# Are there any fancy sparkling ciders? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 14, 2008, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-fancy-sparkling-ciders/441329 "2008-03-14T03:51:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![installLSC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/54ee81/32.png) [@installLSC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/installLSC)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2008, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-fancy-sparkling-ciders/441329/1 "2008-03-14T03:51:56Z")
I have friends who will have a baby soon, and I wanted to get them a nice bottle of champagne after he’s born. Then I remembered they don’t drink. The only comparable non-alcoholic drinks I can think of are spakling ciders, but they seem too plain and common for a special occasion. Are there any high quality (and price) sparkling ciders, nonalcoholic wines, etc.? ---
**Author:** ![drachillix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/48db29/32.png) [@drachillix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drachillix)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2008, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-fancy-sparkling-ciders/441329/2 "2008-03-14T04:14:05Z")
Would this do? [http://www.martinellis.com/store/products/spvarpk.shtml](http://www.martinellis.com/store/products/spvarpk.shtml) I went to high school right across the street from their plant. ---
**Author:** ![Scarlett67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scarlett67/32/7387_2.png) [@Scarlett67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scarlett67)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2008, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-fancy-sparkling-ciders/441329/3 "2008-03-14T15:08:05Z")
I came in here to recommend Martinelli’s too. It’s not expensive (around here, less than $3 a bottle) but very tasty and very unlike those horrid Welch’s sparkling juices or whatever. A nondrinking friend turned us on to Martinelli’s, and she happily accepts a glass when the rest of us are drinking champagne. Also fun for the kids when they’d like some pretend champagne. The regular sparkling cider and the apple-cranberry are both very nice, and pretty in a glass. ---
**Author:** ![Cheesesteak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheesesteak/32/3694_2.png) [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2008, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-fancy-sparkling-ciders/441329/4 "2008-03-14T15:27:03Z")
[QUOTE=installLSC] Are there any high quality (and price) sparkling ciders, nonalcoholic wines, etc.? [/QUOTE] I’m not aware of any high end sparkling ciders. While Martinelli’s is a nice product, it’s not “high end”, most grocery stores have an end cap full of the stuff around Thanksgiving. Fun for the holidays, but not exactly a gift in and of itself. For non-alcoholic wines, I know Sutter Home makes a line called Fre, and Ariel also makes non alcoholic sparkling wine, but I’d hesitate to consider them much higher end than Martinelli’s, they seem to top out at \<$10/bottle. Online, I see a bunch of people doing gift baskets with non alcoholic champagne, which might be a nice option. ---
**Author:** ![Moirai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/96bed5/32.png) [@Moirai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moirai)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2008, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-fancy-sparkling-ciders/441329/5 "2008-03-14T19:01:22Z")
Hie thee to the nearest Trader Joe’s- they have an excellent selection of standard and unusual sparkling juices, including peach, apple, pear, pomegranate, blood orange and others. Very yummy and very reasonably priced. ---
**Author:** ![Beadalin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3be4f8/32.png) [@Beadalin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beadalin)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2008, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-fancy-sparkling-ciders/441329/6 "2008-03-14T19:14:45Z")
Yup, Trader Joe’s has a wonderful variety (and not just apple cider – there’s sparkling pomegranate, blueberry, etc.). ---
**Author:** ![psycat90](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@psycat90](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psycat90)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2008, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-fancy-sparkling-ciders/441329/7 "2008-03-14T20:24:04Z")
[Sonoma Sparklers](http://www.sonomacider.com/) are delicious. I can find them in just about every gourmet market here, but they are a local product. [(Store Locator)](http://www.sonomacider.com/wheretofind/wheretofind.htm) I’ve tried every [flavor](http://www.sonomacider.com/ourproducts/products.htm) , every one is wonderful, but I think my faves are the Organic Lemonade and Natural Pear. If you don’t care if it’s actually cider - [IZZE](http://www.izze.com/#products) makes a yummy line of sparkling juices. The sparkling grapefruit is one of my favorite breakfast drinks. And [Grown Up Sodas](http://drinkgus.com/) are awesome too. The Dry Meyer Lemon and Dry Cranberry Lime are my favorites. And if you don’t care if it’s sparkling, [Navarro Vineyards](http://www.navarrowine.com/shop/productdetail.php?prodid=701) make juices out of their Pinot Noir and Gewürztraminer grapes. But be warned, these are \*incredibly \*sweet. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Them](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/898d66/32.png) [@The\_Them](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Them)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2008, 11:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-fancy-sparkling-ciders/441329/8 "2008-03-16T11:15:28Z")
I’d say **EJ** got it, but Trader Joe’s is not everything (but go there if there’s one near!). Wine stores - the snobby kind - have stuff in languages you can’t understand, from places that may not exist. DEElish. Smiles to your friends. And you.