$7 Barefoot Sparkling Wine Pinot Grigio California Stater Bros.

After years of avoiding Dirt Cheap Champagne (technically- "Sparkling Wine") due to limited variety, I am glad it's becoming more popular to offer a reasonably priced bottle of bubbly. I picked up this bottle at my local grocery store and was pleased that the label was modern and easy to read. I usually don't buy anything over $5, but I guess if you're splurging on bubbly, a few extra bucks won't hurt.

I grabbed this one because I have been on a Pinot Grigio binge over the summer, and thought this would be a good way to say goodbye to the refreshing varietal in exchange for the red wines I enjoy in autumn. But I think I may be in trouble since this bubbly is downright delicious! It was lacking that sharp, garish flavor that many budget bubbly's have and it did indeed taste of Pinot Grigio. It was nice to know the varietal before purchasing so that I could anticipate what I was getting.

This sparkling wine is a good in-between bubbly. Not too sweet, not to dry. (Unless of course you have an obsession with super brut sparklers in which case, it might be a tad sweet.)

I give this Sparkling Wine a 4 1/2 out of 5 stars

$4 Albero White Sparkling Wine Spain Trader Joes

First off, it gets a big thumbs up for being organic. Even though it's sparkling wine, it looks to be just an ordinary white wine, except for the slightly bulbous cork. The nose is somewhat sweet and flowery. And then.... what a let down. It is completely flat. Maybe a slight fizz on the tongue but on the whole, more like a stale champagne than a sparkling wine. The flavor is a bit on the sweet side and tastes more like a Gewurstraminer.

I give this wine a 1 out of 5 stars