Spec me Some Good Champagne
- Thread starter Craig1981
- Start date
From my experience I really don't think it's worth spending too much on champagne. That's just my observation though, not trying to put you off. It's worthwhile tasting and finding out for yourself anyway 
Dom is definitely overrated.
If you are going to spend a lot, buy some ~£15 prosecco and cava and do a taste test to see which you prefer. I'v done it before and it was a real eye opener. Most people prefer the prosecco/cava, especially if you don't tell them which is which
The nicest tasting champagne I ever had was actually a reasonably cheap one ~£30 but I can't remember what it was called now.
Dom is definitely overrated.
If you are going to spend a lot, buy some ~£15 prosecco and cava and do a taste test to see which you prefer. I'v done it before and it was a real eye opener. Most people prefer the prosecco/cava, especially if you don't tell them which is which
The nicest tasting champagne I ever had was actually a reasonably cheap one ~£30 but I can't remember what it was called now.
Soldato
Prosecco and cava are completely different from each other though. Not saying you can't get nice of both, you can. It just can't be called Champagne due to where it is made.
Prosecco is much sweeter, your cava tends not to be. You can get rough lots of it all, you just have to taste your way through as much as possible and find what you like!
Prosecco is much sweeter, your cava tends not to be. You can get rough lots of it all, you just have to taste your way through as much as possible and find what you like!
Prosecco and cava are completely different from each other though. Not saying you can't get nice of both, you can. It just can't be called Champagne due to where it is made.
Prosecco is much sweeter, your cava tends not to be. You can get rough lots of it all, you just have to taste your way through as much as possible and find what you like!
Not really sure what point you're trying to make there. I think we all know that champagne is just a sparkling wine made using grapes from that region.
You can get dry/sweet/pink/rose whatever varieties of sparkling wine.
You are right that prosecco does tend to be sweeter, but you also get sweet varieties of champagne and they are comparable in taste.
A lot of it does come down to personal preference though.
Most people (unless they're really into their champagne) won't be able to tell the difference between an expensive bottle and a cheap bottle. If you give someone a glass of something and tell them that it's £150 a bottle stuff they will pretend that they like it or be psychologically inclined to say that they do anyway.
I think it's a good laugh doing blind taste tests with this sort of thing to see what people prefer.
Soldato
My point is, they all use completely different grapes, they're very different flavours
ah forget it.
ah forget it.
Right thanks to Waitrose (currently have 25% off 6 or more bottles of wine), I've just got the following bottles for Christmas..
3x Bollinger Special Cuvee Brut NV (2 as presents, one for New Year)
2x Verve Clicquot Ponsardin Brut NV (To drink over Christmas)
1x Dom Perignon Vintage 2002 (Christmas present for my dad, see if he prefers it to the Bollinger Grand Anne 2002 I gave him for his birthday).
Hic.
3x Bollinger Special Cuvee Brut NV (2 as presents, one for New Year)
2x Verve Clicquot Ponsardin Brut NV (To drink over Christmas)
1x Dom Perignon Vintage 2002 (Christmas present for my dad, see if he prefers it to the Bollinger Grand Anne 2002 I gave him for his birthday).
Hic.
Soldato
M&S have one of my favorites Oudinot Brut NV on offer atm. Ordered 12 bottles, and including Quidco it came to just over £16 a bottle which is very good for this easy drinking champers.
Don't knwo how erm "low end" you woudl consider goign but I see a lot of the supermarkets are starting their silly prices on champagne and prosecco.
Add this so some of the supermarkets buy 6 get x% off offers and you might be onto a winner
Add this so some of the supermarkets buy 6 get x% off offers and you might be onto a winner
Tescos offer gets Bolly down to £24 at present. I'm going to wait and see what Morrisons comes up with. 2-3 years ago it was Bolly @ <£18 and then Taittinger at £17.05 last year so pretty decent. Still have some of each as I find they improve with a bit of bottle age having been thrown around the supermarket supply chain.
Soldato
Tried the Ayala before I went away, thought you couldn't knock it for 17 euros. I would say it's not too bad really. Quite dry, but all in all, for what? 14quid? It's pretty good value.
For me though, I'd take the Mercier Brut at 19EUR over it, it's much nicer and still very reasonable.
For me though, I'd take the Mercier Brut at 19EUR over it, it's much nicer and still very reasonable.
Soldato
Never discount supermarket own label stuff. Sainsbury's Blanc de Noirs is top stuff for £16 odd. Same goes for Tesco Premiun Cru.
Soldato
We did this last year. Had about £120 worth of vouchers which we double to £240. Then they were doing the 25% off deal aswell so effectively had about £300 to spend on booze
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Soldato
Tried this one last night. It was on offer in the shop and I thought it was worth a shot for a tuesday. Wasn't too bad, but a bit sharp finish. Worked out about 20euros on offer, which is cheap champagne, but I think I'd still take a Mercier over it though.
Caporegime
It's all rather subjective though.
I thought Dom tasted like carbonated pee, and Cristal wasn't worth the price tag.
I tend to go for the mid-priced Laurent Perriers and Veuves, like a bit of bang for buck.
I thought Dom tasted like carbonated pee, and Cristal wasn't worth the price tag.
I tend to go for the mid-priced Laurent Perriers and Veuves, like a bit of bang for buck.
Not surprised it was sharp, 2005 is still so young! Feuillatte isn't a house that I have got on terribly well with. The NV tends to be the standard on offer brand in a lot of places and while passable doesn't offer any complexity.
On a general note, I think my difficulty with champagne is that for the prices involved for the decent ones I would rather be buying still wine which gives me much more enjoyment. Why spend £70 on a prestige cuvée when you can be getting a Domaine Leflaive 1er Cru for example? Although a lot would argue, why spend £70 on a bottle of booze at all
. My drinking fizz when needed is aged NV from a few decent houses (<£20 paid per bottle) and I've got a magnum of rather decent stuff (worth >£500) that I seem unable to find an occasion to drink and may end up selling but nothing in between.
Soldato
It is young, yea, but it's not something I'd keep, as it's either drinking that to give it a bash, or something boat loads more expensive lol
Totally subjective Kroots! That's the killer as it's hard to recommend anything to anyone, as most people like completely different things anyway. I like different things for different situations. Normally, the yeasty, biscuity, buttery champagne is my top choice.
Totally subjective Kroots! That's the killer as it's hard to recommend anything to anyone, as most people like completely different things anyway. I like different things for different situations. Normally, the yeasty, biscuity, buttery champagne is my top choice.
Soldato
Bit like the OP I was thinking of getting something 'special' for Christmas or New Year.
What are Bollinger like?
Either the 2002 Grande Annee or the 1996 R.D ?
http://www.thewhiskyexchange.com/B-332-Bollinger.aspx?filter=true
What are Bollinger like?
Either the 2002 Grande Annee or the 1996 R.D ?
http://www.thewhiskyexchange.com/B-332-Bollinger.aspx?filter=true
Soldato
I had a bottle of the NV stuff the other week. It was alright but i found it a little too dry. I think if i was buying something like that i'd be trying a regular Bollinger for around £30 and seeing if i liked the house taste first.
Theres also a huge difference in price between the 2 you've mentioned. Whats your budget?
Theres also a huge difference in price between the 2 you've mentioned. Whats your budget?