Can anyone recommend a good champagne?

Question

I am looking for a good vintage, for a family occasion. I would like to spend upto about £50 roughly. I know places like M&S and Tesco do 2001/2 vintage for about £20 but I am looking for something a little more special. Can anyone reccomend a good one, with a reasonable price tag.

Answer 1

I would recommend that you go for a decent vintage from a smaller producer. For most occasions when someone is asking me for a Vintage Champagne recommendation it is because they want the guests to be impressed. Möet, Veuve Cliquot, Bollinger (ie. things you see on a supermarket shelf) just don't cut it for that purpose.

Find something a little obscure and, more importantly, learn its provenance. A little bit of background knowledge goes a long way.

Don't be afraid to ask a wine merchant about the bottle, you won't look stupid. Quite the opposite. Somebody who just picks it up and wanders off often gives the impression that they don't really care about the wine.

My favourite prestige cuvée at the moment is Montaudon Classe 'M' which retails at around £30 from Vintage Wines Ltd. 0115 941 9614.

Another possibility would be anything from Champagne Gosset. This is a slightly larger and better known house but still in the lower price brackets and with impressive presentation and excellent quality, available from Berry Bros and Rudd 01256 323 566.

Please contact me if you would like any further advice.

Edward Mainwaring-Burton

Answer 2

Veuve Cliquot Vintage

Answer 3

First, are your guests used to drinking Champagne? At a family 'do' my father.in-law passed the wine card to his second son, who had done a catering course. He chose the most expensive Champagne on the list. I think It was a Moet vintage and sec. I asked him what he had chosen. I then said, 'I'm the only person who will appreciate that, and since I'm pregnant, I can't drink more than one glass.' We settled on a Veuve Cliquot non-vintage demi-sec, which was proclaimed the best Champagne the rest of the party had ever tasted.
On the occasion of my 40th birthday, a friend said she would bring the Champagne. She brought in one bottle, and displayed the label to all the guests. My husband, myself, her husband and herself had Champagne from this bottle. She then served the rest of the guests, having covered the label with a napkin. This was actually a much cheaper Champagne. I heard one of my guests remark to another, 'This is a really good Champagne.'

My point is that there is no point paying over the odds for a Champagne that no one will really appreciate, and might not even like!

Answer 4

Lenoble Vintage Champagne 1982
From the outstanding 1982 vintage, this delicious champagne is fresh, steely, with lemon and tropical fruits. It is very delicate yet full-bodied. Robert Parker states "The Domaine A. R. Lenoble proved to be an exciting discovery. As I have frequently written, one of the more positive developments in Champagne is the number of small domaines that are getting recognition for the high quality of their selections.There is room for some of the small estates, particularly those offering wine with a quality/price rapport such as Domaine A. R. Lenoble."
Drink now - 2010.

This vintage Champagne is shipped in a deluxe silk lined hinged presentation box with four wine accessories (corkscrew, wine pourer, drip stopper & wine stopper) [worth £14.99] at no extra cost.
Price: £49.99




Georges Gardet Brut Vintage Champagne 1988
From the outstanding 1988 vintage, this champagne is elegant and lively with crisp, toasty pear and spice flavours that are intense until the finish. Drink now - 2010.

This vintage Champagne is shipped in a deluxe silk lined hinged presentation box with four wine accessories (corkscrew, wine pourer, drip stopper & wine stopper) [worth £14.99] at no extra cost.
Price: £52.99

Answer 5

2000/01 Vintage champagne should not really be drunk yet. You would need to go back to 1998 or before to start getting champagne that you should be drinking now.
The web-link below will give you the vintage chart, and if you click on the rating number underlined in blue it should tell you what they have available.

Answer 6

Laurent Perrier Rose is the best Champagne around that price taste wise. I used to manage a wine bar and this was the general con-census from managers and customers

Answer 7

Veuve Cliquot
mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!

Answer 8

Personally I think Champagne is over-rated - any Methode Champenoise wine is aften just as good and much cheaper. (not Vin Mousseux though which is just fizzed up wine.) You could get 8 bottles of decent Cava for £50.

Answer 9

Dom Perignon is my fave for a special occasion, however, a very good very reasonably priced, is Korbel Naturel. It is absolutely fantastic. It is very light, but wonderful. Champaign doesn't have to be French to be good. Try it.

Answer 10

I am a bit of a Bolly fan but then again I have expensive tastes!!
It can be hard at times living a champagne lifestyle on beer wages!!! lol.