Bubbly On Any Budget

It's a classic conundrum this time of year: You go out to buy some bubbly for the upcoming New Year's celebration and realize that, once again, you really don't know a darn thing about the stuff.

Sure, you've sipped enough red and white wines to know a respectable label or two you can always fall back on the rest of the year. But when it's time to break out the bubbly, you nearly break out in hives and finally just grab something inexpensive or blindly buy a bottle on faith.

Well, dear readers, you're not alone! Most of us have more opportunities to sample those everyday red and white wines than we do Champagne and sparkling wine. (Don't know the difference? Look here.)

That's why I decided to put an end to this maniacal year-end folly by rounding up a few pals to help sample a baker's dozen of sparkling wines and offer their comments on each of them. Hopefully, thanks to the hard work of the 20 people who donated several hours of their time right before Christmas, you should be able to find the perfect bubbly to ring in the New Year -- and many special occasions to come.

Here's how we did it: The bottles, some bought, some donated, were wrapped merrily in holiday-themed wine bags to hide their identities. Each bottle was given a number and a corresponding sheet on which the tasters could jot down comments and assign a grade (A, B, C, etc.). The bottles and their comment sheets were scattered throughout several rooms of the house, so people could mingle, chat and taste all at the same time, simulating the atmosphere of a party. With glasses in hand, the tasters chose different "Champagne stations" where they started their sipping and moved along all the stations, making sure to pour small samples (1 ounce or less) so everybody else could have some and leaving their comments along the way.

The wine knowledge of the tasting panel was broad. Tasters included some friends who hold casual wine-tasting gatherings several times a year, some folks whose tastes tend more toward other adult beverages, at least one person who considered herself "a complete novice" and another who has taken wine appreciation courses -- probably a lot like the makeup of most partygoers at a New Year's celebration.

The price per bottle was determined from a recent online search. Local wine purveyors might offer slightly different price tags.

In their own words, here are the results of our not-so scientific, yet fascinating (and fun) research -- as the wines were numbered for identification in the blind tasting:

1. Segura Viudas Aria Cava (Estate Brut) -- About $9-$13 per bottle. Dry, tart, light, crisp, clean with pleasant aftertaste. Some tasters found pear and citrus notes that were enticing: "I could snuggle up to this one," Grade: B+

2. Segura Viudas Brut Reserva Cava -- About $7-$11 per bottle. Tart, with more flavor than the Estate Brut, according to several tasters. But the flavor was a put-off for others. One taster wrote, "All fruit and no crisp." Some tasters also found the wine to be a bit sour. One described a "sour apples" flavor that they feared would not taste good warmer. Another said it "tastes like high school." Grade: C

3. Cook's Extra Dry -- About $5-$7 per bottle. The first tasters (before the wine warmed up a bit) gave the Cooks glowing grades: "Sweet and crisp," "Tart/sweet with apple hints," "Sweet but surprisingly good." The comments were proof that, sometimes, a less expensive bottle might just be your best bet -- especially if it is going to be served super cold to be consumed quickly. (Think Champagne toasts -- in fact, one taster commented that it was a "wedding Champagne.") As the wine grew warmer, the grades dropped quickly. Many tasters also commented on the coarseness of the bubbles: "Highly bubbled -- cheap wine taste." Grade: B+

4. Schramsberg Blanc de Blancs 2001 -- About $22-$35 per bottle. This one proved a bit too light for many of our tasters, but those who liked it really enjoyed it ("Dry and clean with nice bubbles" and "Dry as a light breeze!") Some found astringent, pine or resiny notes: "A bit 'off' -- kind of resiny." Others enjoyed its apple flavors. Grade: B

5. Mumm Napa Blanc de Blancs 2002 -- About $22 per bottle. The tasters wondered whether this was an off bottle from this highly respected winery. Most tasters said the wine tasted "sour" or "super sharp," while the ones who gave it a better grade only said it was "so-so" or "not very good." Other Mumm Napa sparklers in the tasting got good reviews (see below), so the general consensus was to give the Mumm Napa Blanc de Blanc 2002 another try. Grade: C-

