There are times when you’re celebrating big, so you’re willing to spring for an expensive Champagne. But what if you want a little bubbly to freeze, spike mimosas with, or to pour into a Champagne tower? Trader Joe’s to the rescue! TJs wine selection has expanded waaaay beyond $2 Buck Chuck to include French Champagne and other sparkling whites produced using the Champagne method, which are way less expensive. Time to pop some tags… We mean corks! Here are 14 of the best bubbly bargains at Trader Joe’s that even your wine snob friends will love.
1. Charles de Marques Champagne, ($19): Quite possibly the least costly French Champagne available, this bubbly is light, dry and *very* smooth without the sugary overload common in some sparkling whites. It is Champagne at its best and suitable for special occasions when you want to celebrate without breaking the bank. This is your best deal at TJs.
2. Champagne Ernest Rapeneau ($11): Another from the Champagne region of France, this bubbly is a great value. It’s vibrant, crisp and effervescent, with notes of apricot and honey but an acidic finish that’s slightly bitter. It pairs well with soft cheeses and fruit, so it’s perfect for cocktail hour.
3. Korbel Brut California Champagne ($12): Wine snobs look elsewhere! Korbel has waged an ongoing battle with French officials to be able to call itself a Champagne when it’s not produced in the Champagne region of France. The compromise: It’s a “California” Champagne. Despite the controversy, it’s produced using the traditional méthode champenoise method and is a great value Champagne, with compelling notes of apricot and apple that are nicely balanced by bubbly acidity.
4. Blason de Bourgogne Crémant ($9.99): With delicate flavors of orchard fruits and a hint of vanilla, this sparkling white has a delightful fizz of small bubbles, just like an expensive Champagne. Because it’s produced in the Burgundy region of France using the Champagne method, it doesn’t have the champers price tag — and that’s A-OK. If you’re making sparkling cocktails, slushies or ice pops, this is the one you want.
5. Chandon Brut Classic ($17): Another sparkling white from California, this bubbly is full of tropical fruit tastes and spices like cinnamon and vanilla, and has an unexpected soft, dry finish. It’s perfect on its own or it would make a great Champagne cocktail.
6. Mumm Napa Brut Rosé ($17): This bubbly blush is soft and fruity, with notes of black cherry and strawberry. Slightly sweet and effervescent, it’s perfect to go with spicy foods at your next BBQ party.
7. Trader Joe’s Blanc de Blancs ($6): This French sparkling white is dry, crisp and citrusy, and makes a perfect Champagne substitute. Whether you’re drinking it straight up, freezing it or spiking juices, this one’s a steal.
8. Cecilia Beretta Prosecco Superiore ($10): Prosecco is an Italian dry white sparkling wine that’s bubbly like Champagne, and superiore is the highest classification. This sparkling white makes a great pre-dinner drink or a cork popper for a special occasion — but at this price, you could drink it every night.
9. Cecilia Beretta Prosecco ($8): Slightly sweeter than the superiore version of the same name, this sparkler is distinctly fruity. It would be great in a cocktail, or freeze it in a poptail and break it out on those warm summer nights when you need an after-dinner cooler.
10. Mionetto Il Prosecco ($9): This bubbly prosecco has delicious bright notes of green apple and peaches, and the price can’t be beat. The bright, modern bottle is so eye-catching you can tie a bow around it and take it to your next party.
11. Incanto Rosé Vino Frizzante ($6): Everyone’s in love with rosés this summer. This pink prosecco is full of fruity aroma, but the taste is refreshingly dry and crisp. It’s perfect served chilled as an apéritif, or freeze it in a palate-cleansing granita or frosé.
12. Freixenet Cordon Negro Brut Cava ($9): Cava is another sparkling white made in Spain using the same method as Champagne, so it comes in at sometimes bargain prices. This bubbly is bright with fruit flavors that make it great for cocktails like mimosas, but it’s also quite the treat on its own.
13. Veuve Clicquot ($50): There’s always a wine snob in every crowd, but what do you do if you want to impress them? Trader Joe’s carries Veuve Clicquot, a quality French brut Champagne recognized globally. The price is about on par with other merchants, but it’s nice to know they carry it if there’s a TJs near you.
14. Veuve Clicquot Rosé ($60): With rosé wine being *the* trend of summer, this elegant blush Champagne is perfect for special occasions, like bridal showers or outdoor weddings. Slightly sweeter than its white counterpart, this rosé champers has notes of cherry that make it a perfectly elegant afternoon sipper that looks pink and lovely in the glass.
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