You pay a tax to drink Champagne.  Plain and simple.  The best sparkling wines come from Champagne but if you are looking for low prices they just can’t be found.  I literally can’t remember a Champagne for under $20 (half bottles don’t count).

So if you are looking for a special sparkling wine for Valentine’s Day with out the special price, look to other regions of France, Spain, Italy and ‘Merica.  This Cremant, a term the French developed for sparkling wine made outside of Champagne, is from the Languedoc region in Southeastern France, where the climate is such that they can produce vintage sparkling wine every year (this one is a 2007).  See, the climate in Champagne is not conducive to grape growing, so most years the Champagne houses produce non-vintage wines which are actually a mix of good and not-so-good vintages, with the goal of consistency.  Vintage wine, or wine labeled with a year, is only produced in the best years, maybe 2-4 per decade.  Well, in southern France, the climate is great for grape growing, so they can make vintage wines every year.

Michel Olivier’s Blanc de Blancs Brut is bright, vibrant and delicious, and at $10 makes a strong argument for drinking sparkling wine at least once a week.  Apple and lemon flavors are complemented by a round, creamy mouthfeel with a little toasty oak- everything you would expect from a nice Champagne, for 1/3 of the price.

The best part: the label is French and looks really classy so, guys, your girlfriend or wife isn’t going to know the difference between this and a $50 bottle of Champagne.  Stop in at LA Wine Co and pick up a bottle for Valentine’s day or order a case online for any occasion (such as celebrating 5 o’clock).  This will keep for a number of years so don’t be shy.  The 1999 vintage is still drinking great!

Buy Here: 2007 Michel Olivier’s Blanc de Blancs Brut $9.95

Schramsberg is arguably the premier sparkling wine producer in the United States, and with their Mirabelle label, they produce value priced non-vintage wine that is consistently great.  Robert Parker recently tweeted:

“excellent value in a high class rose sparkling wine?-check-out Schramsberg non-vintage Mirabelle Brut rose-about $25…damn tasty juice…”

I have to agree with Parker on all but one part of his tweet: the price.  LA Wine Co. has this wine for $18.95.  This is a perfect example of a rosé with a beautiful pink color and bright berry scents on the nose.  On the palate it’s broad and full with toasty vanilla from the Chardonnay and a focused minerality with raspberry flavors from the 48% Pinot Noir component.  Speaking of Pinot, some of the red grapes were fermented with the skin on contributing to the color and the slight tannin that differentiates this from a standard sparkling wine.

In addition to the raves from RP, Wine Spectator gave this rosé 93 points, further confirming its value.  Enjoy it for the holidays or enjoy it tomorrow.  You don’t need an excuse to drink sparkling wine!

Buy Here: Schramsberg Mirabelle Brut Rosé $18.95

Wine Spectator 93 points

“A rosé with serious intentions, it has a delicate pink hue and floral aromas of strawberry and spicy yeast rolls. The flavors show good focus, offering raspberry, Gala apple, ginger and fig flavors. Drink now through 2012.”

I originally wrote about the 2001 Gloria Ferrer Royal Cuvée back in March and, at the time, I thought it was the end of the vintage.  Apparently it wasn’t, because this 93 point rated Carneros sparking wine is back at LA Wine Co for the absurdly low price of $18.95.  It’s almost 10 years old at this point and is drinking better than ever (I had a bottle less than a month ago).

If you like sparking wine, I implore you buy this.  It’s at the top of Gloria Ferrer’s impressive lineup and will be drinking well for years to come.  I still can’t figure out how they get the bubbles to stay in the bottle for so long, but I’m glad they do!  Good sparkling wine can actually last for hundreds of years as proven by divers who recently recovered bottles of Veuve Clicquot from 1780.  It was drinking great after spending 230 years 180 feet underwater on the ocean floor!

Although I can’t endorse the saltwater storage method, nor would I suggest putting this back as a family heirloom, I can tell you that aged sparking wine develops fantastic nuances in the bottle that only time can impart.

Update: Price lowered to $15.95!

Buy Here: 2001 Gloria Ferrer Royal Cuvée $15.95

Wine Spectator 93 points

“This sparkling wine is fresh and vibrant, yet with a core of rich, luscious fruit. Aromas of Asian pear, rose water and lemon curd lead to layered flavors of fresh ginger, pippin apple and cinnamon that finish on a showy note. Drink now through 2013. 6,500 cases made.”

I’ve been in love with this wine since I first had it last year at the winery in Carneros.  The winery itself is straight out of Champagne France and the wine follows suit.  This shouldn’t come as a surprise, as it’s made by Taittinger, one of the biggest Champagne houses in France.  If you can make it to Napa, spend the morning here- the surroundings are spectacular and the sparkling wine makes a perfect start to a day of wine tasting.

The Chardonnay used in this wine contributes a richness and the Pinot Noir a complexity that suggests it will age very well.  It’s dry, smooth and full and really shows off the uniqueness of the Carneros appellation.  The finish has a nice tartness and a distinct taste of orange peel.  Really nice.

