Roederer Estate: A go-to bubbly from California

I like Roederer's wines both from France and their outpost in Anderson Valley. But they're very different. The French wines are subtle and elegant, while the California wines have brighter fruit.

The bigger difference is price: Roederer's domestic wines are much cheaper in this country, not surprisingly.

This wine is one of my favorite by-the-glass orders at restaurants all over the Bay Area; you never go wrong with it.

Roederer Estate Anderson Valley Brut NV ($23)

This has long been my one of my go-to wines, and a standard I measure other affordable bubblies against. The price has edged up over the years, though, going over the $20 rubicon. Still, there's a lot of value here: it's made from all estate Anderson Valley fruit, about 60% Chardonnay and 40% Pinot Noir. While there is a touch of oak, there's little to no malolactic fermentation, creating a bright, fruity wine that I see as an archetype of the California style, ironic in that Roederer is a French company. It delivers green apple and lime with a little crusty bread and some yeastiness on the finish. 90