New Years Antics...

[R3C]

So we're going to start purchasing champagne on Friday. We're going to start by picking up a bottle of Monsieur Perignon via SpidMonx, a bottle of Cristal via Seth, and a bottle of La Grande Dame via myself. Nice start eh? And one bottle of yet to be disclosed top-end from teh-Rixler. (Something we haven't yet tried.) Then we're going to start filling in the mid-range gap with the larger-than-magnum size Clicquots. Our current aim, is to outdo the Redmond house (was that 2002?) So who else wants to participate? If you're Seattle area, SpidMonx or I can point you to the best place to purchase these at low(ish) cost.

[enderzero]

I think it is appropriate to give a good, teh whistles go whoooooooooooooo!!

Damn that is a splendid start. We have got quite the tradition going. Sounds like this year could give 02 a run for teh money.


ought-5


ought-2

[R3C]

Nevermind... (if you saw the previous message) It seems we are going to have plenty of nice bottles.

1 bottle La Grande Dame
1 bottle 1996 Dom Perignon
1 bottle Churchill (Pol Roger)
1 bottle Audouin de Dampierre
1 bottle Nicholas Feuiatte Cuvée Palmes

All top tier. The plan is to get one or two of the HUGE (larger than magnum) Veuve Clicquot bottles.

Bottles needed for a nice collection:

Charles Krug
Grand Siecle
Roederer Cristal
Roederer Mid-Range
Veuve Clicquot - Standard
Perrier Jouet Grand Brut

Teh Rixler picked up a few flutes, but we'll need a few more.

[enderzero]

In honor of all the excitement surrounding this year's festivities, I have decided to post a table of the sparkling white wines directly out of the famous Wines Ranking Spreadsheet. These are all compiled from personal experience, many with the help of other forum members. Although some of our opinions may have changed over time, I have kept all the original comments and rankings the same. I have also preserved the original order, even though it doesn't make too much sense. This has been slowly added to over the last 3 years. Freshly added are 3 of the most common Czech bubblies.

<table cellpadding="2" border="2"><tr><td><b>Wine, Region</b></td><td><b>Vintage</b></td><td><b>Rating</b></td><td><b>Comments</b></td></tr><tr><td>Cristal, Champagne Reims France</td><td>1995</td><td>* * * * *</td><td>Only the best, Very dry and oh soo tasty</td></tr><tr><td>Dom Perignon, France</td><td>1993</td><td>* * * * *</td><td>Maybe a bit tastier than Cristal, 'nuff said</td></tr><tr><td>Bollinger Special Cuvee, France</td><td>NV</td><td>* * *</td><td>Very nice taste, not overly dry, nicely sweet</td></tr><tr><td>Laurent-Perrier Brut</td><td>NV</td><td>* * *</td><td>Average for an expensive French champagne, a bit too dry</td></tr><tr><td>Pol Roger Brut</td><td>1990</td><td>* * * 1/2</td><td>A little better than the Laurent-Perrier, nicely sweet, dry</td></tr><tr><td>Louis Roderer Brut Premiere, Reims</td><td>NV</td><td>* * * * 1/2</td><td>Very very smooth, not at all too dry, Cristal lite</td></tr><tr><td>Nicolas Feuillatte, Reims</td><td>NV</td><td>* * *</td><td>Nicely light dry but not as good as others at that price range, a bit too dry</td></tr><tr><td>Dom Perignon, France</td><td>1996</td><td>* * * * *</td><td>Teh Mastar, just the perfect amount of dryness and smooth tasting I think 96 may be best</td></tr><tr><td>Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin, Reims</td><td>NV</td><td>* * * * *</td><td>A fantastic wine for the price, not quite Dom but 1/3rd the price, a bit more dry but nicely smooth, mmmm</td></tr><tr><td>Roderer Estates, Anderson Valley CA</td><td>NV</td><td>* * * 1/2</td><td>Smoother than some French wines, damn good for a Cali bubbly</td></tr><tr><td>Perrier-Jouet, Reims</td><td>NV</td><td>* * * *</td><td>Mmmmm, this is well worth buying at $28, Solid extra smooth brut, the English Brut (?) is smoother than Clicquot</td></tr><tr><td>Jordan, Russian River Valley CA</td><td>1999</td><td>* * * 1/2</td><td>California? This is a very nice smooth wine, feels like a French Champagne, priced like a cheap Reims but better than most CA</td></tr><tr><td>Gloria Ferrer Sonoma Brut, Sonoma CA</td><td>NV</td><td>* * * *</td><td>This is the best Cali "champagne" to buy, findable at $13 it is a damn good buy, very smooth but not too light, pleasurable +max</td></tr><tr><td>G.H. Mumm & Cie Classique, Reims</td><td>NV</td><td>* * * 1/2</td><td>Extra smooth, great sweetness, Pretty good but there are betters from Reims</td></tr><tr><td>Piper-Heidsieck, Reims</td><td>NV</td><td>* * 1/2</td><td>Rated 93 (I disagree) - Too sweet, not smooth or dry, makes me acidy</td></tr><tr><td>Mucha Sekt Brut, Czech Rep.</td><td>NV</td><td>* 1/2</td><td>Very sweet and not at all dry. Tastes cheap and wouldn't buy again. Attractive bottle though</td></tr><tr><td>Bohemia Sekt, Czech Rep.</td><td>NV</td><td>* 1/2</td><td>Even worse than Mucha but less than 1/2 star worse. Way too sweet. Forget this one</td></tr><tr><td>Bohemia Regia Brut, Czech Rep.</td><td>NV</td><td>* * 1/2</td><td>Very plain and common tasting. Dry and drinkable but not impressive.</td></tr></table>

[R3C]

You forgot Cristalino. -*** (that's negative three stars)

[McNevin]

I am currently trying to schedule an early move to seattle that allows me to participate in the new years festivities...

