Champagne Blind Tasting Party

[Joni]

A few years ago, I had a blind champagne tasting party to start the holidays...so we would know which brand we like, etc. It was fun. Any suggestions as to champagnes to put in the tasting for this year? Need high end (probably not more than $50.00 a bottle) and low end -- As I recall, the Roederer at Trader Joes rated high, and these were people with good palates!

Thanks...and I will let you know the ratings too!

[melkor]

I'll toss in my usual recomendations:

col vetoraz prosecco ($10-$15)

michel turgy blanc de blancs ($38)

paul bara brut rose ($40)

billecart salmon brut rose ($40)

[mighty quinn]

gruet blanc de noirs - a nice domestic from new mexico

zardetto prosecco- generally in the $10-$15 range

gloria ferrer brut- a little more money

oasis 1999 blanc de blanc-might be a little hard to find outside of virginia, but i have to give th local stuff a plug!

[melkor]

zardetto prosecco- generally in the $10-$15 range

The zardetto can be had for $7 or so if you look hard enough... If you like the zardetto the Col Vetoraz is definitly worth tracking down.

[mighty quinn]

zardetto prosecco- generally in the $10-$15 range

The zardetto can be had for $7 or so if you look hard enough... If you like the zardetto the Col Vetoraz is definitly worth tracking down.

would definitely hook up on the zardetto for $7. cheapest i've seen it is at total bev in virginia-where are you? and what is this col?

[melkor]

would definitely hook up on the zardetto for $7. cheapest i've seen it is at total bev in virginia-where are you? and what is this col?

The Col Vetoraz is another prosecco, you can find it and the Zardetto for $6.99 at Sams in chicago. I think they will ship to you in virginia.

[LOS]

Key question: is this limited to real Champagne, or is any bubbly fair game?

Real champagne: Just about the whole Terry Thiese lineup is worthwhile. I'm especially fond of the Diebolt-Vallois and Henri Billiot lineups. The D-V Fleur de Passion can sometimes be found within your budget and it's an amazing bottle of Champagne. The Billiot Brut Rose and the 96 vintage brut are both fabulous. But don't fixate on these names: whatever Thiese champagnes you can lay your paws on, are virtually certain not to disappoint.

Other bubbly: The sparkling Vouvray from Huet is great, though it's generally better with some bottle age. The sweet pink Renardat-Fache Cerdon du Bugey is an internet cliche, but no less great for that. Both available from Chambers St in NYC. The Chidaine Montlouis NV Brut is a great $11 bubbly, but is sold out at Chambers and may be difficult to find. For $8, the Seaview Brut from Australia is awfully hard to beat. The whole Cava line of Juve Y Camps has yet to fail me.

Lee

[Jason Perlow]

Any "RM" or Recoltant Manipulant "Grower Champagne" you can get your hands on. And all of them including some vintages pretty much are under $50. These are all single estates that grow their own grapes and aritisanaly produce Champagne. This is in contrast to the "NM" or Negociant Manipulant coded Champagnes that are made by all the big champagne houses and big names we know, who buy their grapes from large groups of farmers and produce wine in very large quantities.

There are also:

CM cooperative de manipulation, a wine made by a cooperative of growers, I've never had a good one

RC recoltant-cooperateur, a wine made by a grower who produces Champagne with the help of a cooperative, I've never seen one in the US

MA marque d'acheteur, when the brand is owned by a third party who is not a producer - always complete shit.

RM's are the most underappreciated and most amazing values in Champagne today. If you can find any in a wine store, buy them.

If you want to throw in the odd American wine for the wine tasting, get the Argyle 1998 Brut ($15) or the Argyle Extended Tirage (about 30-40 dollars a bottle if you can even find it or order it). Their Rose ' is also supposed to be magnificent.

The best sparkling wines made in the US, no question.

Edited October 25, 2003 by Jason Perlow (log)

[mixmaster b]

paul bara brut rose ($40)

billecart salmon brut rose ($40)

Oh my god how I love rose champagne. The Paul Bara is one I've not had.

We drank a bottle of Nicolas Feuillatte brut rose (around $40) the other night and enjoyed it. Very dry.

I am also partial to Nino Franco Rustico proseco. Usually around $12.

edit: While it is not a champagne by any stretch, I am a fan of Brachetto D'aqui, a low-alcahol Italian sparkling red which is wonderful with sweets, especially chocolate. Could be an interesting end to what sounds like a very fun evening!

Edited October 25, 2003 by mixmaster b (log)

[Mark Sommelier]

I am currently down on all the major familiar Champagne houses. They have all become pawns in a huge corporate takeover of the wine business. This includes Clicquot and Moet. These houses produce millions of cases of wine a year. The Terry Thiese suggestion is good. Most of these houses produce under 10,000 cases a year. I particularly like Pierre Peters Bl de Bl, the Billiot lineup and the Geoffroy and Vilmart Champagnes. Other artisinal Champagnes to look for that are delicious: Pierre Moncuit, Veuve Fourny Grande Reserve and Cuvee "R", Paul Bara Brut Reserve, Bollinger Grande Année 1995.

[dlc]

Two others I would recommend are Delbeck esp. their Rose and Henriot. Both great producers at reasonable prices.

