Champagne

Hi there, I want to buy a bottle of nice champagne for my best friend's wedding shower. My budget is 150-200, but the problem is that I know NOTHING about champagne.

Could someone advise a decent bottle to buy other then Dom?

Non vintage Krug.

Too bad you ruled out Dom - I'm a big fan of Dom Ruinart, and even some of the vintage bottles would have been well within your price range.

Shaggywillis wrote:Hi there, I want to buy a bottle of nice champagne for my best friend's wedding shower. My budget is 150-200, but the problem is that I know NOTHING about champagne.

Could someone advise a decent bottle to buy other then Dom?

How many bottles do you want to buy? Are the recipients big Champagne drinkers?

If they aren't, I strongly recommend buying a bunch of bottles in the $15-$45 range, rather than one very expensive bottle. There are a lot of extraordinary Champagnes in the $30-$45 range. I'm not sure that someone who isn't a regular Champagne drinker could really appreciate the difference between one of these and bottle that costs $200.

If you really want to add something special, consider a vintage Champagne that is in the $60-$75 price range.

I've given family members a mixed half case (i.e. 6 bottles) of Champagnes and non-French sparkling wines. I also included 6 Spiegelau Champagne glasses. The gift went over great and the recipients could enjoy the wines over the course of time.

I'm honestly up for anything. I ruled out Dom, just because I feel like anyone can buy it, but if it's a vintage bottle, within my budget, then I'm for it.

As well, if you know, could you offer where I might be able to buy it? I am new to the chicago area and live in bucktown, but have a car so I can do a bit of driving if need be.

You'll have an easy time doing either the "couple of bottles" thing or one nice high end bottle at Wine Discount Center on Elston. It's just S. of that crazy intersection where Ashland and Elston (and Armitage) all come together. So not at all far from Bucktown. Heck, it may technically still be Bucktown over there, because it's W. of the river.

I also recommend getting them 2-4 lovely bottles, and if you like, some nice glasses too. You could get (for instance) one house's brut, rose and vintage, which could be a fun tasting - for example Perrier Jouet, Blason Rose and the Flower Bottle.

Jacquesson cuve 131- really unique, wonderful flavor.

Shaggywillis wrote:Hi there, I want to buy a bottle of nice champagne for my best friend's wedding shower. My budget is 150-200, but the problem is that I know NOTHING about champagne.

Could someone advise a decent bottle to buy other then Dom?

Hello to you. I assume the Dom you refer to is Dom Perignon not Dom Ruinart. The NV Krug is without a doubt the finest Champagne in your price range with the possible exception of Bollinger, either the Grande Annee or the RD (IMHO, of course).
My only concern is this: if the couple is not wine savvy, chances are they will not have heard of the above mentioned. I certainly don't recommend DP over Krug or Bollie, but with the amount of name recognition it possesses, the couple will certainly recognize that you care enough to spend major bucks on their bottle of bubbly!

What do we think of Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin (especially La Grande Dame?)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Veuve_Clicquot

A particular year, maybe a larger and more unusual bottle size for sharing with friends? The larger bottle sizes tend to slow the aging process from what I've read here and elsewhere, if they are planning on waiting for an anniversary.

Santander wrote:What do we think of Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin (especially La Grande Dame?)

We think they are the Mondovi of Champagne, what do you think of them? They buy a lot of wine in bulk (not grapes, already made wine) for the Yellow Label. They declare a vintage pretty much every year (most other houses do not - in fact it was a real problem for the 1999-2000 NYE parties, and some suspected that a vintage was only declared in 1995 because of the millenium - most places didn't declare any vintage between 1990 and 1995)

(We went there for a tour, and compared to all the other places were utterly underwhelmed. When you spend a week in Champagne, and drink lots of Champagne, you get a really nice chance to compare)

I like the idea of buying several nice but not expensive bottles but if you are really set on one special bottle I love the 1995 Pol Roger Cuvee Sir Winston Churchill Brut.

It may be a bit tricky to find but I'm sure some online auction houses have it.

Shaggywillis-

I don't know when you need this bottle (or bottles), but why not do a tasting at Pops for Champagne? On Mondays, they generally do a discounted tasting from one champagne house. The bartenders over there love to talk about champagne as well and will generally point you towards some fairly lesser-known producers. (FWIW, I'm not a Veuve fan; around the holidays, I partook in a bottle of Billecart-Salmon Rose, which I enjoyed quite a bit. )

If you're going to spend on a bottle, you might as well take the time to do some research yourself! (It's also good excuse to begin an expensive habit, as well. )

Just had another thought- it's not Champagne, but it's methode champinois (sp?)- What about a killer bottle of Schramsberg reserve? the 99 is out of this world.

aschie30 wrote:Shaggywillis-

I don't know when you need this bottle (or bottles), but why not do a tasting at Pops for Champagne? On Mondays, they generally do a discounted tasting from one champagne house. The bartenders over there love to talk about champagne as well and will generally point you towards some fairly lesser-known producers. (FWIW, I'm not a Veuve fan; around the holidays, I partook in a bottle of Billecart-Salmon Rose, which I enjoyed quite a bit. )

If you're going to spend on a bottle, you might as well take the time to do some research yourself! (It's also good excuse to begin an expensive habit, as well. )

A related idea is to buy the bride and groom some Champagne plus a gift certificate to Pops for a tasting (or just take them there yourself). Pops is expensive, but I think it is always nice if you can do something a little more than just bringing a single, expensive bottle.

