Spec me Some Good Champagne

Soldato
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2 Feb 2011
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I was thinking of getting a bottle of champagne for this Chrismas Day, but I dont really have much knowledge of what is or isn't a good champagne. I had some moutard rose prestige champagne in York that was very nice, but thats about the only brand I know for sure I like.

I'd actually like two bottles, one to drink straight and one to mix with fresh orange juice. Obviously the one for mixing doesnt need to be as high quality as the one I'd drink straight, though that doesn't mean I want any cheap crap for the second bottle. I'm not afraid of paying for a vintage brand, but I wouldn't want to pay anything over... lets say... £150 or there abouts.

Any help would be greatly appreciated :)
 
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Louis Roederer is where it's at for a very nice bottle of Brut vintage. You can get a really really nice 2003/4 vintage for not a great amount.

I like champagne...
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Krug is also very nice, I have to say. My 2 favourite houses.
 
I don't mind a bit of Dom, but I don't think it's worth the money. It's very buttery/biscuity, which I like, but I prefer a vintage LR brut which offers the same enjoyment and (I think) better flavour for less money.

I'd agree with this.

Thanks, but I'm really not much of a drinker. Buying in bulk would just see it going to waste.

I'd prefer quality over quantity :)

While I understand you're wanting a real treat, there is honestly no need to spend silly amounts on Champers - especially when you're mixing it with fruit juice!

Louis Roederer NV will be fine for what you need. Two or three bottles of that. If you need to spend the money, buy a bottle of Krug - Grande Cuvee NV. That will cost around £110, but there is honestly no need to spend that if you rarely drink champers.

Interesting fact: The gold wrapper around LR 'Cristal' is to protect the Champagne from the light.
 
I'd agree with this.



While I understand you're wanting a real treat, there is honestly no need to spend silly amounts on Champers - especially when you're mixing it with fruit juice!

Louis Roederer NV will be fine for what you need. Two or three bottles of that. If you need to spend the money, buy a bottle of Krug - Grande Cuvee NV. That will cost around £110, but there is honestly no need to spend that if you rarely drink champers.

Interesting fact: The gold wrapper around LR 'Cristal' is to protect the Champagne from the light.

Very true. I wouldn't mix any of this. Not worth the bother otherwise.

I'd add to the interesting (or not facts); you shouldn't keep champagne in the fridge, as it ruins the flavour. Put it in an hour or two before you intend on drinking it.

Also, anything over a magnum in size is not made in those bottles. It's made in standard 75cl bottles and then decanted in to the bigger bottles. Same with the half bottles. So for the big ones you will get varying tastes.

*tries to think of more champagne facts*
 
While I understand you're wanting a real treat, there is honestly no need to spend silly amounts on Champers - especially when you're mixing it with fruit juice!

Louis Roederer NV will be fine for what you need. Two or three bottles of that. If you need to spend the money, buy a bottle of Krug - Grande Cuvee NV. That will cost around £110, but there is honestly no need to spend that if you rarely drink champers.

Well as I said, I wont be mixing the expensive one with orange juice. That one will be getting drunk on its own. I'll buy a non vintage bottle for the mixing :)

I know its probably silly to want to spend the money on an expensive bottle, but it really is a one off indulgance and I have the cash to spare. I've never tried vintage champange before and I really want to give it a go. :)
 
I wouldn't even use an NV for mixing! Not a Louis, that makes me sad.

I tell you what is a nice, very good value bottle. Mercier NV Brut. I can get it for like 19EUR a bottle (no idea what it would be there, but it can't be too much!) and that is something I'd take over a Veuve, Bolly, Mumm, Moet, Tatt, Lanson, Pomm every day of the week.
 
The main problem with vintage champagne is that much of it is what they call an "acquired taste". It'll be very much trial and error. For instance some of the Tattinger to my palate is disgusting.

For the non-vintage mixer don't even bother with Champagne. Go for a good quality Cava Brut Natural such as Ana La Cordoniu. It'll be a lot cheaper and better for that money.
 
http://www.thewhiskyexchange.com/P-12853.aspx

What about something like this? Thats a brand I've heard of, of course, but I have no idea if its worth that kind of money or not.

