Don’t Waste Your Money: Sparkling Wines

When it comes to sparkling wines, turns out there`s cause for celebration.
Wine experts at Consumer Reports tested 11 sparkling wines costing anywhere from five to 37 dollars. ‘If you want to find a good sparkling wine that`s not that expensive, there are plenty of choices.’  In fact, Consumer Reports says that when it comes to sparkling wine, a higher price doesn`t necessarily mean higher quality.

Four of the wines tested — including this 30-dollar bottle of Piper Heidsieck, a French Champagne — weren`t even good enough to make Consumer Reports` initial cut.
‘They were OK, but they had some off-notes, so we concentrated on some of the better wines in our tests.’

After swirling … sniffing … and sipping … three were named Consumer Reports Best Buys.Among them this Blanc de Noirs from Gloria Ferrer, a California Vintner. It was smooth, with hints of ripe fruit, and costs just 16 dollars a bottle.  
And for 14 dollars, this Gruet
Blanc de Noirs — from New Mexico — rated even higher. It combines slightly yeasty flavors and a nice mix of tropical fruit, apple, and pear.
‘For sparkling wines, which can be kind of expensive, these were a great combination of both price and quality.’

So go ahead — enjoy some bubbly at your next dinner party.