reception is not some solemn or deeply contemplative affair where the guests will appreciate—or even notice —the depth and breadth of any given wine. You’re hosting an event that has far more in common with a Roman Bacchanalia than a wine tasting. What you therefore need is some less-expensive alternative that’ll uncork with a festive “pop,” wash down the rumaki, and sparkle through the off-color toasts just like Champagne. Luckily, the world’s awash in bargain bubbly. Here are my recommendations: Domaine Ste. Michelle from Washington State produces the best $10 sparklers in the marketplace. When considering inexpensive bubbly, most people reach for Cava, Spain’s primary contribution to the world of fizz. Popular brands like Freixenet, Codorniu, Segura Viudas, or Paul Cheneau provide a $10 experience also, but one that’s prone to injure your fillings. The wines from Domaine Ste. Michelle blow the doors off almost any cava. One way they put so much character and flavor into their wines at such a low price is by using the normally costly Methode Champenoise rather than the cheaper Charmat process (see sidebar).

My favorite from Domaine Ste. Michelle is the Blanc de Blanc, crisp yet creamy, with streaming pinpoint bubbles and a dry, apple-y finish. The yeasty Brut and the slightly sweeter Blanc de Noirs and Extra Dry are both very good as well. These wines are remarkable values, low-end bubblies that compete persuasively against wines at two to three times the price. Many love golden state sparkling wines, both the ones made by the California colonies of large Champagne houses—Mumm, Roederer, Piper Heidseck, Moet et Chandon—as well as native products like Iron Horse and Schramsberg. But I often find these wines too big (too fat, too rich, too filling) to provide that racy vibrancy we want from good sparkling wine. Instead, head east to the improbable wine Mecca of New Mexico where Gruet winery makes one of the finest sparkling wines in the country. All of its sparklers are made by Methode Champenoise, and all are about $15 when purchased by the case. The Brut is a crisp, complex, full-bodied sparkling wine with ultra fine bubbles. The Blanc de Noirs is rich, creamy and toasty, a balanced, superb sparkler. The Rosé is lovely, floral, and dry. These are sophisticated, festive wines that are made in small quantities but worth a special search of the marketplace.

Italy’s greatest sparkling wine is Franciacorta, a wine as serious as non-vintage Champagne. Unfortunately, its seriousness extends to its price, which is usually well north of $20. Fancier bottlings from great producers like Ca’Del Bosco, Bellavista, or Tenita Castellino can top $50. But Italian sparkling wines have a charming and delicious low-cost champion in Prosecco from the Valdobbiadene region of Veneto. Because its primary grape—also called prosecco—is known for a delicacy that would be compromised by the longer aging time required by Methode Champenoise, Prosecco is made using the less expensive Charmat method. Nevertheless, Prosecco is invariably crisp and tingly, fun, and frothy, and one of the best choices for sparkling wine under $20. Best producers: Bellenda, Bortolotti, Nino Franco “Rustico,” Adriano Adami, Canella, Mionetto, Bisol, Santa Margherita, Col Vetoraz, Ruggeri, and especially Frozza.

My friend Howard was happy to see I was giving Champagne the back of my hand for this column, but dismayed that I still recommend other French fizz, most of which is labeled Cremant ( French for “creaming”). Cremant d’Alsace, often made from a blend of pinot blanc, riesling, pinot noir, and auxerrois, boasts a fresh, toasty nose and an easygoing, light-bodied character. Bottlings from excellent producers like Lucien Albrecht, Pierre Sparr, and Mure normally run about $12-$15. The same price will net you Cremant de Bourgogne, a rich, dry, and tart sparkler made from Pinot Noir (Blanc de Noirs); Chardonnay (Blanc de Blancs) or a blend of the two. Try the wines from Michel Frères, Louis Bouillot, and Francois Labet.The classiest cremants, though, are from the Loire valley where Chenin Blanc is transformed into Cremant de Loire and its cousin Vouvray Pétillant. The best of these wines are classy, nuanced, and dry with lovely, lingering finishes, and at $14 to $20, stack up handsomely against Champagnes costing twice as much.

The best Cremant de Loire is made by the great producer Baumard. My favorite Vouvray Pétillants are made by Champalou, Foreau, Francois Pinon, and Huet, though the latter’s wines often break the $20 barrier. Across the river from Vouvray, the producer Chidaine from Montlouis makes a similar wine for about $15.New York produces wonderful sparkling wines, but the best are priced at Champagne levels. For instance, my favorite New York sparkling wine producer is Chateau Frank, but its Brut Champagne is $25, the Blanc de Blanc $35, and the Blanc de Noirs $40. Frank’s second label, the riesling-based easy-to-drink Célèbre, is no steal at $20, the same price as the equally good, and equally pricey, McGregor Sparkling Riesling and Hosmer’s award-winning Sparkling Wine. For true New York State bargains, look to Glenora, whose Brut or off-dry Blanc de Blancs are both made according to Methode Champenoise and exhibit bright lemony and vanilla flavors, full body, and lively acidity. The Blanc de Blanc is $14 and the Brut is a great bargain at $10 by the case.

Mark Criden (mcriden@yahoo.com) is a non-profit executive and the former chair of the Buffalo Branch of the International Wine & Food Society.

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