Like much of the world, I watched the Royal Wedding yesterday. I had joked with some friends that I would have a glass of something bubbly with me right from the start, but to be honest, it was a little early for me. So I drank my Diet Coke through the ceremony, and then caved in and opened the bubbles for the balcony scenes later in the day. I toasted the happy couple with an American sparkler, Roederer Estate's Quartet, a 70/30 chardonnay/pinot noir blend. It is a favourite of mine, and had toasted nut aromas, biscuity flavours, and lots and lots of bubbles. I got this bottle from Ocado for £20, and I have to say, it was good value.
Kate and Wills served their wedding guests non-vintage Pol Roger, which wouldn't have been my first choice. While the champagne house has a long-standing relationship with the UK (and with Winston Churchill in particular), it surprised me that the couple went with a French champagne. With all of the talk on the news coverage about the wedding day showcasing 'brand GB' and with discussions of the food menu centred on how much of it was locally sourced or sourced from one of the Royal estates, you would have thought they'd serve British bubbles!!
Saturday, 30 April 2011
Thursday, 28 April 2011
Reasonable Pricing
I tried Nyetimber sparkling wines many years ago when they first came out. I liked them back then, and was surprised at what good quality these English sparklers were. But then they started winning awards and then the prices went up - towards £30 a bottle. And while the wines were good, I can get other interesting and just-as-good sparkling wines and champagnes for less money, so I stopped drinking Nyetimber.
Ocado was running a special on Nyetimber this week, putting the price closer to the £20 mark, so I bought a bottle of the Classic Cuvee 2006, a chardonnay, pinot noir, pinot meunier blend. It surprised me how good it was, very close in style to a French champagne. It had a yeasty, frangipane-scented aroma, with lots of crisp lemon and apple flavour. There was just a touch of sweetness on the finish. The bubbles were also good, lots of them and lasting through the glass. It didn't have the long finish of some of the French champagnes I've had in the £20 range, but it's very well balanced and a great sparkling wine at this price range.
If it's still on special the next time I'm on Ocado, I'll be buying a few more bottles. But I still wouldn't splash out on it at its 'normal' price.
Ocado was running a special on Nyetimber this week, putting the price closer to the £20 mark, so I bought a bottle of the Classic Cuvee 2006, a chardonnay, pinot noir, pinot meunier blend. It surprised me how good it was, very close in style to a French champagne. It had a yeasty, frangipane-scented aroma, with lots of crisp lemon and apple flavour. There was just a touch of sweetness on the finish. The bubbles were also good, lots of them and lasting through the glass. It didn't have the long finish of some of the French champagnes I've had in the £20 range, but it's very well balanced and a great sparkling wine at this price range.
If it's still on special the next time I'm on Ocado, I'll be buying a few more bottles. But I still wouldn't splash out on it at its 'normal' price.
Tuesday, 26 April 2011
Lovely Weekend
The weather couldn't have been more perfect this weekend, and to top it off, we spent much of it with friends. It was the ultimate combination of sunshine and great company!
On Sunday, we had some friends over for a lunchtime BBQ, which was very laid back and relaxed. For an aperitif, we served an English sparkling wine, Gusbourne Brut Reserve 2006, Jancis Robinson's top-rated English sparkler. This wine is a classic champagne blend of chardonnay, pinot noir, and pinot meunier. It was pleasant enough - emulating the French-style champagnes but not quite achieving the same kind of yeasty richness or balance of the best of them. That said, it had very good bubbles and made a nice aperitif. It sadly just wasn't very memorable, the kind of thing you drink and say "that was nice" but that you don't feel the need to track down or serve again.
Our friend brought an American bottle of bubbly with him, Beringer Sparkling Zinfandel Rose - which we served for dessert with our mixed berry shortcake. The wine was a great match to the dessert, with a huge, fizzy, in-your-face berry flavour. Like many American sparklers, this was sweeter than the bubbles I usually drink, so I'm not sure I would have liked it on its own. But perfectly chilled, it was a great go-with-dessert wine for the hot weather.
On Monday, we went for a pub lunch with some friends, and then took advantage of the lingering sunshine with a wander through our local park. When we got home, to toast the closing of the holiday weekend, we opened the last of the English sparkling wines we had in the house, Camel Valley Brut 2008. I've had the 2007 vintage before and really liked it, and the 2008 didn't disappoint, either. Unlike the Gusbourne we had drunk the day before, the Camel Valley was a memorable wine. It had wonderful, nectar fruit flavours of apricots, peach, and passion fruit. It also had non-stop bubbles, which lightened the rich flavours. Of the three British sparklers we drank this weekend, this was by-far my favourite. I'm heading over to the Camel Valley website so that I can buy and try some more from this vineyard.
