It's possible, but not likely. Problems with wine usually happen when there is a problem with the cork and air or other nastiness gets in. Your bubbly is carbonated and the bottle is under pressure. If there were a problem with the cork not sealing the bottle, the pressurized wine would flow out or the wine would be flat. Either would be pretty apparent.

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Remember that the stopper (cork or otherwise) is not the only possible source of trouble...

"Problems with wine usually happen when there is a problem with the cork "

Read my post next time. I didn't use the words accidentally. Champagne is rarely corked. As I noted and apparently you ignored, it is possible, but not likely.

Should the OP really be that motivated to know, he/she could just buy a bottle and taste it instead of wasting everyone's time conjecturing on it here.

My understanding of cork taint is that it has nothing to do with something like air or other contaminants getting "in" to the wine but rather is a problem with contaminated cork itself. Apparently a certain percentage of cork contains a natural contaminant that ruins wine. In addition to being much cheaper than cork, screw tops and plastic stoppers ensure no possibility of cork taint, thus the increasing prevalence of such closures here in CA and up in OR.

Also, perhaps I read this wrong but it looks like you are summarily dismissing Gaucho's point. He is correct - tainted cork is but one of many reasons a particular bottle of bubbly might be off.

Trust me, it's very high on my list of things to do. However, I don't have the whim, and especially not the time to pop open a $75 bottle of champagne just to put an interesting (and seemingly subjective) discussion to rest.

I suppose it's futile to hope that it'll be served on my OS C flight this weekend. I'll have time at the end of this month, but if my fellow FT'ers clamor for me to quaff a decent bottle of bubbly by myself, I'll gladly make the sacrifice

Too bad I dont have the facts, but I am pretty darn sure the screw tops arent any cheaper than corks,,,

Depends on the cork...... you have various price points, same for screw tops actually.

I'm really surprised nobody followed my last post with "CHUG! CHUG! CHUG!"

So to put all the conjecture to rest, my first bottle was bad. My newly opened bottle of Bollinger is fine, both in taste and smell. Not bad at all, but I was hoping for a more complex/richer finish. Perhaps it could use a little more aging? An earlier poster mentioned that Bollinger was geared towards more of a British taste. From what I'm tasting, I'd tend to agree.

This is probably a topic for another thread, but are there any suggestions for other champagnes to try? Here's some thoughts on the champagnes I've tried:

Veuve Clicquot (Yellow label) - Found it to be extremely bland. Costco sells La Grande Dame for about ~$130. Is that worth trying?

Taittinger Brut - Good, but disliked the aftertaste (very yeasty/alcoholic).

Louis Roederer Brut Premier - Enjoyed it a lot. Seems to have a more complex flavor and better finish than the Bollinger.

Dom Perignon - It's been a few years since I've had it on the ground, but I've mostly had it in the air. The wine shop near me has a Vintage 2000 for ~$125...perhaps I should give it a try? Costco sells a non-vintage for about the same.

Krug - Still the ultimate. Great price at LHR duty free (95 Pounds/bottle) - plus they have splits!

So based on my tastes above, any recommendations? I don't drink very often, so I can buy something a bit more expensive than usual...but Krug is a bit too expensive

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Since you like Krug... I suggest you look into producers that have high acidity.

One name that comes to mind is Lanson.

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Salon is also a must for Champagne lovers... but its in the Krug price bracket...

I searched the forum and didn't find a thread that jumped out at me -- but please point me there if it's been discussed.

I've suddenly found myself particularly fond of the bubbly stuff -- so much so that I might need to change my name from TheBeerHunter to TheBubblyHunter. I realize that some have very strong opinions about how champagne is not prosecco is not cava is not sparking wine, etc; I am really not that sophisticated. I just know I like it dry, not sweet, and bubbly. However, that is the extent of my knowledge; I've been fortunate enough to savor the offerings they give you up front on Singapore Airlines, etc. and to try many different kinds due to what's on offer in InterContinental mini-bars. And, generally speaking, while I was a big fan of the Dom and the Krug etc., I don't think I can afford to drink them on a regular basis

The last several days, I've been looking at cheap (really cheap: sub US$20) bottles at various locations, and my head was spinning. While I've found one I do really enjoy (Freixenet Cordon Negro Brut), I'd be interested in hearing if anyone else has "favorite" cheap brands of bubbly they turn to, for sort of "everyday" drinkability?

If you just want a brand as an alternative to Freixenet there's Codorn�u.

If you want a more dazzling cava there's Kripta Gran Reserva.

In that grouping, there are some very good deals on Proseccos out there.

K&L, a wine seller who does a ton of internet business and occasional has some killer prices, has a couple lists of best selling sparklings (and no I'm certainly not saying the best selling are the best out there, but it's what other people are buying). Note that for the French ones, many of those are half bottles. The full listing is here - http://www.klwines.com/bestsellers.asp#29


Best Selling Sparkling Wines Under $30

De Chanceny Cremant de Loire Brut ($11.99)
Jean-Louis Denois Brut "Tradition" ($15.99)
De Chanceny Cremant de Loire Ros� ($12.99)
Louis Bouillot Cremant de Bourgogne Ros� "Perle d'Aurore" ($13.99)
J. Laurens Brut Cremant de Limoux ($12.99)
Jean-Louis Denois Pinot Noir Brut Ros� ($14.99)
Sorelle Bronca Prosecco ($16.99)
Ariston Aspasie Carte Blanche Brut ($24.99)
Abbazia Prosecco Gold (Was $9.99) ($7.99)
Antech "Emotion" Cremant de Limoux Ros� ($14.99)


Best Selling Champagne (and other French Sparkling Wines) Under $30

Ariston Aspasie Carte Blanche Brut ($24.99)
Piper Heidsieck Brut Champagne ($26.99)
Gosset Brut Excellence Champagne ($29.99)
Collard-Picard Cuvee Selection Brut Champagne 375ml ($18.99)
Heidsieck Monopole Blue Top Brut Champagne ($29.99)
Franck Bonville Brut Selection Blanc de Blancs Champagne 375ml ($16.99)
Fleury Brut Ros� Champagne (375ml) (was $29.) ($24.99)
Fleury "Carte Rouge" Brut Champagne (375ml) (was $23.) ($19.99)
2001 Louise Brison Cuv�e Tendresse Brut (was $59.99) ($29.99)
Ariston Aspasie Carte Blanche Brut Champagne (375ml) ($14.99)

Segura Viudas is nice, and can usually be found for around $20 at Cost Plus

Cristallino, while not nearly as pretty in the bottle, gets great reviews, and is under $10

If you find yourself in Barcelona... get some Rimarts. I've occasionally seen it available in the US...online, but not often. The Brut Reserva (the cheapest) is really really good

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Santa Julia Extra Brut
Alma Negra BdB
Alambrado Brut
Cruzat Larrain Nature
Baron B Rose

All $23 or less.....

I stick with Korbel Brut for the every day stuff (not really every day ).

The 750ml can be had for $14ish, but that's on the high side. I try to buy when its on sale for around $10 (or even less?).

It's also available in 187ml, 375ml, 1.5L, and 3L.

The smaller sizes, if you can find them, are handy if you don't want to knock off the 750ml in one sitting.