Bubbly That Won't Leave Your Wallet Flat

Joanna Ossinger

If it's December, it must be time for champagne.

There's just something about the ritual and the sound of a popping cork that seems to evoke the holiday spirit.

But even the lower-end champagnes have gotten more expensive lately with the weak dollar, which makes it all the more important to get as much enjoyment as possible out of that bottle.

Real champagne, of course, comes only from the Champagne region of France. Most champagne is nonvintage, which means that grapes from several harvests can be combined to create it, and it is usually aged one to three years. Vintage champagne is produced only in years when the grapes from that harvest can hold their own. It is often aged longer, and the best grapes are used in the vintage wines. And even within that group, there are regular vintage champagnes and premium vintage ones, which go by names such as prestige cuvée.

Elana Stein of the Office of Champagne, USAnotes that nonvintage champagne is meant to be consumed when it was bought, or can keep for three to four years if it is stored in a cool, dry place. Vintage champagne can be stored for 10 to 20 years, she says, and sometimes even longer.

With all that in mind, here's a guide to help decide what to buy.

I asked experts at 11 wine stores around the U.S. to name their favorite champagnes and tried to keep it to those that would likely be available for purchase. I also asked for names in two categories: entry-level (generally under $45 or $50 a bottle), and higher-end (the vintage and specialty Champagnes). (Note that stores often mark up the bubbly during the holidays because of seasonal popularity, and prices will vary by store and location.)

The thinking goes, if these folks keep repeating a certain name, it's probably going to be a good one -- one that doesn't just depend on one store's sales goals or one person's particular taste.

Entry-Level

Bollinger Special Cuvée, hovering right at that $50 mark, has "really nice nuances, white-cake flavor," says a wine consultant at Applejack Wine & Spirits in Colorado. "It's beautiful."

Taittinger NV Brut La Francaise also won several mentions from the experts as a citrusy offering with nice acid.

Another good possibility, Nicholas Feuillatte, has maintained quality while remaining one of the lowest-priced authentic champagnes available over the past 10 years or so. It now sells for around $30. Also consider Henriot NV Brut Souverain, which Sarah from Pour in New York says is "harmonious and well-balanced," and a "wonderful food wine;" and Pol Roger NV.

Higher End

Dom Perignon, 1999 vintage, was the most-named champagne by far, garnering mentions from six of the experts. I'm often suspicious of people who tout Dom; it's probably the best known of all champagne names and has something of a reputation for being overpriced, so I can't help wondering if the recommendation is just to go along with the crowd. But it's consistently excellent and seems to have come down in price relative to its competitors, so who am I to argue?

Garnering several mentions were Veuve Cliquot La Grande Dame, 1996 (~$120) or 1998 (~$150) vintage, and Bollinger Grande Année, 1997 or 1999 vintage ($110 to $125). The Grande Année has been one of my personal favorites ever since I fell in love with its spectacular 1990 vintage. The hints of vanilla and spice, the concentration and the excellent finish have not disappointed me yet.

Other favorites included Krug Grand Cuvée, which is nonvintage and priced around $150, but it's made by a classic producer. "It's my go-to champagne," one expert says. Also Salon: "For connoisseurs, it's one that people will go far and wide to track down," says Sam of Sherry-Lehmann Wine & Spirits in New York. (It's rare, though, and could cost $250 to $350.) For star-studded appeal, check out Armand Brignac NV ($290 to $360). "Jay-Z drinks only this champagne," declares Marco from Beacon Wines in New York City, who said the famed rapper visited his store several weeks ago to stock up.

While true champagnes are crafted to specifications that guarantee a certain taste and level of quality, there are also many excellent sparkling wines. Whatever champagne or sparkling wine you do end up purchasing, here's hoping it lives up to expectations.

Cheers!

Stores that took part in the survey: Applejack Wine & Spirits, Wheat Ridge, Colo. Beacon Wines, New York, N.Y. Michael-Towne Wine & Spirits", Brooklyn, N.Y. Nancy's Wines, New York, N.Y. Northside Wine & Spirits, Ithaca, N.Y. Park Avenue Liquor Shop, New York, N.Y. Pour, New York, N.Y. Princeton Corkscrew, Princeton, N.J. Schaefer's Wine, Food & Spirits, Skokie, Ill. Sherry-Lehmann Wines & Spirits, New York, N.Y. Wide World of Wines, Washington, D.C.

---