www.bonappetit.com Open in urlscan Pro
3.165.206.84  Public Scan

Form analysis
4 forms found in the DOM

Name: search-form — GET /search

<form name="search-form" action="/search" method="GET" class="SearchForm-jQiHLx dwkAcG"><label class="SearchLabel-bjHtgZ kpghTX"><span class="TextFieldWrapper-Pzdqp dNBgpr text-field SearchInput-jCPwnN kBfasG" data-testid="TextFieldWrapper__q"><label
        class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ TextFieldLabel-klrYvg iUEiRd bgGAQZ jAjTLS text-field__label text-field__label--single-line" for="search-form-text-field-q" data-testid="TextFieldLabel__q">
        <div class="TextFieldInputContainer-jcMPhb oFrOs"><input aria-describedby="" aria-invalid="false" id="search-form-text-field-q" name="q" placeholder="Search for &quot;stir-fry&quot;" aria-label="search"
            class="BaseInput-fAzTdK TextFieldControlInput-eFUxkf eGzzTT dppLsn text-field__control text-field__control--input SearchInput-jCPwnN kBfasG" type="search" data-testid="TextFieldInput__q" value=""></div>
      </label></span><svg class="icon icon-search" focusable="false" viewBox="0 0 16 16" width="16" height="16" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" data-testid="iconSearch">
      <title>Search</title>
      <path fill="#000" fill-rule="evenodd" clip-rule="evenodd" d="M12 7A5 5 0 1 1 2 7a5 5 0 0 1 10 0Zm-1.126 4.582a6 6 0 1 1 .707-.707l3.773 3.771-.707.708-3.773-3.772Z"></path>
    </svg></label></form>

Name: search-form — GET /search

<form name="search-form" action="/search" method="GET" class="SearchForm-jQiHLx dwkAcG"><label class="SearchLabel-bjHtgZ kpghTX"><span class="TextFieldWrapper-Pzdqp dNBgpr text-field SearchInput-jCPwnN kBfasG" data-testid="TextFieldWrapper__q"><label
        class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ TextFieldLabel-klrYvg iUEiRd bgGAQZ jAjTLS text-field__label text-field__label--single-line" for="search-form-text-field-q" data-testid="TextFieldLabel__q">
        <div class="TextFieldInputContainer-jcMPhb oFrOs"><input aria-describedby="" aria-invalid="false" id="search-form-text-field-q" name="q" placeholder="Search for &quot;stir-fry&quot;" aria-label="search"
            class="BaseInput-fAzTdK TextFieldControlInput-eFUxkf eGzzTT dppLsn text-field__control text-field__control--input SearchInput-jCPwnN kBfasG" type="search" data-testid="TextFieldInput__q" value=""></div>
      </label></span><svg class="icon icon-search" focusable="false" viewBox="0 0 16 16" width="16" height="16" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" data-testid="iconSearch">
      <title>Search</title>
      <path fill="#000" fill-rule="evenodd" clip-rule="evenodd" d="M12 7A5 5 0 1 1 2 7a5 5 0 0 1 10 0Zm-1.126 4.582a6 6 0 1 1 .707-.707l3.773 3.771-.707.708-3.773-3.772Z"></path>
    </svg></label></form>

Name: newsletter-subscribe — POST

<form class="form-with-validation NewsletterSubscribeFormValidation-iCYa-Dt fMhYSg" data-testid="form-with-validation" id="newsletter-subscribe" name="newsletter-subscribe" aria-label="newsletter-subscribe" novalidate="" method="POST"><span
    class="TextFieldWrapper-Pzdqp hGykhI text-field" data-testid="TextFieldWrapper__email"><label class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ TextFieldLabel-klrYvg iUEiRd bgGAQZ jAjTLS text-field__label text-field__label--single-line"
      for="newsletter-subscribe-text-field-email" data-testid="TextFieldLabel__email">
      <div class="TextFieldLabelText-cvvxBl dHxrxZ"></div>
      <div class="TextFieldInputContainer-jcMPhb oFrOs"><input aria-describedby="privacy-text" aria-invalid="false" id="newsletter-subscribe-text-field-email" required="" name="email"
          class="BaseInput-fAzTdK TextFieldControlInput-eFUxkf eGzzTT dppLsn text-field__control text-field__control--input" type="email" data-testid="TextFieldInput__email" value=""></div>
    </label><button class="BaseButton-bLlsy ButtonWrapper-xCepQ cnjhrg UkKDM button button--utility TextFieldButton-csBrgY edxbrw JourneyButtonWrapper" data-event-click="{&quot;element&quot;:&quot;Button&quot;}" data-testid="Button"
      aria-disabled="false" type="submit"><span class="ButtonLabel-cjAuJN hzwRuG button__label">Sign up</span></button></span>
  <div id="privacy-text" tabindex="-1" class="NewsletterSubscribeFormDisclaimer-bTVtiV kBHJmh"><span>By signing up, you agree to our
      <a href="https://www.condenast.com/user-agreement" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">user agreement</a> (including
      <a href="https://www.condenast.com/user-agreement#introduction-arbitration-notice" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">class action waiver and arbitration provisions</a>), and acknowledge our
      <a href="https://www.condenast.com/privacy-policy" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">privacy policy</a>.</span></div>
</form>

