That intoxicating "pop" as the bottle is uncorked. The effervescence as it fills the glass. And the price tag that makes you keep it corked until a special occasion. Many wine drinkers shy away from champagne because of the cost, but there are plenty of bubbly alternatives that are easier on the wallet. Sparkling wines are underrated as a substitute for champagne. Just as festive, they're perfect for the holidays, and any other special occasion. And, with refreshing bubbles and palate-cleansing acidity, they're incredibly versatile with food.

Spanish cava
Made in the same traditional, bottle-fermented method as champagne, cava spends less time aging in the bottle before it's released. Produced primarily in the Penedés region of Spain, with local grapes maccabeo, xarel-lo or parellada, and sometimes chardonnay, cavas can exhibit a hint of apple-like flavor, with low acidity and some of the yeasty complexity found in champagne. Producers to try: Segura Viudas, Freixenet or Cristalino
NV Segura Viudas Aria Brut; $11.99; wine.com

Italian prosecco
Fun, fruity and flavorful, prosecco is made from a grape of the same name and fermented in stainless steel tanks. It doesn't have the complexity of champagne, and its bubbles may be larger and less elegant, but prosecco offers good acidity and a refreshing quality that's great as an aperitif or with a meal. It also makes a mean mimosa. Spumante on the label means the wine is fully sparkling, and frizzante means lightly sparkling.
Producers to try: Zardetto, Canella or Rebuli
NV Zardetto Prosecco di Conegliano Spumante Brut: $11.99; shoppersvineyard.com

French crémant
This is the other sparkling wine from France. Made outside the Champagne region, in Alsace, Burgundy, the Loire Valley or Limoux, it can't technically be called champagne, but it is fermented in the traditional bottle method. It's made from local grapes (riesling and pinot blanc in Alsace, for example) as well as classic champagne varietals, like chardonnay. Crémant offers the prestige and tradition of French winemaking with a smaller price tag.
Producers to try: Lucien Albrecht, Mure or Pierre Sparr
NV Lucien Albrecht Crémant d'Alsace; $15.95; sherry-lehmann.com

California sparkling wines
Many of California's sparkling-wine producers have ties to French champagne houses (the first one, Domaine Chandon in Napa Valley, was founded by Moët et Chandon in 1971) and stick to traditional methods. Most of California's best producers are based in Carneros, where the cool Pacific breezes are suitable to growing chardonnay, pinot noir and pinot meunier grapes.
Producers to try: Domaine Carneros, Roederer Estates or Mumm Napa Valley
NV Mumm Napa Valley Cuvée M; $16.99; blanchardsliquor.com

Australian sparkling shiraz
For something truly different, grab a bottle of this Aussie red sparkler. Made from the country's signature red grape varietal, the color, flavor and finish are surprising, in a good way. Bright ruby red in color, with large bubbles that tend to disperse quickly, sparkling shiraz finishes totally, and unexpectedly, dry. It makes a great conversation starter at parties. What's the flavor profile? Think red berries and a bit of spice, along with good acidity.
Producers to try: Omni, Hardy's or Banrock Station
Omni Red Sparkling Shiraz; $11.99; totalwine.com