On Sunday, we had some friends over for a lunchtime BBQ, which was very laid back and relaxed. For an aperitif, we served an English sparkling wine, Gusbourne Brut Reserve 2006, Jancis Robinson's top-rated English sparkler. This wine is a classic champagne blend of chardonnay, pinot noir, and pinot meunier. It was pleasant enough - emulating the French-style champagnes but not quite achieving the same kind of yeasty richness or balance of the best of them. That said, it had very good bubbles and made a nice aperitif. It sadly just wasn't very memorable, the kind of thing you drink and say "that was nice" but that you don't feel the need to track down or serve again.
Our friend brought an American bottle of bubbly with him, Beringer Sparkling Zinfandel Rose - which we served for dessert with our mixed berry shortcake. The wine was a great match to the dessert, with a huge, fizzy, in-your-face berry flavour. Like many American sparklers, this was sweeter than the bubbles I usually drink, so I'm not sure I would have liked it on its own. But perfectly chilled, it was a great go-with-dessert wine for the hot weather.
On Monday, we went for a pub lunch with some friends, and then took advantage of the lingering sunshine with a wander through our local park. When we got home, to toast the closing of the holiday weekend, we opened the last of the English sparkling wines we had in the house, Camel Valley Brut 2008. I've had the 2007 vintage before and really liked it, and the 2008 didn't disappoint, either. Unlike the Gusbourne we had drunk the day before, the Camel Valley was a memorable wine. It had wonderful, nectar fruit flavours of apricots, peach, and passion fruit. It also had non-stop bubbles, which lightened the rich flavours. Of the three British sparklers we drank this weekend, this was by-far my favourite. I'm heading over to the Camel Valley website so that I can buy and try some more from this vineyard.
Sunday, 24 April 2011
Great Expectations
I drank a lot of French champagne last year so I'm trying to drink a broader variety of geographies this year. I'm finding it difficult to acquire decent, non-French sparkling wines in the UK, though. Selfridges had a small selection of some of the better-rated (as per Jancis Robinson) British sparkling makers, so I bought a few bottles recently through their website.
Last night, we had BBQ sausages and mash for dinner, one of the ultimate British meals, so we opened a bottle of the British sparkling wine with it - Chapel Down Brut reserve. This wine is made from some unusual grapes, being a blend of Reichensteiner, Rivaner (a white wine grape that I really like), and Pinot Noir. I didn't really like this wine, though. It smelled strongly of yeast and tasted like apple-y beer. My husband was less bothered by it, saying that although it was slightly sweeter than the sparkling wines we tend to drink, it wasn't offensively sweet. Nor was it bitter or sour. While he didn't object to it, he didn't love it, either.
To be fair to Jancis Robinson, she recommended a 2007 vintage from this maker which Selfridges did not have. So I can't fault her recommendation for this wine being less than the one she tasted. But I have to say, based on my experience of this bottle, I wouldn't be keen to try more from Chapel Down.
Last night, we had BBQ sausages and mash for dinner, one of the ultimate British meals, so we opened a bottle of the British sparkling wine with it - Chapel Down Brut reserve. This wine is made from some unusual grapes, being a blend of Reichensteiner, Rivaner (a white wine grape that I really like), and Pinot Noir. I didn't really like this wine, though. It smelled strongly of yeast and tasted like apple-y beer. My husband was less bothered by it, saying that although it was slightly sweeter than the sparkling wines we tend to drink, it wasn't offensively sweet. Nor was it bitter or sour. While he didn't object to it, he didn't love it, either.
To be fair to Jancis Robinson, she recommended a 2007 vintage from this maker which Selfridges did not have. So I can't fault her recommendation for this wine being less than the one she tasted. But I have to say, based on my experience of this bottle, I wouldn't be keen to try more from Chapel Down.
Away from the Routine
Life has been a bit hectic of-late, so I've missed a few posts on champagnes that I've drunk - nothing new to report, but a few delicious bottles of Billecart-Salmon and Maison Lenique.
This weekend, though, with the holiday and the good weather, we've been trying a few new things so I'm compelled to blog again.
On Friday, we had some friends over for BBQ. They had given me a bottle of Perrier-Jouet Belle Epoque Millesime 2002 for my birthday a couple of years ago, and with great restraint, I waited to open it until we could find a nice day together in our garden. Friday was such a day, and it was totally worth the wait! The champagne, a chardonnay, pinot noir, pinot meunier blend, had a slightly floral, somewhat jasmine scent, very light and fresh. It had a much richer flavour, of ripe apples and biscuits, with an incredibly long finish. It also had non-stop bubbles, perfect for me. A fantastic gift, thank you very much!
My friends had also brought a bottle of Bruno Paillard NPU 1995 to try, so we opened that next. I wasn't sure what to expect, because I've only ever drunk the 1990 vintage of this maker, and while it tastes wonderful, it never has enough bubbles for me. Not the case with the 1995, which bubbled away happily in my glass, leaving me feeling much more favourably about this maker!! The 1995, a 50/50 split of chardonnay and pinot noir, lacked the amber-coloured richness of the 1990, but had a similar, well-rounded flavour with lots of orchard fruits and yeasty-goodness. My husband preferred it to the Perrier-Jouet that we had started with, saying that the Bruno Paillard wasn't as heavy on the palate.
