Food & Wine - best country to buy a bottle of champagne to bring back to room?

[Eeyore2003]

Count me in on the vote count for the Banfi Rose Regali. My favorite wine, but I'm going to definitely try the Iron Horse Fairy Tale Cuvee.

And yes, champagne can only come from the Champagne area of France and if you really want to impress you can always take out your "trusty sword" and flambuoantly pop off the top. Have seen that on two TV shows lately, one about the Champagne area of France and one by a, well for lack of having to spell it wrong, an expert on wine!!!

 

[shovan]

Mumm's the wine featured in France's booth is a Napa Valley Sparkling Wine, right?

Am I missing something here? French booth should have french wine.

Also on the is it sparkling wine or champagne? Can someone give me a simple answer on that? Technically it's only champagne if it's made in that region in France, correct? But here in the U.S or outside of France can it be called Champagne, as we are not held to the French laws?

 

[Shasta]

True Champagne is only made in the region of Champagne France. Cave is only the term for Spanish Sparkling wine. You will see the word Champagne used on domestic sparkling wine because the rules for using that word are part of the French laws and not American. Most respectful Armerican wine makers will state that they use "Method Champagne" meaning that they use the original method of bottle conditioning thier sparkling wine.

Asti is made only in the region of Italy but Spumante (a description only) can be made anywhere. Cognac is made in Cognac France with variations such as VS, VSOP, XO etc. that are controled be very specific laws as to thier age. American brandy use those terms (VS, VSOP etc) but it is silly because those are French laws and have absolutly no bearing or meaning to American brandy. It means nothing. You'll also find American Chianti. That is an oxymoron. Italy follows strick laws (D.O.C.G.) that control what qualifies as Chianti but in America...

I have been a retail manager in the liquor buisness for 9 years in the second largest store in MS. You can take me statements as facts. This method of turning offical designations as descriptions of products has been done for years. To be honest, I don't correct my customers, it serves no purpose. If they ask for Champagne, I know they want wine with bubbles. I can determine pretty quick if they are looking for true Champagne of not.

 

[Quinn222]

Mumm's the wine featured in France's booth is a Napa Valley Sparkling Wine, right?

Am I missing something here? French booth should have french wine.

Mumms is a French company, a division now of Pernod Ricard and the Mumms winery is located in the heart of the Champagne region. It is true Champagne.

 

[eeyore45]

I also have to cast my vote for the twisting method of opening a bottle of sparkling wine. Pushing the thumbs underneath just increases the risk of the cork flying and wine spilling out. And while that looks like fun in the movies, I don't see the point in wasting good wine.

To open a bottle, simply peel off the outer foil, remove the wire basket on top, and then gently turn the cork in one hand while holding the bottle steady with the other. The cork will pop right out (you should feel it start to come), and no wine will be wasted. The only time I've had a cork come out really quickly is when the bottle wasn't chilled - well, the outside was cold, but the inside was room temp! Uck!

Sometimes you have to poke it with the two thumbs pushing up - then twist - but you should always put a towel over the cork - just in case the cork does fly up when you least expect it -

Avoid eye injuries - place a towel over the cork!!

 

[Shasta]

Mumms is a French company, a division now of Pernod Ricard and the Mumms winery is located in the heart of the Champagne region. It is true Champagne.

Yes and no. Mumm, Roederer, Moet and a few others have California houses as well as thier traditional French houses. There are both American and French sparkling wines from these producers. Because the American lines from these winemakers are less exspensive, I'd guess, and this can only be a guess, that Disney is using these. while costing less, these are great wines and not cheap. My house sparkling wine is Roederer Anderson Valley NV. It sells for about $21 ($45 in a resturant) and consistantly rates around 90 pts.

 

[WildGrits]

Actually that is 100% true. The only champagne is the world is produced in the Champagne region of France. All other sparkling wines are just that. No other wine may legally be called champagne.

I just wanted to add............

In the European Union and many other countries, the name Champagne is legally protected by the Treaty of Madrid (1891) designating only the sparkling wine produced in the eponymous region and adhering to the standards defined for it an Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée; the right was reaffirmed in the Treaty of Versailles after World War I.

However......

One reason American wine producers are allowed to use European wine names is that the Treaty of Versailles, despite President Wilson signature, was not ratified by the U.S. Senate. The Treaty of Versailles included a clause limiting the German wine industry and allowing use of the word Champagne only for wines from the Champagne region, (the site of WWI battles). As the U.S. Senate did not ratify the Treaty, this agreement was never respected in the United States.

HORRAY for Food Network And the good ole WIKI

 

[hoosll]

F & W has a central info with a wine shop of all the participating vineyards - you will have a choice of champagnes there ! Enjoy

 

[jenelope]

Does anyone know if the Champagne booth at F&W will actually have champagne? The booth listing only shows chocolate truffles. The Moet and Chandon champagnes listed in last year's booth looked interesting. Especially the Nectar Imperial Rose. I've never seen rose champagne at Epcot. (I don't drink pink still wine, but I love me some brut rose.)

 

[Tracey1974]

Wasn't there a big champagne debate on this board a few weeks ago?

Glad the OP's question is being answered because I wanted to know where to get some bubbly for later on this month too!

 

[Shasta]

Wasn't there a big champagne debate on this board a few weeks ago?

I don't see any negativity to these discussions regarding Champagne. They are in answer to questions asked within this thread and do relate to the OP. If anyone was arguing I'd see your point.

 

[shovan]

WOW, Thanks for all of the great info on Champagne!!! Who knew I could learn so much from DISing!!!