Champagne recommendations

[mef]

G'day fellow FOH members

With the festive season just around the corner, I hope fellow FOH can share some of their favourite champagne and cigar pairing recommendations.

Thanks

mef:ok:

[Ken Gargett]

pretty much any you can grab, i always think. had a philliponnat clos des goisses 1990 yesterday (actually had a dozen different vintages so not a bad day - the 90 was the one that screamed cigar, though the 1982 would work). i thought it and a siglo vi would have been heaven. the 98 krug released this weekend here and i reckon it wll be a cracker - try anything.

let me know what you find works.

i have posted this before but richard geoffroy, the brilliant winemaker who is in charge of dom, is mad keen on matching dom and cigars and has undertaken extensive tests (i have some of the results somewhere but not at home at the moment). he has worked out the best cigar match for every dom (now that would be a job i could handle). and he keeps testing as they change as each dom gets more mature.

[Colt45]

This might not be exactly what you're looking for, but......

I'm a fan of the bubbles, but usually spend half the $$ and go with a good prosecco.

My current faves are from Carpenè Malvolti and De Faveri - both brut.

We do have some Champagne connoisseurs here - I believe Owl is one, and of course

KG. I think our host drinks quite a bit of champagne as well, but then again, I think he

drinks quite a bit, period.

I'm sure others will be able to help.

[anacostiakat]

» This might not be exactly what you're looking for, but......

»

» I'm a fan of the bubbles, but usually spend half the $$ and go with a good

» prosecco.

» My current faves are from Carpenè Malvolti and De Faveri - both brut.

»

» We do have some Champagne connoisseurs here - I believe Owl is one, and of

» course

» KG. I think our host drinks quite a bit of champagne as well, but then

» again, I think he

» drinks quite a bit, period.

»

» I'm sure others will be able to help.

Interesting. I am not much of a fan.

I usually buy Spanish Cava around the holidays. Very cost effective. :-D

[Colt45]

» Interesting. I am not much of a fan.

»

» I usually buy Spanish Cava around the holidays. Very cost effective. :-D

Kat, I've only ever tried inexpensive Cava, and enjoy it for what it is. As a big fan of Spanish wine

in general (been drinking the 2000 Campo Viejo Gran Reserva as of late), I'm sure I'd love the

better Cavas.

If you haven't tried them, the proseccos I mentioned are in the U.S. $20 range, and I've found

them to be a nice alternative to the average Champagne.

[GP012]

99% of the stuff I drink is sub $20. The only higher dollar value I can recommend is Pol Roger Brut NV at ~ $50. It's absolutely splendid with 03 SW's, and PR is said to be Churchill's favorite champagne producer.

Sub $20, I've had excellent luck with Lucien Albrecht Cremant D'Alsace Blanc de Blanc. Roederer Estate Brut NV is a decent California sparkling, although sometimes a bit on the sweet side.

I also just picked up a $19 bottle of Mumm Napa Brut Prestige based on a recommendation.

Oh, if you have the means... 1996 Krug.

[CIGARHead]

I agree Ross. A nice Prosecco pairs superbly with a cigar. I like the subtle sweetness of apples that Zardetto Prosecco offers. It matches a cigar perfectly, and you do not break the bank.

[Ken Gargett]

PR is said to be Churchill's favorite champagne producer.

first, completely agree re 96 krug. i think it the greatest champagne released in my lifetime.

re churchill, PR very much his favourite. long connection. proposed to one of the daughters (unsuccessfully). named his horse pol roger. drank tons of the stuff. (he drank so much champers that they made a special size for him - he liked to drink it in the mornings and wife clemmie objected to a full bottle and he refused to stop at a half so the champagne makers brought in the pint - it lasted for years until red tape from brussels refused to allow it). when he died, pol put a black band around all NV destined for england. not sure if it is still there. pol named their flagship after him. it goes on.

my fave story was re his son (i think - randall?) who was involved in the negotiations for rhodesia/zimbabwe.

when asked as he left heathrow, how long the negotiations would last, re replied 30 days.

when asked how he knew that, he replied, 'because i am only bringing 30 bottles of pol'!

[The Wise Old owl]

I think Mumms Cordon Rouge is a good match for a cigar, it has a peppery air to it and seems to compliment a cigar very well. You can buy six bottles of it too, for what one bottle of '96 Krug costs... :crying:

I'd love to hear more about the matching of Dom and various cigars...

[Colt45]

» I agree Ross. A nice Prosecco pairs superbly with a cigar.

Austin! I hope business is going well for you given the current state of the economy.

I'll keep my eyes open for the Zardetto.

