Key Post: Good Champagne

Hi guys,

I am looking for a good champagne to buy for christmas. My knowledge extends to Moet and Chandon, Dom Perignon and Veuve Cliquot(?).

I have a about €80 to €100 to spend on a good bottle/ bottles. I am in France at the Moment and have seen 98/96 vintage Dom between €85 and €115. Could I bo better in Ireland?

Any recommendations? Price and location if possible.

Re: Good Champagne

If you're in France pick up your Champagne there. Duty on fizz in Ireland is astronomical in comparison with France. I have it on good authority that the best Champers is Krug but I'm sure that there are so many variations, & vintages etc that this is a bit of a generalisation.
There is no way you'll do better here in Ireland for Champagne so I suggest you pick up a bottle of Krug, Dom or Cristal over there & save you self a few quid.! Enjoy.

Re: Good Champagne

Bollinger is also good...although I can never get Joanna Lumley's character from out of my head when i buy it..."A lovely bottle of Bolly dahling"

Re: Good Champagne

Maybe get a few bottles of Laurent Perrier Rose (aka Pink Champagne) - the ladies favourite!

Re: Good Champagne

Dom Perignon and Veuve Cliquot are both held in pretty high esteem. And — as Debasser says — the price in France will be a fraction of what you'd pay here. Drop into a 'proper' wine shop (Nicolas, etc.) rather than a supermarket; if you're going to spend that much on a bottle, you should get the experts' advice. Of course, you could then go back to supermarket and see if they have what you want at a better price... — but supermarkets will tend to carry mostly the cheaper end of the market.

[Edit: I see Krug Grande Cuvée for €125 on the Nicolas website — that's incl. delivery within France, so presumably it should be cheaper over the counter.]

Re: Good Champagne

hi itchy..see this from rte's afternoon show..hope it helps..

TOM DOORLEY'S CHAMPAGNE CHRISTMAS
Tom Doorley is back with us to talk about Champagne and other bubbly drinks for the Christmas holiday! The four bottles he recommends are:
. Jacob's Creek Sparkling Chardonnay/Pinot - €12.95 (€2 off until the 3rd January - €10.95) - From Tesco.
. Marcel Pierre Champagne NV - €19.99 - exclusive to Superquinn.
. Lanvin Champagne Brut NV - €19.99 - exclusive to Dunne's Stores.
. Beaumont de Crayeres Champagne 1998 - €35 - exclusive to O'Brien's.

Re: Good Champagne

Tesco own brand won a major award recently much to the wine buffs dismay

Re: Good Champagne

I was kinda looking for something a bit more flashy than Tesco!!

Ill definitly look in to all of the above tomorrow all the same.

Re: Good Champagne

Some nice gift ideas here, too... (this would be my choice )

Re: Good Champagne

Talked to the wine guy in the office and he shared his recommendations....

Got the Dom Perignon 96 in the end (admittedly a bit to do with the flash factor!!) €99.90.
His second choice was the Krug DrM, it was €98
Bottle of M&C Rosé was €31.40

Was also told the Bollinger NV was better than the vintage... go figure!!
Couldnt find any of those bottles smiley.
Dom Ruinart came highly recommended aswell DrM.

All prices were in E. Leclerc, if you are in France...

Ill let you know how the taste test goes in the new year...if i am let!!!

Re: Good Champagne

Sunday times ran a article on bubble few months ago. Cant really help as i cant remember the details but maybe they have a website. Can remember them stating that some really good cheaper brands were top sellers.

Re: Good Champagne

Itchy said:

Got the Dom Perignon 96 in the end (admittedly a bit to do with the flash factor!!) €99.90

Click to expand...

Nice one — I bet you would have paid over €200 for it here. Enjoy!

Re: Good Champagne

This is kind of a plug, but since a friend of mine came back from a year spent in Champagne and set up www.champers.ie, we've been using them. Their Louis De Sacy champagne is top quality and stocked in Patrick Guilbaud's and Thornton's restaurants. It's from a small vineyard in the Champagne region and might make a more interesting gift that the usual big names.

Re: Good Champagne

If you are looking for top quality champagne, Salon is one of the most sought after. I think its the only estate in champagne that only produces in vintage years. On non-vintage years they don't produce anything at all! Should be around the €100 mark for a 95 vintage.

Re: Good Champagne

if going to france, try to get deveaux champagne, had it for our wedding and the hotel owner was very impressed with it. It was lovely, plan to go back next year and stock up again, it holds well and tastes lovely..you can buy it for around 17 euro's a bottle of the wine merchants over there.