On the eve of the New Year, it's time to talk about a wonderful sparkling drink, without which most Russians simply cannot imagine the chiming clock. Of course, we will not in any way detract from the merits of Veuve Clicquot or Dom Perignon champagne, but we will take into consideration products that the average Russian can afford. Our champagne rating will help you choose the best and tell you what ingredients should be present in it.

New World

This is real champagne, made in the Crimea by the bottle method. The first place in our ranking of champagne is deservedly given to this brand.

More than a century and a half ago, Prince Golitsin himself had a hand in ensuring that Russian champagne could compete with French. These traditions have survived to the present day.

Champagne is produced from Pinot Noir, Aligote, Chardonnay and Riesling grapes, according to the classical canons, with aging from 9 months to 3 years. All processes are done manually. Champagne "Novosvetskoye", "Pinot Franc" and "Crimean Sparkling" have long been loved by customers for their exquisite taste and rich aroma. And it's cheaper than French.

CJSC Sparkling wines, St. Petersburg

CJSC "Sparkling Wines" St. Petersburg

"Russian champagne" has been produced according to classical technologies for more than 80 years. Raw materials are delivered to them from all over the world, including from the Crimea.

All alcohol complies with GOST standards and is made by three common methods, and an innovative recipe for continuous fermentation in a stream was even sold to the French at one time.

The company produces only 3 types of white sparkling wines: brut, semi-dry and semi-sweet.

The brand "Lev Golitsin" was created in memory of an outstanding winemaker. The fame of the prince was so great that the St. Petersburg brand decided to use his name to create a new brand.

Cricova

Moldovan champagne with an optimal price-quality ratio (from 500 rubles). All products are created by the classical method, the drink is aged in oak barrels and stored in cellars.

In "Soviet champagne" there is little foam, bubbles play in the glass for a long time, the aftertaste is wonderful. And there is also “Muscat”, “Rose”, “De Luxe” - the choice of drinks is quite worthy.

Collection drinks are offered in rock crystal bottles.

Golden Beam

Sevastopol company, one of the oldest on the market, occupying a significant segment of the sparkling wine market. All products are created exclusively from our own grapes, harvested by hand.

To date, the tastes of consumers have changed - semi-sweet champagne occupies most of the produced, and the second half is divided among themselves by brut, semi-dry and dry.

The basic collection is made according to the Sharma method (from 350 rubles). They don’t really bother with the names here, so everything becomes immediately clear from the label - white or nutmeg.

The premium line is monosort, aged from 6 to 9 months.

Tsimlyansk wines

Tsimlyansk wines

The Don steppes gave birth to this champagne, which is produced mainly in the tank way. But there are also three brands produced according to the classic champagne recipe - Bouquet of Victory, Onegin and Tsimlyanskoye Sparkling.

Today, the vineyards occupy more than 1,000 hectares used specifically for sparkling wines. At one time it was another Russian response to the French.

The main range: a series of "Soviet champagne", aged for at least 6 months and "Tsimlyanskoye Gold" with a high content of nutmeg.

ABRAU-DURSO

Production is located in the Caucasus, at the same latitudes as the famous Champagne province. Sparkling drink is produced in several ways - bottled and in tanks.

The first involves the classics: aging and infusing the drink in glass containers - the Victor Dravigny and Imperial brands (from 600 rubles). But the tank method produces "Russian Champagne" and "Light", which is with a black label (from 500 rubles).

Phanagoria

These are Taman wines of the brand of the same name, including the "Number Reserve" and "Madame Pompadour" lines. Drinks are easy to drink, pleasant enough, and at a ridiculous price (from 200 rubles).

Brut "Madame Pompadour" for lovers of dry from the habit seems sweetish, but "Fanagoria", which has the best reviews, is produced by secondary fermentation in tanks and aged in bottles.

Asti

Asti is the territory of the same name in Piedmont (Italy), which served as the name for this fragrant champagne. “Asti Martini” is a light and pleasant drink made only from white nutmeg. It has no sugar at all, just the natural sweetness of grapes.

At its core, Asti is a sparkling wine with one stage of fermentation, since the secondary fermentation takes place in steel vats, and not in bottles. That is the only reason why it occupies the penultimate place in our ranking of champagnes.

Nevertheless, the floral-fruity fragrance is liked by all the fair sex without exception. “Cinzano Martini” and “Mondoro” are famous and popular lines.

The price of the product starts from 700 rubles. for a bottle.