[Jason Perlow]

I am currently down on all the major familiar Champagne houses. They have all become pawns in a huge corporate takeover of the wine business. This includes Clicquot and Moet. These houses produce millions of cases of wine a year. The Terry Thiese suggestion is good. Most of these houses produce under 10,000 cases a year. I particularly like Pierre Peters Bl de Bl, the Billiot lineup and the Geoffroy and Vilmart Champagnes. Other artisinal Champagnes to look for that are delicious: Pierre Moncuit, Veuve Fourny Grande Reserve and Cuvee "R", Paul Bara Brut Reserve, Bollinger Grande Année 1995.

Actually Bollinger is the only NM I really still like and makes a good honest champagne. That and Pol Roger.

[Echezeaux]

For a nice range of prices and styles, I would suggest:

1. Charles Heidsieck Brut Reserve (about $30)...fabulously toasty, quite dry and full-bodied. A connoisseur's Champagne and somewhat of a benchmark for serious quality non-vintaged wines.

2. Henri Billiot (about $37 for the non-vintage and the 1996 is about $50) This is a wonderful "grower's" Champagne.

3. Roger Pouillon "Fleur de Mareuil" ($40)...might be hard to find, but a wonderful Champagne. The base wine is wood-fermented and the Champagne is very rich, creamy and dry. The NV Brut of Vilmart would be an "okay" substitution, but not as grand.

4. Roederer Estate "L'Ermitage" (about $38) One of the few California bubblies that really comes close to the style of French Champagne.

5. Domaine Carneros Brut (about $20) A Typically one of the most effervescent bubblies and a nice example of California wine.

6. Yering Station's Yarrabank 1996 Brut ($31) A leading Australian bubbly of serious quality.

7. Bellavista 1997 Pas Opere Gran Cuvee ($45) One of Italy's top sparklers from the Franciacorta denominazione. Chardonnay and Pinot, of course.

8. Wildcard Suggestions: You might consider a Prosecco (Aneri is a top brand which actually has some yeast autolysis), Sparkling Vouvray or Montlouis, Cremant d'Alsace, German sekt (estates such as George Breuer or Von Buhl make bottle fermented wines from Pinot grapes)...or you might find a South African bottle-fermented...Spanish Cava (Segura Viudas Brut Heredad is nice)...or, Nyetimber makes really good bubbly in England ( ) and that would be one your guests would not be expecting...

Good luck!

[Blake]

One procuder that I have enjoyed is Perrier-Jouët. I have several bottles but don't remember what they cost. The Grand Brut is good.

[Blake]

I just remembered something about a tasting I had last year about this time.

It was a tasting of Australian Shirazes and the guy who got the wines for me started it off with a sparkling Shiraz.

It was a delightful wine from Peter Rumball at about $15/bottle and I have kept several bottles on hand since then. It does have a HUGE amount of sediment so you have to be careful about pouring it.

It is a very soft wine with the distinctive Shiraz/Syrah characteristics.

[KatieLoeb]

Another vote here for the Diebolt-Vallois champagnes. An exceptional value for the money.

Another line I recently tasted was the Montaudon Champagnes. Also a great value and the rose and the vintage selections were absolutely delicious. I liked it so much that the NV Brut is now the by-the-glass selection at Striped Bass.

I'm also very fond of the champagnes of Ployes-Jacquemart. Their rose is positively sublime.

Most of these are available for $50 or less per bottle.

[Joni]

Wow~! Thanks to all...great suggestions!

[Scott]

What ???!!!!

no EGLY OURIET

One of the, possibly the best of the small artisanal producers. All grand cru vineyards, always considerable aging on lees, very pinot dominated powerful champagne.

Try the rose, has a lovely candied orange peel character, and tends to be softer on release.

The blanc de noire is stunning wine, long, intense and a great food match.

[KatieLoeb]

What ???!!!!

no EGLY OURIET 

One of the, possibly the best of the small artisanal producers.  All grand cru vineyards, always considerable aging on lees, very pinot dominated powerful champagne.

Try the rose, has a lovely candied orange peel character, and tends to be softer on release. 

The blanc de noire is stunning wine, long, intense and a great food match.

Scott:

Quite right. I'd forgotten this one as well. Another truly remarkable rose that I was fortunate enough to be gifted with a few holiday seasons ago. The Egly is seriously great Champagne.

[Jason Perlow]

Their Ambonnay Blanc de noir and Non Dose are their best wines, I think. The Rose' is also very nice.

[Scott]

Their Ambonnay Blanc de noir and Non Dose are their best wines, I think. The Rose' is also very nice.

I used to work for the UK importers, and the non dose, was always pretty rough. We could never sell it.

Had a real marmite character on the mid palate that some found off putting.

The 'cuvee speciale' is interesting as it receives a minimum of 4 years aging on lees and comes out very toasty on release. All hazelnuts & vanilla.

The vintage is very good, but requires time in the cellar and the standard NV is THE best value in the market imho.

In UK Egly always sold for very reasonable prices, often less than the big houses. When in the states I have noticed that reverse is often true.

[Jason Perlow]

Their Ambonnay Blanc de noir and Non Dose are their best wines, I think. The Rose' is also very nice.

I used to work for the UK importers, and the non dose, was always pretty rough. We could never sell it.

Thats interesting, I thought their Non Dose paired really well with caviar. Being that I've never tasted marmite probably puts me at an advantage!

That being said I've just searched around the web to try to find the Non Dose' and nobody seems to carry it, so they either stopped making it or as you say, people hate it. Guess I should have bought more!