Bubbly That Won't Leave Your Wallet Flat

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.