Didn't find a similar thread, so I started this one. I'm not that much of a champagne drinker, but I'd like to keep some bottles at home for special occasions. What is your favourite champagne in the range between approximately $30 to $50 (I don't know about US prices, but in Germany it's normally 30€ +/-5€).
Which one of the "mainstream" brands is your favourite? I'm asking for the well known ones (M&C, Veuve Clicquot, Pommery etc.), as they are available everywhere.
Vintage champagnes are among the world's ripoffs, as champagne has traditionally been an "early" drink, to be consumed soon after release. The problem with serving champagne is that many of your guests will expect a "name" and some of the great products of small operations will be viewed by your guests as "Eau le Bathtub". As noted below, there are several "big names", drinkable, in your range - and rember that no more than 1 of 100 of your "guests" could pick or define what's good. Some folks like extremely dry bubbly, others are repulsed by astringency.
Cavas can be fine (or occasionally bad) but are not champagne. They should be recognized for what they are, not as a substitute for "champers". The same is true of Spumante, except that these days, unlike yesteryear when cavas could he truly awful, there's more bad spumante on shelves. If you're making champagne cocktails, Mimorsas, Bellinis, French 75s, etc., why buy good champagne. Chateau Garage will work fine...