Philippe Michel
Cremant du Jura
Aldi £6.99
If you could choose a brand new car for around £20k, what would you have in your post Christmas New Year stocking? A bottom of the range C Class Merc with no extra bits and pieces or a top of the range Skoda Superb, for exactly the same price, but with all the refinements and bits and pieces that make it truly special. Superb even.
This is a similar dilemma to one that many people face when it comes to buying bubbly for that special occasion such as New Year, or a wedding, or a major birthday etc. When it comes to buying bubbly, for some reason everyone seems to want to buy in to the 'Champagne' experience at whatever price, often falling for the very lowest entry point possible.
This is a shame because I am almost certain that if they were presented with a sparkling wine alternative, dressed up as Champagne, 9 people out of 10 wouldn't be able to tell the difference. And quite literally, 9 people out of every 10 are all the poorer for this.
All I can say is that, for £6.99, Aldi's Cremant de Jura is the most convincing Champagne alternative I have had the pleasure of quaffing in sufficient quantities for years. And I'm not alone in thinking this - the wine has won a mantelpiece of awards including:
* Which? Best Buy for Sparkling Wine, December 2009
* Best in Class, International Wine & Spirit Competition 2009
* Quality Drink Awards 2006, 2008, 2009
Made from 100% Chardonnay, this very classy sparkler more than proves that you can have the champagne experience for half the price of an entry level 'real champagne' and probably a quarter of the price of a big name luxury non vintage brand such as Veuve Cliquot or Moet et Chandon. And what's more, you're buying a sparkling wine that is made in a very similar way to Champagne, with the second fermentation taking place in the bottle - the process that gives it al those highly coveted bubbles.
Apart from the price, what really delights me about this wine is its balanced flavour - erring on the fashionable side of dry rather than heading in the direction of a sweet chestnutty presentation. Given the current vogue for sparkling wines, and champage in particular, to lean towards a drier, less sticky sweet demeanour, this classy little number is very much on trend - crisp, refreshing and citrussy. And just like that top of the range Skoda model I was talking about, truly Superb.
Dinner Party Appeal: 10/10 (classy for those in the know)
Value for Money: 11/10 (low entry Champagne looks a poor deal in comparison)
Probablility of Buying Again: 15/10 (Have already bought another half dozen)
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