Champagne?

[tvguy]

There are a lot of tasty champagnes in the $10 range.

Cooks comes to mind.

And of course, unless they are from the correct region of France, they aren't champagne, they are sparkling wine.

 

[mefordis]

veuve clicquot is my favorite.

 

[TLSnell1981]

I like the Moet & Chandon White Star...just about $20-25 I think but it tastes more expensive!!! Perrier Jouet in the flower bottle is pretty too if you are doing a champagne bar!

White Star was the best bang for your buck. Sadly, they don't make it anymore.

The Colette is delicious! It is Remy's signature cocktail.

Colette Champagne Cocktail Recipe

1 whole blueberry
1 mint leaf
1 piece dried apricot
5 oz. Champagne
1 oz. pear-infused vodka

In a Champagne cup, place blueberry and mint leaf. Add Champagne and pear-infused vodka. Finish with a piece of dried apricot.

 

[bcla]

White Star was the best bang for your buck. Sadly, they don't make it anymore.

I still have several bottles including one in my refrigerator. Bought maybe a dozen for a party years ago and only a few wanted any. It's OK. It was designed to be a bit on the sweet side compared to the typical brut Champagne that others produced. One wine shop employee told me that it was specifically made for the US market and American tastes.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/11/d...nes-that-leave-the-sweetness-behind.html?_r=0

Technically speaking, brut Champagnes can range up to 12 grams of residual sugar per liter. Thirty years ago, most brut Champagnes sold in the United States were at the higher end of this range. Whatever lip service Americans paid to dry wine, they preferred a sweet roundness in their Champagnes. For years, in fact, one of the most popular Champagnes sold in the United States, Moët White Star, was not even a brut but a sweeter extra dry.

But as Americans became more accustomed to drinking wine, they began to prefer dryer styles, as did many people around the world. For years now, mass-market Champagne producers have been reducing the sweetness levels of their wines. In 2012, Moët stopped selling White Star in the United States, replacing it as its flagship Champagne with Impérial, a brut.

I remember seeing some amazing values for various Champagne. Trader Joe's used to consistently sell Mumm Cordon Rouge for about $18 a bottle back in the late 90s. I think NV Pommery was about $15. These were just ridiculously low prices for such well known brands. Around 2000-2003 TJ's had some random no-name brands from Champagne that sold for $12.99. I worked with some French people, and they said it was fine - especially for the price. I remember seeing NV Pol Roger at a supermarket and thought that it must be some bargain brand since it was $16, but it's one of the higher end for a basic bubbly. These days I think it sells for about $50 a bottle.

One of the more fun things I've tried are the 187 ml (quarter sized) bottles. Most are supposedly fermented in a bigger bottle and then transferred to these tiny bottles with a screw cap. I've tried these from Piper-Heidsieck, Nicolas Feuillatte, and Pommery (POP brand). However, Moët has these limited edition 4-packs in a container with a lid that looked like half a film canister. I heard that they were made for Oscar parties and was called the "Cinema Party Pack". When I bought one and tried it, I found that each one actually had a real hood, with a real wire, and an actual tiny Champagne cork.

As for Korbel and the specific naming of their product - once I actually spoke to a Korbel rep about that during an event. I asked what they do when selling their product in Europe, and without batting an eye he said that they conform to all regional labeling regulations. Since "Champagne" is a protected name in Europe that can only describe a growing region, they have to label it as "California sparkling wine" in the local language.

 

[mjkacmom]

The party was almost 10 years ago - seems like someone bumped up this thread...

 

[TLSnell1981]

I still have several bottles including one in my refrigerator. Bought maybe a dozen for a party years ago and only a few wanted any. It's OK. It was designed to be a bit on the sweet side compared to the typical brut Champagne that others produced. One wine shop employee told me that it was specifically made for the US market and American tastes.

Lucky you. It sold out very quickly when they discontinued it. I used it for parties and holidays. Also, it was good for champagne cocktails and punch. The Imperial just isn't quite the same.

 

[TLSnell1981]

The party was almost 10 years ago - seems like someone bumped up this thread...

Explains why White Star was suggested and was only $25 a bottle!!

Fun fact:

Pommery created the quarter sized bottle of Pop, especially for the Millineum. It was the first to be designed to be drunk from the bottle and fit into your pocket.

 

[Shanna-like-Banana]

I drink Verdi all the time.

You can get it at beer & wine stores, and some of the nicer grocery stores carry it also. Its a crisp and sweet champagne.

They are now making them in flavors, but I like the original just as much.

 

[bcla]

Lucky you. It sold out very quickly when they discontinued it. I used it for parties and holidays. Also, it was good for champagne cocktails and punch. The Imperial just isn't quite the same.

Of course it's not the same. However, they're trying to appeal to wine snobs.

 

[mjkacmom]

I drink Verdi all the time.

You can get it at beer & wine stores, and some of the nicer grocery stores carry it also. Its a crisp and sweet champagne.

They are now making them in flavors, but I like the original just as much.

It's not wine, it's a malt beverage! I buy it to top off my budget sangria. My aunt accidentally thought it was being served, and almost spit it out. I guess if you like wine coolers...

 

[TLSnell1981]

Of course it's not the same. However, they're trying to appeal to wine snobs.

Well, I'm a wine snob and it doesn't appeal to me. :

 

[shortbun]

It's not French so not officially Champagne but we've been drinking Prosecco. It's really good, light and NOT expensive at all. It is for all purposes 'champagne' except for the name. You can buy two bottles of a nice Prosecco for the cost of one of the notable Champagnes. Seriously. Go to a Whole Foods, Trader Joe's, some other store with a wine specialist and they will steer you to the righ Prosecco.

 

[shortbun]

Chateau Ste Michelle makes some very good bubbly in various levels of sweetness and runs around $15.00. Chandon Extra Dry Riche is yummy too for around the same price.

I think they also go by Extra Brut (the dryest, least sweet), Brut, Extra Dry, Sec, and Demi Sec, (the extra dry to Sec being medium sweet) and Demi Sec (the sweetest option).

Naturelle/Natural is the dryest if the cellars makes it. Has to be a perfect growing season.

 

[shortbun]

There are a lot of tasty champagnes in the $10 range.

Cooks comes to mind.

And of course, unless they are from the correct region of France, they aren't champagne, they are sparkling wine.[/QU

I would not buy Cooks even for mimosas. It's the Boone's Farm of the sparklings. It's like sugar water with bubbles and will make you very sick if you drink too much due to all the sugar.

 

[shortbun]

The party was almost 10 years ago - seems like someone bumped up this thread...

hahaha!!! I wondered why someone thought White Star was $20-25. Well, this has been fun. I'm going to chill a bottle of Prosecco for tonight.