Advice on champagne

Just received the Secret Champagne from Dans.. $50/ bottle for Mailly Grand Cru 2006
Massive flavour and reminds me that I have been drinking NVs for sooo long.
Really good.. not sure how long it will last (the wine experts might have a better idea) but drinking really well now.
DSC_2604.jpg
 
UpInTheAir:) said:
Just received the Secret Champagne from Dans.. $50/ bottle for Mailly Grand Cru 2006
Massive flavour and reminds me that I have been drinking NVs for sooo long.
Really good.. not sure how long it will last (the wine experts might have a better idea) but drinking really well now.
Click to expand...

I understand the base wine can be up to 12 years old. This, together with the grand cru grapes make it a high quality wine at a price point making it very good value.
 
I will take one for the team and drink it for you QF WP :p

I haven't tried the 2008 yet, but generally vintage Moet is quite reasonable.
 
No penegal, I'll be taking one for the team and having it with triple Brie, Camembert and an assortment of crackers, as we play "Great Wall" by Boom Crash Opera on Saturday afternoon. But you will enjoy seeing the bottles we open (and decant) in the other thread ;)
 
QF WP said:
No penegal, I'll be taking one for the team and having it with triple Brie, Camembert and an assortment of crackers, as we play "Great Wall" by Boom Crash Opera on Saturday afternoon. But you will enjoy seeing the bottles we open (and decant) in the other thread ;)
Click to expand...

Even though its not brick, how about Pink Floyd 'Another Brick in The Wall'?
 
juddles said:
Need a bit of advice from the champagne-lovers out there. I know there are a few of you!

I do not drink champagne. Am strictly a red wine lover. (actually I only love Argentine Malbecs, everything else is just a make-do subsitute)

I simply know nothing about the bubbly stuff!! But my wife is getting addicted. She has always vaguely enjoyed the traditional stuff consumed by us average people in Australia. Asti Martini, etc etc etc. $10 - $20 a bottle stuff. But after doing a few flights on LAN and Qantas J, and hanging out in the good lounges, recently she has sampled some much better quality tipples and has realised just how much better these products are. Truly different to the budget offerings.

What I want to know (again, I have no knowledge of these things) is what would be a good selection (a dozen or so) of champagnes to make available to her. I want names of those that I have a reasonable chance of finding internationally. Not looking for the best and most expensive. Just want to familiarize myself with some that a good, decent, drops. Maybe in the $50 to $100 a bottle range. Is this request impossible?

I live in that eternal struggle that married men do of trying to keep my wife happy and making Life fun. It would impress her if I could help with this newly developed love.

Any advice??
Click to expand...
Hello !
You are in the right place to find a reply about champagne. We are family business winery in Champagne region, Champagne Damien-Buffet's house. It's a small winery but with quality champagne and not so expensive. For the moment we don't export to Australia but are searching intermediary or shop to do it. But if you want to have a try, you can order some and we'll send it without problem. Unhappily from France to Australia the cost of transport'll be high for the price of a bottle of champagne.

I saw on the forum about "real" champagne. Champagne is only coming from Champagne region. You can find some who sell sparkling wines who are named "champagne" and are not real champagne but in this case, tell to Champagne official french comittee and he'll stop this counterfeit (unofficial) wine name.

In Champagne region, you can find three families : big brands, generally the brands well known all around the world, from big houses : Ruinart, Krug, Moet, Laurent Perrier, Pommery, Taittinger and others. Then you can find champagnes wines from cooperatives. In this case it's a brand created with juices of Champagne vineyard but not only from a winemaker. Many winegrowers give their juices to cooperatives and those one create a collective brand and sell it. It's the case for example for Nicolas Feuillatte or champagne Collet, and many more. Third you find small wineries. Those ones are family businesses, some of them use the cooperatives to share the cost of the press, tanks, etc and then elaborate their own champagnes cuvees. And other family business wineries who are independant winegrower and winemakers.

What you have also to know is that in Champagne region it has champagne grand cru, champagne premier cru and others champagnes. Grand cru is champagne from a few villages who are the better soil and exposure so has the best possibility to have if the weather is good some good juices for elaborating the best champagnes possibles. Then premier cru are for other villages who have a very good soil and exposure for great chances to have good juices and elaborated great champagnes. The others are not classified but have good wines. But the vineyard is perhaps a bit less well known or not a so good exposure or soil. So most of the winemakers of those others villages do their best to increase the quality of their grapes, juices and champagnes. And for a lot of them it's the case.