6. Schramsberg Reserve 2000 -- About $75-$78 per bottle A dry, tart wine with "cidery fruit flavors." Nicely balanced with apple and pears. Some found it a bit "vinegary and sour," while others enjoyed the tartness. "Starts fruity, very crisp finish," "Like a crisp chardonnay or pinot blanc, but with bubbles." Grade: B

7. Domaine St. Michelle Brut -- About $8-$13 per bottle. Like the Cook's, many tasters noted the "bigger bubbles" on this inexpensive sparkler. This one didn't garner the raves that some tasters gave the Cook's, calling it "nondescript" "bland" and "sweet without the fruit." Others commented that there was "not a lot going on" and that it "lacked distinct flavor, blah." Like the Cook's, this wine fared worse as it warmed up throughout the evening. Grade: C-

8. Mumm Napa Reserve Brut -- Price not available. Tasters enjoyed the "lasting" and "tight bubbles," apple and pear notes and "nice chardonnay" flavors. This was one of the wines that garnered consistently high marks throughout the evening from nearly every taster, showing real staying power as it warmed up. Grade: B

9. Mumm Napa Brut Prestige -- About $13-$21 per bottle. Another favorite among the tasters with a "chewy, yeasty, creamy start and a dry, tart finish" and "crisp chardonnay with hints of fruit," Many enjoyed the "tiny bubbles" and smooth, light flavors, finding it "too easy to drink!" Others commented that it seemed a bit tart. Another wine that held its own throughout the evening. Grade: B+

10. Schramsberg 1999 -- About $70-$85 per bottle. The only wine that actually got better scores as the evening progressed. Tasters found flavors of grapefruit, citrus, apple and mentioned its "nice depth," "good crispness" and "great character" married with a dry finish "like a nice white wine blend, but sparkling." Generally speaking, it was the group's across-the-board favorite. Everyone wanted more. Grade: A-

11. Nicolas Feuillatte Brut -- About $24-$32 per bottle. Surprisingly, there were not many fans of this Champagne, but its supporters gave it good marks for a "long finish," "nice balance," "good bubbles" and "pleasant, dry, cidery finish." This one seemed to deteriorate as it warmed up, because the later tasters described it as "too tart," with an "off taste at the finish." Grade: C+

12. Schramsberg Blanc de Blancs Brut 2002 -- About $23-$27 per bottle. "I could drink a lot of this," noted one taster. "Great bubbles!" said another taster of this wine, which someone described as "starting off creamy, ending dry" and being "very complex" all at the same time. Later tasters noted that the bubbles remained long after the bottle was open, while others said it reminded them of sparkling cider with a "big apple" finish. One more favorite of the evening. Grade: B+

13. McLaren Vale Vixen Sparkling Pinot Noir -- About $17. "It's RED!" said our tasters of this unique but emerging style of sparkling wine that's been around down under in Australia for a while. Perhaps because of its uniqueness, some tasters were not as ready to embrace it, while others went ga-ga over this sparkling red wine: "Love it, baby!" wrote one fan, giving it the only A+ of the entire evening. "Awesome nose" said one taster of this "dark, bold, dry Pinot." Another wrote that it was, "like an excellent Pinot with bubbles." One taster enthused that it was, "nutty, toasty -- not what you'd expect in a sparkling wine. Very pretty in the glass!" But others found it "sweet and sticky" "too woody" and said it "could be more full-bodied." Grade: As a novelty or a sipper anytime -- B+. For an event begging for traditional bubbly -- C-.

Some final notes: Our tasters found that price doesn't always determine quality, and that you can find a very tasty bottle of bubbly in a modest price range. One notable example is the top scorer Schramsberg 1999, at upwards of $85 a bottle, received slightly higher scores than the Schramsberg Blanc de Blancs Brut 2002, which costs about $25 and the Mumm Napa Brut Prestige, which can be found for about $15.

However, the pricey bottles didn't fail to impress our tasters. Those wanting to splurge on a really nice bottle of sparkling wine should take note of the Schramsberg 1999. And as for those folks who are looking for something inexpensive to share with a crowd at New Year's -- don't be embarrassed to serve the Cook's Extra Dry. Just make sure it's well-chilled!

Oh, and before you pop open that cork, take a moment to learn how to do it without putting an eye out.

See you in 2007!