Bosca

Inexpensive sparkling wines from an Italian manufacturer. The brand has more than 15 items, but in the vastness of Russia, white and sweet ones, on which “carbonated wine drink” is written, are especially popular. The alcohol content of the Anniversary brand is 7.5% - due to the fact that sugar is replaced by malt. Foaming is moderate, without carbonic acid hitting the nose. Price - from 300 rubles.

Stronger drinks - "Chardonnay", "Red label", "Asti". They are produced according to classical technology, and the price is correspondingly more expensive (from 400 rubles).

There is also a premium segment - Verdi spumante, Classic, Anniversary double and Moscato.

In order to feel good in the morning after a noisy festive night, you need to be able to choose the main drink - champagne. In stores today, the choice of this alcohol is huge, but not everyone knows what should be in the composition, what color is considered right for sparkling wine.

The bulk of sparkling wine, which is produced in our country, is prepared using a simplified technology. Therefore, the price per bottle is low. But wine artificially carbonated is not true champagne. Although, this is still not as bad a situation as buying a fizzy flavored drink based on sugar, alcohol and water (it has nothing to do with wine at all). What to do.

Value for money

The first sign of a real and correct, high-quality champagne is its production from grapes. At the same time, only three grape varieties that are suitable for this should be noted here - Pinot Noir, Pinot and white chardonnay, growing in the French province of the same name. Only such sparkling wine can rightly be called champagne. Drinks that are sold under this name from a domestic manufacturer are just a good substitute for French champagne, an analogue can be of high quality or not very good, there are also some nuances here.

You need to understand that high-quality French-made champagne is quite expensive: from 3,000 to 50,000 rubles per bottle. But many people who have tried various real sparkling drinks and their analogues say that you can buy a domestic analogue at an affordable price, but you will need to try.

Important! Prices for analogues of champagne from Russian producers depend not only on the grape variety, but also on aging. Here the price range will range from 200 rubles for white semi-sweet sparkling wine to 2300 rubles for white brut wine.

Champagne is divided into different categories not only by the amount of sugar (brut, sweet or dry), but also by the year of production. If the drink is aged for only a few years, then the price for it will be affordable. The cheapest analogues are ready for use already a few months after the wine material has been bottled.

Brut or semi-sweet

Pure taste is considered to be a champagne that contains a minimum amount of sugar. That is, you can safely choose exactly brut. Then comes sparkling dry wine, it goes well with white meat and seafood. But brut is a more dessert type of sparkling wine, it is especially suitable for peaches and pears.

But in our taste tradition it so happened that brut and dry champagne are too sour for many people and people prefer to buy sweet sparkling wines. In fact, even if dry champagne analogues do not taste much like the original, then what can we say about sweet varieties that lose all the notes inherent in a particular grape variety.

What is the best champagne in Russia, rating:

1. Abrau-Durso is a sparkling wine produced in Russia. The cost per bottle is quite low, but the taste is not particularly versatile either.
2. From the Italian manufacturer Bosca, at a fairly affordable price, you can buy white and sweet sparkling wine, as well as drinks with various flavors.
3. Pleases with the assortment and taste of champagne from the Crimea "New World". It is recommended to pay special attention to Novosvetsky Pinot Noir.
4. Asti Martini sparkling light drinks are distinguished by natural fruity sweetness and delight with a variety of flavors and aromas.
5. Of course, due to the old favorite name, many turn their attention to "Soviet Champagne". It is produced in the classical way and tastes ahead of many leaders in this price category.

It remains only to understand the question of whether the head always hurts after champagne in the morning and why this happens. In fact, the head will hurt a lot either after too much of this drink or because it is not of very high quality and the manufacturer added too much sugar to the sparkling wine. Because studies show that a bottle of inexpensive champagne has three times as much sweet or semi-sweet sugar as a bottle of lemonade. Sugar causes fermentation processes in the digestive tract and inhibits the processing of alcohol by the body. As a result, there is a strong toxic effect and the head may hurt in the morning. Moreover, this happens much more often from sweet champagne than from dry brut. Also read the interesting history of the origin

Everyone knows that wines have different ratings? Various wine critics evaluate wines, give them ratings that you can rely on when choosing a drink for the evening or for a significant date.

Recently, such a rating has also appeared for Russian wines. Today we will tell you about the best sparkling wines in Russia.

First, a few words about how this rating appeared:

A respected and venerable jury has gathered, consisting of people who are so close to wine and winemaking that there is no need to doubt the competence of their opinion. Among them are the producers of this alcoholic drink, and distributors, and sommeliers, wine journalists. In a word, those who know a lot about wine.

