Twin Cities Champagne & Sparkling Wines on Sale 2019

Everyone is promoting New Year’s with sales on Sparkling Wine & Champagne. Prices are all over the map. 3 Day Wine Review to the Rescue!!!

Morelli’s St. Paul

Best place to purchase everyday Sparkling Wine Morelli’s in St. Paul however it is check or cash only. Don’t want to drive to St. Paul find out which wine shop does price match!!!

Several of these wines also have rebates and Morelli’s is the best in the Twin Cities at actually having the rebates on site. Note to other retailers and distributors do better at having them on site.

My picks:

NV Mumm Napa Brut Prestige – USA, California, Napa Valley (12/25/2019)
Christmas Wines; 12/22/2019-12/25/2019 (Minneapolis, MN): Another Holiday and another bottle. I must be the number one reviewer in the world on this Sparkling!!! Another good bottle. Apple, spice, dough, pear and tropical fruit. Short to medium finish and really good acidity. This Sparkling wine is so much better than any Prosecco in this price range. (90 points) $13.99

Compare at $17.97 at MGM, $15.97 at Total Wine

NV Mumm Napa Blanc de Noirs – USA, California, Napa Valley (12/7/2019)
Several Tastings today! (Minneapolis, MN): Nice overall with strawberry, floral, spices and dough. Medium finish and decant acidity. (88 points) $13.99

Compare at $16.97 at Total Wine

NV Roederer Estate Brut Anderson Valley – USA, California, North Coast, Anderson Valley (11/9/2019)
Solid again. One of the better Sparkling wines for the money. Apple, pear, spice and chalk. Good acidity and medium finish.
Day 2: Apple, pear, spice and dough. Quite complex. 91 points (91 points) $17.97

Compare at $17.96 at Top Ten Liquors, $19.97 at Total Wine

Others wines that sparkle

N.V. Scharffenberger Brut(USA, California, North Coast, Mendocino County) $15.97

2017 Faust Cabernet Sauvignon – USA, California, Napa Valley (12/14/2019)
Sunfish Cellars Napa Valley Extravaganza (Sunfish Cellars/I Nonni Minneapolis, MN): Showing well overall. A big style wine featuring plum, minerals, cherry and perfume floral notes. Medium finish. Decanted for a few hours prior to tasting which help a lot. Smooth finish. (90 points) $39.99

2016 Penner-Ash Pinot Noir Willamette Valley – USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley (10/10/2019)
2019 Hennepin Lake Charity Event (Minneapolis, MN): More intensity than the Siduri I tried right before. Strawberry, rose petals, earth, minerals and forest floor. Medium and concentrated finish. Should drink well through 2024. (91 points) $33.99

Compare at $49.97 at Total Wine

2017 La Crema Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast(USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast) $16.97

Compare at $17.47 at Total Wine

2017 Delas Frères Côtes du Rhône Saint-Esprit – France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Côtes du Rhône (10/10/2019)
2019 Hennepin Lake Charity Event (Minneapolis, MN): Nice as it usually is. Perfume, floral, earth and minerals. Short to medium finish and good acidity. (89 points) $7.97

Compare at $10.49 at Total Wine

2017 Substance Cabernet Sauvignon – USA, Washington (10/21/2019)
Day 1: Much better than the wine from Costco. Wonderfully balanced with minerals, cherry, spice, dust and blueberries. Complex for the price point and medium finish. An outstanding value. 89 points
Day 2: Really nice. Tastes like a wine 3 times the price. Cherry, minerals, spice, dust, Carmel and oak. Medium plus finish. Might be the best of the wines from this vintage I have tasted. 90 points
Recommendation: A solid buy at $12.99. Great every day drinker. (90 points) $12.97

2016 Domaine Lafage Côtes du Roussillon Bastide Miraflors $12.97

Compare at $18.99 at Total Wine

Champagnes I have reviewed but less enamored with from 2019.

NV Moët & Chandon Champagne Brut Impérial – France, Champagne (10/10/2019)
2019 Hennepin Lake Charity Event (Minneapolis, MN): Citrus, saline, chalk, sour apple and dough. Short to medium finish. Acidity is a bit much on this one. Medium finish. (87 points) $37.97

Compare at $37.96 at Top Ten, $57.99 at Total Wine

NV G. H. Mumm & Cie Champagne Cordon Rouge Brut – France, Champagne (10/10/2019)
2019 Hennepin Lake Charity Event (Minneapolis, MN): Again this is a mediocre wine. The Mumm Sparkling Brut Prestige is better. Light with apple, lemon, spice and minerals. Tastes like a cheap sparkler. (84 points) $29.77

Compare at $41.97 at Total Wine

Top Ten Liquors

Top Ten Liquors is expanding and making their presence known across the metro. In order to get the best pricing you need to sign up for their rewards program which is online and free.

N.V. Champagne Gratiot-Pillière Champagne Tradition Brut(France, Champagne) $27.96

2008 Louis Roederer Champagne Cristal Brut(France, Champagne) $199

If they have the 08 for that price it is a great deal.

NV Roederer Estate Brut Anderson Valley – USA, California, North Coast, Anderson Valley (11/9/2019)
Solid again. One of the better Sparkling wines for the money. Apple, pear, spice and chalk. Good acidity and medium finish.
Day 2: Apple, pear, spice and dough. Quite complex. 91 points (91 points) $17.96

Sunfish Cellars

2015 Schramsberg Vineyards Blanc de Blancs – USA, California (9/22/2019)
This is nice. Shells, sour apple, lemon, pie crust and spice. Medium plus and good acidity. Drinks like a well made NV Champagne. (92 points) $28.99 Best price in town.

2014 Schramsberg Vineyards Brut Rosé – USA, California (12/3/2019)
Day 1: Bright fruit featuring strawberries, cherry along with floral, spice and dough notes. Medium plus finish and good acidity. Very complex Sparkler for the money. 92 points
Day 2: Excellent again and lost nothing. Too many people think sparkling wine only goes one day but if you put the stopper in right away two days is no problem. Similar to day 1 with strawberry, cherry, raspberries, floral and spice. Picks up some nice minerality on the finish. 92 points
Recommendation: Excellent offering and at $35 worth a try. (92 points) $35.99

If you get a case of any wine you get 5% off. Get 2 bottles each of these and fill out your case with my best under $15.00 every day drinker of the year.

2017 Saint-Cosme Côtes du Rhône – France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Côtes du Rhône (12/1/2019)
Day 1: Nice perfumed wine. Raspberries, underbrush, violets and minerals. Medium plus finish and balanced. 89 points
Day 2: Even better. Nice floral and perfume qualities on the nose. Underbrush, raspberries, blueberries, minerals and violets. Good concentration for such an inexpensive offering. Medium finish. 90 points
Day 3: Not as good as day 2. Heavy on the underbrush and earth. 86 points
Recommendation: This is good on a pop and pour and normally good on day 2. (90 points) $13.99