7 Affordable Sparkling Wines

By: Thomas O. Ryder

Legend has it, the monk who created Dom Pérignon exclaimed upon tasting it, "I'm drinking the stars!"

True or not, a bit of the bubbly adds sparkle and charm to any evening. But who can afford Dom Pérignon? And how do you find a good sparkling wine without breaking the bank tasting them all? Luckily, Tom Ryder, author of the Reader's Digest wine-tasting series, Great Wine Bargains, has done all the legwork for you. Try one or more of these $15-or-less sparklers and toast an elegant evening in style.

Louis Bouillot, Brut, Crémant de Bourgogne, Grande Réserve, Perle de Vigne (France)

That’s a lot of words for probably the best wine in the tasting. Lightly fruity nose and pale gold color. Delicious apple and pear flavors, with a touch of hazelnuts. Very Champagne-like and a rival to Pol Roger. Great balance and a great bargain at around $12 per bottle.

Louis Bouillot, Rosé, Crémant de Bourgogne, Perle d'Aurore (France)

I love sparkling rosé wines. They are generally made from Pinot Noir grapes and have a bit more body, and they are a lovely festive color that matches special occasions well. But I had trouble finding one I liked in this price range until I met up with this. It's a delicate pink color with a light touch of fresh berries on the nose. There are rich raspberry and candied apple flavors with nice acidity and good balance. I bought it for $13.99 and served it at an engagement party. The lovely pink color matched the color of my eyes the next day.

Domaine Ste. Michelle, Blanc de Blancs (Columbia Valley, Washington)

Very light color and delicate yeasty nose with a hint of citrus fruit. Crisp, clean, grapefruity taste with lively effervescence and a touch of acidity. This wine sells for around $12. Chateau Ste. Michelle has a number of sparkling wines in this price range and all are very good for the price. Other winemakers should study how they do this.

Domaine Ste. Michelle, Frizzante (Columbia Valley, Washington)

If you like a touch of sweetness in your sparkling wine, this could be the one for you. It has a lovely straw color with a delicate, light floral nose and copious medium-sized bubbles. There are creamy flavors of pineapple and golden delicious apple and they are in perfect balance with the bit of sweetness. This is a lovely wine to mix for cocktails or have with dessert. About $12.

Yellow by Yellowglen (Australia)

Nice straw color and small, active bubbles with a yeasty apple nose. There is a rich apple flavor with some melon and spice, a nice creamy mouth feel and great balance. Surprisingly good for the price ($10) and the look of the bottle. But it turns out that this wine and its rosé companion called Pink have taken the Australian wine market by storm, capturing nearly 20 percent of the sparkling wine market. Good on ya, mate!

Marqués de Gelida, Cava 2002, Brut Exclusive Reserva (Spain)

A candidate for ugliest bottle, but a nice surprise inside. Light color with rich yeasty effervescence and a good acid edge. Very light apple and citrus flavors with good structure and a nice cider touch on the finish.