I like the Gruet Winery sparkling wines, especially the Blanc de Noirs. I may be a little partial because the winery is local, but I think the wine compares favorably with the Friexenet or anything in that range.
No, they don’t, not without listing the origin. Because they can’t. It’s simply not an option for US wineries to designate their sparkling wine ‘champagne’ without also listing its place of origin (as in California Champagne, New York Champagne, etc.) You’ll notice the California and New York before Champagne in my post, just as on Korbel’s website.
Champagne, Chablis, and Burgundy are semi-generic designations.
From TTB:
As specified, a semi-generic designation is a name of geographic significance that is also the designation of a class or type of wine determined by the Director to be semi-generic. Examples of semi-generic names that are also type designations for grape wines are Burgundy, Chablis, and Champagne. A semi-generic name of geographic significance may be used to designate wines of an origin other than that indicated by such name only if there appears in direct conjunction therewith an appropriate appellation of origin disclosing the true place of origin of the wine
(e.g., ``California Burgundy’’), and if the wine so designated conforms
to the standard of identity for the product or, if there is no such
standard, to the trade understanding of such class or type.
Most of the push against the semi-generic terms comes from the EU (and not just for wines.) From an old NY Times:
The main targets of the European Union’s efforts to restrict use of the names are countries like the United States, Canada, Australia and Argentina — “countries that have been peopled by Europeans,” Ms. Gonzalez said — where it is commonplace for products made in the styles of the old-country regions to bear their names.
The use of Chablis, Burgundy, and Champagne in America came as a hold over from EU terms, by immigrants that settled here. They had no desire to deceive, it was just what they called those styles of wines.
Perhaps I misunderstood Anne’s warning, it may hold true for some sparkling wines calling themselves champagne from other countries, but not for those produced in the US. =)
er, psycat90, aren’t we saying the same thing?
And, for the record, I have seen bottles that do stuff like:
CaliforniaChampagne
In my mind, they’re trying to decieve, as opposed to making a simply mistake.
Doh! I keep trying to remember Gruet in every post I’ve made on this thread. I second InternetLegend’s opinion. Actually, I’ll up it - it’s MUCH better than Friexenet. It compares favorably with most of the sparklies in my first post.
Have you tried Ruinart? I don’t see it in the States much, but when I lived in Europe I had it occasionally. The Sister-in-Law of one of my colleagues worked there, so my colleague was always popping out with it. When we attended their wedding in Nice the stuff was flowing like water, but Brut and Rosé, from nightfall until 4 am. It’s a second tier house, I believe.
While I’m at it, the Wine Warehouse, my “local” wine shop, had a tasting on these yesterday:
- Perrier Jouet Brut with 2 Champagne flutes - $27.99
- Mumm Cordon Rouge with Champagne stopper, gift boxed - $24.99
- Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label - $31.99
Sadly, I missed the tasting. They also recommened, at obviously steeper prices:
- Louis Roederer Cristal 1997
- Dom Perignon 1996 or 1995
- Pommery Cuvee Louise 1989
- Perrier Jouet Fleur gift sets - choose from Brut 1996 or Rose 1997.
They’re big sparkly geeks there, they offer one at their tastings every weeks, often stuff I’ve never heard of. I’ll probably stop by to stock up this evening so I’ll seek out some suggestions that range more towards the OP’s price range.
And, in contrast, the fratboy set delights in Grain Alcohol mixed with 7Up. 
Really? Beverages & More has it on sale for $9.99 a bottle on their website, marked down from $14.99. (FTR it’s their brut and their blanc de noir)
…Aaaaaand, now I see that someone already beat me to that. :smack:
Cheer up! Have some Grain Alcohol mixed with 7Up!
Would someone please boot these Californians and their cheapo wine prices out of this thread?
Piper Sonoma rarely gets below about $18/bottle here, and I think we typically pay more like $22.
I hate you all.
