Four champagnes on offer now in the SYD F lounge

[medhead]

See there is no way I could describe champagne that way.

I had a glass of all 3 and I cannot tell one from the other. In fact as I said they all taste the same so you probably could have given me some cheap Cuvee/sparkling and I would not have known the difference.

The day I can tell the difference in champagnes is the day I start to worry....

Come on even I can tell the difference between Australian sparkling and champers.

 

[JohnK]

Come on even I can tell the difference between Australian sparkling and champers.

Really? Well I must be hopeless

 

[medhead]

Really? Well I must be hopeless

I thought you were using poetic licence

 

[JohnK]

I thought you were using poetic licence

Nope. Hopeless. Dead as a doornail.

Have only just started to work out if some wines are sweeter than others or taste fruity.

 

[bugayev]

An update on the MEL front.. Bollinger Rose has now been replaced with a rather nice vintage Bollinger and is available on request (wasn't published in the menu nor were staff fully aware of its existence)!

 

[N860CR]

I noticed on the Summer Menu that there are now two coughtails at the top (can't remember what... one was a Martini I think).

Have they always been there (and I've never noticed on the menu) or is that an addition?

I've booked myself 4 1/2 hours in the SYD F lounge in a few weeks, very much looking forward to it!

 

[DC3]

I noticed on the Summer Menu that there are now two coughtails at the top (can't remember what... one was a Martini I think).

Have they always been there (and I've never noticed on the menu) or is that an addition?

I've booked myself 4 1/2 hours in the SYD F lounge in a few weeks, very much looking forward to it!

The Sydney FL Summer Menu coughtails are:

Negroni - Gin, Campari, sweet vermouth and orange twist
French Martini - Vodka, Chambord and pineapple juice

Don't know how long they've been there.

 

[awilcockson]

The Sydney FL Summer Menu coughtails are:

Negroni - Gin, Campari, sweet vermouth and orange twist
French Martini - Vodka, Chambord and pineapple juice

Don't know how long they've been there.

They've been there a while now. And that French Martini is fantastic

 

[BVT]

They've been there a while now. And that French Martini is fantastic

OT, but many happy hours on summer evenings sipping french martini's on the deck at Madame Brussells*


(* Melbourne Bar, very cool)

 

[JohnK]

Back in the First Lounge almost 7 months later.

Bollinger Special Cuvee
Vevue Clicquot Brut
Taittinger Brut Reserve

I am able to tell the difference between all 3 now (could not pick them if my eyes were closed though) but they are still awful.

The Bollinger first was a real struggle and forced myself to have 4-5 mouthfuls. Awful.
The Veuve Clicquot was next and it was just as awful. Took it back with still half a glass.
The Tattinger was next and it was OK although I only asked for half a glass and I am not going back for any of them.

Off to get a Crown now to wash away the awful taste in my mouth. Back again in June to see if the champagnes have improved. I cannot believe people rave on about the champagnes on offer and waste time and money to come and sample them....

 

[medhead]

Back in the First Lounge almost 7 months later.

Bollinger Special Cuvee
Vevue Clicquot Brut
Taittinger Brut Reserve

I am able to tell the difference between all 3 now (could not pick them if my eyes were closed though) but they are still awful.

The Bollinger first was a real struggle and forced myself to have 4-5 mouthfuls. Awful.
The Veuve Clicquot was next and it was just as awful. Took it back with still half a glass.
The Tattinger was next and it was OK although I only asked for half a glass and I am not going back for any of them.

Off to get a Crown now to wash away the awful taste in my mouth. Back again in June to see if the champagnes have improved. I cannot believe people rave on about the champagnes on offer and waste time and money to come and sample them....

I would have gone with the Veuve first myself. Then Tattinger and I might have given the Bolly a miss. I think a taste test against something like Yellow or passion pop would provide a true appreciation of champagne.

 

[JohnK]

I would have gone with the Veuve first myself. Then Tattinger and I might have given the Bolly a miss. I think a taste test against something like Yellow or passion pop would provide a true appreciation of champagne.

Perhaps but then it would have been a much bigger letdown to go from Ok to awful.

 

[samh004]

I cannot believe people rave on about the champagnes on offer and waste time and money to come and sample them....

I wouldn’t say I sample them so much as knock em back

 

[BVT]

I think that the Tatt goes very well with the eggs benny.

