| Follador Prosecco, ‘Valbon’ Treviso, Brut NV |
Valbon: A name encapsulating the picturesque, hilly landscape adorned with vineyards and charming villages. A notch above La Marca, yet merely about four dollars pricier. Slightly less sweet, with consistently effervescent bubbles and a more intriguing nose. A winery proudly owned and operated by a family. |
| Pierre Boever Champagne, Grand Cru, Brut Rose NV |
A boutique Champagne producer, imported by a small distributor, consistently thrills with its remarkable quality for the price. Crafted via saignée, a method where red grapes impart a touch of color to the white grape juice during production. Conistently the best value for rose champagne I find. |
| Ca’ Del Bosco Franciacorta, 45 Edition, Prestige Cuvee Extra Brut |
In 1968, Maurizio Zanella successfully persuaded his family to embark on a winemaking venture, leading to the establishment of the iconic Franciacorta house, Ca’ Del Bosco. Inspired by the French Champagne method, Zanella substituted Pinot Nero and Pinot Bianco for the traditional Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier. Renowned for extended aging, these wines distinguish themselves by both their longer maturation and more accessible pricing compared to Champagne. |
| Pierre Sparr Cremant d’Alsace, Brut Reserve, NV |
Since Champagne is exclusive to the Champagne region of France, there had to be a term for sparkling wine from elsewhere. Crémant is such a sparkling wine, crafted akin to Champagne but typically aged for a more moderate 9 months instead of 15 months. Each region’s Crémant boasts a distinct composition, and the Alsatian version predominantly features Pinot Blanc. It is notably fresh and crisp. |
| Graham Beck Rose, South Africa NV |
This is my go-to don’t break the bank bottle for entertaining. Pinot Noir and Chardonnay are blended together in this cap classique (champagne method) bottling from South Africa. |
| Raventos i Blanc Cava, Blanc de Blanc, Catalonia, Brut |
Made using the traditional méthode champenoise but with Spanish grapes, this bottling comprises 45% Xarel.lo, 40% Macabeo, 12% Parellada, and 3% Malvasía de Sitges. While some cavas can exhibit sharp acidity with a lemony edge, this producer consistently softens the acidity through sur lie aging. |
