Champagne for Christmas
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Anything but Port, this includes all non-Port fortified wines even if they call themselves Port. There is a search facility for this part of the forum.
Anything but Port, this includes all non-Port fortified wines even if they call themselves Port. There is a search facility for this part of the forum.
- KillerB
- Taylor Quinta de Vargellas 1987
- Posts: 2425
- Joined: 22:09 Wed 20 Jun 2007
- Location: Sky Blue City, England
Champagne for Christmas
Despite what some people think, I am not a complete Champagne nut. I like the stuff and always have a few bottles in for emergencies - about twenty at the moment, nothing in comparison with Port and so far down on Bordeuax it's hardly worth mentioning.
However, always have to have some for Christmas and we seem to have Veuve Clicquot as a tradition now. As I'm hosting my sister and bro-in-law have done the decent thing and offered the fizzy as their contribution. I have a spare magnum of the stuff in case we get through it too quickly. Strawberries are a must with it in Christmas day - obviously picked straight from the garden
Who else is sparkling it?
However, always have to have some for Christmas and we seem to have Veuve Clicquot as a tradition now. As I'm hosting my sister and bro-in-law have done the decent thing and offered the fizzy as their contribution. I have a spare magnum of the stuff in case we get through it too quickly. Strawberries are a must with it in Christmas day - obviously picked straight from the garden
Who else is sparkling it?
Port is basically a red drink
- RonnieRoots
- Fonseca 1980
- Posts: 1981
- Joined: 08:28 Thu 21 Jun 2007
- Location: Middle Earth
Re: Champagne for Christmas
We have a monthly budget that we are allowed to spend on alcohol each month. if you don't use it, you lose it. So in months where we don't have any visitors (they are not able to buy anything themselves) or when we don't drink much because we are on holiday for example, we tend to spend the rest of the money on a bottle we wouldn't buy otherwise. That's how a bottle of Veuve Clicquot ended up in our wine fridge.
Champagne is not normally on our shopping list, as it's insanely expensive here. For the Veuve we paid nearly 60 euros.
Champagne is not normally on our shopping list, as it's insanely expensive here. For the Veuve we paid nearly 60 euros.
- RonnieRoots
- Fonseca 1980
- Posts: 1981
- Joined: 08:28 Thu 21 Jun 2007
- Location: Middle Earth
Re: Champagne for Christmas
Oh no, that won't fit in the monthly budget. Just the regular.
- RonnieRoots
- Fonseca 1980
- Posts: 1981
- Joined: 08:28 Thu 21 Jun 2007
- Location: Middle Earth
Re: Champagne for Christmas
Well, almost all wines here are about double of the European prices. We've learned to live with it. But as a consequence, we don't buy champagne very often. If one bottle chews up 1/4th of the monthly budget, it is not something to buy large quantities of.
-
- Taylor’s LBV
- Posts: 152
- Joined: 14:19 Sun 14 Oct 2007
- Location: Bolton England
Re: Champagne for Christmas
Champagne is fine stuff, but, everywhere, it demands such a premium. Even when there are deals to be done, the white burgundy etc you can buy for the same price will be streets ahead in quality.
The odd time I have been in funds, I buy champagne, but other times, it just looks like real pain.....
The odd time I have been in funds, I buy champagne, but other times, it just looks like real pain.....
It may be drivel, but it's not meaningless.
- Alex Bridgeman
- Graham’s 1948
- Posts: 14915
- Joined: 13:41 Mon 25 Jun 2007
- Location: Berkshire, UK
Re: Champagne for Christmas
I've had a bottle of Heidsieck Monopole 2002 on ice (ie outside the back door in the snow) since Christmas Eve as our Christmas Champagne, but so far I've had no takers.
Top Ports in 2023: Taylor 1896 Colheita, b. 2021. A perfect Port.
2024: Niepoort 1900 Colheita, b.1971. A near perfect Port.
2024: Niepoort 1900 Colheita, b.1971. A near perfect Port.
Re: Champagne for Christmas
Not a bad bubbly. Bought two last year for my 30th, drank one on the day and the other is stashed away still (40th? Will it still be drinkable?!)AHB wrote:I've had a bottle of Heidsieck Monopole 2002 on ice (ie outside the back door in the snow) since Christmas Eve as our Christmas Champagne, but so far I've had no takers.
Mark
- Alex Bridgeman
- Graham’s 1948
- Posts: 14915
- Joined: 13:41 Mon 25 Jun 2007
- Location: Berkshire, UK
Re: Champagne for Christmas
I bought two, as well. They were part of a mixed case of wine I bought from Majestic a few months back that also included a couple of bottles of Fonseca unfiltered LBV that were the first I've seen.angeleyes wrote:Not a bad bubbly. Bought two last year for my 30th, drank one on the day and the other is stashed away still (40th? Will it still be drinkable?!)
2002 was a great vintage for Champagne. I'd be extremely surprised and disappointed if the Heidsieck Monopole 2002 wasn't still drinking beautifully in 10 years.
Top Ports in 2023: Taylor 1896 Colheita, b. 2021. A perfect Port.
2024: Niepoort 1900 Colheita, b.1971. A near perfect Port.