I will not have a job, but I will try and at least get a 2nd tier bottle.

[R3C]

If you move up early, you'll be supplied with champagne.

[Goemon]

You guys should get some of these for your festivities. It would look like d-day.

[R3C]

Nice!

[Bill Drayton Jr.]

Here are a few more French nicetys - lead nicetys that is:

[Bill Drayton Jr.]

oh yeah...those things weigh 11oz a piece...

[R3C]

Those will work nicely. Here are a couple places that I noticed have some very cool stuff, however, they are way more than I'd want to pay (at least currently)

http://www.smallislandtrader.com/cgi-bi ... ?E+trader2

http://www.midnightsun-designs.com/default.asp

I really like the stuff at Midnight Sun. Go into the stemware section and check out some of the flutes.

[R3C]

My favorites from the Midnight Sun page:

Andromeda
Difference
Dizzy Diamond
Helena
Imperial
Intermezzo
Kungsholm
Neptune
Prelude
Victoria

[Bill Drayton Jr.]

slight correction there j3rk:

Nicholas Feuiatte Cuvée Palmes

is actually

Nicolas Feuillatte 1996 Grande Cuvee Palmes d'Or

It is yet to be secured though - hopefully they still have the two left that I saw a week or so ago...

[Bill Drayton Jr.]

yes I like the waterford stemware as well but it was $30-$40 per flute at Macy's and I'd rather spend the cash on champagne...at least for right now while I am in my current financial situation...

[R3C]

As would I. Nice glasses are good to have, but they're only there to hold what we're really interested in.

[enderzero]

Oooooohhh, I found a Veuve Clicquot La Grande Dame that is older than I am. But this might be more in my price range.

[R3C]

There's just no denying how good Cristalino is. The fragrent aromas, the crisp, dry taste... ...to spit up, spit out, step on, kick, poop on (if you're into that sort of thing) etc.

Any decent bottle will do. I like the low end Roederer, and at $19 a bottle, you really can't go wrong there. How much was that Perrier Jouet that you brought last year? That was very good if you ask me. I liked that Laurent Perrier that you got for me as well. In fact, I'm wondering where the glasses from that gift set went. They must be in my Martini/Champagne glass cupboard. I forgot all about that. Someone also needs to bring the obligatory bottle of Jordan. It's cheap and fairly good. Perhaps I'll grab one. Based on the bottles we already have, I'd say it won't be hard to top 2002. We really only need one more top-end bottle, and we'll have 02 beat. The Pol Roger that Seth got supposedly crushes Cristal into little pieces. I also have high hopes for La Grande Dame, and Rixler's crazy Red-box-scissors-included-champagne-blast-extravaganza. We all know the Perignon is good, so there's no mystery there.

SpidermonX: Have you emptied all those bottles yet? "What are you talking about? We never went to Pete's!!"

[McNevin]

I brought the jordan last year, should i bring one again?

[R3C]

That's a big 10-4 Admiral.

[spidermonkey]

At Pete's
Couldn't help it
Bought
1 bottle 1997 Bollinger
La Grande Annee
Perhaps it will antialias the edges between what we have been buying and the Veuve Clicquot to be bought

[R3C]

Nice! I haven't decided yet what my second bottle will be.

[Bill Drayton Jr.]

I am going to have to advise Seth on a couple more purchases I think...Also I have visited Whole Foods(my secret champagne shop) again today and they have increased there stock of champagne considerably as well as dropping the price on a few. They have a bottle of Charlie there too for $139... the prices there are not bad but not as good as Pete's is in Seattle... I think SpidMonx got a 96 Dom for $106 and Whole Foods sells a 98 for $134...the 96 is supposed to be better than the 98 though so... Anyway Whole Foods seems to have an additional selection from Pete's I mean there is some overlap but they have some stuff I don't remember seeing at Pete's but there were so many different bottles over there it's hard to say... They do however have some upper UPPER teir stuff that we have not ever had because it's ridiculously priced. Like I would be curious as to what a $349 bottle of Cristal Brut Rose is like - they do have it though...

[Bill Drayton Jr.]

oh forgot to mention that they have a bottle of Feuillatte for $50 that scored a 95 on the wine spectator scale...don't remember the name though but might be worth picking up...

[Bill Drayton Jr.]

oh Cristal drama:

WE REFUSE TO CARRY CRISTAL ANYMORE DUE TO THE UNETHICAL PRACTICES OF THE IMPORTER OF THIS CHAMPAGNE. WE DO RECOMMEND SOME OF THE OTHER PRESTIGIOUS CHAMPAGNE HOUSES SUCH AS KRUG, POL ROGER, VEUVE CLIQUOT, OR TATTINGER.

[Bill Drayton Jr.]

Oh forgot!

crazy idea...Whole foods has some expensive bottles of beer made using the same techniques as champagne thus they are costly...They have a bottle of beer for $44...curious eh?

[spidermonkey]

Curious indeed...

[Billybobjobecky]

Not to be a smart ass, but is there some sort of shortage of champagne in the Northwest that warrants this sort of stock piling?

[R3C]

No shortage. Just something we've been doing for new year's eve for a few years. We just sample champagnes until we have trouble standing, and 3nd3r starts playing bad music.

[enderzero]

You put enough expensive fermented grape juice down my gullet and there is no telling what I will put on. It could be worse... you never know when McNevin will go nuts with the GNR.