 

[drewbles]

The Galleries T5 F Lounge had (on Sunday)...

- Bollinger Rosé
- Taittinger Millesime 2004

Considering the first is around $150AUD and the second around $104 (from online sources), i'd say QF need to catch up in the Champagne stakes (Although they had the bollie rosé for a while; i'm guessing the $$ quickly killed it!)

That said, i'm quite happy with normal Taittinger (although I do prefer the Cuvee prestige!)

 

[anat0l]

Off to get a Crown now to wash away the awful taste in my mouth. Back again in June to see if the champagnes have improved. I cannot believe people rave on about the champagnes on offer and waste time and money to come and sample them....

Well, you're obviously not a Champagne person. Period.

I don't like all champagnes, but as for preferred one(s) amongst the collegiate they do vary from individual to individual.




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Aust Freq Fly app: bringing this anat0l content to your mobile.

 

[Katie]

I rather enjoyed a few glasses of the Taittinger on Fri 13th in SYD. It brought back lovely memories of visiting their cave last year, and how they spoilt us with a private tasting room, and many free bottles to take home with us.
That being said, the only Champagne I've come across that I truly dislike is Perrier Jouet. They have the prettiest bottles, but too much of a yeast taste for me (I hang my head as an Australian; I don't like vegemite). I'm not fond of most Roses, and generally prefer Bruts.

Like wines, the tastes of individual champagnes vary as does what an individual likes. As I'm not into sweets, I'll give most Secs/Demi Secs a swerve, as well as the Proseccos and sweeter varieties from Italy/outside the Champagne region.

Please enjoy the Crowns, JohnK. I'm happy to pick up the slack with the champers consumption, though at this rate, I only make it into the SYD Flounge about once a year ...

 

[fbrimfield]

Off to get a Crown now to wash away the awful taste in my mouth. Back again in June to see if the champagnes have improved. I cannot believe people rave on about the champagnes on offer and waste time and money to come and sample them....

Haha, well for some of us Champagne (and wine in general) is a career.

I'm only a jnr sommelier, but i've focused my studies in sparkling so this is my opinion on each of the offerings:

Bollinger NV: quite a full bodied champagne, great mousse with long finish and quite crisp acidity. What I like most about a NV Bollinger is that its quite powerful and has a big body for it's price point, so its one of those sparklings you either love or hate. The winemakers style is to let the pinot grape skins come into contact a little more than would usually do. Eat With: I'd probably most like to drink this with the Salt & Pepper squid in the F lounge, and its full body means its probably the choice pick for heavier dishes like steak, or rich tomato dishes (but really you should just go for a red with that...)

Veuve Ponsardin: probably what most people will enjoy, quite an approachable wine with fairly neutral palette. Good on the nose, nice color and decent mousse if bottle kept closed properly. Medium-full body with toasty brioche flavours, and a bit of honey. Quite high autolysis with Veuve, so you get that bready kind of flavour. I'm a little biased, Veuve is not my favorite, I think its a bit over rated but its easy to drink, and by no means a bad champagne. Eat With: I'd probably like to have this with sweet foods, dessert, cakes, fruit, etc.

Taittinger: very fruity, and citrus flavours come out on the nose, and follow nicely through to the pallete. From tattinger I tend to taste mostly apples, peach with a bit of citrus acidity, but not too much, it still remains quite a juicy and satisfying champagne. Quite a long finish. Drink this if you like juicy sav blancs. Eat With: This would be quite nice with fish dishes, and light soups, or works as a good aperitif for most dishes.

Overall these are pretty good choices, if not a little safe. They've stuck to fairly big winemakers which is a shame because there are some great small wine makers in champagne i'd like to see get traction. And instead of offering mass-produced Vueve, why not support our local industry and serve a nice bottle of Tasmanian Arras (better than most vintage champagnes on the market).

 

[serfty]

No Champagne at all in MEL First lounge yesterday before Noon.

All the beer was removed from the refrigerators with signs around the place this was due to Anzac day liquor licensing laws.

 

[medhead]

No Champagne at all in MEL First lounge yesterday before Noon.

All the beer was removed from the refrigerators with signs around the place this was due to Anzac day liquor licensing laws.

What! Were they offering a shot of rum for your coffee?


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