2024: Niepoort 1900 Colheita, b.1971. A near perfect Port.
Re: Champagne for Christmas
In that case I shall wait til 2018 !AHB wrote:I'd be extremely surprised and disappointed if the Heidsieck Monopole 2002 wasn't still drinking beautifully in 10 years.
By the way is that the Gold Top or the Silver you are referring to?
Mark
- Alex Bridgeman
- Graham’s 1948
- Posts: 14915
- Joined: 13:41 Mon 25 Jun 2007
- Location: Berkshire, UK
Re: Champagne for Christmas
It's the gold top that I bought.
Top Ports in 2023: Taylor 1896 Colheita, b. 2021. A perfect Port.
2024: Niepoort 1900 Colheita, b.1971. A near perfect Port.
2024: Niepoort 1900 Colheita, b.1971. A near perfect Port.
Re: Champagne for Christmas
Full fat. Excellent. I hate that skimmed stuff.AHB wrote:It's the gold top that I bought.
"The first duty of Port is to be red"
Ernest H. Cockburn
Ernest H. Cockburn
Re: Champagne for Christmas
(Perhaps) interestingly, their third wine is a Blue Top (full fat, but homogenised). Hopefully they have no intention of releasing a Green or a Red topped version !DRT wrote:Full fat. Excellent. I hate that skimmed stuff.AHB wrote:It's the gold top that I bought.
Mark
- KillerB
- Taylor Quinta de Vargellas 1987
- Posts: 2425
- Joined: 22:09 Wed 20 Jun 2007
- Location: Sky Blue City, England
Re: Champagne for Christmas
Green Top is their demi-sec - semi-skimmed in Englishangeleyes wrote:(Perhaps) interestingly, their third wine is a Blue Top (full fat, but homogenised). Hopefully they have no intention of releasing a Green or a Red topped version !DRT wrote:Full fat. Excellent. I hate that skimmed stuff.AHB wrote:It's the gold top that I bought.
Port is basically a red drink
Re: Champagne for Christmas
Should have done my research. Turns out there is a red top too (flavourless?). And a pink top.KillerB wrote:Green Top is their demi-sec - semi-skimmed in Englishangeleyes wrote:(Perhaps) interestingly, their third wine is a Blue Top (full fat, but homogenised). Hopefully they have no intention of releasing a Green or a Red topped version !DRT wrote:Full fat. Excellent. I hate that skimmed stuff.AHB wrote:It's the gold top that I bought.
Mark
- KillerB
- Taylor Quinta de Vargellas 1987
- Posts: 2425
- Joined: 22:09 Wed 20 Jun 2007
- Location: Sky Blue City, England
Re: Champagne for Christmas
Red Top is Sec and Pink Top is unsurprisingly Rose. I had a Diamant Blue a few years ago which was a 1985 vintage in a very glitzy bottle, it was excellent.
Hadn't realised just how many that they did - well done Heidsieck Monopole.
Hadn't realised just how many that they did - well done Heidsieck Monopole.
Port is basically a red drink
- KillerB
- Taylor Quinta de Vargellas 1987
- Posts: 2425
- Joined: 22:09 Wed 20 Jun 2007
- Location: Sky Blue City, England
Re: Champagne for Christmas
Saw New Year in with a sip of Taittinger. A little warm by that point but the party was rolling along. Very good stuff, I'm fond of the Tat.
Morrison's is selling Rose Top and Gold Top at £15 as well as the Blue Top at £11 - buy some.
Morrison's is selling Rose Top and Gold Top at £15 as well as the Blue Top at £11 - buy some.
Port is basically a red drink
Re: Champagne for Christmas
The Tesco BOB 'Premier Cru' Champagne is pretty nice too, £15 at the moment which is a little hard to resist.
Mark
Re: Champagne for Christmas
..which I've just started a bottle of. A little light in flavour and lots but not excessive fizz. Very dry, but with good acidity, certainly better than one or two of those wince-inducing big names. Not the greatest, but for £12, a steal. And went very nicely with some home-cured gravadlax and dill mustard.angeleyes wrote:The Blue Top is in Tesco for £12.39 .. not bad last time I had it.
Can anyone advise me of a Champagne for around £50? Have been eyeing up either Bollinger Grande Annee 2000 or Veuve Cliquot 2002.
Mark
Re: Champagne for Christmas
I do not know how much advise you will get, but I am sure you will get lots of offers to help drink it!angeleyes wrote:angeleyes wrote:Can anyone advise me of a Champagne for around £50? Have been eyeing up either Bollinger Grande Annee 2000 or Veuve Cliquot 2002.
Ben
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Vintage 1970 and now proud owner of my first ever 'half-century'!
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Vintage 1970 and now proud owner of my first ever 'half-century'!
- KillerB
- Taylor Quinta de Vargellas 1987
- Posts: 2425
- Joined: 22:09 Wed 20 Jun 2007
- Location: Sky Blue City, England
Re: Champagne for Christmas
Tough call, I'd probably take the Bolly but 2002 is a better year. Parker has 2000 down as an early drinker which brings us back to the Bolly.
Port is basically a red drink