My absolute fave is Laurent-Perrier Rose. Available at Sam's, $65 range, but so delicious. It used to be about $50 and has gone up considerably in price, so I don't have it as much, but you'd be the hit of my wedding if I received it. And heck, with the price of crystal wine glasses, see what they are registered for and get two champagne glasses and the bottle, and come in at your price range. I would loved to have received two waterford glasses and LPR.

I would second the idea of the Bollinger RD (Recently Disgorged). It spends a lot more time with the yeast in the bottle which gives it a very distinctive flavor. I am not sure how much it costs, but it should be less than $150. I cant recommend a particular vintage.

-Will

We went there for a tour, and compared to all the other places were utterly underwhelmed. When you spend a week in Champagne, and drink lots of Champagne, you get a really nice chance to compare

That sounds like a great trip, Leek! Is there a report out there I missed [prepares to get hit with a link he could have found in 20 seconds of searching]? If not, what were your favorites when tasted at the source (which can be markedly different from exported)?

I like VCP, especially La Grande Dame, which I've had out of a magnum. Delicious and crisp with no off-flavor and just enough complexity. Some of the bone-suckingly dry and more yeasty types that excite some of my more champagne-savvy friends just aren't as enjoyably drinkable to me, but I at least have the palate to dislike many sweet, overproduced brands. I have more experience with cavas and spumantis from my travels than with champagnes.

Slightly off-topic:

For domestic sparkling wines, I've had variable experiences (but at least one very good) with Tabor Hills' (Michigan) Blanc de Blanc. Has anyone tried the newer Grand Mark?

http://www.taborhill.com/wines.html#sparking_wines

I don't think I wrote it up, it was a longish time ago - 1998 or 1999. We had arranged tours at Veuve, Krug and Perrier Jouet. For all of them, my husband did the arranging in French, and at Perrier Jouet we were the only ones there, the marketing director conducted the tour and opened the Blason de France wines, and we had a tour of their Art Nouveau guest accommodations - a real amazing place that is where they house "trade" visitors. They have a small, discreet area where you can buy wine or nicknacks. At Krug we were one of 3 couples, and the tour was conducted by Madame Seydoux. You can buy neither wine nor souvenirs. At VCP we were part of the 30-person English speaking group, after the 30-person German speaking group, but before the 30-person Japanese speaking group. The tour was conducted by two very young sales girls who wore matching blue jackets and yellow ascots as they walked us down through the caves and pressed the button to start the filmstrip presentation. At the end of the tour we were herded into a market place of largish proportions where we could buy whatever our hearts desired, as long as it was yellow (the yellow label).

We liked very much Champagne Eric Lemaire and Champagne Tarlant. I know you can get Tarlant in the US, the Cuvee Louis is particularly nice. I'm not sure about the other.

I've got to say that the best value I've ever had in champagnes has been from Lanson. Their black label (pn + pm) at $60 and change is a spectacular buy.

It would take a real pro to taste the difference between this Lanson and most bubblies priced at twice as much. Lovely buy.

Geo

I've become a big fan of NV Krug.
For vintage, my wife and I disagree. I'm a huge fan of Pol Roger (the NV is also very good), while she prefers Bollinger. I admit that I like Pol Roger a lto more than most people. It seems a bit austere for a lot of people.
I am also a big fan of Veuve, but I would stay away from it only because the marketing has gotten out of hand. You see the yellow bottles everywhere.
If you are in Chicago, go to Sam's (Lincoln Park store) and ask for Charles in the Champagne dept. He has advised my wife and I for a long time and has steered us to some great stuff produced in small production. The guy has a real passion for Champagne. He's a pleasure to talk to. For Christmas, I gave him some ideas of what we were looking for [bottles for some very close friends], and was smart enough to buy exactly what he told me to buy. It was great stuff and a great value.

I love Champagne and other sparklers -- and my favorites are the Bollinger NV and i've had some really lovely tasting champagnes from Drappier -- a smaller french house. There's a Carte D'or which I think runs around $40 or $45 most places and is really a treat compared to a Veuve. I find Veuve rather bland -- it's a clear taste -- not at all bad certainly but not special. I think the two I've mentioned are just a bit more special. I also like Louis Roederer's Brut NV -- it's yeasty and chewy and delicious -- more in your mouth than something at the same price (again, mid $30's to low $40s). You don't have to spend big to get something wonderful. Although..i've never tasted Cristal either.

Perhaps because I'm eager to put 2008 behind me (as many of us probably are), I've been poking around for some advice on good champagne for NYE. FWIW, the NY Times has dedicated several articles to the subject.