[kmax]

I like Veuve Clicquot La Grande Dame and and the NV as well. But then again I dont have much experience with champagne.

[Vinny]

as Ken said, siglo VI is a sure pick with a lot of champ's.

But if you need a champ with caracter that doesn't cost as much as the Krug 96 :-D

you can go with Bollinger la Grande cuvée 1999. Beautiful champagne!

Then I can only agree with Pol Roger, which is for me the best "average" champagen available.

On the more delicate and elegant side, you have a brand called Billecart Salmon. The Brut 1998 for example is a millesime blanc de blanc which will do fine with a SW or an esplendidos.

hips!! :-P cheers

[Ken Gargett]

agree very much re bolly 99 and pol.

[havanaclub7]

I agree 100% about the Mumm Cordon Rouge. It's my standard Champer and can be had for under $30 if you shop right. I've had Dom with cigars on a few occasions. To be honest, I paired Dom with Davidoff Anniversarios and Double <>s before I started with Cuban Cigars. I'd also bet Cristal would match well with cigars. It typically has a heavier body than other champers which would match well with cigars -- especailly anything that's pretty creamy. I also think that Krug, Bollinger and Tattinger would pair well with some cigars for the same reason. You can get good non-vintage Bollinger and Tattinger in the $40 range if you shop right.

I'm not sure about the cigar pairings, but you can also find N/V Champers like Piper Heidsieck, Nicholas Feuillatte and Duval Leroy for under $30 a bottle. All three are respectable champagnes and the N/V Duval Leroy has even made the Wine Spectator Top 100 list with scores around 93 points (if you care about ratings).

[Vinny]

talking about under 40$ champ's if you can find any kind of Vollereaux (which I sadly doubt, but you never know...) it'll be my guess you'll not be disappointed!

[Guibou]

I have to admit i was worried for a minute you would not mention Vollereaux ;-) !

Not sure if Ken tasted it yet, but Rob did, that's for sure :-D !

[anacostiakat]

» » Interesting. I am not much of a fan.

» »

» » I usually buy Spanish Cava around the holidays. Very cost effective.

» :-D

»

» Kat, I've only ever tried inexpensive Cava, and enjoy it for what it is.

» As a big fan of Spanish wine

» in general (been drinking the 2000 Campo Viejo Gran Reserva as of late),

» I'm sure I'd love the

» better Cavas.

»

» If you haven't tried them, the proseccos I mentioned are in the U.S. $20

» range, and I've found

» them to be a nice alternative to the average Champagne.

My local beverage store carries both La Tordero and Zardetto that I know of for sure. They are both under twenty bucks.

[koolhandk]

This is a great thread so much information. Thanks to all.

[aavkk]

» I agree Ross. A nice Prosecco pairs superbly with a cigar. I like the

» subtle sweetness of apples that Zardetto Prosecco offers. It matches a

» cigar perfectly, and you do not break the bank.

Haha! Zardetto- 2 months ago they stock boy accidentally loaded a case into my truck. I bought 2 cases and when they loaded them onto his hand cart to take out to my car he loaded all 3 including the Zardetto on the bottom. Of course my wife and I didnt notice until we got home 35 minutes away. Everything tastes better when its free!

[mef]

» This is a great thread so much information. Thanks to all.

Many thanks to all that 've suggested and contributed. I'm still trying to get my head around all the suggestions and info. I've some NV stocked up for Christmas pairing, trying not to break the bank

I agreed with fellow member's opinion on Mumm Cordon Rouge. I paired that with R&J LE 2007 and PLPC. The fruitiness helps to balance the younger R&J.

Maybe for the ladies, but I enjoyed the Moet & Chandon Brut Rose.

Please keep the suggestions and info rolling in. So much to learn.

Cheers

mef

[CIGARHead]

» » I agree Ross. A nice Prosecco pairs superbly with a cigar.

»

» Austin! I hope business is going well for you given the current state of

» the economy.

» I'll keep my eyes open for the Zardetto.

Hey Ross!....hope to be posting more and more - just been busy. Business has been pretty good. We are gearing up right now for the new season....and negotiating contracts:angry:

[Vinny]

talking about vollereaux... ;-) this is a bottle of la cuvée marguerite, which is the millésime from vollereaux. You will not believe if i tell you it's only 45$ and it is surely a high standard champagne! re hips!!

[bassman]

I'm not a big Champaigne fan, but do like Bollinger. For trivia fans, this was the Champaigne James Bond drank in his early movies.

[tsolomon]

Another vote for Prosecco over champagne! If I had to drink champagne, then the Veuve Clicqout would be high on my list.