In all, an excellent start to the weekend, and two stunning champagnes.
This weekend, though, with the holiday and the good weather, we've been trying a few new things so I'm compelled to blog again.
On Friday, we had some friends over for BBQ. They had given me a bottle of Perrier-Jouet Belle Epoque Millesime 2002 for my birthday a couple of years ago, and with great restraint, I waited to open it until we could find a nice day together in our garden. Friday was such a day, and it was totally worth the wait! The champagne, a chardonnay, pinot noir, pinot meunier blend, had a slightly floral, somewhat jasmine scent, very light and fresh. It had a much richer flavour, of ripe apples and biscuits, with an incredibly long finish. It also had non-stop bubbles, perfect for me. A fantastic gift, thank you very much!
My friends had also brought a bottle of Bruno Paillard NPU 1995 to try, so we opened that next. I wasn't sure what to expect, because I've only ever drunk the 1990 vintage of this maker, and while it tastes wonderful, it never has enough bubbles for me. Not the case with the 1995, which bubbled away happily in my glass, leaving me feeling much more favourably about this maker!! The 1995, a 50/50 split of chardonnay and pinot noir, lacked the amber-coloured richness of the 1990, but had a similar, well-rounded flavour with lots of orchard fruits and yeasty-goodness. My husband preferred it to the Perrier-Jouet that we had started with, saying that the Bruno Paillard wasn't as heavy on the palate.
In all, an excellent start to the weekend, and two stunning champagnes.
Tuesday, 12 April 2011
Homecoming
I was away from home for about 10 days - a lovely trip for me, but my poor husband was home alone dealing with a very sick dog. My return must have been a welcome relief for him, as the dog has been needing 24-7 care.
Somewhere in all of the drama, though, my husband found time to track down a couple of bottles of champagne for me. A long time ago, a friend gave me a great promotional apron from the Philipponnat brand. It's one of my favourite aprons, being the perfect length on me, with the exact right length ties for double-wrapping, and having a wonderful, nubby texture that picks up all of the bits from your fingers when you rub them on it. But I've never had Philipponnat champagne, and have always wanted to try it since owning the apron. My husband found two bottles.
The first one we tried was the 2002 Brut Reserve Millesimee, a 2/3 pinot noir, 1/3 chardonnay blend. This champagne really surprised us with never-ending bubbles and a toasted-nut finish. It was a very clean champagne, not very rich or rounded, but very drinkable.
The second champagne we tried (on a different night) was what I think was the 2004 Grand Blanc, made from 100% chardonnay. I say that I think this was a 2004 because the neck ring said 2004, but the label on the back of the bottle said it was a 2002. First time I've had this problem with labelling, but I'm guessing that what's on the front of the bottle is what's right. Anyway, this champagne was less successful than the first. It had a strong lemon-drop scent, which continued into the flavour, which was a very one-note, sour lemon. I didn't mind it so much, as I like tart lemon, but my husband had a hard time drinking this one - so much so that he poured out his glass. He also commented that, had this been his first experience with Philipponnat champagne, he wouldn't have drunk it again. Good thing we had tried a different cuvee the previous night.
In true champagne-loving fashion, to wash away the unpleasantness of the 2004 Philipponnat, my husband opened a bottle of Billecart-Salmon rose, knowing that he would love it and be very satisfied with it - and he was!
Somewhere in all of the drama, though, my husband found time to track down a couple of bottles of champagne for me. A long time ago, a friend gave me a great promotional apron from the Philipponnat brand. It's one of my favourite aprons, being the perfect length on me, with the exact right length ties for double-wrapping, and having a wonderful, nubby texture that picks up all of the bits from your fingers when you rub them on it. But I've never had Philipponnat champagne, and have always wanted to try it since owning the apron. My husband found two bottles.
The first one we tried was the 2002 Brut Reserve Millesimee, a 2/3 pinot noir, 1/3 chardonnay blend. This champagne really surprised us with never-ending bubbles and a toasted-nut finish. It was a very clean champagne, not very rich or rounded, but very drinkable.
The second champagne we tried (on a different night) was what I think was the 2004 Grand Blanc, made from 100% chardonnay. I say that I think this was a 2004 because the neck ring said 2004, but the label on the back of the bottle said it was a 2002. First time I've had this problem with labelling, but I'm guessing that what's on the front of the bottle is what's right. Anyway, this champagne was less successful than the first. It had a strong lemon-drop scent, which continued into the flavour, which was a very one-note, sour lemon. I didn't mind it so much, as I like tart lemon, but my husband had a hard time drinking this one - so much so that he poured out his glass. He also commented that, had this been his first experience with Philipponnat champagne, he wouldn't have drunk it again. Good thing we had tried a different cuvee the previous night.
In true champagne-loving fashion, to wash away the unpleasantness of the 2004 Philipponnat, my husband opened a bottle of Billecart-Salmon rose, knowing that he would love it and be very satisfied with it - and he was!
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