Another vote for the Tissot bubblies. IME, they needs a year or two in the cellar to show their best. Other good stuff includes Chidaine Montlouis, Jacky Blot “Triple Zero”, Clotilde Davenne Cremant de Bourgogne, Marcato Lessini 36 Month Durello, Gruet Blancs de Noirs, some of the Schramsberg stuff, cava from Gramona and Gilabert. Argyle does make good bubbly, though the QPR has dropped in recent years.
Some great suggestions, but surprised no one has mentioned: Saint-Hilaire Blanquette de Limoux
**TN:**The color is very light, white/clear with a tinge of straw.
The nose is pear, bread dough, and especially apple peel.
This is a light bodied and very pleasant wine, with white fruits like pear and apple and once again apple peel thanks to the Mauzac.
Not a wine to age but one to enjoy fresh. Quite pleasant and absolutely lovely. Under $20 too, and widely available!
Not really a Champagne alternative but we can’t let a sparkling wine discussion go by without mentioning Moscato d’Asti. Such a delightful wine, Bera makes my favorite but there are a lot of good ones out there.
WTF?
Jay - I swear I just wrote a post and suggested the same thing and it’s not here now.
Anyhow Prosecco isn’t made in the same way Champagne is made. Cava is.
And Cava is not only Cordoniu and Freixenet. Cava follows the same aging reqs as other Spanish wine so you can get reserva and gran reserva Cava that can be quite good and that can age for many years.
But if you expand the search to look for the slightly sparkling wines as well, you can’t ignore the Moscato d’Asti. Moscato is suddenly the most popular wine on the market? When did that happen?
But don’t forget Braccheto d’Acqui. One of the best summer drinks around. Like light strawberry soda with a slight bit of alcohol. The alc level is like 8 pct or so, perfect for warm summer nights.
And so long as we’re talking slightly sweet wines Brun’s FRV100 (effervescent) is delicious as well. And then there’s Bugey Cerdon as well.
How did you know that had happend, and how was the wine different from a batch where that hadn’t happened?
I have had a few pretty good bottles of the real stuff at the top of your price range in recent weeks. Michel Loriot has a great entry level Pinot based cuvee for about $29.99. A steal at the price. Moutard Grand Cuvee is also lovely for under $30 and Jose Michel produces a Meunier heavy bottle that usually retails just over your $30.00 price point. I think I paid $32. And though I will probably get booted off the forum for recommending it, the Feuillate Blue label is a great bottle of fizz for the money. I am puzzled by all the derision it receives. No, It isn’t the finest Champagne has to offer, but it’s got a pleasing apple pastry flavor, decent minerality, and a pretty long finish. It can almost always be found in my neck of the woods for $25.00. It is a nice step up from the likes of Roederer Estate for just a couple dollars more.
As far as Champagne substitutes go, in addition to those mentioned already in this thread, I like the following:
Domaine de Roches Neuves "Bulles de Roche: " Crisp, bone dry Chenin based sparkler from Saumur with ripe fruit, lots of minerals, and plenty of varietal character. Very different from the Huet, but of a similar quality level.
Albrecht Cremant d’Alsace: Honeyed, floral and elegant. Maybe a tad on the soft side, but it is a very pretty drink. Not a big fan of the Rose, but many like it very much.
De Chauncey Cremant de Loire Rose: 100% Cab Franc. This shows all the leafy tobacco and currant notes you would expect from Loire Cab Franc, but unlike many sparklers of its ilk, it is not overbearing with these notes. Drinkability is quite high and the uniqueness makes it a fun drink. Wallet friendly at $15.00.
I agree (about it being a good bottle for the money, not about getting booted off the forum!)
from the domestic field…
Gruet Grand Rose (not a NV, available at the tasting room or by mail list)
Laetitia Sparklers (Arroyo Grande Valley AVA)
LOVE this wine
+1 on Jacky Blot’s Triple Zero. Awesome sparkling wine and pretty good QPR as well !
Lots of good answers here. Some of my fave producers in these categories are mentioned here: http://www.amateurwino.com/2010/12/
Greg, I think moscato got a bump in popularity in the last few years since rappers started name-dropping moscato, though my wife has loved the frizzante moscatos for years before that! And some proseccos are made metodo Classico (champenoise) right?
Thank you for all the responses. A great thing about this Board is the wines/producers I learn about and may never have heard of before. For what it’s worth, and responding to some of the posts above, The Cremant de Jura producers that I enjoy are Bourdy and Bornard. Montborgeau is also decent, but I don’t care for them as much as the other 2. I like the Albrecht Rose and Blanc. I also have enjoyed the Schramsburg Brut Rose.I really enjoyed some Domaine Carneros 98 La Reve Blanc purchased on sale in PA. For you sparkling Moscato fans, I liked some vintages by La Spinetta. I haven’t had much luck with Cava or sparkling burgs, but then my experience with them is fairly limited to mass production items. Thanks Jay for the comment about the fizzy Brun. I have tried a number of his Bojos, but the wine you mentioned is actually available in PA so I may have to try it. In the Champagne arena, we have been drinking a number of producers of so called Farmers Fizz, but I still seem to enjoy my old standbys of Pol Roger and Bollinger (my favorite producer). Thanks all!
Lucien Albrecht also makes a Cremant Rose de Alsace that is very nice. Medium body with nice red fruit flavors. Not bone dry, but far from sweet. Lovey aperitif.
Had a Moncontour Vouvray sparkling that was quite nice for $15.
Food friendly, as well. 100% Pinot Noir, and tastes like it. A bargain at just over $20.