Ratings from Consumer Reports:
In order of overall quality.
VERY GOOD (Well balanced and dry; classic fruity and yeasty aromas. Short of excellent because of inconsistent quality, slight off-notes, or lack of intensity.)
Gloria Ferrer Sonoma Brut (CA) CR Best Buy
$16--Classic toasty, yeasty aromas, red-berry notes.
Mumm Napa Brut Prestige (CA) CR Best Buy
$20--Classic toasty, yeasty aromas, fruity.
Piper-Heidsieck Champagne, Brut (France)
$35--Crisp, toasty, less fruit than most.
Scharffenberger, Brut Mendocino (CA) CR Best Buy
$18--Fruity, toasty, a bit less intense than most.
Taittinger La Française Champagne, Brut (France)
$42--Mature wine; toasty, yeasty aromas.
Segura Viudas Brut Reserva Cava (Spain) CR Best Buy
$10--Appealing, but light flavors, very crisp.
G. H. Mumm Cordon Rouge Champagne, Brut (France)
$34--Variable quality; at best, very well balanced.
Piper-Sonoma Select Cuvée, Brut (CA)
$16--Variable quality; at best, fine combo of fruit and yeast, though less intense than most. Extra bubbly.
Moët & Chandon White Star Champagne (France)
$35--Yeasty and fruity, a bit sweeter than most and less intense.
Domain Carneros by Taittinger, Brut 2003 (CA)
$20--Has the right attributes, but not intense.
Yellow by Yellowglen (Australia)
$11--Appealing mix of flavors but less intense than most.
Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin Champagne, Brut (France)
$41--Variable quality; at best, balanced fruit, yeast, toast, spice.
Domaine Ste. Michelle, Brut Columbia Valley (WA)
$12--Well-blended fruit and yeast, but bubbles were large and coarse.
GOOD (Overall less complex, balanced, and intense than others; some had obvious off-notes.)
Yellow Tail (Australia)
$11--Fruity, crisp, but lacks the typical yeasty aroma.
Andre California Champagne, Brut (CA)
$5--A bit sweet, crisp, well made, but very fruity flavor atypical of a bubbly.
Tott's California Champagne, Brut (CA)
$7--A tad sweeter than most, fruity.
Korbel California Champagne, Brut (CA)
$13--A tad sweeter than most, fruity, very tart.
Chandon Brut Classic (CA)
$16--Crisp, with no big flaws, but not very intense.
Perrier Jouët Champagne, Grand Brut balanced (France)
$42--Quality varied. At best, appealing yeasty aroma with light fruit and crispness.
Barefoot Bubbly Brut Cuvée (CA)
$11--A bit sweet, fruity flavor atypical of a bubbly.
Cristalino Brut, Cava (Spain)
$7--Variable quality; well made but less intense than most.
Jacob's Creek Chardonnay Pinot Noir Brut Cuvée (Australia)
$11--Variable quality; at best, well balanced.
Cook's California Champagne, Brut (CA)
$6--Variable quality; sweet and tasty but noticeable sulfites.
In order of overall quality.
VERY GOOD (Well balanced and dry; classic fruity and yeasty aromas. Short of excellent because of inconsistent quality, slight off-notes, or lack of intensity.)
Gloria Ferrer Sonoma Brut (CA) CR Best Buy
$16--Classic toasty, yeasty aromas, red-berry notes.
Mumm Napa Brut Prestige (CA) CR Best Buy
$20--Classic toasty, yeasty aromas, fruity.
Piper-Heidsieck Champagne, Brut (France)
$35--Crisp, toasty, less fruit than most.
Scharffenberger, Brut Mendocino (CA) CR Best Buy
$18--Fruity, toasty, a bit less intense than most.
Taittinger La Française Champagne, Brut (France)
$42--Mature wine; toasty, yeasty aromas.
Segura Viudas Brut Reserva Cava (Spain) CR Best Buy
$10--Appealing, but light flavors, very crisp.
G. H. Mumm Cordon Rouge Champagne, Brut (France)
$34--Variable quality; at best, very well balanced.
Piper-Sonoma Select Cuvée, Brut (CA)
$16--Variable quality; at best, fine combo of fruit and yeast, though less intense than most. Extra bubbly.
Moët & Chandon White Star Champagne (France)
$35--Yeasty and fruity, a bit sweeter than most and less intense.
Domain Carneros by Taittinger, Brut 2003 (CA)
$20--Has the right attributes, but not intense.
Yellow by Yellowglen (Australia)
$11--Appealing mix of flavors but less intense than most.
Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin Champagne, Brut (France)
$41--Variable quality; at best, balanced fruit, yeast, toast, spice.
Domaine Ste. Michelle, Brut Columbia Valley (WA)
$12--Well-blended fruit and yeast, but bubbles were large and coarse.
GOOD (Overall less complex, balanced, and intense than others; some had obvious off-notes.)
Yellow Tail (Australia)
$11--Fruity, crisp, but lacks the typical yeasty aroma.
Andre California Champagne, Brut (CA)
$5--A bit sweet, crisp, well made, but very fruity flavor atypical of a bubbly.
Tott's California Champagne, Brut (CA)
$7--A tad sweeter than most, fruity.
Korbel California Champagne, Brut (CA)
$13--A tad sweeter than most, fruity, very tart.
Chandon Brut Classic (CA)
$16--Crisp, with no big flaws, but not very intense.
Perrier Jouët Champagne, Grand Brut balanced (France)
$42--Quality varied. At best, appealing yeasty aroma with light fruit and crispness.
Barefoot Bubbly Brut Cuvée (CA)
$11--A bit sweet, fruity flavor atypical of a bubbly.
Cristalino Brut, Cava (Spain)
$7--Variable quality; well made but less intense than most.
Jacob's Creek Chardonnay Pinot Noir Brut Cuvée (Australia)
$11--Variable quality; at best, well balanced.
Cook's California Champagne, Brut (CA)
$6--Variable quality; sweet and tasty but noticeable sulfites.
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