wineconsultant

Anytime the wine industry can offer people the opportunity to never have a "corked" bottle of wine, or simply a bad experience with uncorking a bottle, all the better. David: the next time you're embarrassed by a Stelvin closure, simply explain to your guests that you're trying to be cutting edge... After all, better to be embarrassed by the Stelvin than the wine...

Having sold Champagne and sparkling wines at a retail level for the last six or seven years, I think most of the problem revolves around the fact that sparkling wines from California (Roederer Estate and Domaine Chandon come to mind) are not half the quality of, for instance Louis Roederer Brut NV or Moet Brut Imperial NV, but they are half the price. Lost in the shuffle are truly remarkable Champagne houses like Billecart-Salmon and Bruno Paillard. I won't even touch on the challenges of selling RM or "grower" Champagnes, despite the fact that they can be some of the finest out there. The industry needs to start actively promoting the quality rather than the brand.