‘Tis the season for bottles popping, but finding quality fizz to toast your various holiday celebrations shouldn’t put you in debt to start the new year. “You absolutely don’t have to spend a lot of money to get good quality bubbles,” says Jennipher Walters, wine educator for Kansas City’s Wine Schooled and Marco Polo Selections.
“There are so many different options from around the world. You just have to be open to trying some new things.” From value Champagne to Champagne alternatives, to other types of bubbles entirely, Walters takes us through what to look for in a budget sparkling wine.
Read more: Ask the Expert: How to Find a Great Wine on a Budget
Value Champagne brands
That being said, there are Champagne brands to seek out that over-deliver at any price point and many that are both excellent and below $50 in price. Ask your local somm or retailer for a hidden gem they rely on. “You can just ask for their recommendations, see what they have that they’re that they’re into and tell them a little bit about what flavor profile you’re looking for, what your occasion is and what your price point is,” says Walters. “My go-to house brand for Champagne is Collet. It always just kind of lands, and it’s a great value.”
Other good value Champagnes: Piper Heidsieck Brut, (a personal favorite) and Nicolas Feuillatte Reserve Exclusive Brut.
Get to know Crémant
Arguably the best value Champagne alternative is sparkling wine that is still made in France, according to the Champagne method, just not in Champagne. Enter Crémant, a two-syllable word that contains multitudes, which comes from all over France where wine is made.
“I am a huge fan of Crémants in general,” says Walters. “Any Crémant is kind of like my everyday go-to if I want to have some Champagne but not spend the money for Champagne,” she says. “I don’t feel like I need it, like if it’s just a Tuesday night or something.” Even if it’s New Year’s Eve, however, a Crémant de Bourgogne, (Crémant from Burgundy) not only has the same method as Champagne, but the same grapes and basically the same soil as well. So what’s the difference? The price tag.
Crémants to try: Arnaud Lambert Crémant de Loire, Albert Bichot Crémant de Bourgogne Brut Reserve, Gérard Bertrand Crémant de Limoux
Other notable sparkling wine regions
As outlined in How to Find Great Wine on a Budget, a basic understanding of the world wine map can point you to other notable regions where Champagne method wines have historically been made. Spain’s Cava, and Italy’s Fraciacorta are two of the most known, but “you can look for ‘traditional method’ or ‘classic method’ on a bottle from the U.S.,” says Walters. (New Mexico makes a great one even.) “There are really good ones out of South Africa called Cap Classique, and then I’m a big fan of some sparkling wines you can get out of Tasmania.” Argentina and England are also on the rise where traditional method sparkling wines are concerned.
Quality bottles from around the world: Segura Viudas Brut Cava, Bellavista Franciacorta Brut, Graham Beck Cap Classique, Jansz Premium Cuvée, Domaine Bousquet Brut, Coates & Seely Brut Reserve
Don’t pass on Prosecco
Lest you think we are hating on Prosecco here by not bringing it up sooner, think again. “Prosecco is made in a different method, where you’re not doing the second fermentation in the bottle,” says Walters. “They’re doing it in a giant tank, basically,” which accounts for its lower price tag, but that doesn’t necessarily equate to lesser quality, even in the eyes of experts.
“Prosecco is really fresh and fruity and easy drinking and fun,” says Wlaters. “It’s just a lot easier to make, and you get those crisper flavors,” she says, perfect for toasting to any occasion. For the most interesting Prosecco options, look for those labeled Valdobbiadene (and don’t worry about the pronunciation,) which indicates a sub-region within Prosecco’s growing territory.
Prosecco to try: Nino Franco Rustico Prosecco Superiore, Mionetto Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore Brut
Other forms of sparkling to consider
Not every bottle of bubbles worthy of celebration looks like Champagne or Prosecco. Pet-nat sparkling wines with lower carbonation and crown caps, red sparkling wines such as Lambrusco or light and sweet sparklers such as Moscato d’Asti can all meet the moment. Not to mention sparkling wine in a can. “I like Underwood; those can be my go to sometimes,” says Walters. “There’s two glasses in the can, so it’s kind of nice if you’re hanging out in a more casual setting.”
Other bubble options: Cleto Chiarli Lambrusco, G.D. Vajra Moscato d’Asti, Heretat Montrubi L’Ancestral Pet Nat, Underwood The Bubbles
Why is Champagne so expensive?
Champagne is frequently upheld as the gold standard for sparkling wine, both in terms of its historical importance and also its quality. It is also the gold standard, however, when it comes to price. “A lot of it has to do with the price of the land in Champagne,” says Walters. “But also its reputation, popularity and the regulations that govern the way in which it’s made.” Champagne is required to be aged for a minimum of 12 months, which amounts to serious overhead costs for winemakers, which is reflected in bottle prices.
Synonyms for Champagne
While the memes are true — you can’t call it Champagne unless it comes from the Champagne region of France — you can put a number of different expressions on the bottle that indicate a sparkling wine has been made in the same fashion as Champagne. Not all sparkling wines are created equal, and the Champagne method specifically indicates that the secondary fermentation to create the fizz happened within the individual bottles.
This is the hallmark of Champagne, (fine, one of the hallmarks of Champagne,) but the process isn’t exclusive to Champagne. You can even look for the word “champagne” on the bottle: i.e. Champagne Method, or Methode Champenoise. Other terminology to describe the same process includes Traditional Method, Methode Traditionelle, Classic Method, Methode Classique or simply Secondary Fermentation in Bottle. Look also for non-French language such as Banfi Brut Metodo Classico for an Italian take on Champagne-style.
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