Consolidated "Champagne - Questions/Suggestions/Recommendations" thread
#481
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Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: UK
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I know you'll say that if we can travel F then we can buy expensive champers but not all people are like that ....... my champers tops out at 35 per bottle and is normally around 15.
#482
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Seattle, WA
Programs: PC Plat RA, SPG Gold, AS MVPG
Posts: 811
That being said, the Hospice wines are sort of a special case because you are buying a future through a wholesale channel in bulk, and the Chateau de Pommard is not in fact a Grand Cru. It may well be as good as many a Grand Cru, but it itself is merely a monopole Premier Cru. But that was one of my points in my earlier post, that Grand Crus are essentially unattainable at those prices, but if you really know what you are doing and have access directly with the producers (and apparently, both of these factors apply to you, Stimpy), you can buy some of the handful of very select Premier Crus that are as good as many an actual Grand Cru, at more reasonable prices than the Grand Crus can be obtained. I used to make a buying trip to Burgundy every 2-3 years during which I would buy several cases of these handful of Premier Cru wines that are actually hitting above their class, and which are in fact at the Grand Cru level. And I found that the sweet spot of these wines tended to be in the $35-50 USD/bottle range circa a decade ago bought directly from the domains they were produced at, and even then, they tended to sell in the U.S. for at least double, often 2.5x the prices I paid directly at the producers (I had a deal with an importer in Dijon who would bring the wines into the U.S. for me for $25 a case).
it's a wine fanatic forum like this one for flying.. I think you'd be right at home there.. lots of Burg heads there. ^
#483




Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: MAD
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Tired of champagne? I could never be tired of champagne. However, I am tired of the typical brands everyone drinks: Veuve Clicquot and Mot. I do not like neither of them and find them very displeasing. It is just that both brands have great marketing campaigns.
I drink champagne regularly. I love it because I consider it to be "the Buddha" of wines :-D Whenever I am stressed, I resort to a nice bottle of champagne and a pack of my lovely Dunhill cigarettes. I like Ruinart Blanc de Blancs and Laurent Perrier Vintage 2000. If not, Tsarine is lovely too.
I drink champagne regularly. I love it because I consider it to be "the Buddha" of wines :-D Whenever I am stressed, I resort to a nice bottle of champagne and a pack of my lovely Dunhill cigarettes. I like Ruinart Blanc de Blancs and Laurent Perrier Vintage 2000. If not, Tsarine is lovely too.
#484
FlyerTalk Evangelist




Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: AU
Programs: former Olympic Airways Gold (yeah - still proud of that!)
Posts: 14,538
Tired of champagne? I could never be tired of champagne. However, I am tired of the typical brands everyone drinks: Veuve Clicquot and Mot. I do not like neither of them and find them very displeasing. It is just that both brands have great marketing campaigns.
I drink champagne regularly. I love it because I consider it to be "the Buddha" of wines :-D Whenever I am stressed, I resort to a nice bottle of champagne and a pack of my lovely Dunhill cigarettes. I like Ruinart Blanc de Blancs and Laurent Perrier Vintage 2000. If not, Tsarine is lovely too.
I drink champagne regularly. I love it because I consider it to be "the Buddha" of wines :-D Whenever I am stressed, I resort to a nice bottle of champagne and a pack of my lovely Dunhill cigarettes. I like Ruinart Blanc de Blancs and Laurent Perrier Vintage 2000. If not, Tsarine is lovely too.
#485
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Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: En Route
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Posts: 6,798
For me ... it's because I'll drink champagne that is much more expensive than I drink at home. IN BA F for example they sell Johnie Walker Blue ..... I'd never stump up that. They are serving champers that is 100+ per bottle.
I know you'll say that if we can travel F then we can buy expensive champers but not all people are like that ....... my champers tops out at 35 per bottle and is normally around 15.
I know you'll say that if we can travel F then we can buy expensive champers but not all people are like that ....... my champers tops out at 35 per bottle and is normally around 15.
#487
Moderator, Argentina and FlyerTalk Evangelist




Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: MIA / EZE
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#488
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Seattle, WA
Programs: PC Plat RA, SPG Gold, AS MVPG
Posts: 811
plus unless they're serving decent bubbly, crap alcohol will leave you with a hangover more than decent alcohol?
#489


Join Date: May 2009
Location: AMS
Posts: 2,574
A hangover is basically entirely dehydration. Drink lots of water and you won't get one at all. The "quality" of the alcoholic drink does not matter, nor the speed at which it is absorbed into your blood. Water is the cure.
#490
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Join Date: Mar 2001
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#491
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Join Date: Feb 1999
Location: Seat 1A, Juice pretty much everywhere, Mucci des Coins Exotiques
Posts: 34,337
"When we drink, our livers release an enzyme called alcohol dehydrogenase, which breaks down the alcohol into a harmless chemical so less of it enters the bloodstream. Young people - and regular drinkers - produce more of this enzyme, so they don't feel the effects of alcohol as much as older people."
That said, I absolutely agree that drinking water on long haul flights is critical. Alcohol is dehydrating as is the cabin air.
#492


Join Date: May 2009
Location: AMS
Posts: 2,574
I don't believe that is at all true. Ask any experienced bartender even! Poor quality alcohol, especially poor quality sparkling wine, can give anyone a hangover. But other than that, I never had a hangover til my mid-30's. And it had nothing to do with water. I'm not a doctor, but a quick Google search produced this....
"When we drink, our livers release an enzyme called alcohol dehydrogenase, which breaks down the alcohol into a harmless chemical so less of it enters the bloodstream. Young people - and regular drinkers - produce more of this enzyme, so they don't feel the effects of alcohol as much as older people."
"When we drink, our livers release an enzyme called alcohol dehydrogenase, which breaks down the alcohol into a harmless chemical so less of it enters the bloodstream. Young people - and regular drinkers - produce more of this enzyme, so they don't feel the effects of alcohol as much as older people."
Sure, there are multiple causes for the hangover-effect, but I do believe dehydration is the most important one.
#494




Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Gran Canaria, Singapore, Surfers Paradise
Programs: KrisFlyer Gold to Silver to Blue, Finnair Silver, Royal Caribbean Diamond, GHA Platinum
Posts: 5,500
You can drink some crazy amounts of booze and yet still have no hangover if you down enough water in the process. A lot of water actually.
Best tip is to always go to sleep with a full glass of water by your bedside. The difference between a hangover and not having one (or a much, much LESSER one) is taking a few gulps of water when you wake up during your sleep. It only takes you a few seconds, so if you do get the chance then take those few sips before continuing your sleep. As mentioned, definitely put a glass of water by your bedside before you crash out...
#495




Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Gran Canaria, Singapore, Surfers Paradise
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Posts: 5,500
To be honest I'm tired of this champagne/sparkling wine issue. It's all the same thing. Otherwise what's next, can't call cheese "mozzarella" if it's not made in a certain city in Italy? Or maybe the name pizza should be banned if it doesn't come from wherever it was invented, so all those pizza places the world over will have to rename their product as "cheese on bread." 
Champagne is a process, a way of making the product and shouldn't have been locked down to a specific region in France simply because it was named after it.
In the end, apart from the top brands, I have become extremely suspicious of all "champagnes" I haven't heard of previously, simply because there's an extremely high chance that they're complete rubbish. All they need to sell is just have the name, so quality went out the window completely...
Give me good sparkling wine (real champagne) over "champagne" any day...

Champagne is a process, a way of making the product and shouldn't have been locked down to a specific region in France simply because it was named after it.
In the end, apart from the top brands, I have become extremely suspicious of all "champagnes" I haven't heard of previously, simply because there's an extremely high chance that they're complete rubbish. All they need to sell is just have the name, so quality went out the window completely...
Give me good sparkling wine (real champagne) over "champagne" any day...

