Hi, for our wedding, we need some champagne but can't afford to spend more than $20 a bottle. We'll be getting two cases. Does anyone have suggestions on an affordable champagne that won't make our guests gag?

 

Well...if you want REAL Champagne, you will need the french stuff.....
If you want to save more money, you can get sparkling wine (in the united states, the only bubbly legally allowed to be called Champagne is the stuff that comes from the Champagne region in France.....same with Cognac)....

So, if you buy on your own...

About $39 a bottle, add 35% if you buy from your caterer.


Domaine Chandon Brut is pretty "regular" tasting, and being from Cali, will run you about $20 a bottle.

Cliquot is always a hit (Much better than any BS Cristal) about $35 a bottle...
http://www.wineaccess.com/store/garyswine/...oduct_id=128468


Anywho...at $20 a bottle, you really are looking at the california stuff, and at that price, it wont be that good. It wont make people gag, but it will let people know you saved some money. I suggest you get a little less, and have the caterer bring smaller flutes. For $35 a bottle, you will do just fine.

 

veuve has gone downhill in the past decade or so....

 

Technically it's a sparkling wine, but I have yet to meet a person that didn't like Tosti Asti. Then again, I don't know any connoisseurs of champagne, or even wine for that matter.

 

Here is a decent place if you want to order yourself (which I suggest you do)...

Keep an eye on the score in the upper right corner next to the letters "WE" (wine enthusiast)

In your budget..
http://www.grandwinecellar.com/sku2337.html

http://www.grandwinecellar.com/sku14021.html

http://www.grandwinecellar.com/sku3533.html

Congrats on the wedding!

P.S. There is no shame in going with the California stuff. Some of the best wine's in the world come from there, and most of the gold medal wines in the last 5 years are all from cali.

 

Depends on which one, but if people are paying $350+ for that piss in a glass Cristal crap, then cliquot is still liquid gold. I agree there are far better champagnes out there, but we are on a budget in this case. Tattinger, or Perrier Jouet are great if your budget allows.

 

^ i was speaking of the ponsardin....

truth be told, we have a few bottles of ponsardin at home that are leftover from a party we had last year. when the occasion arises (for champagne) , the veuve goes untouched and we end up drinking freixenet

 

hmm...not sure i agree with that....we like cristal...though our favourite is bollinger.

 

I actually have a bottle of Freixenet sitting on my kitchen table....along with a bottle of Cristal, and Dom Rose. Im having a client over for dinner, and Im gonna use the Cristal....he aint that big of a client.

 

anyone know how many flutes of champagne you will get from a typically sized bottle, i.e., the kind of bottle that fit 12 to a case?