POPPIN’ BOTTLES: SIX SPARKLING WINES TO HELP YOU SAVE MONEY AND DRINK IN STYLE THIS SPRING

I wanted to start this blog with a pop, a sparkle, and a splash so I figured I’d talk about one of my favorite subjects — BUBBLY WINES. Before we get into some great alternative sparkling wines to help you save some cash this Spring, let’s chat briefly about some common misconceptions about sparkling wine.

BUBBLY MISCONCEPTION NUMBER 1:

ALL SPARKLING WINES ARE CALLED “CHAMPAGNE”

Let’s get one thing straight. A lot of people think that all sparkling wines are “Champagne.” This is not the case.

Champagne is actually the name of an area, and wines that come from this area are called… well… “Champagne.” In the biz, we call areas like Champagne this really fancy French word, “appellation d’orgine contrôlée.” But you can just call ‘em AOCs for short. Other countries have their own geographically based wine regions . Italy has DOCs, California has AVAs, Spain has DOs — it’s a lot of abbreves to follow, so that will be in a another blog post.

Wines that are that are considered, “Champagne,” can only come from the Champagne AOC. And they have a price tag to prove it too.

BUBBLY MISCONCEPTION NUMBER 2:

SPARKLING WINE IS ONLY FOR PARTIES

Wrong! Wines with the sparkle factor are not just for special occasions. As a matter of fact, they are highly versatile and can be enjoyed pretty much whenever. These wines are fresh enough to go with a crisp salad but also are great for cleansing your palate between bites of a rich juicy steak. And let’s not even begin to discuss the magical experience of pairing bubbly wines with fried foods. Fried chicken and waffles with a bubbly? C’est magnifique!

BUBBLY MISCONCEPTION NUMBER 3:

ALL SPARKLING WINE IS EXPENSIVE

I’m gonna let you in on a little secret. There are a bunch of bubbly wines you can find everywhere that are under $30. Some are even as inexpensive as $10-$15 bucks - cuz we all got bills to pay, amirite? If you’re ready for your world to get a little sparklier, read on.

ALTERNATIVE BUBBLIES THAT DON’T BREAK THE BANK.

Lambrusco: For Casual Nights In.

Bubble Factor: Light

If you’ve never had Lambrusco before, then you are missing out! Lambrusco is a sparkling red Italian wine from the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy. It is one of the oldest wines made in Italy and comes in a variety of styles ranging from sweet to dry.

Yes, there are some cheaper Lambruscos out there that taste like Soda, but if you keep an eye out for some of the higher quality ones, like Lambrusco di Sorbara, and Lambrusco Maestri — you’ll be pleasantly surprised.

Some of the higher tier Lambruscos are nice and floral, with notes of violets and a great, racy acidity that can pair with anything ranging from crisp salads to duckfat fries. And the best thing about these higher tier Lambruscos? A lot of them can be found for under $30.00. If you love Cherry Coke, you’ll definitely be a fan of this bubbly red crowd pleaser.

The next time you pick up a Lambrusco, try pairing it with a greasy pepperoni pizza! You’ll be very happy.

Crémants: For Feeling Fancy.

Bubble Factor: Heavy

Listen up people, especially my fellow bubble lovers — Crémants are your best friend. These wines are made in the exact same style as Champagne, they just come from different AOC so they can’t be called, “Champagne.” They’re also usually under $30 and some are even priced as low as the $12 - $15 range. That’s right, consider them “student loan debt Champagne.”

Crémants come from a variety of places. Look for Crémants from regions like Alsace, Bourgogne, Jura, the Savoie and the Loire Valley. These are all cool-climate growing regions and the majority of these Crémants feature grapes like Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.

Because these wines don’t come from the Champagne AOC, winemakers can put some other funky little grapes in these wines like Pinot Blanc, Riesling, Aligoté and Gamay. Generally speaking, Crémants have rich flavors of Meyer Lemons, Brioche, and almonds. If you love your Champs, you’re probably gonna be a fan of Crémants because they taste the most similar.

