Champagne

[Kayak_Rat]

The wife is having a Christmas party tonight and is wanting a bottle of champagne. So I need recommendations. But there are stipulations:
*she is by no means a connoisseur
*she is not a fan of hard liquors
*she loves arbor Mist

So in retrospect, I need a good intro bottle of champagne for the wife that is pretty easy to find. Thanks for all the coming recommendations.

[TU09]

If the name of 'Champagne' isn't too important, I would suggest maybe a cava (my preference) or even prosecco ('fresher' wine made in Italy). Cava is normally made useing the same method as champagne (bottle fermented then disgorged and topped) and is generally very tasty stuff without the price that goes along with the name champagne so you can find much better values. Cordon Negro is one cava that is inexpensive at around $10 and of good quality plus very widely available, any supermarket should carry it. I like the brut which is fairly sweet but given that your wife likes arbor mist (which I am assuming is very fruity) you may want to grab an extra dry if you can find it. It also comes in a very classy looking frosted black bottle. I'm not really familiar enough with prosecco to make a suggestion there but I honestly prefer cheap cava to cheap champagne by a wide margin.

[Bankshot1101]

I don't know if its cheap or expensive, i think relatively cheap as champanges (sparkling wine?) go, but Barfoot Bubbly Chardonney is really really good. Also, not sure what year i had, but it was really tasty and had that nice sweet champange flavor with a hint of dryness with the bubbles. I really really liked it. Maybe i'll get some for new years... I don't think it's that expensive because they see it in my grocery store, so i would imagines other super markets would have it.

[Rploaded]

You want bang for buck.

Cordon Negro its in a black bottle..........I like it when buying in bulk is a requirement, case should run you 100-ish$
Review below:
"A truly remarkable sparkler for the money." It comes in the distinctive black frosted bottle, dressed as one might say for any occasion. A true "brut", it is very dry and smooth.

Just my .02

Just realized you were only looking for a bottle, but I think you should buy her a case and see where it leads

[replicant_argent]

Originally Posted by Rploaded

You want bang for buck.

Cordon Negro its in a black bottle..........I like it when buying in bulk is a requirement, case should run you 100-ish$
Review below:
"A truly remarkable sparkler for the money." It comes in the distinctive black frosted bottle, dressed as one might say for any occasion. A true "brut", it is very dry and smooth.

Just my .02

Just realized you were only looking for a bottle, but I think you should buy her a case and see where it leads

Also, Moet White Star might be a nice choice, I get it at Costco for about 35 bucks a bottle.

[cquon]

Asti Spumanti.

[RPB67]

Go with the Moet.

Either the White Star or The Brut. You will love the both of them.

[Charles]

Originally Posted by replicant_argent

Also, Moet White Star might be a nice choice, I get it at Costco for about 35 bucks a bottle.

The White Star is excellent and not too expensive. Make sure that it is cold when you pop it.

[croatan]

White Star (actual Champagne) is pretty good, as is the Domaine Chandon (comes from California and is really cheap--$15 a bottle or so from Costco).
Henkell Trocken (a German sparkler) is great for the price if you can find it (also around $15).
Lucien Albrecht (a Cremant d'Alsace) also great for the money.

Personally, I wouldn't even use Cordon Negro to make a mimosa, but that's just me. (Not trying to be a dick. I just don't care for the flavor or the aftertaste.)

If you want to spend a little more, Krug is one of my absolute favorites.
Also, Veuve Clicquot is good--La Grande Dame is great.

[partagaspete]

If she is not the type that would like Dom and ismore concerned about the taste I would recommend a nice sparkling wine. Asti Cinzano (sp?) is the one my wife likes. Not to expensiveat all but she prefers it to any other "Champagne." It is IMHO quite a bit better than Aste Spumonte.

T

[Bigga Petey]

Ginger ale and Boones Farm Apple, 50/50 mix.












just kidding

The Cordon Negro RPloaded mentioned is good stuff for high volume festive occasions.

[Ivory Tower]

Check Costco. They were selling some magnums--that's two bottles--of Gloria Ferrer, which is decent stuff for fun drinking, for about $26. Also the Moet mentioned earlier.

Of course, bruts are drier (less sweet) than the others. So if she likes
Arbor Mist, you may want to avoid bruts. However, once the bubbly is in the glass and everyone is partying, the qualities of particular "champagnes" become less and less pertinent. Just get something decent, and get a few extra because for some reason it goes quick, and you'll be fine.

Save getting the good stuff for a more champagne-focused experience than a Christmas party.

[mosesbotbol]

Originally Posted by Ivory Tower

Check Costco.

I drink a lot of Champagne and Costco recently came out with a Kirkland branded Champagne that is wonderful. I bought a few cases right away! We've had side-by-side tasting compared to White Star, Veuve, and Kirkland blew them away 100%. Kirkland is also half the price at $20.00

If it doesn't have to be from France, Spanish Cava is good choice. A fantastic deal is SEGURA VIUDAS CAVA BRUT RESERVE which is about $8.00. We use to drink this stuff like water in Hamptons. Tremendous value for sure.

[TU09]

Just like cigars, everyone has different tastes in wine. In my opinion, the grande marques represent some of the worst values in wine. Lower priced offerings from Moet and other high visibility champagne houses are the Yellow Tails of the champagne world; they are massed produced, largely consistent, mass market consumer products that are tasty but unremarkable. Don't get me wrong, the major houses put out some amazing products but their inexpensive offerings are priced for the name and not the contents. If you are going to spend the money for white star I would suggest purchasing grower champagnes that have some character to them and a far more attractive qpr. The only downside to grower champagnes is you will have to actually go to a wine merchant as your local supermarket is not likely to carry them. If your wife is not necessarily a fan of champagne, I would still stick with a big name cava.

[Ivory Tower]

Originally Posted by mosesbotbol

I drink a lot of Champagne and Costco recently came out with a Kirkland branded Champagne that is wonderful. I bought a few cases right away! We've had side-by-side tasting compared to White Star, Veuve, and Kirkland blew them away 100%. Kirkland is also half the price at $20.00

Wow... OK. I'm on it.