I recently got given (and promptly quaffed)a bottle of 2003 Don P. It is a good one but I still think Krug is better, even the non-vintage stuff.

If you want some fizz for mixing, just get a decent bottle of Spanish Cava. Mixing champagne is an utter waste of money.
 
Lots of good advice above.

You shouldn't need to spend more than a tenner on a good quality sparkling for mixing with orange. A decent Prosecco or Cava would be your best bet.

If I was you I'd spend that £150 on a few different bottles so you can get an idea of different tastes and styles. Best bet is to visit a local independant and get some advice or give somewhere like The Sampler a call and get them to pick a few bottles for you and send them out. All champagne houses (well most, not Krug for example) tend to have standard, affordable, NV wines in the house style and I would definately reccomend starting there rather than splurging £150 on a prestige cuvée when you might not like it.

I really enjoy my champagne to be mature so I tend to buy NV cheaply on offers and then age it myself for a while. We're just starting on the Morrison's £17 Bollinger from 2/3 years ago now.

At the other end of the price spectrum birth year Bollinger RD ('79) was a real experience and just stunning. I've got a bit of Salon in my wine stash too but seem unable to find a suitable occasion to have it.
 
For mixing just buy the cheapest brut champagne from the supermarket. Own brand is more than adequate. If you're not a connoisseur (don't be embarrassed to admit this, I'm not, and very few people are as few drink it often enough) then there's not a lot wrong with a good NV label such as Louis Roederer, Pol Roger etc. If you're interested to learn then try a few different ones for your money.

Personally for £150 for a family or civilised dinner I'd spend £12 on mixing champagne, £30-40 on a decent NV champagne, £50-70 on an awesome red wine for dinner and the rest on a dessert wine.

I hope you find something good, let us know what you decide on.
 
I had a 2000 Taittinger Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs on Friday night, as I thought I'd try something different. It was about 120EUR, and had a nice yeasty smell to it, but was a very dry one, with too much acidity for me. I wasn't impressed really, the mrs didn't like it so I had to drink the lot. I should find more she doesn't like...

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Looks good. Another one thats in the affordable range but one of my favourites is Gosset. Around £40-£50 a bottle and certainly up there.

I'm quite lucky as i bought a bottle of Dom Perignon 2002 and found it much too dry for my tastes. Means i won't be rushing out to buy anymore. Certainly a risk spending so much on something you don't know if you'll enjoy and then being dissapointed. As said i'd be happier buying a couple bottle s around £40 and then if you don't like one then just open another till you find one you do!
 
Looks good. Another one thats in the affordable range but one of my favourites is Gosset. Around £40-£50 a bottle and certainly up there.

I'm quite lucky as i bought a bottle of Dom Perignon 2002 and found it much too dry for my tastes. Means i won't be rushing out to buy anymore. Certainly a risk spending so much on something you don't know if you'll enjoy and then being dissapointed. As said i'd be happier buying a couple bottle s around £40 and then if you don't like one then just open another till you find one you do!

Big fan of Gosset but make sure you go for the Grande Réserve rather than the Brut Excellence with the NV - £10 difference but more than worth it. Brut Excellence comes in a normal champagne bottle but the GR is in the antique style one which is nice and elegant.

DP 02 is too young! Try it again in 5/10 years time.
 
It is hard, like you say, taking the risk on a bottle you might not like, but it also might not be down to taste, it might just be a bad bottle. I've had some shocking NV's which were clearly not right as they tasted different to any of the bottles opened before and after. It's just the unpredicable nature of wine as well.
 
Big fan of Gosset but make sure you go for the Grande Réserve rather than the Brut Excellence with the NV - £10 difference but more than worth it. Brut Excellence comes in a normal champagne bottle but the GR is in the antique style one which is nice and elegant.

DP 02 is too young! Try it again in 5/10 years time.

Ah i agree. Its always the Grande Reserve i've always had.
 
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