In Champagne region you can find three cepages chardonnay, pinot noir and pinot meunier. So you can find 100% of one of those cepage in a champagne bottle or a mix of them when the wine is elaborated, what we call assemblage.

Now it depend of what you prefer to drink and with what you'll taste it (for aperitive, meal, with fish, meat, cheese, cake etc...) if it's very hot often champagne lovers prefer 100% chardonnay (also called blanc de blancs because it's done with the only grapes who are white and give white juice in Champagne) or you'll prefer "rosé" it's the champagne with pink colour. It's elaborated with a mix of chardonnay for the freshness and pinot noir.

Now if you want to discover really how it is in Champagne region, come and visit us. We'll be happy to welcome you. We open doors and do cellar doors prices.

For global champagne day on october 20 we organize a great event at the winery in Sacy. It's a small beautiful village at 8 kms from Reims the city who many french kings were crown in the cathedral who is on World Heritage Unesco list. Like Hillsides, Houses and Cellars of Champagne are now also on this list since 2015.

Hope it'll help to reply to your question about champagne beverage and Champagne region.
We are allways happy to share our passion with other champagne and wines lovers :)
 
Last edited by a moderator:
I shall ( hopefully) be in the region in early 2018. I hope I am able to visit your house.


champagnedbsacy said:
Hello !
You are in the right place to find a reply about champagne. We are family business winery in Champagne region, Champagne Damien-Buffet's house. It's a small winery but with quality champagne and not so expensive. For the moment we don't export to Australia but are searching intermediary or shop to do it. But if you want to have a try, you can order some and we'll send it without problem. Unhappily from France to Australia the cost of transport'll be high for the price of a bottle of champagne.

I saw on the forum about "real" champagne. Champagne is only coming from Champagne region. You can find some who sell sparkling wines who are named "champagne" and are not real champagne but in this case, tell to Champagne official french comittee and he'll stop this counterfeit (unofficial) wine name.

In Champagne region, you can find three families : big brands, generally the brands well known all around the world, from big houses : Ruinart, Krug, Moet, Laurent Perrier, Pommery, Taittinger and others. Then you can find champagnes wines from cooperatives. In this case it's a brand created with juices of Champagne vineyard but not only from a winemaker. Many winegrowers give their juices to cooperatives and those one create a collective brand and sell it. It's the case for example for Nicolas Feuillatte or champagne Collet, and many more. Third you find small wineries. Those ones are family businesses, some of them use the cooperatives to share the cost of the press, tanks, etc and then elaborate their own champagnes cuvees. And other family business wineries who are independant winegrower and winemakers.

What you have also to know is that in Champagne region it has champagne grand cru, champagne premier cru and others champagnes. Grand cru is champagne from a few villages who are the better soil and exposure so has the best possibility to have if the weather is good some good juices for elaborating the best champagnes possibles. Then premier cru are for other villages who have a very good soil and exposure for great chances to have good juices and elaborated great champagnes. The others are not classified but have good wines. But the vineyard is perhaps a bit less well known or not a so good exposure or soil. So most of the winemakers of those others villages do their best to increase the quality of their grapes, juices and champagnes. And for a lot of them it's the case.

In Champagne region you can find three cepages chardonnay, pinot noir and pinot meunier. So you can find 100% of one of those cepage in a champagne bottle or a mix of them when the wine is elaborated, what we call assemblage.

Now it depend of what you prefer to drink and with what you'll taste it (for aperitive, meal, with fish, meat, cheese, cake etc...) if it's very hot often champagne lovers prefer 100% chardonnay (also called blanc de blancs because it's done with the only grapes who are white and give white juice in Champagne) or you'll prefer "rosé" it's the champagne with pink colour. It's elaborated with a mix of chardonnay for the freshness and pinot noir.

Now if you want to discover really how it is in Champagne region, come and visit us. We'll be happy to welcome you. We open doors and do cellar doors prices.