Name: newsletter — POST

<form class="form-with-validation NewsletterSubscribeFormValidation-iCYa-Dt fMhYSg" data-testid="form-with-validation" id="newsletter" name="newsletter" aria-label="newsletter" novalidate="" method="POST"><span
    class="TextFieldWrapper-Pzdqp hGykhI text-field" data-testid="TextFieldWrapper__email"><label class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ TextFieldLabel-klrYvg iUEiRd bgGAQZ jAjTLS text-field__label text-field__label--single-line"
      for="newsletter-text-field-email" data-testid="TextFieldLabel__email">
      <div class="TextFieldLabelText-cvvxBl dHxrxZ"></div>
      <div class="TextFieldInputContainer-jcMPhb oFrOs"><input aria-describedby="privacy-text" aria-invalid="false" id="newsletter-text-field-email" required="" name="email"
          class="BaseInput-fAzTdK TextFieldControlInput-eFUxkf eGzzTT dppLsn text-field__control text-field__control--input" type="email" data-testid="TextFieldInput__email" value=""></div>
    </label><button class="BaseButton-bLlsy ButtonWrapper-xCepQ cnjhrg UkKDM button button--utility TextFieldButton-csBrgY edxbrw JourneyButtonWrapper" data-event-click="{&quot;element&quot;:&quot;Button&quot;}" data-testid="Button"
      aria-disabled="false" type="submit"><span class="ButtonLabel-cjAuJN hzwRuG button__label">Sign up</span></button></span>
  <div id="privacy-text" tabindex="-1" class="NewsletterSubscribeFormDisclaimer-bTVtiV kBHJmh"><span>By signing up, you agree to our
      <a href="https://www.condenast.com/user-agreement" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">user agreement</a> (including
      <a href="https://www.condenast.com/user-agreement#introduction-arbitration-notice" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">class action waiver and arbitration provisions</a>), and acknowledge our
      <a href="https://www.condenast.com/privacy-policy" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">privacy policy</a>.</span></div>
</form>

Text Content

Skip to main content

 * Newsletter

Sign In
START FREE TRIAL

Start your free trial and get unlimited inspiration—cancel anytime.
START FREE TRIAL

 * RecipesChevron
 * IngredientsChevron
 * Cooking
 * Shopping
 * HolidaysChevron
 * Culture
 * THE BA BOX
 * Restaurants
 * Videos
 * Podcast
 * Merch
 * Gift Guides
 * Culinary Getaways

 * RecipesChevron
 * IngredientsChevron
 * Cooking
 * Shopping
 * HolidaysChevron
 * MoreChevron


Search
Open Navigation Menu
Menu

START FREE TRIAL


Search

Start your free trial and never run out of inspiration—cancel anytime. START
FREE TRIAL




Just Launched: Our NEW Subscription Box. JOIN NOW>>
Play/Pause Button
Pause
Lifestyle



YOUR GUIDE TO BUYING CHAMPAGNE AND SPARKLING WINE AT THE RIGHT PRICE


By Sam Stone
December 8, 2024
 * Facebook
 * X
 * Email

Champagne problems? We run down how to shop for Champagne and other interesting
sparklers to help you stock your holiday table and impress your guests.

What is it about popping a bottle of Champagne that makes any occasion feel
special?

You probably know that to be a true Champagne, a wine must originate from
France’s Champagne region, made with Chardonnay, Pinot Meunier, and Pinot Noir
grapes. Traditional Champagne averages around $50 at the lower end, with
seemingly no upper limit for the prestige pours, but there are plenty of other
styles of sparkling wine available at as many price points as there are bubbles
in a glass.