To evaluate the wines, a blind tasting was carried out, one in which the participants did not know what kind of drink, what manufacturer, in front of them. And this means that their opinion was definitely impartial.

So, let's say right away that Victor Dravigny Brut white collection 2009, produced by Abrau-Durso, was recognized as the best champagne.

Other sparkling wines that scored more than 80 points are presented in the table below.

A little scoring hint:

• 80-84 points. Quality wine for every day, with pronounced taste and aroma.
• 85-89 points. Very good wines, with complex characteristics, have several dominant flavors and aromas. They have a pronounced aftertaste.
• 90-94 points. Outstanding wine with excellent consumer qualities and a pronounced style. Wine for a special occasion.
• 95-100 points. Such wine is called "great" or "classic". Drinking a bottle of such wine is the brightest romantic experience that is remembered for a lifetime.

Name	Manufacturer	Colour	Sugar	Crop year	Type of wine	Points
Victor Dravigny Russian champagne collection white gold brut	Abrau-Durso	White	Brut	2009	Sparkling	88
Phanagoria muscat ottonel	Phanagoria	White	semi-sweet	2015	Sparkling	87
Tsimlyanskoye sparkling wine prepared in the old Cossack way	Tsimlyansk wines JSC	Red	Sweet	2013	Sparkling	86
Pinot Noir Blanc de Noir Divnomorskoye	Divnomorskoe	White	Dry	2012	Sparkling	86
Saperavi sparkling semi-sweet	Tsimlyansk wines JSC	Red	semi-sweet	2014	Sparkling	86
Tsimlyansk red sweet wine sparkling	Tsimlyansk wines JSC	Red	Sweet	2014	Sparkling	85
Brut Rosé Phanagoria Russian Champagne Aged	Phanagoria	Pink	Brut	2013	Sparkling	85
Extra brut rose "Victory Bouquet" sparkling wine aged Tsimlyanskoe	Tsimlyansk wines JSC	Pink	Extra brut	2013	Sparkling	85
Krasnostop Chateau Taman Kuban-Vino	Kuban-Vino	Pink	Semi-dry	2015	Sparkling	85
Golden beam white brut	Golden Beam	White	Brut	2014	Sparkling	85
Brut white Tsimlyanskoe sparkling	Tsimlyansk wines JSC	White	Brut	2014	Sparkling	84
Extra brut rose reserve Chateau Taman Kuban-Vino	Kuban-Vino	Pink	Extra brut	2014	Sparkling	84
Oreanda Crimean Wine House	Crimean Wine House LLC	White	Brut	2014	Sparkling	83
Muscat white young semi-dry sparkling wine Chateau Tamagne	Kuban-Vino	White	Semi-dry	2015	Sparkling	83
Brut Fanagoria Russian champagne white	Phanagoria	White	Brut	2014	Sparkling	83
Brut white Novy Svet Russian aged champagne	New World	White	Brut	2013	Sparkling	83
Riesling Chateau Tamagne young brut	Kuban-Vino	White	Brut	2015	Sparkling	82
Russian champagne aged semi-sweet white Tsimlyanskoye	Tsimlyansk wines JSC	White	semi-sweet	2013	Sparkling	82
Brut Inkerman varieties Rkatsiteli, Chardonnay, Riesling	Inkerman	White	Brut	2014	Sparkling	82
Victor Dravigny Russian champagne aged extra brut white premium	Abrau-Durso	White Extra Brut	2010	Sparkling	82
Semi-Sweet Muscat Inkerman	Inkerman	White	semi-sweet	2014	Sparkling	80
Golden Balka brut pinot	golden beam	White	Brut	2014	Sparkling	80
Sparkling wine semi-dry white Tsimlyansk	Tsimlyansk wines JSC	White	Semi-dry	2014	Sparkling	80
Tsimlyansk semi-sweet white	Tsimlyansk wines JSC	White	semi-sweet	2014	Sparkling	80
Extra brut white Chateau Taman reserve Kuban-Vino	Kuban-Vino	White	Extra brut	2014	Sparkling	80
Sparkling wine semi-dry rose Tsimlyansk	Tsimlyansk wines JSC	Pink	Semi-dry	2014	Sparkling	79
Extra brut white Onegin Russian champagne aged Tsimlyansk	Tsimlyansk wines JSC	White	Extra brut	2013	Sparkling	79
Muscat wine sparkling white semi-sweet Tsimlyansk	Tsimlyansk wines JSC	White	semi-sweet	2014	Sparkling	78

Ask for the best Russian sparkling wines at WineStreet.

