Grab a glass! Wines fit for royalty

Ray Isle shares wines that make you feel like royalty but won't break the bank

Advertise | AdChoices

Video: Drink like the royals on a pauper’s budget

Open in new window

Closed captioning of: Drink like the royals on a pauper’s budget

Advertise | AdChoices

>>> count down to the royal wedding .

>> absolutely. food and wine magazine 's executive editor has brought along noble reds and highest ranked whites as well as affordable options. we will have a taste testing.

>> you nailed that wine at the start of the show. you got it.

>> it wasn't jerry's fault, it was ed.

>> you don't have to drink the cheap wine. the royal wedding they will have champagne. what we have here is really wonderful champagne. and you guys have to figure it out.

>> you cannot call it champagne unless it comes from the champagne region .

>> take a sip of that and the next one. which is the $550 bottle of champagne?

>> i like the cheap one.

>> you know which is which?

>> that is true. this was served at princess diana and prince charles ' wedding. a fantastic champagne.

>> it is nice. how much is that?

>> $14.99.

>> that's good. okay.

>> kate loves white wine .

>> i knew i loved her.

>> we have a couple of white wines . one from australia, one from france.

>> okay.

>> you might guess the french is more expensive but which is which. that's the key question here. i know you don't -- that's the expensive one.

>> give me a chance.

>> the pressure is on here. which do you think?

>> one is australian and one is french?

>> come on.

>> that's australian.

>> that is correct. you nailed it.

>> wait. what do you mean you nailed it.

>> you nailed it before i had a drink of anything.

>> what the heck are you doing? stop copying me.

>> now pinot noir . one fit for a royal wedding and one fit for commoners.

>> the rest of us.

>> which one?

>> one of these is a burr -- burgandy.

>> one is an affordable $20.

>> this is the hardest one for me. they are very similar. i'm going to say this -- that's the most expensive.

>> this is the affordable.

>> i think you nailed it again.

>> what a palate i have got.

>> this is the $14. it is nice.

>> the royal family , big family, we have one of these is --

>> we get paid for this.

>> bottled in 1969 for charles' investiture of crown prince.

>> look at her.

>> 45 bucks for the other.

>> quick quick determination?

>> expensive. expensive. expensive, not.

>> kathie lee wins on that one.

>> of course she wins the wine contest.

>> mike gifford you must be so proud of me.

>> the band perry is going to play for us live downstairs but first this is today on nbc.

>>> okay now for the moment

Show transcript

TODAY recipes

updated 4/27/2011 12:18:15 PM ET

Print
Font:
+
-

Red wine: What Prince Charles likes

Royal: Vega Sicilia Valbuena ($130) or Unico ($450)

More from TODAY.com
1. Jersey Shore to celebrate re-opening 7 months after Sandy
  
  Seven months after being devastated by the worst storm in New Jersey history, most of the beaches and boardwalks of the Je...
2. Man finds first Superman comic stuffed in wall
3. Girl, 14, rocks Internet with Van Halen guitar solo
4. One-of-a-kind African school gives girls 'Right to Dream'
5. Cops stand in for fallen officer at daughter's kindergarten graduation

The rest of us: Emilio Moro Finca Risalso ($17)

Prince Charles is a fan of Vega Sicilia one of the greatest wines of Spain — and one of the priciest. From the same region, Ribera del Duero, you can get Emilio Moro’s Finca Risalso for less than $20 —not bad for a terrific wine from one of Ribera’s best producers.

Champagne, sparkling wine
Royal: Bollinger RD 1997 ($550 Magnum)

The rest of us: Tiamo Prosecco ($14.99)

The Bollinger RD was served at the wedding of Charles and Diana, and is one of the world's greatest Champagnes. Now, there's a RUMOR that a rival Champagne-Pol Roger-is going to be served at one of the events. But so far that's just a rumor. In the meantime, this Tiamo Prosecco is crisp, appealing and affordable, plus the name means "I love you," in Italian. Which makes it great for any wedding, really.

White wine: What Kate likes
Royal: 2008 Chateau Fieuzal White Bordeaux ($70)

The rest of us: 2009 Plantagenet Semillon Sauvignon Blanc ($13)

Kate Middleton is a white wine fan, and this white Bordeaux is both terrific and has a crown in its logo. It's made from Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc. This is a wine from Plantagenet, in Australia-a former English colony, of course-and it's about $60 cheaper.

Red wine: What William likes
Royal: Marquis de Angerville Volnay Fremiets 1er Cru 2002 ($70)

The rest of us: King Estate "Acrobat" Pinot Noir 2009 ($20)

Prince William is a red wine fan, and this particular wine is one that's actually in the Royal Cellars. It's a red Burgundy, which means it's made from Pinot Noir; you can get a great Pinot Noir that's a bit less royal from King Estate in Oregon for $20..

Dessert wine
Royal: Christopher's Rare Old Verdelho ($395 a bottle)

The rest of us: Rare Wine Company Boston Bual Madeira ($45)

For something truly special I went to the Rare Wine Company in California, which specializes in things like this Verdelho, which was bottled in 1969 for Charles's investiture as crown prince. It's extremely expensive! Now, $45 isn't exactly cheap, but for a Madeira-also from the Rare Wine Company-that's pretty great.