Some highlights from the NY Times:

Best champagne under $30:*

Lanson Black Label Brut NV (at Sam's for about $40)

Louis de Sacy Brut Grand Cru NV (at Sam's for about $35)

Paul Georg Blanc de Blancs NV (at Sam's for about $35)

Pierre Gimmonet Blanc de Blancs NV (couldn't find locally)

Nicolas Feuillatte Brut NV (at Trader Joe's for about $35 & on sale at Sam's for $29)

Pannier Brut NV (couldn't find locally)

Pommery Brut Royal NV (at Sam's for about $40; I believe I've also seen this at Trader Joe's)

Best Tête de Cuvées:

Notes: The tasters tasted 23 types and set an upper price limit of $200 per bottle. They liked all of them but ranked the bottles listed below as tops.

Billecart Salmon Brut Grand Cru 1996

Jacques Selosse Blanc de Blancs 1995

Moet et Chandon Dom Perignon Oenotheque 1990

Moet et Chandon Dom Perignon 1996

Gosset Celebris Brut 1995

Nicolas Feuillatte Cuvée Palme d'Or 1995 (Sam's appears to only have the 1999 vintage)

Jacquart La Cuvée Nominée 1995

This last category of bottles are obviously much harder to come by, and much more expensive, most of them in the $95-195 range, according to the article.

*Note: The NY Times denotes that these are available for under $30, but I noticed that some of these bottles are available locally for more than $30.

Edited to amend prices for NV Nicolas Feuillatte and Paul Georg, among other things.

I second the Lanson wholeheartedly.

As counterpoint to the NYT, Long Island's Newsday had an article here today for affordable non-Champagne bubblies. As always Segura Viudas gets a strong mention. It has more than once won blind tastings I've held, and typically against real Champagne competition. One interesting thing in the article is the praise for the New Mexico bubbly. Might be worth a try, for no other reason than curiosity. (I should mention that I've had several very good NM whites, so this good result isn't totally unexpected.)

Geo

Geo wrote:As always Segura Viudas gets a strong mention. It has more than once won blind tastings I've held, and typically against real Champagne competition.

While I don't think I'd prefer Segura Viudas against a decent champagne listed on the "cheap list" above, both the Segura Viudas and Cristalino cavas mentioned in the L.I. Newsday article are quite good, especially for the price. They're regularly available at Trader Joe's for like $8 bucks a bottle.

Geo wrote:One interesting thing in the article is the praise for the New Mexico bubbly. Might be worth a try, for no other reason than curiosity.

The New Mexican bubbly mentioned in the article, Gruet, is also good, and believe it or not, quite widely available down these parts, even on restaurant menus. If we're talking about non-Champagne sparklers, I'd also put in a plug for local L.Mawby wines.

I'm a big fan of Nicolas Feuillatte Brut NV. It's a great wine at a great price. Forego the Yellow Label for Nicolas Feuillatte.

aschie30 wrote:While I don't think I'd prefer Segura Viudas against a decent champagne listed on the "cheap list" above, both the Segura Viudas and Cristalino cavas mentioned in the L.I. Newsday article are quite good, especially for the price. They're regularly available at Trader Joe's for like $8 bucks a bottle.

Cristalino is the house bubbly here - under $80/case at Binny's.

I had the Dom '90 over Christmas and it tasted tired and worn to me. My family bought a few cases on the initial release and this is the first time I've thought it was past it's prime IMHO.

We have become BIG fans of Schramsberg even though it is not champagne in the strict sense. It is made in the methode champenoise, however. Their Blanc de Blanc and Blanc de Noirs are about $30 retail, I believe, and are really wonderful values and just damn good. We are greatly anticipating the opening of the inaugural J Schram Wednesday night in the Davooda household and I will try to report back.

We have also greatly enjoyed the Lanson black label in year's past but it's difficult to obtain in the central Illinois "netherlands..."

Cheers,
Davooda

We had more fun touring the Schramsberg winery than any other in Napa, with it's cobweb-filled, scary, dug-into-the-mountain caves filled with all sorts of nooks and crannies holding aging bottles of sparkling wine. Sadly, I've just never thought the wines were good enough to justify the relatively high price tags. I prefer other California sparklers that are half the price (with Gloria Ferrer topping that list, for me)

KennyZ - thanks for the tip on Gloria Ferrer. I had not seen or heard of this label but on your rec I will definitely track some down! If I can get better bubbly than Schramsberg at half the nut, I'm there...

Davooda

Davooda wrote:KennyZ - thanks for the tip on Gloria Ferrer. I had not seen or heard of this label but on your rec I will definitely track some down! If I can get better bubbly than Schramsberg at half the nut, I'm there...

Davooda

D,

I hope you like it: wine preferences are, of course, a matter of taste - so you might end up deciding Schramsberg is worth the extra money. They sell Gloria Ferrer stuff at Dominicks, so it should be relatively easy for you to find. Be sure to bring (or sign up for) a Dominicks card - all the wines are much more expensive without it.

Enjoy!

K