Recommendations for Valentine’s Day bubbly
Valentine’s Day is, by definition, a celebration, and that means bubbles are pretty much mandatory. The sparkling wines that follow were vetted by the Chronicle’s tasting panel recently and represent an excellent intersection of quality, value and availability. All received a quality score of at least 9 and a perfect 10 for value.
Yes, you may call me Cupid.
CHAMPAGNE
Taittinger Brut Prestige Rosé Tasters’ notes: “Floral with orange zest and a long finish.” “Toasty with tart red fruit.”
Price: $70.99 at Spec’s Bollinger Special Cuvée Brut NV
Tasters’ notes: “Nutty and citrusy.” “Fresh floral notes.” “Lemon zest. Long finish.”
Price: $49.97 at Spec’s Bruno Paillard Premiere Cuvée Tasters’ notes: “Yeasty, citrusy and floral.” “Brioche, almonds and lemons.”
Price: $58.99 at Total Wine Henriot Brut Souverain NV Tasters’ notes: “Bruised apples, creamy texture.” “Peaches, green apples. Finishes long.”
Price: $39.89 at Spec’s Louis Roederer Brut NV Tasters’ notes: “Citrus driven.” “Tart and fresh.”
Price: $44.99 at Spec’s
OTHER SPARKLERS
Graham Beck NV Rosé Tasters’ notes: “Zesty tangerines. Fine dry finish.”
“Lively in the mouth. Easy drinking.”
Price: $15.99 at Spec’s Mumm Napa Brut Prestige Tasters’ notes: “Rich, complex, well balanced.”
“Citrus and toast.” Price: $14.87 at Spec’s Chloe Prosecco
Tasters’ notes: “Candied apples with lime on the finish.” “Fruit forward, delicious.”
Price: $12.99 at Spec’s Menage à Trois Prosecco Tasters’ notes: “Brioche with apricot and almond-skin notes.” “Yeasty with citrus and stone fruit flavors.”
Price: $10.29 at Spec’s Santa Margherita Rosé Prosecco Tasters’ notes: “A touch of ripe raspberries. Finishes smooth.” “Simple but easily quaffed.”
Price: $24.69 at Spec’s
WOW! WINES
I often stumble into wines that thoroughly seduce my taste buds but haven’t passed through the official Chronicle tasting panel vetting process. These two hardly qualify as “finds,” but they have routinely been my go-to bubbles on Valentine’s Day … or any other day. Roederer Estate Anderson Valley Brut NV My score: 9.3 Winery/winemaking: The great French Champagne house released its first bottles of California sparkling wine in 1988, made then as now from grapes grown on the estate’s property in Anderson Valley, where the New World fruit tends to express itself in an Old World style. Oak-aged (one to three years) reserve wines are added every year to the blend, which is 60 percent chardonnay, 40 percent pinot noir. One year I lumped all my bubbles into the same blind tasting and the Roederer Anderson Valley outscored many of the far more expensive Champagnes. Winemaker notes: “Crisp and elegant with complex pear, spice and hazelnut flavors. Fresh and lightly fruity with great finesse and depth of flavor.” Critical acclaim: Wine Spectator ranked it No. 27 among the top 100 wines of 2018.
Price: $29.99 at Kroger
2015 Schramsberg Blanc de Blancs My score: 9.1 Winery/winemaking: These bubbles are, of course, all chardonnay. The winery dates from the mid-19th century when German immigrant Jacob Schram began growing grapes on Diamond Mountain. Jack and Jamie Davies restored the historic property in 1965, focusing on making Champagnequality sparkling wines. Sean Thompson is now the director of winemaking. Schramsberg is fully green certified. Winemaker notes: “Bright aromas of apple, tropical fruit and baked bread, which intermingle with hints of lemon blossom, vanilla wafer and baked pear. Candied citrus, green apple, apricot and pineapple vibrate on the palate, ending clean and refreshing.”
Critical acclaim: Wine Enthusiast gave it a score of 90.
Price: $34.99 at Kroger