By Tom Marquardt And Patrick Darr
By far the most popular time of the year to consume champagne is now. It is estimated that well more than half of champagne’s production is bought in the last two months of the year. We like to think of it as a year-round beverage to be enjoyed for no particular occasion, but unfortunately this special elixir is associated with celebrations ranging from the end of a war to the start of a marriage.
For centuries champagne was reserved to the upper class who cruised on the Queen Elizabeth or who roamed a vast French estate. But the advent of cross-Atlantic transportation brought to our shores more choices: cava from Spain, prosecco from Italy and sparkling wine from just about every other country. Korbell laid the foundation for 
California sparkling wine as far back as 1892. In 1973 Moet & Chandon was the first French champagne house to produce sparkling wine and set off a wave of French champagne producers to make wine in this country.
Only producers from Champagne have a right to the name, but other than that is there a difference between French bubbles and those from any other country?
Three grapes go into champagne – chardonnay, pinot noir and pinot meunier. These varieties grow well in Champagne’s cool climate, but they also are the perfect combination for the best the world has to offer. They are the same grapes the French and Americans also depend on in making sparkling wine from California.
Other countries, however, draw from indigenous grape varieties. Glera is the grape of choice for prosecco; parellada, macabeo and xarel-lo are the principal grapes for cava. These blends make for a sparkling wine remarkably different from champagne.
What you prefer will depend on your personal taste but also your budget. You may be surprised to find the gap between California and France has closed over the last decade thanks to competition and a champagne glut. Some of the best producers in California routinely sell their bottled bubbles at prices ranging from $40 to $80. Moet & Chandon and Veuve-Cliquot can be found for under $40. Montaudon, a popular quaff on cruise ships and weddings, costs $45 and is relatively easy to find. One of our favorites for the price is Nicolas-Feuillatte which can be found for under $40.
If you want to make the occasion special this year, our favorite house is Billecart Salmon. Although not cheap, other Champagne houses make even more expensive wines: Louis Roederer’s Cristal, Salon, Taittinger’s Comtes de Champagne, Krug and the ubiquitous but overrated Dom Perignon. We have sipped great champagne with Henri Krug, but we cannot afford his $500 cuvee.
Here are a few special choices for you this year:
Inman Family Blanc de Noir 2019 ($78). Kathleen Inman makes a lot of great wine in the Russian River Valley, including sparkling wine that on its best level can cost much more. We liked this pinot noir from her OGV vineyard. The red fruit character rises up with every bubble. Brisk acidity and hints of mineral.
Frank Family Vineyards Brut Rose 2017 ($60). From Napa’s Carneros region, this wonderful sparkler is made entirely from pinot noir. Good palate weight and rich red fruit notes.
J Vineyards Cuvee 20 ($40). Lemon meringue and white peach character highlights this Russian River Valley sparkling wine. Always dependable.
Gruet Brut ($18). People are shocked that this popular and respected producer hails from New Mexico, but it continues to draw good reviews. For the money, you get a lot of complexity and flavors ranging from apple to citrus to pineapple.
La Grand Courtage Brut Rosé ($22). Made by a female cast, this French champagne is a popular choice at weddings and other large gatherings because of its reasonable price and pedigree. It may not have a lot of luxury quality or complexity, but it’s a decent quaff for the money.
Argyle Spirit Hill Vineyard Blanc de Blancs 2018 ($60). This chardonnay from a single vineyard exudes grace. White peach and apple notes with a floral bouquet and a backbone of minerality.
Billecart-Salmon Brut Rosé ($70). Year after year, this champagne warms our hearts. Everything about it exemplifies what you want to sip on a special occasion, such as a small holiday dinner. It speaks luxury: fine and persistent bubbles, balance, a hint of biscuit on the nose, and delicate red-fruit notes.
La Marca Prosecco ($15). Don’t expect the quality of champagne, but the La Marca at this price delivers the bubbles in simple and light flavors. Like all prosecco, it is off-dry.
Enrico Serafino Oudeis Brut Alta Langa DOCG 2018 ($30). This producer has been making sparkling wine in the Piedmont since 1878. Made from chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes. White peach flavors and aromas of honey and almonds.
Adami Vigneto Giardino Valdobbiadene Rive de Colbertaldo Asciutto 2022 ($26). This prosecco from the Valdobbiadene region is lively and elegant with apple and citrus notes.
Spend that bonus
Hopefully, you are among the people who earned a bonus this year. Sure, you should save it for something practical, but maybe you have a few extra dollars to ring in the new year with a splurge. Here are three splurge buys to consider:
Louis Martini Lot 1 Cabernet Sauvignon 2019 ($250). A boldly structured wine, this top-of-the-line cabernet exudes black cherry flavors, density, and concentration.
Beaulieu Vineyard Georges de Latour Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2020 ($160). We have enjoyed many vintages of this reserve wine since the 1980s and it never fails to please. Although more expensive today, it has the same character every year: Napa Valley, classic, earthy, and concentrated. Ripe blackberry and plum aromas with a floral nose, spice, and unending hints of herbs and mint.
Billecart-Salmon Nicolas Francois 2008 ($250). A blend of chardonnay and pinot noir from great crus in classified vineyards, this special wine pays homage to the founder of Billecart-Salmon. It is floral with bright and fresh white peach and cherry notes and a fine bead of bubbles and hints of nuts and toast. It is quite a luxury.
Save that money
Maybe you did not get a bonus this year but still want to buy a bottle to drown your sorrow. Wines like those listed above are out of the question.
Consider the “Hard Working Wines” made by McPrice Myers. They sell for only $25 and truly are the wines made for the hard-working consumer who didn’t get – but deserved – a bonus.
Among them is the 2022 Right-Hand Man syrah from the Central Coast. Blended with a bit of petite sirah and viognier, it has jammy blueberry and blackberry flavors. It is a perfect foil for ribs, pizza, burgers and more.
We also liked Pound for Pound, a Paso Robles zinfandel loaded with juicy dark fruit flavors, and High on the Hog, a versatile and delicious blend of grenache, syrah, zinfandel, petite sirah, merlot, cabernet sauvignon and mourvedre. These great values get high marks from the critics.