Crémants, like Champagne, go with pretty much any type of food under the sun. Next time you pick one up try pairing it with some ramen. I personally love to have my Crémants with a delicious pad thai.

Cava: For The Beach.

Bubble Factor: Medium

Cava is a gift from the Wine Gods. If you’re one of those people who doesn’t like Champagne because you think it’s too bubbly you should definitely give Cava a shot.

Cava comes in a variety of styles, ranging from sweet to dry — or Brut. If you’re going to grab a Cava I recommend sticking to the drier style. Drier Cavas can taste like lemon, lime, and even almonds. They are less acidic and a lot gentler than Champagne.

Cava is such an easy breezy sparkler, it could be your go to beach bubbly the next time you want to play in the waves and have something inexpensive and sparkly to drink. Cava is also — in my humble opinion — a way better choice for breakfast wine cocktails such as Mimosas, Aperol Spritzes, and Belinis because the bubbles are a lot softer and not as harsh. The purity of this beverage doesn’t compete with any additions.

Honesty? Cava is one of these wines that you can have by itself and it’s not overwhelming. It’s what us wine-folk like to call, “quaffable.” Cava goes great with any breakfast sort of foods, so the next time you decide to do a Sunday Brunch, I’d grab a bottle of Cava and get the party started! Give it a whirl with an egg over easy on some avocado toast, smoked salmon, and those little red chili flakes. Cava is probably the most affordable sparkling wine option on this page.

Pét Nats: For Whenever.

Bubble Factor: Low

Move over, PBR, the Hipster Community has a new, upgraded Beverage. Hipsters — before you annihilate me, I am honestly one of the top consumers of Pét Nats, and very much a Wine Hipster myself. Pét Nats — short for pétillant naturel, are Natural Wines.

Pét Nats are French Natural sparklers — simple enough? These delightfully fizzy, fruity, clean, lower alcohol wines have bubbles very much akin to Soda bubbles. They are highly crushable, funky, and come in a true rainbow of colors and styles. If you see a Pét Nat the next time you go to the store — GET YOUR HANDS ON ONE!

Pét Nats can be made with Zinfandel, Chenin Blanc, Riesling, Syrah, even more unique grapes like the Austrian varietal Bläufrankish. It really depends on the grape.

I suggest picking up a Pét Nat and pairing it with a light, triple creme cheese to start. Then see where your tastebuds take you down this wonderful and wild world of Pét Nats.

Sekt: For Spicy Foods.

Bubble Factor: Medium

Sekt is a German and Austrian sparkling beverage that is often made from Riesling. With all that in mind, other grapes such as Gewürtztraminer, Pinot Blanc, and Pinot Noir are often found in it as well.

A little fun fact, Germany and Austria are the largest sparkling wine markets in the world. During the early 1800s, Germans traveled to Champagne to study champagne making and bring the technique back home. Sekt hasn’t quite had its moment in the United States just yet, but boy it’s definitely a bubbly you should try to find. It still has those signature racy citrus flavors but is a little sweeter than Champagne, Prosecco, or Cava, so keep that in mind.

When I was visiting Germany I had loads of Sekt — the beverage, get your mind out of the gutter — and it was quite delicious! Sekt is starting to trickle in to the United States — I even see that some Total Wines carry them. So yeah, more Americans are having Sekt I guess - go figure.

Since a lot of Sekt has Riesling, I’d suggest a pairing for one of those. Riesling goes with so many different things, but it’s especially phenomenal with all things spicy. The next time you decide to whip up some tacos or if hot wings are your thing — try having them with Sekt.

Prosecco: For Snacks.

Bubble Factor: Medium/Heavy

You probably know about this one. Good old Prosecco. This delicious wine made in the Valdobbiadene region of Italy is made from the Glera grape.

Unlike Crémants and Champagne, Prosecco is made using the tank - or if you wanna be fancy call it Charmat - method. This means that any additional fermentation — where the wine gets its bubbles — occurs in a tank instead of in a bottle like Champagne or Pét Nats. It’s less expensive to do it this way, which is why Prosecco is generally speaking a lot less expensive.