BON APPÉTIT DAILY NEWSLETTER

Get essential recipes, tips, and restaurant reviews, delivered to your inbox.

Sign up
By signing up, you agree to our user agreement (including class action waiver
and arbitration provisions), and acknowledge our privacy policy.

Tahiirah Habibi, an Atlanta wine educator and sommelier with a penchant for
bubbly, recommends cava, a diaphanous and toasty Spanish sparkling wine made
from grapes like Xarel-lo, Macabeo, and Parellada. “If you want some really
affordable great sparkling wine, it’s comparable to Champagne,” Habibi says. It
can hover between $10 to $15, but bumping your budget a bit over $30 will net
you truly exemplary cava.



Crémant, a traditional-style sparkler made throughout France, is worth seeking
out. Rules governing what grape varieties are used are not as prescriptive as in
Champagne, so wine­makers celebrate and experiment with their regional
varieties. Part of Champagne’s extended family, Crémant is similar in texture
and style but with flavors like oyster shell, honey, and even herbal teas.
Expect to pay from $20 to $50.



Finally, pét-nats can be a bit less self-serious than prestige Champagne. Made
using the méthode ancestrale—a precursor to méthode champenoise—these typically
have a looser, sometimes foamy bubble structure. Ranging from funky to fresh and
fruity, pét-nats are proof positive that bubbly doesn’t have to be snooty to be
delicious.



Whether you’re looking for a complex bubble or a playful pét-nat, here’s your
Champagne and sparkling wine buying guide.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Photographs by Suzanne Saroff, Food Styling by Maggie Ruggiero, Prop Styling by
Linden Elstran



THE BUSINESS OF BUBBLES

According to sommelier Victoria James, executive beverage director at Cote and
Coqodaq, both in
New York, the quality of a wine’s bubbles depends on the method in which it was
made. The méthode champenoise—where, among other things, a second fermentation
within the bottle produces additional carbon dioxide—creates a highly
pressurized environment. “The more pressure you have,” James says, “the tinier
the bubble, the more sharp it’ll feel on the palate.”



The Charmat method famously used in prosecco production creates less pressure,
as the secondary fermentation occurs in a tank, creating “looser, more expansive
bubbles,” whereas in pét-nats, you’ll find “broad, generous” bubbles. James says
it’s worth noting that some carbonation escapes through the cork over the years,
so older bottles and vintages might express less aggressive bubbles.

Photographs by Suzanne Saroff, Food Styling by Maggie Ruggiero, Prop Styling by
Linden Elstran


BUBBLES WE'RE LOVING RIGHT NOW

Recaredo Cava Brut Nature Terrers, Penedès, Spain ($38)
Full-bodied, mineral, green apple

Falconry Pink Smash Chenin Pét-Nat, Margaret River, Australia ($30)
Lush, velvety, grapefruit zest

Cruse Wine Co. Tradition Sparkling Wine, NV, California ($45)
Structured, creamy, lemon zest

Champagne Telmont Réserve de la Terre, Champagne, France ($106)
Toasty, citrus, almond

Champs de l’Abbaye 2021 Crémant de Bourgogne, Burgundy, France ($28)
Nimble, fresh pastry, jasmine blossom




WINE GLOSSARY

Blanc de blancs and blanc de noirs refer to the grapes used in the wine: Blanc
de blancs refer to white grapes, whereas a blanc de noirs is made with red
grapes exclusively.

Dosage refers to the amount of sugar added to bottles during their second
fermentation. The less sugar added, the drier the final wine will be.

Frizzante and spumante designate the strength of carbonation in Italian
sparkling wines. The former is gently sparkling, whereas the latter features
stronger, more persistent bubbles.

Pétillant naturel, often shortened to pét-nat, is an ancient method of
winemaking unattached to a specific grape or region. Additionally referred to as
“méthode ancestrale,” these wines see only a single in-bottle fermentation,
where naturally occurring yeasts which are left inside the bottle to continue
fermenting. The result is a gently sparkling wine, which can express funkier
flavors thanks to the natural yeasts.

Nonvintage bottles use a blend of grapes from several different years unlike
wine from a specific vintage, which refers to grapes of one single harvest.

Forced carbonation is the practice of using machinery to carbonate a still wine
instead of letting yeasts do the heavy lifting.

Secondary fermentation is one process by which a wine transforms into sparkling.
First it ferments in a barrel or steel tank, then it’s bottled, where remaining
yeasts activate the second fermentation.

The Charmat method is a less-expensive way to complete a second fermentation.
Wines made with the Charmat method, like most proseccos, undergo their second
fermentation in a large-format steel tank.

