Comments on: Champagne for non-hipsters: what would you pour?

By: Raveneau and oysters [photos] | Dr Vino's wine blog

Raveneau and oysters [photos] | Dr Vino's wine blog — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 19:09:05 +0000

[...] wines at a collector’s house recently, thanks to an invitation from a friend (I brought the Champagne, as we already discussed). Since I didn’t have my tasting notebook with me, I don’t [...]

By: Wineontheway.com

Wineontheway.com — Fri, 21 May 2010 17:36:14 +0000

2002 Pol Roger Cuvee Sir Winston Churchill

By: Luke

Luke — Tue, 18 May 2010 20:42:01 +0000

Claude Genet Blanc de Blanc is the best “best of both worlds” Champagnes I’ve had in a long while…

By: The Wine Mule

The Wine Mule — Tue, 18 May 2010 04:01:37 +0000

“So this house has to live with the scarlet letters NM on their bottles which practically guarantees that disciples of Mr. Theise and hipsters everywhere will look down their nose at these excellent products. It is flatly silly.”

Whoa steady, big guy. “Hipsters” are still a tiny, tiny fragment of the Champagne-buying public. And anyway, Pierre Gimmonet is NM, and that’s “hipster” too (they have a connection with Larmandier). So, you know, don’t worry about it.

By: Dr. Vino

Dr. Vino — Mon, 17 May 2010 20:04:28 +0000

@charlie – yes, the thought did cross my mind. But I opted for the intra-regional comparison in this instance.

@vinogirl – the more the merrier, eh?

Btw, has anyone found good champagne closeouts/deals in 2010?

By: Charlie Olken

Charlie Olken — Mon, 17 May 2010 17:41:06 +0000

It is obviously an East Coast-West Coast thing but it does occur to me that you paid about $60 for the Moet Millisime Blanc. For that money, you could have chosen Roederer L’Hermitage or Mumm DVX, paid less and, in my CA opinion at least, have had better wine and perhaps impressed your East Coast friends with wines that are rich, crisp, complex and have equal or better wine chemistry.

Obviously, they do not bear the name “Chanmpagne” but since you were serving enthusiasts, it is fair to assume that they would be tasting the wine, not the label.

Respectfully,
Charlie Olken

By: lori narlock

lori narlock — Mon, 17 May 2010 16:03:55 +0000

Full disclosure: I am biased because I work with Champagne Delamotte, which I like to take places because it falls between the big recognized names and the growers. It is considered a small house and is fun for people to discover, yet it has the cred as sister house to Salon.

By: Vinogirl

Vinogirl — Mon, 17 May 2010 01:25:09 +0000

Bring 3 bottles.

By: Justin McInerny

Justin McInerny — Sun, 16 May 2010 21:47:05 +0000

I am a little uncomfortable with how grower Champagnes are defined. I represent a small Champagne producer that has been family owned and operated for generations. In my biased view their products are good as anything else on the market that retails for $35.00 – $80.00 per bottle. This house can not call itself grower Champagne even though they grow all of their own grapes and control every aspect of production. The reason why they aren’t grower Champagne is because about 75% of their grapes come from land that they rent, but totally control. So this tiny place has to get lumped in with the huge, true non grower houses. So this house has to live with the scarlet letters NM on their bottles which practically guarantees that disciples of Mr. Theise and hipsters everywhere will look down their nose at these excellent products. It is flatly silly.

By: The Wine Mule

The Wine Mule — Sun, 16 May 2010 13:31:41 +0000

Negociant Champagnes: Pol Roger NV, natch. Also Louis Roederer NV. Or maybe Jacquesson 733, or whatever number we’re up to (speaking of low dosage!).

My favorite Recoltant bubbly, which I first heard of on Peter Liem’s old blog, is the Jose Michel 100% Pinot Meunier–hipster Champagne personified.

By: Randy

Randy — Sat, 15 May 2010 21:34:55 +0000

I’d bring to the table a bottle of brut-zero Dry Sparkling Gewurztraminer;)

By: TexaCali Ali

TexaCali Ali — Sat, 15 May 2010 05:34:13 +0000

great question…when I can get my hands on more than a bottle, it’s great to share Launois “Cuvée Reserve” Brut Blanc de Blancs Champagne.

The “Hipster” in me however always attempt to bring the unexpected. I learned over the years to rely on the beautiful bubbles of Gramona. I believed this saying a few years back and it still rings true when popping the cork “Krug, the expensive alternative to Gramona”.

By: Brett

Brett — Sat, 15 May 2010 03:11:29 +0000

I would bring Flying Goat Bubbles. A bubbly Pinot Noir from the Santa Maria Valley. It would not disapoint.

http://sbwinestore.com/wines/flying-goat-2008-goat-bubbles/

By: TJ

TJ — Fri, 14 May 2010 22:44:47 +0000

If you really want to impress, then bring a magnum

By: TJ

TJ — Fri, 14 May 2010 22:43:40 +0000

I always bring something that I know is great. Whether or not the host recognizes the name is not the issue. A sincere gift is appreciated no matter what. Growers make better wine and judging by the results, they are also becoming more recognized as such.