Fireworks call for something festive in your glass, and nothing delivers quite like sparkling wine. Besides matching the celebratory environment, it’s an excellent accompaniment to lobster rolls and chips, fried chicken and mac and cheese, appetizers — or simply served ice cold in the summer heat. There is, however, one truth sommeliers hold to be self-evident: Not all sparkling wines are created equal. Here are some fabulous options available locally.
Most people have heard the rule that only sparkling wine from the Champagne region can be called Champagne. So what do you call Champagne-style sparkling wines made in France but outside that region? Crémant. Like Champagne, the bubbles in Crémant are created during a second fermentation in the bottle. Unlike Champagne, Crémant typically comes with a much lower price tag. While you’ll usually spend at least $40 for a decent Champagne, there are excellent Crémants in the $20 range.
Laurent Perrachon et Fils Crémant de Bourgogne is a Crémant from Burgundy sold at Park Place Wines and Liquors (84 Park Place, East Hampton) for just $22.95. Because Burgundy is so close to Champagne, its Crémants have a similar flavor profile. This one is made with 100-percent chardonnay grapes and is creamy and fresh with pear, white flowers, and brioche.
You’ll find another great Crémant from the Jura region of France for $24.99 at Domaine Franey Wines and Spirits (459 Pantigo Road, East Hampton) — where a giant bottle of Champagne greets shoppers from the sidewalk. Domaine Hubert Clavelin Crémant du Jura Brut is also 100-percent chardonnay, and has a delicious minerality from the limestone in the region. There are notes of pear and white flowers here too, along with toast, and apples.
Looking for something local? Sparkling Pointe in Southold is a North Fork winery dedicated exclusively to Champagne-method sparkling wines. Its Blanc de Blancs — French for “white from whites” — is also made from chardonnay and is available for $39.99 at Park Place. This sparkling wine features hints of florals, honey, lemon custard, toast, and a touch of ocean salinity.
Fans of traditional Champagne will find a lovely option in Champagne Duval-Leroy Brut Réserve, a family-run house since 1859. Made from 60-percent pinot noir, 30 percent meunier, and 10 percent chardonnay, this Champagne is a personal favorite of the South Fork Somm. Chris Miller, who sources wines for Park Place — where it sells for $49.99 — calls Duval-Leroy “classic in style, really pretty, really well balanced, with minerality and not too much residual sugar.” If you want to ensure your Champagne is dry, look for the word “brut” on the label.
Rosé lovers will enjoy Colcombet Champagne Réserve Privée Brut Rosé. While some wine drinkers mistakenly assume pink sparkling wines are sweet, the “brut” designation should clear up any confusion. “They make beautiful wines, really good value. This is one of the top sellers here for rosé,” Miller said. He sells the Colcombet rosé — made from 60 percent chardonnay, 20 percent pinot meunier, and 20 percent pinot noir — for $49.95. It’s elegant, with notes of raspberry, strawberry, cherry, and a hint of lemon. Domaine Franey also offers Colcombet Champagne Brut Éclat, a traditional Champagne that is an almost equal blend of pinot noir, pinot meunier, and chardonnay, for $42.99. It’s silky, with fine bubbles, bright acidity, and hints of peach and apricot.
Need to stock up for a big party? Gruet sparkling wine from New Mexico — yes, New Mexico — is a great value. Vin 74 Wines and Spirits (74 Montauk Highway in the Red Horse complex in East Hampton) carries the rosé for $16.97, while Domaine Franey offers both the traditional brut and rosé for $17.99 each. These wines are made using the traditional Champagne method and are a critics’ favorite for the price.
Italian wine lovers who have yet to try Franciacorta are missing out. While prosécco is Italy’s most popular sparkling wine, Franciacorta is its most luxurious. Made in the traditional Champagne method, Franciacorta comes from the Lombardy region and is richer, creamier, and more complex than prosécco. Ca’ del Bosco is the name to know. Its Cuvée Prestige 48 Edizione is available at Domaine Franey for $44.99.
While popping bottles of sparkling wine is safer than setting off bottle rockets, it still pays to proceed with caution. Always tilt the bottle away from you when opening it, keep the metal cage on the cork for a better grip, and twist the bottle — not the cork — for better control.
One sommelier’s final suggestion — drink your sparkling in a white wine glass rather than a flute. The wider glass makes it much easier to enjoy all of your wine’s flavors and aromas.
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Alison Morris Roslyn is a Level 3 sommelier, certified by the National Wine School. She also has certificates in French wines from Cornell University and in oenology from Le Cordon Bleu in Paris.