Champagne is a very classy drink. Whether you drink it as a toast or casually sip it with a meal, champagne can be considered the all-occasion drink.
As a recent college grad, I can safely say that I have a lot of experience when it comes to purchasing inexpensive alcohol, and I have learned that inexpensive champagne is just as tasty as expensive champagne. So, for those of you out there who are looking for an enjoyable drink at an affordable price, I have compiled a list of my top five inexpensive champagnes.
Yellowtail Sparkling Wine
A light, fruity champagne, Yellowtail is made in Australia and is sold for as cheap as $10.49 in grocery stores. As an added bonus, Vons is having a special sale until August 26. Those with Vons cards can buy this bottle for only $8.98. This sparkling wine has a pale yellow color, smells of tropical fruit, and tastes great with all sorts of foods ranging from seafood to pasta.
Cook’s White Zinfandel
Cook’s has a variety of champagnes, but if you have a craving for something sweet and fruity, then you should try Cook’s White Zinfandel. This salmon-pink colored champagne has characteristics of berries and grapes, and is sold for around $8.99 at grocery stores, although I have heard you can find them for cheaper in wine shops. Cook has been around since 1859, and all Cook products are bottled in Madera, California.
Korbel
Korbel is a California champagne made in the Korbel winery in California’s Russian River Valley. Originally made by three brothers-Francis, Joseph, and Anton Korbel-in 1882, today Korbel champagnes can be found in most grocery stores for about $13.99 a bottle. I usually pop open a bottle of Korbel for celebrations, such as New Years Eve, and more recently, my graduation. My friends and I spent an enjoyable last night together drinking and testing how far we could pop the cork. A pale straw-colored champagne, Korbel is light with spicy fruit flavors. If you’re looking for something not too sweet, this champagne is for you.
Barefoot Bubbly California Champagne
One of my new favorites, Barefoot Bubbly is a straw-colored champagne with apple aromas and pear flavors. Cheese and fruit go great with this fruity drink, although it is also good by itself. Just the other day, a couple friends and I opened up a bottle to celebrate my friend getting a new mattress (it took a lot of effort to move his old mattress and we wanted to reward ourselves). And since Barefoot Bubbly is so light and crisp, it was perfect for our midday toast. All Barefoot wines and champagnes are made in Modesto, California, and bottles of Barefoot Bubbly are sold in grocery stores for $9.99.
André Champagne
In my opinion, every type of André Champagne is delicious, but my absolute favorite is the Blush Champagne. André Champagne is particularly popular among college students, since it is cheap and is a great beer replacement for the ultimate party game, beer pong. At most grocery stores, André is sold for $5.49 or less. The Blush Champagne is rose-colored, light, and has a fruity, sweet taste that lasts long enough for you to enjoy it a few extra seconds after you have swallowed it. I highly recommend it.
