Expensive wine 165: Roederer Estate Brut NV

Can a $27 wine deliver value? Yes, if it’s this Roederer bubbly

Buy this wine for $27, as I did, and you’ve found one of the world’s great values in sparkling wine.

How can this be, WC, some of you are asking – a $27 wine? Trust me. When I wax poetic about a $27 wine, it’s a value.

Now, some of the reason for this is that sparkling wine prices, including many previously affordable cavas and Proseccos, have gone wacko for reasons I won’t whine about now. Just know that it’s difficult to find a quality bubbly for less than $20 any more. Hence, $27 isn’t as ridiculous as it used to be.

The other thing to know? Roederer makes terrific sparkling wine, and California’s Anderson Valley is a terrific place to make sparkling wine. And it doesn’t hurt that a major Champagne house owns Roederer, so there isn’t much of a learning curve.

This bottle ($27, purchased, 12.5%) is an example of all of that, a blend of more chardonnay than pinot noir. So look for firm, tight bubbles (and lots of them), as well as lots of fruit (lemon, green apple). It’s also very fresh – much fresher than I expected – with a hint of yeast in the back.

Highly recommended, and especially if you can find it for around $25. And yes, this is the perfect wine for The Holiday that Must Not be Named next week.