Patch's Guide to Champagne

Stacy Ahrweiler, manager of the wine department of a local high end grocery, Draeger's, knows champagne and loves finding a very good bottle of wine at a good price. Ahrweiler says, "Everyone is interested in a good value. Whether buying a bottle that costs $20 or one that costs more than $300, everyone wants the most bang for the buck."

Here are some of her favorite champagnes as well as sparkling alternatives for every budget.

Mid-range champagne ($30 to $45 per bottle)

1. Michael Dervin a Cuchery Brut ($33.99)

Ahrweiler says, "This is a tiny producer that nobody has heard of. For the price, it's really good."

2. Louis Roederer Brut Premier Champagne ($36.99)

"This one is selling extremely well. It's gingery, biscuity, very rich and just a little creamy."

3. Diebolt-Vallois a Cramant Champagne ($44.99)

"This is a lovely champagne with a very floral nose and flavors of sweet lemon and brioche. Complex, rich and spicy."

4. Stephane Coquillette Brut Champagne ($44.99)

"Light and elegant with jasmine aromas and green apple flavor notes. Pretty and precise, this calls out for caviar and oysters."

5. Veuve Cliquot Ponsardin Brut ($44.99) 

"This is a classic. People who buy this know exactly how this will taste and enjoy having that familiar orange label."

High-end champagne ($100 to $300 per bottle)

6. Grand Siècle de Laurent-Perrier ($134.99)

"Spicy, leathery, rich and very, very vibrant. This is a delicious champagne."

7. Krug Grand Cuvee ($218)

"Although many people head straight for the Dom Perignon, I like Krug better. It's richer and aged in oak, which rounds out the flavors. The Grand Cuvee has some deep, rich flavors that come close to the flavors of a vintage champagne but for a true vintage champagne try the next one, the Krug 1995.

8. Krug 1995 Brut ($230)   

It's interesting to taste a vintage wine with a few years on it, because the flavors do change as the wine ages. If you plan to spend $218 on the Krug Grand Cuvee, I suggest you spend the extra $15 and try this Krug instead to see for yourself how the flavors develop after fifteen years. This is a wonderful price, and gives wine lovers an opportunity to taste a vintage champagne without spending much more than they would for the Grand Cuvee."

9. Dom Perignon 2002 ($169.99)

Another vintage champagne with well-developed flavors, this is a familiar label, and people who buy this feel comfortable with the name. It's a standard, classic champagne.

10. Charles Heidsieck 1995  ($215) 

"This is a spectacular vintage champagne. It has developed in the past 15 years with rich, rich flavors that show how delicious a vintage champagne can be. What makes this wine so memorable is all the flavors are still fresh and lively. With some older champagnes the flavors can be muted or a little earthy, but not in this vintage. It's very vibrant."

Sparkling Alternatives (less than $30 per bottle)

11. Naveran Perles Roses 2007  ($29.99)

"I love this sparkling rosé. It's a Pinot Noir cava from Spain, vibrant yet subtle, dry and crisp with a hint of strawberry, cassis and rose petals. For $30, this does a good job of mirroring the flavors of a higher-priced French champagne at a fraction of the cost."

12. Le Vigne di Alice Prosecco ($19.99)

"I love this wine so much that I served it at my wedding. Le Vigne di Alice (pronounced ah-lee-chay) means "vineyards of Alice," and this wine and vineyard are run entirely by women, which is extremely rare in Italy. It makes me laugh that we've had five or six people come in and buy it for their friends named Alice–but beyond that it's a great sparkling wine with intense aromatics of honey, Asian pear, jasmine and citrus. It has small, fine bubbles and an elegant creamy flavor. I keep this on hand all the time and don't save it for special occasions but open a bottle whenever friends drop by."

13. Dom D'Orfeuilles Vouvray  ($18.99)

"An outstanding value, this sparkling vouvray is made from chenin blanc, a very old-school grape. It's dry—a very dry style of wine, very floral and aromatic, silky and elegant. It's very pretty—if this wine had a sex, it would definitely be a girl. This is a beautiful wine for under $20."

All of the wines listed are available in the wine department of Draeger's in Los Altos and Burlingame. Check with your favorite wine and spirits stores, too, for these labels. Prices are subject to change.