Exploding Champagne Bottle

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At Christmas my girlfriend was given a bottle of Heidsieck & Co Blue Top Champagne (NOT to be mistaken for Piper Heidsieck, which is a different company). It was sat in our living room for a few days (no especial extremes of temperature), when the bottle simply exploded one evening, staining my carpet and scattering glass in the near vicinity. When I say 'exploded', that's pretty much what it did - if there'd been a pet or toddler nearby they could have been seriously hurt, or worse. Fortunately the only damage was a shocked girlfriend, a stained carpet and a slightly cut finger when picking up the glass.

I took photos of everything as evidence, but sent off a text description to their 'contact us' section at http://www.vrankenpommery.fr/gb/fr_contact.htm

After 4 weeks there was no response, so I sent off another mail about 3 weeks ago (all very polite, asking them to acknowledge), thinking that maybe their complaints department is a little slow. I'm now thinking that they're simply ignoring the issue in the hope that it'll go away.

Does anyone have any thoughts on how to proceed? Initially I'd have been more or less happy with a replacement bottle of champagne and my carpet cleaned (even though it could have caused very serious hurt). Now, I'm thinking that they're being really cheeky and that maybe I should send the pictures off to a few local newspapers.

EDIT - AARGH in wrong forum! Could a mod please move to GD?
 
I think you should create a video reconstruction of what could have happened. Make it look like a masacre!

Minimum I'd expect is a replacement bottle.
 
Hi, I would recommend making a post here:

Wine Pages Forum

It's a forum inhabited by wine journos / enthusiasts / cognoscenti. Ask for advice and someone will point you in the right direction. Please be aware that it is a very civilized forum.
 
taB said:
Please be aware that it is a very civilized forum.
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I am a very civilized man! :D

Been fiddling around trying to get images off phone and uploaded somewhere. It's a bit of a chew on, so apologies if this link doesn't work. It's taken ages to get just one of the pictures off my phone. This particular image is also a tiny bit grainy

You can see that the cork is still intact - the side of the bottle simply blew out.

EDIT - no not dropped or anything. It was just stood there and then *bam*. It apparently used to be quite a problem in the early days of Champagne bottling, with people having to wear protective gear when going into Champagne cellars.
 
mulpsmebeauty said:
I am a very civilized man! :D

Been fiddling around trying to get images off phone and uploaded somewhere. It's a bit of a chew on, so apologies if this link doesn't work. It's taken ages to get just one of the pictures off my phone. This particular image is also a tiny bit grainy http://img13.imageshack.us/img13/3417/champagne2u.jpg[IMG][URL]

You can see that the cork is still intact - the side of the bottle simply blew out.

EDIT - no not dropped or anything. It was just stood there and then *bam*. It apparently used to be quite a problem in the early days of Champagne bottling, with people having to wear protective gear when going into Champagne cellars.[/QUOTE]

Hehe, I saw that from the OP but the general policy is real names only (somewhat abused). I check it almost daily and have a single digit post count after 3 years :eek:

My expectation is that someone who uses that forum will either be able to help or if not tell you who can help. Most companies in the trade have a presence there so you will get an answer ;)
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Yeah, it's an OK forum, I'm a member there but I think I've only posted once or twice. There's some good people over there though. :)
 
That's exceptional I'd have said, champagne bottles are generally very thick and robust glass so highly unlikely to just shatter. That it did is strange but I'd expect them simply to replace it and pay for the clean up costs as appropriate as it is so rare.
 
Champagne bottles normally have very thick glass, thicker than wine bottles. Sounds very dangerous had anyone been nearby.

EDIT - haha, as above.
 
That's pretty awesome, I've seen a similar thing with a bottle of wine except it was the bottom of the bottle that blew out.
 
semi-pro waster said:
That it did is strange but I'd expect them simply to replace it and pay for the clean up costs as appropriate as it is so rare.
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Yeah, it's not like I really want anything other than a new bottle of Champagne, a clean carpet and maybe an apology; all of that would have been so easy and inexpensive to give. It's only the lack of response that's making me annoyed.

While the consequences could have been disastrous, a near miss is still a total miss.
 
Let's be fair, unless you have a recording of the champagne bottle exploding then don't expect anything other than an apology. If I was working on their customer support and saw that I'd just think you dropped it and are trying to blag a free one.
 
Must have been a weak bottle.

Apparently the bottom of champagne bottle are indented to stop the bottom blowing out and I have read that there is more pressure in a bottle of champagne than a London double decker bus!
 
Paramount said:
If I was working on their customer support and saw that I'd just think you dropped it and are trying to blag a free one.
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I understand the point, but it's a £20-£25 bottle of Champers. It's not like I'm after a new bottle of vintage Krug or anything :D

I have retained the bottle as well - there must be an identifiable flaw in it.
 
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