Bubbles for when the wedding bells ring

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TASTING NOTES
The perfect bottle lies at the crossroads of your budget and your personal style, just like your dress, your flowers or the band. All wines we selected are non-vintage (NV), which simply means they’re a blend of grapes from several different years.

Big Names
Nothing is more classic than true Champagne, which must be produced according to traditional methods in France’s Champagne region. (Its vintners waged a long and effective campaign to prevent anyone else from using their name.)

The temptation is usually to gravitate toward big names like Veuve Clicquot or Moët & Chandon, which will be familiar and popular with guests.

Resist. Other large — but less ubiquitous — Champagne houses offer far better deals for the money, and are just as likely to impress. For her own guests, Graves poured the Nicolas Feuillatte brut (Pasternak Wine Imports, $24), one of the best deals available.

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For a few dollars more, you can’t go wrong with three old classics. We were equally impressed with the Pol Roger brut (Frederick Wildman & Sons, $32), the Deutz brut Classic (Maisons Marques & Domaines , $32) and the Gosset Excellence brut (Palm Bay Imports, $35), all wines with storied histories and impeccable style. Pol Roger is more bright and floral, with a delicate toasted note and a zesty freshness; the Gosset is deep and bready, with hints of fig and melon and a rich, deep texture; the Deutz is also on the heavier side, though with more citrus in the mix. (Be aware: Retail prices vary widely on all three.)

Grower Champagnes
Want to give your guests a real treat, even your wine-geek pals? Major Champagne houses, like those above, buy grapes from numerous sources and blend the wines to achieve a house style; grower Champagnes are made in small amounts by a single vintner. (You can distinguish them by the small-type code on the front label; larger houses use an “NM” designation; grower Champagnes begin with a “RM” mark, or more rarely, a “SR.”)

The tricky bit? Most local markets carry just a few of these small-batch bubblies.

We’ve been partial to the Egly-Ouriet brut Tradition (North Berkeley Imports, $37) — quintessentially rich and elegant, though hard to track down. The Diebolt-Vallois brut Tradition (Martine’s Wines, $35) bursts with melon and lemon, though may be too sharp for some. K&L’s Westby, who imports his own grower Champagnes, suggests his Franck Bonville brut blanc de bancs ($24) and Tarlant NV brut Reserve ($27), both of which are relative bargains.

Outside France
Good bubbles can be found in nearly every winegrowing region. Let price be your guide.

We struggled to find Italian choices with adequate finesse and depth to properly commemorate the special occasion; most worthy choices came with price tags as great as true Champagne. Ditto quality picks from Down Under.

Dollar for dollar, Spanish cava remains the best global bet. A favorite find of late is Avinyó brut (De Maison Selections, $15), produced by the Nadal family in the Penedés region. It’s lighter than most Champenoise-style wines — most cava is — but has terrific bread and citrus in the mix. Even under $10, perennial workhorses like Cristalino brut (CIV, $6) should more than suffice.

Staying at home
Quality domestic bubbly can be a fantastic alternative, but choose carefully. On the California side, we’re always partial to the Roederer Estate Anderson Valley brut ($17) and were also happily surprised this time by the Mumm Napa brut Prestige ($17), which is rich and yeasty, with more finesse than even Mumm’s basic French entry. (Most California bubbly is made by French firms.)

Perhaps the most unique entry hails from Spokane, Wash., where winemaker Michael Manz turns out true Champagne-style wines. His just-released Mountain Dome 1998 brut ($24) is richer and more luscious than his non-vintage brut ($14) — though both will undoubtedly give your guests something to murmur about.

On that note: If you’re going through all this trouble to choose, feel free to brag a bit. Westby suggests a small printed card at the bar that describes your special selection to guests.

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