Bubbly on a Budget

It looks cool in the movies when someone pops open a bottle of champagne and the bubbly erupts like a volcano.

If you want to spill your money all over your clothes, the floor and your guests, go ahead.

But wouldn't you rather drink it all?

The right way to open a bottle of bubbly starts with common sense: Like cans of soda, bottles of sparkling wine should not be shaken or otherwise tossed around just before opening. For best results, let the bottle sit still in the fridge for at least a couple of hours.

Hold the bottle slightly upright at a 45-degree angle, with the base against your hip or stomach. If the bottle is wet, use a towel to get a firm grip on it.

Point the top away from spouses, children, pets and anything breakable.

After removing the foil, carefully remove the wire cage that's over the cork, keeping one hand over the cork.

With one hand gripping the cork, use the other hand to gently twist the bottle. This will help you catch the cork when it pops out.

When the cork starts to come out, push down on it. The cork should ease out with a gentle sigh instead of a pop, and -- voila! -- you'll have a full bottle of bubbly to enjoy with no mess.

Though I mentioned champagne, many people probably won't be drinking it this New Year's, simply because real champagne comes only from the Champagne region of France and it's not cheap.

Instead, most of us probably will celebrate with cava, prosecco or some other sparkling wine.

No matter, they all can be delicious.

Sparkling wine can be white or pink, very bubbly or lightly so, sweet or dry. Quality and price depend first on the bubbles. The best have tiny bubbles that continually float up in a stream inside the glass. (This is why tall, skinny flutes are the glass of choice.)

Here are some suggestions on bubbly in different price ranges from three area wine experts:

BUDGET (UNDER $15)

• Rondel Pura Raza Brut, $7.99, Total Wine & More. This dry but fruity Spanish cava has soft peach and nut flavors. "It's just light bodied and real easy drinking. You can ‘t beat it for under 10 bucks," said Steve Deutsch, the wine manager at Total Wine.

• Segura Viudas Brut Reserva (nonvintage), regularly $9.99, on sale for $7.99, Harris Teeter. Ken Hamilton, a wine consultant for several Harris Teeter stores in Winston-Salem, said that this creamy Spanish cava with floral is great for the price.

• NV Louis Predrier Brut Rose, France, $9.99, Wine Merchants Gourmet. "Brilliant dry strawberry flavors and incredible price," said Dave Joyce, a co-owner of Wine Merchants Gourmet, on Mooney Street, off Stratford Road near Hanes Mall. This is made outside the official Champagne region, but uses the methode champenoise.

MID-RANGE ($15 TO $30)

• Mumm Napa Brut Prestige (nonvintage), regularly $19.99, on sale for $17.99, Harris Teeter. This California wine is crispy and dry with creamy, toasty flavors and a long finish.

• 2001 Gloria Ferrer Brut Royal Cuvee Reserve, regularly $32.99, on sale for $25.95, Wine Merchants Gourmet. Joyce said that this "super deal" is a personal favorite. Wine Spectator scored it 93 points, citing luscious flavors of apple, cinnamon and ginger that seem to make it a natural for Christmas.

• Montaudon Brut Champagne, $29.99, Total Wine. Deutsch called this "bright and intense with candied berry and preserved citrus flavors. "It's incredible that you can find real champagne at $30," he said.

SPLURGE

• De Margerie Grand Cru Cuvee Speciale, $44.99, Total Wine. This champagne is rich and elegant with tiny "pinpoint" bubbles, Deutsch said. More than five years of aging gives it complex red and citrus fruit flavors and yeast notes. It's made from 90 percent pinot noir and 11 percent chardonnay. "The pinot noir, to me, gives you a more well-rounded wine than all chardonnay," Deutsch said.

• Duval-Leroy NV Brut Champagne Cuvee Paris, regularly $57.99, on sale for $34.95. Rated 91 points by Wine Spectator, this is an elegant champagne with a very fine bead of bubbles, Joyce said. It has a crisp citrus and baked-bread aroma, with layers of pear, apple, spice and a slight hint of vanilla, he said. "The crispness makes it one of my favorites to serve with food, especially seared scallops or spiced grilled scrimp. It is also perfect with Maryland style crab cakes."

• Veuve Clicquot Brut Yellow Label (nonvintage), regularly $56.99, on sale for $46.99, Harris Teeter. Hamilton said, "You simply can't go wrong" with this classic champagne, a perennial favorite of bubbly lovers everywhere. It has some apricot, peach, vanilla and mineral flavors, and it's racy acidity makes it great with food.

Don't forget that sparkling wine is being made in North Carolina. Look for sparkling cider from McRitchie Wine Co. (at City Beverage) or the methode champenoise sparklers from Biltmore Estate (in most supermarkets).

And, of course, don't be afraid to stray off this list. There's lot of good stuff out there. As Joyce said, "The problem in making these recommendations is that I have overlooked some very good wines."