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Looking to purchase a bottle of bubbly for the night? You might not think of Consumer Reports when it comes to buying wine, but our industry experts have reviewed many of your favorite varietals, including Cabernet, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Shiraz, Zinfandel, and many more.
Our recent tests of sparkling wine include a recommended GH Mumm Cordon Rouge NV, and a very reasonably priced Gruet Blanc de Noirs NV. The first is a classic Champagne style bubbly that is intense and complex with ripe apple and yeasty/toasty notes, while the second has an attractive array of fruit that mixes nicely with slight yeasty flavors to make for a tasty blanc de noir. For more, read our report on the best sparkling wines in our tests.
If you want to celebrate with a bottle that is fun and a little more daring than most, consider a sparkling rosé, such as De Bortoli Emeri Pink Moscato or Korbel Brut Rose, both sell for around $12 and are recommended by our expert wine testers. Check out our Ratings (available to subscribers) of pink sparkling wines for more options. Or if you'd rather, a nice bottle of red or white instead, you can find lots of helpful information in our wine buying guide. Note that if you can't find the vintage we tested, choose another recent one, which we've found should be fairly similar.
Also read our buying advice to learn about pairing wine with food, serving, storing, and much more. As we often find in our wine testing, a high price doesn't guarantee high quality, and you'll find several recommended wines that won't break the bank.
And remember, you don't want to ruin a celebration by blasting the cork off a bottle of champagne and hitting someone in the eye. As it leaves the bottle, the cork can fly up to 50 miles per hour—generating a force powerful enough to shatter glass. So be mindful and hold that bottle at a safe angle when popping the bubbly.
