Consolidated "Champagne - Questions/Suggestions/Recommendations" thread
Oct 29, 2013 | 11:49 am
#736
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A very drinkable and tasty champagne at the ~$15 price point. Ever since the WSJ wrote about it several years ago, the cat has been out of the bag. Certainly better than Korbel (CMK10). 
On Sunday night, I popped a 1998 Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin Champagne Brut La Grande Dame to celebrate our 35th wedding anniversary. ^
dh
On Sunday night, I popped a 1998 Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin Champagne Brut La Grande Dame to celebrate our 35th wedding anniversary. ^
dh
Oct 29, 2013 | 10:32 pm
#737
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Join Date: May 2013
Posts: 738
My go-to inexpensive bubbles are Piper Sonoma for about $12, or Roederer Estate Brut for around $20. And actually, I'll take the Roederer over any of the regular French house NV Brut cuvees (well, other than Krug or Salon
). The qualitative distance between the Piper Sonoma and Korbel is pretty substantial, IMHO. And I think the Piper Sonoma is closer to French style than, say, Domaine Chandon.
Oct 31, 2013 | 8:07 am
#739
Join Date: Feb 2008
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A very drinkable and tasty champagne at the ~$15 price point. Ever since the WSJ wrote about it several years ago, the cat has been out of the bag. Certainly better than Korbel (CMK10).
On Sunday night, I popped a 1998 Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin Champagne Brut La Grande Dame to celebrate our 35th wedding anniversary. ^
dh
On Sunday night, I popped a 1998 Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin Champagne Brut La Grande Dame to celebrate our 35th wedding anniversary. ^
dh
(I have the '98 Ros which I got through one of your very useful tips, and I am looking forward to opening in the foresee future)
Oct 31, 2013 | 8:38 pm
#740
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I went to my local wine store and told him to ring this $115 bottle up 4 times. Once on each card. He got the sale, and I got a bottle of champagne for $15 + tax. 
dh
Nov 23, 2013 | 3:07 am
#741
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: LHR / IAD
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Truth be told, do you remember the AMEX Small Business Saturday promo? That's where AMEX credited you $25 if you made a purchase on any of the AMEX cards in your wallet. Well, when I purchased this bottle, I had 4 cards.
I went to my local wine store and told him to ring this $115 bottle up 4 times. Once on each card. He got the sale, and I got a bottle of champagne for $15 + tax. Todah Rabah. Thank you. ^
Nov 25, 2013 | 9:45 am
#742
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Join Date: Sep 2000
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Truth be told, do you remember the AMEX Small Business Saturday promo? That's where AMEX credited you $25 if you made a purchase on any of the AMEX cards in your wallet. Well, when I purchased this bottle, I had 4 cards.
I went to my local wine store and told him to ring this $115 bottle up 4 times. Once on each card. He got the sale, and I got a bottle of champagne for $15 + tax. dh
Nov 26, 2013 | 10:35 am
#743
Join Date: Jun 2012
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First bottle of champagne... recommendations?
I want to get some champagne for Thanksgiving meal this year. I do not know anything about champagne. I have never bought champagne for the purpose of drinking. I do not want to get anything too expensive like Krug or Dom, but I don't want the cheap stuff college kids drink either. Any recommendations on what I should look for and what I should look out for when buying my first bottle of champagne?
Nov 26, 2013 | 10:47 am
#744
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: IAD
Posts: 319
First bottle of champagne... recommendations?
For a nice dinner like Thanksgiving, buy real French. Spanish is probably a better value, but if you're only buying one bottle, a nice bottle of real champagne is pretty affordable. Veuve-Clicquot and Moët are probably the most common, and are just fine, but if you have Billecart-Salmon, Pol Roger, Laurent-Perrier or Taittinger at your local liquor store, I think those are all excellent choices.
Most French Champagne is pretty dry, so if your cranberry sauce tends to be on the sweet side (or canned) , pick up a bottle or two of Prosecco in the no-more-than-$15 range to go with that.
Most French Champagne is pretty dry, so if your cranberry sauce tends to be on the sweet side (or canned) , pick up a bottle or two of Prosecco in the no-more-than-$15 range to go with that.
Nov 26, 2013 | 10:55 am
#745
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Do you christen a lot of ships?
Seriously, the first response lists a wide variety of very acceptable options. When in doubt, Veuve-Clicquot yellow label (actually orange) is always welcome, as in Moet. If price is an issue look from the French cremant options. This usually means it was made in the Champagne style, but not in the region. Many of them are delicious. This is a good time to go to the best liquor store you can find and chat them up. For drinking before a meal I like white, with a meal I find that a full bodied pink can be delicious.
Seriously, the first response lists a wide variety of very acceptable options. When in doubt, Veuve-Clicquot yellow label (actually orange) is always welcome, as in Moet. If price is an issue look from the French cremant options. This usually means it was made in the Champagne style, but not in the region. Many of them are delicious. This is a good time to go to the best liquor store you can find and chat them up. For drinking before a meal I like white, with a meal I find that a full bodied pink can be delicious.
Nov 26, 2013 | 11:37 am
#748
Join Date: Jan 2013
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The Winner
A few years ago, we hosted a blind champagne tasting, with champagnes ranging in price from the 20s to Dom. No one knew which champagnes were which, because all were in brown paper bags. Each participant was given a rating form, and they gave numerical values. After the tasting, the ratings were compiled and the clear winner was Piper Heidsieck Brut. You can't go wrong. About $40, but YMMV.