For most of us, champagne is an ordinary alcoholic drink that helps to celebrate celebrations and spend time in the company of loved ones. But there are people who consider it a collectible item. For rare varieties, wealthy collectors lay out tens of thousands of dollars at auctions. In a moment, you will know how much the most expensive champagne in the world costs.

The prices are shocking. Moreover, people pay out fabulous sums for only one bottle of sparkling wine. Here is a rating of the most expensive champagne.

1. Heidsieck ($270,000)- was intended for the Russian Emperor Nicholas II. But as a result of the crash of the Swedish ship carrying it until 1997, this champagne was at the bottom of the sea. Divers managed to lift only 200 bottles, they were sold at auction to wealthy businessmen from Russia.

2. Pernod-Ricard Perrier-Jouet ($50,000) is the cost of a set of twelve bottles sold together. The buyer has the right to choose a grape variety and store the purchased champagne in the cellars of Pernod-Ricard for 8 months.

Pernod-Ricard Perrier-Jouet

3. Dom Perignon White Gold Jeroboam ($40,000)- in 2005, one bottle of this champagne in an exclusive designer packaging was sold at auction for forty thousand dollars. The price of Dom Perignon White in regular packaging is $350.

Dom Perignon White Gold Jeroboam

4. Krug 1928 ($21,000)- Champagne produced from the harvest of 1926 (considered one of the most successful years for grapes) and bottled in 1938. It is bought by connoisseurs of elite alcohol of the highest quality.

Krug 1928

5. Cristal Brut 1990 ($17,000)- in 2005, at Sotheby's in New York, one six-liter bottle of this champagne was sold for more than seventeen thousand dollars, the collector wished to remain anonymous.

Cristal Brut 1990

6. Perrier-Jouet ($6,000)- made from a mixture of grape varieties of different years, has an exquisite taste with fruity notes. It is for its fruity flavor that collectors value it so much.

7. Krug Clos d'Ambonnay 1995 ($3,500)- Another elite representative of the Krug winery. This brand belongs to the Louis Vuitton Moet Hennessy holding, hence the high price.

Krug Clos d'Ambonnay 1995

8. Dom Perignon 1966 ($1,900)- a rare champagne, accidentally discovered in the cellars of one of the Belgian mansions. It is dreamed of by collectors all over the world.

Dom Perignon 1966

9 Clos Du Mesnil ($750)- is also one of the rare representatives of the Krug winery. The drink was bottled in 1995.

Many people know that genuine wine, called champagne, is produced in the French province of the same name from certain grape varieties using special technologies. However, sparkling wine, produced for several decades, first in the Soviet Union, and then in Russia, is in no way inferior to the original samples. This is confirmed by numerous international awards. Let's try to figure out how to choose the best Russian champagne for a festive banquet, the taste and quality of which is as close as possible to the original.

Original French technology

If we discard those very specific grape varieties - Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier - and consider only the technological process of production, we see that the production of original champagne is a very laborious process, for which secondary fermentation in bottles is applicable. The whole process of bottled champagne should take at least three years. It is this exclusive technology of French winemakers that guarantees excellent quality and incomparable taste of champagne.

Production in large tanks

It would be absurd to imagine that in a country as large as ours, directly bottled champagne would not be supplanted by improved technology. The bright minds of the Soviet Union in the middle of the last century discovered and patented first the technology of champagne in large tanks, and then the production of sparkling wine in a continuous tank method. The Soviet (Russian) champagne produced in this way was noted as the best sample, not inferior to the classic counterpart. Moreover, many foreign manufacturers adopted the experience of Soviet know-how.

Abundance of modern manufacturers

In Soviet times, there were no problems with the choice of sparkling wine, because the assortment was very scarce. The plant-monopolist, supplying store shelves for the holidays, was a non-alternative option. And now, given that distilleries are growing like mushrooms after rain, it is not surprising to get confused, even if there are already some most preferred brands. How to choose Russian champagne from the abundance of brands on the shelves and what you need to know before going to the supermarket?

Let's go to the store

From the abundance of bottles presented on the shelves, we immediately reject the options poured into light containers. Why? The dark glass of the bottle does not let light in and prevents the sparkling wine from aging, turning yellow and becoming bitter in taste. For example, we need Russian semi-sweet champagne. We will carefully study the labeling. We know that there must be some sugar in wine. However, the presence of citric acid, alcohol, dyes and flavors will make the drink run out of steam quickly. Well, of course, there can be no talk of any foaminess in this case. In addition, if we do not want a headache in the morning, we reject this option.