Méthode champenoise, or méthode traditionnelle, is how all Champagnes are
made—it refers to the practice of completing the second fermentation in the
bottle.

A cuvée is each Champagne house’s proprietary blend of grapes they mix into
their specific expression of Champagne.

Lees are the spent yeasts left inside bottles during their second fermentation.
“Resting on the lees” refers to the amount of time the wine matures in contact
with these yeasts before disgorgement—the longer the wine rests, the more toasty
flavors you’ll taste.


Photograph by Suzanne Saroff, Food Styling by Maggie Ruggerio, Prop Styling by
Linden Elstran


TASTING NOTES

Toasty sparkling wines are typically those that have been aged—they have a
distinctly bready, brioche aroma or flavor that comes from the yeast used to
make the wine.

Fruity is often used to describe aromas or flavors of, well, fruit in a
sparkling wine. Often these are citrusy, like lemon or grapefruit, but notes of
orchard fruits, stone fruits, and berries appear as well.

Structured sparkling wines deliver a bit more vim on your palate. A wine’s
structure refers
to its balance of taste, texture, aroma, and acidity. A well-structured wine
will have an impressively subtle balance of everything all at once.

Mineral or minerality describes chalky or flinty flavors. These notes can help
to balance sweetness and acidity.

Golden Hour
Pleasantly bitter Suze pairs with ginger syrup, sparkling wine, and a piece of
candied ginger that fizzes and bubbles from the bottom of the glass.
View Recipe


Sam Stone reports on nearly everything for BA, including food culture,
restaurant news, and sneaky cooking ideas that (hopefully) make your life
easier. A Rhode Island native, he’s currently based in New York City where he
can usually be found searching out the city’s best bakeries. Before... Read more
Staff Writer
 * X
 * Instagram
 * LinkedIn

Explore Bon AppétitDrinksnatural wine


BON APPÉTIT DAILY NEWSLETTER

Get the latest recipes, tips, reviews, handpicked for you, every day.

Sign up
By signing up, you agree to our user agreement (including class action waiver
and arbitration provisions), and acknowledge our privacy policy.


Read More
 * culture
   Which Champagne is Best? A Taste Test of Veuve Cliquot, Bollinger, Moét, and
   More
   By Sam Stone
 * cooking
   If You’re Loudly Popping Champagne, You’re Doing It Wrong
   By John deBary
   
 * shopping
   The 14 Best Wine Gifts
   By Sophie Dodd
 * shopping
   The Best Digestive Bitters, According to a Food Editor With a Sensitive
   Stomach
   By Kate Kassin




SUBSCRIBE
Start your free trial and get unlimited inspiration—cancel anytime.  
SUBSCRIBE
Recipes you want to make. Cooking advice that works. Restaurant recommendations
you trust.
 * Facebook
 * X
 * Pinterest
 * Instagram
 * YouTube

More from Bon Appétit

 * ABOUT US
 * Masthead
 * Newsletter Signup
 * Bon Appétit Media Kit
 * EPICURIOUS
 * Find Us on the Epicurious App
 * Stream Bon Appétit
 * Archive
 * The Best Air Fryers
 * The Best Rice Cookers
 * The Best Espresso Machines
 * The Best Meal Delivery Services

Contact

 * Subscription FAQs
 * Manage Account
 * Careers

 * User Agreement
 * Privacy Policy
 * Your California Privacy Rights
 * RSS Feeds
 * Accessibility Help
 * Condé Nast Store
 * 
   Manage Preferences

© 2024 Condé Nast. All rights reserved. Bon Appétit may earn a portion of sales
from products that are purchased through our site as part of our Affiliate
Partnerships with retailers. The material on this site may not be reproduced,
distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior
written permission of Condé Nast. Ad Choices

Food Innovation Group






WE CARE ABOUT YOUR PRIVACY

We and our 177 partners store and/or access information on a device, such as
unique IDs in cookies to process personal data. You may accept or manage your
choices by clicking below, including your right to object where legitimate
interest is used, or at any time in the privacy policy page. These choices will
be signaled to our partners and will not affect browsing data.More information
about your privacy


WE AND OUR PARTNERS PROCESS DATA TO PROVIDE:

Use precise geolocation data. Actively scan device characteristics for
identification. Store and/or access information on a device. Personalised
advertising and content, advertising and content measurement, audience research
and services development. List of Partners (vendors)

I Accept
Your Privacy Choices