Here’s something completely different. This pretty sparkling pink is made from Cab France and is bone dry. Light and ethereal it may be but don’t let that fool you. It can easily pair with food… try some Asian flavors with it.

A universally appealing Sparkling Rosé. I am frequently asked to recommend a sparkling under $20. This is usually a painful task, but I finally have something that‘s hands down SPARKTACULAR! This sparkling Rosato is guaranteed to please a crowd (and even just you and a few friends). Very small production and sold mostly to restaurants. The winery is located in the Veneto region and has been around for 70 or so years. The wine starts out all fun with its lightness and bubbles, then gracefully turns serious and finishes dry. You couldn‘t ask for a more refreshing beverage.

Graduation season is upon us! I plan on stocking up on this for hostess gifts. It’s VERY affordable for the givers. Refreshing, light and dry with nice sized bubbles. Perfect for anytime of year or time, but exceptional for Spring and parties. This is also a personal favorite winery. It’s run by two sisters and a daughter. Love it, so rare these days. GIRL POWER! Again, quality is first rate, since it’s small production and tightly controlled.

This is probably one of my favorite sparklings under $20. It’s extremely difficult to find a champagne (much less a decent champagne) for under $20 so this is your best best. Coming from the neighboring area and using a traditional method Domaine Ehrhart turns their organic Chardonnay into an extremely viable sparkling for under $20. I think only a pro would notice that it is not from Champagne.

I always have a bottle of Moscato d’Asti at the ready. It‘s a sparkling semi-sweet wine. When guests arrive from a long flight or drive, it‘s wonderfully refreshing to share this type of wine with some salty cheese and crackers. Plus it‘s only 5% alcohol—perfect for someone who is jet-lagged.

Rated: 89 by Josh Raynolds, Nov/Dec 06
Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar
Pale gold with a lively bead. Sweet hazelnut and marzipan notes complement the ripe pear, peach and yellow apple aromas. Fresh acidity frames the round orchard fruit flavors, giving this Champagne good energy and focus. Finishes on a buttery note, with very good length.

Kacher wrote: "The Lamiable family has been in champagne since 1929 & at this domaine since 1960. This is a grower-made (r.m. = récoltant-manipulant) wine, which means that all of the grapes used here are family owned. The estate is located in the Grand Cru Champagne village of Tours-sur-Marne. Jean-Pierre Lamiable, a sports medicine physician and his daughter Orianne Crépeaux-Lamiable follow his father and Uncle as winemakers at this small estate which dates back to 1600. The family owns six hectares in total (approximately 15 acres) – 4.5 hectares are devoted to Pinot Noir and 1.5 hectares are planted to Chardonnay. Their vineyards are all in the grand cru band, planted on limestone and chalk soils (no clay). Vineyard sites include ;Les Meslaines (vines 50 – 60 y/o), Clos de Goesse (vines 35-40 y/o), Ambuyères and Bouzy. This non-vintage bottling of Brut Grand Cru is 80% Pinot Noir and 20% Chardonnay • The dosage is 8 g/l. • The wines are kept sur lie for 18 months (the law only requires 15 months) • One-third of the wine from each harvest is kept for base wine in following years • Two to four barrels used – no new oak."

Pascal and his wife Laure own and operate this fabulous small grower Champagne domaine in the town of Vertus, located near Avize. The Doquet’s Champagnes are made entirely from their 15 hectares (2.5 Grand Cru / 12.5 Premier Cru) that are all farmed organically and hand harvested. The vines are planted at 7500 vines per hectare and the vines range from 7-71 years old, with an average age of 28 years. In the cellar, the wines ferment in both tank and cask before being bottled to under go secondary fermentation. There, they are allowed to rest on their lees for a minimum of 2 years (but often up to 3 years) before disgorgement, which is much longer than the law requires. This technique and patience allows for the wines to develop richness and depth. This Brut Premier Cru Blanc de Blancs cuvée comes from the South of the Cote des Blancs, more exactly from the towns of Vertus, Bergeres-les-Vertus and le Mont Aime. It was aged in tanks for 6 months, including 3 months sur-lies. The wine is a blend 3 vintages: 51% of 2002, 16% of 2001 and 33% of 2000, and was bottled in April 2003.