If that’s in your price range, I highly highly recommend it. And post how much they’re asking for it, so I can cry in my coffee.
As I mentioned before, we were lucky to get a case of the 1990 Louise at the ridiculous price of $30/bottle. That was several years ago; I think we drank the last one in February or March.
'twas probably one of the best champagnes I’ve ever had the pleasure of tasting.
looks off into the distance with one small tear forming in her lower left eye
Heh. Yea, I think we were saying nearly the same thing. And, yes, I am sure some US producers do exactly that (though there is a limit to how small the font size for place of origin can be.)
I don’t know, I guess I see it a little differently. I don’t see it as incorrect or a mistake for a winery to label their sparkling wine ‘CA, NY, etc.’ Champagne. They are well within their rights to do so. Most don’t because of the EU move to reclaim a somewhat generic term (that did not originate with ill intentions), and they don’t want to restrict their sales to outside of the EU.
With California on the front label, and where the wine was produced and bottled on the back, someone that’s truly confused by the origin of a wine like that has bigger problems than picking the right bubbly.
I don’t think I can wait for NYE either, I might just have to open a bottle tonight.
I just called and checked, here’s what they have from Pommery right now:
Brut Apenage - $29.99
Brut Royale - $31.99
Rosé - $49.99
Cuvée Louise - $79.99
Hey, Athena, didn’t you used to live in Boulder? Some of these California prices don’t seem that off to me, but then I live five minutes from Applejack, so…
Good recommendations in this thread so far, at least in the latter part of it. Can’t get on board with most of the cava reccommendations, or the gak Ballatore. Anyway, for $10-$20/bottle <here> I recommend Roederer Estates sparkling wine. I also picked up a bottle of Mumm Cuvee Napa’s new Cuvee M, which I thought was wonderful, for a hanging out and drinking champagne. It’s a bit sweeter than many normal bruts. It’s about $13.99/bottle on sale at Applejack, which for all I know could be $100 up in the UP. 
Also decent for a mass of people is Gloria Ferrer’s Blanc de Noir.
For more expensive wine, I agree with what has been said. Hard to go wrong. But if you look on the lower end of that spectrum, I have really enjoyed Pol Roger’s NV. It’s about $25 a bottle here, and pretty dang good. Supposedly was Churchill’s favorite Champagne.
I have a bottle of 1990 Charles Heidsieck chilling in the fridge right now, which I considered pulling out for New Year’s, but I haven’t decided yet…
I recently had the delightful experience of drinking a champagne from Francis Ford Coppola’s winery. It was named Sophia, after his daughter. Smooth, very slight sweetness (probably due to a little Muscat), and delightful. About $20. I’m looking forward to my next bottle.
The best part about Sofia Blanc de Blancs is sipping it out of a little pink can with a straw.
My husband and I had some awhile back, and while it was drinkable, it didn’t knock my socks off.
As a side note - We spent our anniversary this past summer in Napa for a long weekend, touring different wineries up and down the valley. The Niebaum-Coppola estate was impressive and gorgeous, but there were just so many people there, it had almost a ‘Disneyland of Wineries’ feel. We didn’t stick around very long, and headed instead to some more intimate wineries.
YES! THIS IS THE ONE. IT IS GREAT! AS THE FIRST COUPLE OF POSTERS HAVE SAID.
Well, I ended up with the Gruet Blanc de Noirs at $13 a bottle. For what it’s worth, my choices had pretty much narrowed to:
Tattinger Domaine Carneros $22
Well, I ended up with the Gruet Blanc de Noirs at $13 a bottle. For what it’s worth, my choices had pretty much narrowed to:
Tattinger Domaine Carneros Brut $22
Gruet Brut or Blanc de Noirs $13
Piper Sonoma Brut or Blanc de Noirs $13
Chandon Brut or Blanc de Noirs $19
Between InternetLegend, ** Athena’s** and the guy at the wine store’s recommendation, I chose the Gruet.