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Champagne
Choices -
Bursting the bubbles of Champagne myths
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If
you have been reading this stuff since last year, the following article
may seem familiar. It is, however, updated for the year 2001. Since
we have added so many readers recently due to our television
advertising, we thought it would be worth repeating for everybody.
Champagne prices have been dropping in the last few weeks along with still
wine as we predicted. Prices shown are as of November 30, 2001.
There are
great bargains showing up every day, not only in Champagne but in regular
wine. Right now you can get Marquis de Caceres from Spain, a wonderful
Rioja for Merlot drinkers at 1/3 off at $8, or Perrin Reserve '98 or
'99,a terrific Cotes du Rhone from France for under $7. Both wines taste
test equal to many $20-25 reds. Columbia Crest, recognized as the world
wide leader in value and great flavor is promoting its regular Chardonnay
at around $7 while at a slight step up you can get Berringer Chardonnay at
prices close to the always promoted Kendall Jackson.
In our
final pre-holiday issue we will have a comprehensive review of great wines
and values to give as gifts.
Champagne is
always gleefully received as a gift for the holidays or just to bring to
the party. You can choose a price point from the choices below
ranging from $6 to $75 and
know that any of them will make a great gift and are worth the
money.
E- mail me
using the feedback feature and provide your e- mail address or phone
number for the retail locations of the wines reviewed below. Your number
will not be released to Spammers.
Read on for
the regular Wine Wisdom...
Champagne is
heavily promoted at this time of the year, although the pseudo millenniums
have passed. Prices had been up 5% to 10% from last year but that has
changed in the last month. They are now equal to or less than last year. Reading this article should
help you choose exactly the sparkler at exactly the price you want to pay.
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| Champagne and its namesakes are probably the most myth-laden
and misunderstood of all the elixirs of the grape. In the five minutes
that it takes you to read this you will enter the 95th percentile of
Champagne knowledge or sparkling wine as the French insist we call it when
it is made in America, Italy or Spain.
The products in the bottle are similar but
the French say that it cannot be called Champagne unless the grapes are
grown and processed in the very small Champagne district (that's why they
call it Champagne) about 80 freeway miles Northeast of Paris. Wherever it
is fermented, it is great before dinner to begin the festivities, after
dinner with desert or without dinner in front of the fire.
Great with fresh oysters any time.
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Rather than
being expensive and complicated, Champagnes are, in most cases, better
values than still wine, simpler to choose and more exciting when received
as gifts. For some unexplained reason a very little bit of good Champagne
gets into the blood stream quickly and makes you feel festive and happy.
It does so without some of the unpleasant side effects that you may get
from hard liquor and some red wines.
As you move up the scale champagne ranges from slightly sweet to
dry to very dry to bone dry while clear fruity flavors emerge with a
slight toasty aroma. Finding the grapes that can produce that combination
of flavor and crystal dryness is what raises the price.
 | Myth Number 1: "It Gives Me a Headache"
That is because you have been drinking that cheap junk with names
like Cook's and Andre's at weddings in those passé' flat glasses, The wines are made in
bulk in Modesto from the dregs of the
winery. They load it with sugar to hide the sour taste and then pump
it with seltzer water to give it fake bubbles. They sell it for $4 to
$5 per 1/5th and it is over- priced at those numbers. Stay away from
that stuff. It is deadly. |
| For
just one dollar more, you can get the Spanish sparkling
Cristalino Brut cava (5.99). It is made in the classic French
Champenoise style and it shows. It is dry, slightly fruity with
a pleasant aftertaste. In our blind tastings, it has consistently
ranked with Champagnes or sparkling wines in the $15-25 category. If
you serve this generously at Christmas or New Years, your friends will
love it and think that you are a high roller. Buy a case and store
some for future use. One case is less than a single bottle
of those over hyped other imports. Place it horizontally on the floor of a closet.
with interior walls. This is the coolest and darkest place in the
house. Champagnes or sparklers can be
kept this way for a couple of years. This technique should be used for
all of the wines you intend to age if you don't have a refrigerated
cellar.
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| Myth
Number 2: "The good stuff is expensive and must be French."
You can buy some very good Bubbly from Napa, Sonoma, Santa Barbara
County and even Oregon. All
below also use The Classic French Methode Champenoise.
Buy the very popular Korbel Brut (dry) or Korbel Natural (Bone
Dry) for nine bucks or less on sale.
Buy 6 bottles
of any assortment of wines in many places and you get an extra 10%. That brings in
very good bubbly about $8. |
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| Pacific
Echo, Domaine Chandon, both from French parents and Chateau
St. John, Chateau St. Michelle (Oregon) and Gloria Ferrer are good choices in the
$12-14 category. Slightly up the ladder in
Anderson Valley, North of Napa is Louis Roederer Estate Brut ($17
this year- was $20 last year.) This domestic sparkler is
made by the famous French
Champagne maker that produces highly rated "Cristal"
premium vintage Champagne (Available locally for
about $140 a bottle). It is my runaway choice this year for the best overall
domestic bubbly value. The $17 stuff that is. Louis Roeder
also offers top of the line domestic in its Hermitage
vintage ($37). It compares with the $100 premium French
Stuff.
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| Myth No. 3: "French Champagnes are expensive. They cannot be worth
it !!"
Mostly false. Right now, you can buy Trouillard
French
Champagne from the heart of the Champagne district for about $13 or Montebello for $16. They
compare with
many name brand French champagnes over $20 Those such as Piper
Heidseck, Moet- Chandon Mumms,
Perrier Jouet are available this year
in the $20 to $25 range.
They are
average values but only slightly
better than the lower end American bubblies from Myth No. 2. A
legitimate value if French is a must is Taittinger
Francaise Brut. It is on sale for around $28, $3 less with the 1/2
case
discount available at some stores. It compares favorably with
premium Champagnes that are $35-50. |
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| Veuve Cliquot
a former favorite of mine is still very popular and can be found for $30 or less again, but seems down in
quality the last few years after being bought out by
giant hypemeister Moet et Chandon. This also applies to Veuve's Grande
Dame now available locally at $65. Also, pass on Moet et Chandon's Dom Perignon. It
is over priced and overproduced even at $85 per bottle
As
Al Pacino says in most of his movies, "Fuggedaboudit". |
| If you
are looking for ultimate prestige and you jumped back into the market
at the end of September, you might opt for ultra premium Krug Blanc
de Blanc Champagne Clos du Mesnil 1988 ($370). It is rated
as the greatest of the decade. One little click below, however
is Charles Heidseck Brut Champagne Millesime 1990 ($75). It
is as intelligent and sophisticated a premium buy as Dell Computer at
the beginning of the year. |
| Otherwise
buy
the Cristalino, Pacific Echo, Trouillard, Roederer,
Taittinger or even Heidseck.
You will be recognized as a person of discernment, class and
one smart cookie who recognizes real value and taste rather than hype in
Champagne and also in life. |
| Finally... do not buy any
Champagne or sparkling wine that says "extra dry" or
"demi-sec". They are in reality sweet and will give you the
same headaches as the cheap stuff. Stick to the brut. Do not put the
champagne in the refrigerator more than 2 hours before serving. Take
it out 15 minutes before serving and put it in an ice bucket to chill
it a bit more while making a luxurious impression.
To chill it faster, add water so that the entire base of the
bottle makes contact with the cold. Hold the cork very firmly and
slowly twist the bottle to open while being sure to point the bottle
away from any guests and yourself. That cork is under tremendous pressure and can injure an eye or your ceiling. |
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