cheap,sweet,&enjoyable

[sherry]

I'm not a normal buyer of wines or champaynes, but I am looking for one or the other for a special occasion for this season. I don't have a lot of money, but I'd like to find a tasty beverage for this occasion. Can anyone suggest a good, but inexpensive wine or champayne? t/y

[Auburnwine]

The sparkling Domaine Ste. Michelle (Washington state, I believe) can't be beat. For $11 it compares quite well to far more expensive sparklers.

The Spanish bubblies (such as Freixenet and Cordoniu) are lovely and quite inexpensive. Some are brilliant.

[Innkeeper]

Hi Sherry, and welcome to the wine Board. Good suggestions from Dixie. Keep in mind when buying sparklers that Brut is bone dry, and Extra Dry is off dry (or slightly sweet)

Another to consider is Prosecco. This is a fizzy from the Veneto region of Italy. People who try it for the first time tend to love it. It is not too sweet and not too dry. It is usually priced from $10 to $15. If you have not heard of it before, you will be familiar with it soon. I predict that within a few years, it will be the most popular sparkling wine on these shores after Champagne.



[This message has been edited by Innkeeper (edited 12-18-2002).]

[Auburnwine]

Ugh, am I (shudder) from Dixie?

There goes the last frail vestige of my self-esteem!

[Drew]

The sparkling wine, Gruet, from New Mexico is very good and cheap. Under 15 a bottle. The blanc de noir is a little better than the blanc de blanc.

Drew

[stevebody]

Sherry,

Big "amen" on the Gruet. I just got finished writing a review of their full line for another site and I really think they may be among the top two or three domestic bubblies. Could Not Possibly agree less with my home state's Domaine Ste. Michelle crap. Just try it side by side with the Gruet. No contest.

Also really nice is the Aussie Salenger Brut, a little $13 gem that's hard to find but worth the effort. Also can't say enough about Oregon's St. Innocent Blanc de Noir Brut. It's about $14 and worth twice that.

In regular wines, you'll LOVE a little Italian Primitivo called A-Mano (about $10). It's made by a guy from up here in Seattle, Scott Shannon, who used to be assistant winemaker for Hedges Cellars. He moved to Italy and now makes A-mano Primitivo, Promessa Rosso de Salento, Promessa Negro Amaro, and his pricy one, PrimaMano. All are gorgeous and all but the Prima are dirt cheap. For general value try Spain and Australia. The Charles Cimicky Trumps wines are dazzling and most are under $15. If you want more specific wines, please feel free to contact me via this forum and I'll send you a lovingly complied list of about 50 GREAT bottles for around or under $12.

Lastly, since you said "sweet", two suggestions: The Aussie, Hardy's Whiskers Blake Port; an amazing, silky, mature port for under fifteen bux, and an obscure Spaniard called Don PX, that's about $12 for the 375ml. Pure heaven!

[Bucko]

.....cheap,sweet,&enjoyable......

I thought she was talking about my old girlfriend. [img]http://www.wines.com/ubb2/biggrin.gif[/img]