Sparkling wine tends to be consumed in the U.S. only for celebration, as we are today.  But I’m committed to drinking it more often.  Call it a celebration of the everyday.  So who’s with me?

L.A. Wine Co. once again has the lowest price in the country according to Google Shopping.  Here’s the plan: Buy 6 bottles and drink one a year for the next 6 years and see how it ages.  I think April 24th, 2016 will be the best!

Wine Spectator 91 points

“Festive and vibrant, but rich and complex, with bright aromas of fresh cherry and lemon that lead to luscious flavors of raspberry, yeasty pear and crisp mineral. Drink now. 33,000 cases made.”

Domaine Carneros Brut by Taittinger 2006- $19.95

A couple of weeks ago I posted a review of the 2001 Gloria Ferrer Royal Cuvee.  At the time, the lowest price in the country was $21.99 .  Well, LA Wine Company just listed it on their website for $18.95.  At that price, this aged sparkling wine is amazing and is worth buying by the case (or at least the half case).  Again, it was rated 93 points from Wine Spectator and the same from Wine Enthusiast.  It was also number 55 on Wine Enthusiast’s top 100 of 2008.

2001 Gloria Ferrer Brut Royal Cuvee- LA Wine Company $18.95

We hosted brunch for some great friends yesterday, and since I’ve been on such a sparkling wine kick lately, I figured this was the perfect chance to review Gloria Ferrer’s other non-vintage offering- the Blanc de Noirs.  Made from 90% Pinot Noir and 10% Chardonnay, this wine pours with a hint of pink, though it isn’t as pink as a typical Rose sparkling wine.

The Pinot flavors shine through, with a slightly mineral nose, along with the typical clean citrus scents of Gloria Ferrer sparkling wines.  It has a fresh taste- a bit lighter than the Brut offering- but with nice round flavors infused by the Pinot Noir grapes.  Gloria Ferrer uses 5-7% cold soaked Pinot juice in this bottling and, besides adding the pinkish color, this comes through in a slightly bitter (in a good way) finish.

This is the perfect brunch wine because it’s light without being watery or weak and the tiny, plentiful bubbles wake up the taste buds (along with the rest of the senses) to get the day started off right.

I hate to sound like a broken record here, but LA Wine Company once again within a few pennies of the lowest price in the country at $12.95 for the full bottle and $6.99 for the 375ml.

Connoisseurs’ Guide to California Wines- 87 points

“90% Pinot Noir; 10% Chardonnay. Over the last half decade, this lightly pink wine has been our choice among its price point peers and it has done well again this time out. It strikes us a bit lighter in style and depth while retaining its attractive blend of creamy and quietly fruity elements, and its foamy yet insistent mousse is well-fit to its fairly straightforward, cherry-infused flavors. It can serve well as either a stand-alone aperitif or as a companion to light finger foods.” (CG)

Gloria Ferrer Blanc de Noirs 375ml- LA Wine Company $6.99

Gloria Ferrer Blanc de Noirs 750 ml- LA Wine Company $12.95

Every great night begins with some great bubbly and last night was no exception.  After last weekend’s 2001 Gloria Ferrer ‘Royal Cuvee’, I decided to go for its less expensive label mate, the NV Brut.  For those new to sparkling wine, most top notch producers make vintage wine for aging and non vintage wine to be consumed within a year or two of release.  I have now tasted both versions from Gloria Ferrer and I can officially say this Gloria lady makes great, sophisticated sparkling wines that are possibly unmatched values.  Why would you ever buy grocery store Corbel when you can buy this for under $13?

The wine itself starts with nice citrus and apple on the nose but less toasty oak than the more expensive version.  This too is very dry with a light but not thin texture.  You certainly don’t get any of that Welch’s sweetness that comes through on many comparably priced California sparklers.  The finish is very nice- clean and tart. Textbook. (more…)

Last night I had the pleasure of celebrating a special occasion with this awesome bottle of sparkling wine from Carneros.  Gloria Ferrer is usually known for their Sonoma wines, but this vintage reserve bottling uses Napa grapes, to great effect.  Unlike many California sparklers, this wine is nuanced and very dry, much like a Champagne.  With 2/3 Pinot Noir and 1/3 Chardonnay, you get some of the smokey and nutty flavors of the Pinot coming through as well.

For me, it’s fun to drink vintage sparkling wine, not just because of complexity gained during the 7-8 years in the bottle, but because I like to think about all the effort that went into creating it.   If you haven’t read up on the complicated process of making champagne and other sparkling wine, it’s worth a read.  It will make your wine drinking experience more enjoyable.

If you’re thinking about trying this wine, you don’t have to take my word for it.  It got 93 points from Wine Spectator.

Wine Spectator 93 Points
This sparkling wine is fresh and vibrant, yet with a core of rich, luscious fruit. Aromas of Asian pear, rose water and lemon curd lead to layered flavors of fresh ginger, pippin apple and cinnamon that finish on a showy note. Drink now through 2013. 6,500 cases made.

I bought this from LA Wine Company of only $18.99, but unfortunately, they are sold out.

Update: They have it back in!  Get this while it’s still around.

Gloria Ferrer Brut ‘Royal Cuvee’ 2001- $18.95