We have become BIG fans of Schramsberg even though it is not champagne in the strict sense.

I am also a big fan of the Schramsberg. I brought a couple bottles to a BYOB New Year's dinner a few years ago and the table agreed that the Schramsberg paired better with some of our starting courses than the more expensive Champagne (like Vueve) also being poured.

I also routinely drink both Cristalino and Segura Viudas, especially if I am making cocktails featuring a sparkling wine.

Cinny's Mom wrote:

We have become BIG fans of Schramsberg even though it is not champagne in the strict sense.

I am also a big fan of the Schramsberg. I brought a couple bottles to a BYOB New Year's dinner a few years ago and the table agreed that the Schramsberg paired better with some of our starting courses than the more expensive Champagne (like Vueve) also being poured.

I also routinely drink both Cristalino and Segura Viudas, especially if I am making cocktails featuring a sparkling wine.

RAB and I attended a sparkling tasting at a friend's house on Sunday. The N.V. Schramsberg Mirabelle Brut Rose was one of my favorites ($24 at Binny's). I thought it compared quite favorably to the higher-priced wines we tried.

We also sampled two Segura Viudas (brut and extra dry), but they were among the group's least favorites. Of the fifteen bottles we tasted, the Segura Viudas were two of four that weren't finished by the end of the evening.

Other group favorites:
> N.V. Heidsieck & Co. Monopole Champagne Blue Top Brut (France, Champagne) - $34 at Binny's
> N.V. Gosset Champagne Brut Excellence (France, Champagne) - $45 at Sam's
> N.V. Domaine Chandon Etoile Brut (USA, California) - $30 at Binny's
> N.V. Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin Champagne Brut (France, Champagne) - $43 at Sam's

We also enjoyed a lovely Moscato d'Asti - 2006 Marenco Moscato d'Asti Strev (Italy, Piedmont, about $16). Some folks adored the N.V. L. Mawby Blanc de Blancs, while others thought it was just okay (USA, Michigan, Leelanau Peninsula, about $18).

We didn't have it on Sunday, but I can also highly recommend the Iron Horse Wedding Cuvee (USA, California, the 2004 is $33 at Sam's).

An early happy new year to everyone!

Ronna

We didn't have it on Sunday, but I can also highly recommend the Iron Horse Wedding Cuvee (USA, California, the 2004 is $33 at Sam's).

I'll second the Iron Horse Wedding Cuvee - Sam's even has it off and on for around $24/bottle. It also makes a nice engagement present.

I also really like Scharffenberger, which is usually between $15 and $17 and is available at Sam's. http://www.scharffenbergercellars.com/index.html I can't find the article now, but John and Dotti from the WSJ's Tastings column gave it good marks about a year ago when they were tasting inexpensive sparklers. It's not going to blow your mind, but is has some really nice character. Yum! I can't wait for tonight...

PitaChip wrote:

We didn't have it on Sunday, but I can also highly recommend the Iron Horse Wedding Cuvee (USA, California, the 2004 is $33 at Sam's).

I'll second the Iron Horse Wedding Cuvee - Sam's even has it off and on for around $24/bottle. It also makes a nice engagement present.

I also really like Scharffenberger, which is usually between $15 and $17 and is available at Sam's. http://www.scharffenbergercellars.com/index.html I can't find the article now, but John and Dotti from the WSJ's Tastings column gave it good marks about a year ago when they were tasting inexpensive sparklers. It's not going to blow your mind, but is has some really nice character. Yum! I can't wait for tonight...

In terms of inexpensive sparkling whites, these are both really nice. I tend to drink a lot of Cava for my inexpensive sparkling, that or prosecco.

Yes, but Le Grande Dame is great.

leek wrote:

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)

Pardon my spelling on all this. I think Schramsberg is great but if this person wants to spend $150 on a bottle than he should. Krug is awesome, it is excellent. You can get a vintage bottle of Dom. A bottle that is only $45-$50 retail is Ruinart Rose, one of my favorites!

Cinny's Mom wrote:

We have become BIG fans of Schramsberg even though it is not champagne in the strict sense.

I am also a big fan of the Schramsberg. I brought a couple bottles to a BYOB New Year's dinner a few years ago and the table agreed that the Schramsberg paired better with some of our starting courses than the more expensive Champagne (like Vueve) also being poured.

I also routinely drink both Cristalino and Segura Viudas, especially if I am making cocktails featuring a sparkling wine.

what is champinois????

jpschust wrote: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.

Leyla a wrote:what is champinois????

jpschust wrote: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.

Méthode Champenoise is the Champagne method of making a sparkling wine - basically refermenting in the bottle. Compare it to the transfer process (e.g. Kriter) or the Charmat bulk process (e.g. Tott's or Andre).

Don't mean to be brutal but i will be. If you don't know anything about sparkling wine and particularly Champagne, then spend your money on a case of US non-vintage sparkling wine like Domain Chandon. Otherwise you might as well just tear up $100 bills and drink Andre'.
Seriously, US sparklers are a good value and the $/Euro puts Champagne at an economic disadvantage. My last Champagne purchase was two cases of Pol Roger at a particularly good price but that's it.-Dick

budrichard wrote:Don't mean to be brutal but i will be. If you don't know anything about sparkling wine and particularly Champagne, then spend your money on a case of US non-vintage sparkling wine like Domain Chandon. Otherwise you might as well just tear up $100 bills and drink Andre'.
Seriously, US sparklers are a good value and the $/Euro puts Champagne at an economic disadvantage. My last Champagne purchase was two cases of Pol Roger at a particularly good price but that's it.-Dick

Or, buy a mixture so you can learn to appreciate the differences and know what you can expect at different price points.

My general view of wine is that you have to learn to "work up". If you regularly drink wine that is under $20, you will likely not appreciate the difference between a $50 and $100 bottle. It's best to move up gradually so you can appreciate the differences. (Yes, I know that price does not equal quality, you should be able to see what I mean.)

Darren72 wrote:

budrichard wrote:Don't mean to be brutal but i will be. If you don't know anything about sparkling wine and particularly Champagne, then spend your money on a case of US non-vintage sparkling wine like Domain Chandon. Otherwise you might as well just tear up $100 bills and drink Andre'.
Seriously, US sparklers are a good value and the $/Euro puts Champagne at an economic disadvantage. My last Champagne purchase was two cases of Pol Roger at a particularly good price but that's it.-Dick

Or, buy a mixture so you can learn to appreciate the differences and know what you can expect at different price points.

My general view of wine is that you have to learn to "work up". If you regularly drink wine that is under $20, you will likely not appreciate the difference between a $50 and $100 bottle. It's best to move up gradually so you can appreciate the differences. (Yes, I know that price does not equal quality, you should be able to see what I mean.)

That's a good strategy with just about anything.

Just got an email alert from Sam's about a Methode Champenoise for less than $17 (De Vallois Grande Cuvée Brut NV). It is made by the Maison Louis de Grenelle from Chardonnay and Chenin Blanc in the methode champenoise.