For global champagne day on october 20 we organize a great event at the winery in Sacy. It's a small beautiful village at 8 kms from Reims the city who many french kings were crown in the cathedral who is on World Heritage Unesco list. Like Hillsides, Houses and Cellars of Champagne are now also on this list since 2015.

Hope it'll help to reply to your question about champagne beverage and Champagne region.
We are allways happy to share our passion with other champagne and wines lovers :)
Click to expand...
 
I currently have an order (en route) of a six bottle case of de Venoge Brut. For those who haven't tried it, it is quite delightful.
it is (only) available from Bardwell Park ccellars in Sydney. They will ship.
 
At home I prefer Moet to Veuve.
On SQ I prefer Krug to Dom Perignon.
PH Rare is ok on the ground in the lounge.
 
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qaz said:
Please advise which you think is the best buy? :)
Click to expand...

A few more contenders:
(price-match at Dan's to make it $311.64 after 1.3% Cashrewards & 5% off WISH)​
The latter is part of First Choice's champagne sale, which also includes the blanc de blanc grower champagnes of Pierre Gimonnet, such as Cuvee Fleuron Vintage/2009 $58.50 and Selection Belles Annees NV $43.20 - if not available at your local store, then perhaps ask Prince Wine Store to price-match against their own annual champagne offer.
 
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juddles said:
Need a bit of advice from the champagne-lovers out there. I know there are a few of you!

I do not drink champagne. Am strictly a red wine lover. (actually I only love Argentine Malbecs, everything else is just a make-do subsitute)

I simply know nothing about the bubbly stuff!! But my wife is getting addicted. She has always vaguely enjoyed the traditional stuff consumed by us average people in Australia. Asti Martini, etc etc etc. $10 - $20 a bottle stuff. But after doing a few flights on LAN and Qantas J, and hanging out in the good lounges, recently she has sampled some much better quality tipples and has realised just how much better these products are. Truly different to the budget offerings.

What I want to know (again, I have no knowledge of these things) is what would be a good selection (a dozen or so) of champagnes to make available to her. I want names of those that I have a reasonable chance of finding internationally. Not looking for the best and most expensive. Just want to familiarize myself with some that a good, decent, drops. Maybe in the $50 to $100 a bottle range. Is this request impossible?

I live in that eternal struggle that married men do of trying to keep my wife happy and making Life fun. It would impress her if I could help with this newly developed love.

Any advice??
Click to expand...

I was hooking into the stuff from the big houses then a mate introduced me to 'Grower Champagne' small guys. The one I'm loving at the moment is Andre Clouet. It was the dark blue label one. Had it side by side with Billecart and Veuve consensus with a few mates was Clouet killed it! When I grabbed some Serrat from Wine Decoded they had and it was cheaper than the Prince $59 if you mix half a case up . Want to try their Rose too. A mate bought it for an anniversary he's been a big Billecart Rose drinker and reckon's it's better and cheaper. Wine Decoded had it too for $71 in a half case. André Clouet Brut Rosé NV - Wine Decoded
 
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qaz said:
A few more contenders:
(price-match at Dan's to make it $311.64 after 1.3% Cashrewards & 5% off WISH)​
The latter is part of First Choice's champagne sale, which also includes the blanc de blanc grower champagnes of Pierre Gimonnet, such as Cuvee Fleuron Vintage/2009 $58.50 and Selection Belles Annees NV $43.20 - if not available at your local store, then perhaps ask Prince Wine Store to price-match against their own annual champagne offer.
Click to expand...

Have you had the Larmandier-Bernier wines? Saw them when I bought some Serrat at Wine Decoded from your tip, now tucked safely in the fridge! They had a couple of video reviews, sounded good. Blanc de Blanc to NV variation.
 
Wine Fiend said:
Have you had the Larmandier-Bernier wines? Saw them when I bought some Serrat at Wine Decoded from your tip, now tucked safely in the fridge! They had a couple of video reviews, sounded good. Blanc de Blanc to NV variation.
Click to expand...

Welcome, Wine Fiend.
Larmandier-Bernier are beautiful wines. Have been enjoying their range for some years now. Well worth trying.

Clouet is another personal favourite. If you have the chance, try the “Tiffany blue” label. Gorgeous.
 

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