Its Champagne Time
Friday, December 22, 2006
Actually everyday can be Champagne time but most people equate the wine with celebrations. With that in mind, I have selected 4 Champagnes/Sparklings for your New Years enjoyment. Before picking up a bottle of Asti or any other cheap carbonated beverage, remember this posting and treat yourself. Champagne can range from bone dry (my favorite) to sweet just look at the label. Blanc de Blancs are exclusively Chardonnay grapes and Blanc de Noirs are either or both Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier. Some blend all 3 and will not put a designation on the bottle. I won't bother rattling off the high end labels since none of us will drop that kind of cash but I will list some that are in all our our price ranges.
Moet & Chandon White Star: great champagne, dry, blend of all 3 grapes mentioned above and between $30-$40 a bottle. Classic style that is always good.
http://www.moet.com/
Veuve Clicqout: yellow bottle, can't miss it. this is a brut so expect it to be dry and is also a blend of all 3 grapes. Price wise, about $30-$35 a bottle.
http://www.veuve-clicquot.com/
Domaine Chandon: Sparkling from California. you can find both the Brut and Blanc de Noirs for about $12-$16 a bottle. The blanc being a bit sweeter. There is also the Riche which is extra dry for those of you who want a classic.
http://www.chandon.com/
Varicon & Clerc: Chardonny only, somewhat sweet with lots of tiny bubbles. It does not have a profound flavor like other champagnes but it is simple and enjoyable. This is about $13-$15 a bottle.
This is just the tip of the iceberg but its also bottles you can easily find at most stores. Don't think that all Bruts have no flavor, being dry still gives you a clean taste of fruit and greatness. If you decide you want a higher end bottle, google the name and do some research, there is nothing worse than spending $50+ on a bottle of wine that you will end up hating.
Champagne Sweetness
| Residual Sugar G/L | |
| Extra Brut (not dosed) | 0-6 |
| (also called Brut Integral, Brut Nature) | |
| Brut (Dry) | 3-15 |
| Extra Sec (Off-Dry to Medium Dry) | 12-20 |
| Sec (Medium-Dry) | 7-35 |
| Demi-Sec. (Quite Sweet) | 35-50 |
| Doux (Rich and Sweet) | 50 plus |
Posted by mardenhill 12/22/2006 08:59:00 AM
Labels: Wine
1 Comment:
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11:42 PM
Lots of good values on the sparkling! Try Gruet from New Mexico!
