Nothing turns a gathering into a party faster than hearing someone bust open a bottle of bubbly. But most sparkling-wine drinkers are out to find a good bottle at a great price—at least, no one I know regularly keeps a bottle of Cristal on ice “just in case.”
Our staff here at DivineCaroline went through the rigors of tasting some of the most widely available sparkling wines, all available nationwide for $15 or less. Our taste test revealed which sparkling wines had us feelin’ fine, and which ones left us with the taste of sour grapes. It’s a tough job, but someone’s gotta do it.
The Fizzy Winners
Roederer Estate Brut NV
This sparkling wine from California’s Anderson Valley was our testers’ hands-down favorite. It had a bright, citrusy taste with notes of stone fruit, such as peach and apricot. Our tasters also noted its pleasant tartness without being too acidic, and its tanginess without being sour.
Chandon Brut Classic
“It’s sweet and fruity and I love it,” gushed one taster. The Chandon (produced in Napa Valley) had a smoother mouthfeel, with less carbonation than other brands, and a nice, mild flavor, with notes of pear, currant, and spice. We enjoyed the fact that it was easy to drink, with little aftertaste. Some compared it favorably to a drier version of a hard cider.
The Flat
Korbel Brut
Our tasters weren’t terribly impressed by this ubiquitous sparkling wine from Sonoma, California. They described it as smooth but also “bland,” and with a slightly metallic aftertaste. Many remarked that it would be a good economical choice to serve in champagne cocktails or mimosas, but not particularly tasty to drink on its own.
Bouvet Signature Brut
This French sparkling wine didn’t have a particularly appealing scent, which one taster described as similar to that of “cat pee,” and another as “meaty and animalish,” but it tasted better than it smelled. Some of us enjoyed it, reporting that it had a good mouthfeel and a fruity, toasty flavor, but others disagreed, declaring its taste unpleasant and “salami-ish.”