Proseccos are citrusy, floral, super creamy and sometimes kind of yeasty. So if you’re a beer fan who loves your lagers, be sure to check out Prosecco.

All my best memories of Prosecco are with snacks. I remember having Prosecco soaked gummy bears that were absolutely delightful. Another pairing I would recommend is if you’re watching a movie and need a movie bubbly to go with your popcorn — look no further than Prosecco. I’d also consider giving Prosecco a shot with some desert — like a luscious cheesecake.

All you need is some Prosecco. @wendyrake

Piquette: For Day Drinking & All Your Picnic Needs.

Bubble Factor: Low/Fizzy

A Piquette is a low alcohol, slightly fizzy wine that is considered a, “lunch wine,” in France. Piquettes typically clock in about 5-9% alcohol, which is significantly lower than a lot of other wines. Take Champagne for example, which typically ranges about 12.5% in terms of alcohol.

If you are looking for a “day wine” or a wine to bring to a picnic, look no further than the cheerful Piquette.

This wine is very similar stylistically to a wine spritzer, with very soft bubbles that don’t last too long, but what it lacks in bubbles it makes up for in lightness, making you want to go back for that second — or third — glass.

Piquettes are also kind of, well, sustainable? They are made from the second pressings of squeezed grape skins, so you’re actually doing the winemakers a favor by drinking these wines. The next time you’re looking for a wine to take to lunch, look no further than the Piquette.

Piquettes are like Pét Nats because a variety of grapes are used to make them - and they are both usually considered natural wines. Now without further ado, I’d like to get into our Pick of the Week. In this section, I’ll pick a wine of the week that is somehow related to the post in the Under $30 range. Pick of the week wines are a great value, so be sure to keep an eye out for them!

PICK OF THE WEEK:

Parigot & Richard Crémant de Bourgogne

Blanc de Blancs

$25 @ Stanley’s Wet Goods

This wine is a steal at $25.

I opened this bubbly little bottle and the nose was hazelnuts for DAYS but I’m totally okay with that.

This Blanc de Blancs reminded me of those white chocolate Kinder Bueno bars in terms of aromas - which was super appealing. This sparkler definitely has what I love about bubbly wines: a lot of depth and complexity. It wasn’t just some casual bubbly that I could dip into without thinking. This one definitely demanded my attention. I didn’t pick up on as much fruit - though I did get a delightful whiff of Meyer Lemons - but I got loads of toasty brioche and creamy vanilla.

This bubbly easily drinks like it could be sold for double the current price-point. It’s clean, refreshing, and delightfully lean with racing acidity. But it’s got good body and a certain weight to it. This Crémant says, “Take me seriously please.” And you know what? I did.

When I started reading up on the producer, it became even more apparent to me what an excellent value this wine really was. This sustainably farmed blend of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Aligoté is sourced from Burgundy’s prestigious Côtes d’Or region. If you wanna get real specific, the Côtes de Beaune and Côtes de Nuits.

If you decide to pick up a bottle from Stanley’s Wet Goods - a gem of a wineshop located not too far from Downtown Culver City - I highly recommend you do. Stanleys has a great selection, and I’m always astounded by what a good value the majority of their wines are. And their employees are super helpful!

I would try this wine with something fatty, mildly spicy and a little sweet. Think Al Pastor tacos on fluffy corn tortillas with fresh pineapple salsa. The acid of this wine and refreshing bubbles would cut through all that succulent sweetness. This wine would probably be amazing with Jamaican jerk chicken and fried fish tacos. If you’re looking to do sweet, give it a shot with funnel cake, french toast or yellow cake with chocolate frosting. You’ll feel like you’ve died and gone to heaven.

So there you go.

Now you have a plethora of inexpensive bubbly wines to make your next meal a bit more lively. If you want me to take a deeper dive into certain wines and discuss things like how Champagne is made, I am more than happy to do that. Let me know in the comments! And stay tuned for the next blog!