Russian Champagne: Authentic Samples

Real domestic samples of sparkling wine necessarily go through a cycle of natural fermentation. Cheaper drinks only go through the process of carbonation with the help of special devices. Reading the markings on the label will also help determine this. We reject the option if we see the inscription "Carbonated" or "Sparkling" wine.

Next, pay attention to the cork of the bottle. Many manufacturers seal the container with a plastic stopper. For example, the taste that a Russian drink with such a cork has will be significantly inferior to the taste of a similar drink contained under a cork. In this case, there is almost no air getting inside the bottle, and the characteristic sour taste will never appear. What can not be said about the blockage of sparkling wine with a plastic stopper.

Additional selection criteria

A rosé sparkling wine, by definition, cannot be considered champagne. Exceptionally, all the above-mentioned grape varieties used for the production of the original drink are white. As a result, such a drink as Russian white, semi-sweet champagne received the greatest popularity among the Russian consumer.

What else should we note? We avoid the capacious inscription "With the addition of flavors." Naturally, every self-respecting producer places his legal address on the label, and also indicates sparkling wine.

Differences in price categories should not confuse the buyer. If he orders a banquet and is not ready to shell out an impressive amount for champagne alone, he only needs to pay close attention to the release date of the drink. For budget options, the shelf life should not exceed 1 year from the date of manufacture. Expensive drinks only get tastier over time, and it’s better not to risk it with mid-priced options.

And the last. Too low price should scare away the buyer. Here you need to estimate the cost price in your mind and immediately draw the appropriate conclusions. We will also say our strong “no” to bottles containing sediment and suspicious substances at the bottom.

Russian champagne: manufacturer reviews

In fact, the preferences of champagne consumers completely coincide with the recognition of professional experts. So, the St. Petersburg manufacturer - the company "Sparkling Wines" - produces the brand "Heritage of Master Lev Golitsyn", which was repeatedly noted at various international competitions and took away gold coins to their homeland. It is worth noting that the company was founded back in 1945.

Also, the Moscow enterprise Kornet, founded during the Great Patriotic War, has an impressive history. The products are also awarded with gold and silver medals, and are highly respected and in demand in the consumer market. If we consider all categories of sparkling wines, according to consumer reviews, Russian champagne brut is considered the most popular, a white sparkling wine that traditionally contains the least amount of sugar. Many experts and connoisseurs of the drink believe that sugar can muffle the true taste of champagne. The Moscow company offers all lovers of the original taste of "Cornet" brut.

Champagne category "economy"

"How? - you ask. - Are there good manufacturers of inexpensive champagne?" It turns out there are. The Beslan company Istok has shown itself well, including among international experts. The southern traditions of wine production came in handy. Inexpensive and high-quality raw materials make the products one of the most popular in their segment. The ratio of relatively low prices and excellent southern quality is very fond of buyers. Istok products also received high awards.

Brands that have passed an independent examination

Some brands of sparkling wines have passed an independent examination.

• Russian champagne "Crimean".
• Semi-dry champagne "Russian gold" of the Togliatti company "Rosinka".
• Vladikavkaz semi-sweet "Wintrest-7".
• Petersburg "Venice of the North".

Choose from the best

Now we have learned a lot about how real sparkling wine is made and which leading companies in the country supply products of excellent quality to the market. We will see a fake and low-quality goods with the naked eye. But how to choose your drink from obviously high-quality products?

So let's look at the sugar content. To do this, you do not need to memorize scorecards or look at familiar letters on the label. We just need to understand that Russian white brut champagne has a minimum amount of sugar, and any sweet or semi-sweet sparkling wine has a maximum amount of sugar. In addition, semi-dry and dry champagne is made exclusively according to the classical technology, but the increased sugar content indicates an accelerated production method.

The final factor in choosing the perfect drink will be a tight cork. The champagne of our dreams will not allow itself plastic on top.

Domestic champagne for connoisseurs and gourmets

In our country, aged sparkling wines are also produced with an aging period of at least 6 months after the completion of the champagne process. For true aesthetes and gourmets, collectible stamps are produced with an aging period of at least three years from the end of the champagne process.

Alkali is the enemy of bubbles

Sometimes people who have bought a quality brand of champagne are surprised at the absence of characteristic bubbles in the glass. They are indignant: is a fake hidden under a well-known brand? In fact, it is necessary to ask a question to the housewives who wash the glasses before serving the festive table. What means do they use to wash their glasses? If any alkaline solution was used when rinsing the dishes, it will not be possible to completely wash it off with plain water. The remains of alkali inside the glass are capable of giving a chemical reaction, and the bubbles will simply disappear.