We tried a few new things in March:
Two of them were British sparklers, both from The Wine Pantry. One wasn't so much totally new; rather, a new variety of something we like - the 2003 Blanc de Blancs from Nyetimber. This was very good, not surprising as we like this maker. It smelled very yeasty, with my husband saying it smelled heavily of the must of the grapes. It was very clean and fresh, though, with a lingering, lemony finish and lots of bubbles. As always with Nyetimber, it was a bit pricey for what it was (mid £30s), but worth drinking.
On the other end of the British taste spectrum, we also had the Herbert Hall 2010 Brut, predominantly chardonnay mixed with pinot noir and pinot meunier. I was not a fan, despite the plentiful bubbles, as this wine was very unpolished and very raw tasting, much like a light cider. It gets good reviews against other English wines, but don't let this fool you. It doesn't compare to a French champagne the way Nyetimber does.
The third wine was a bit of a surprise - wait for it - a 2008 vintage brut German sparkling red pinot noir from Vaux, which my husband picked up at The Winery. What was he thinking, this had the potential for absolute disaster!? German red wine? And German brut, which is never really brut? And German bubbles? Well, don't tell him I wrote this, but my husband is a genius, this wine was a lovely surprise. It was bruter than brut, not a speck of sugary-ness to it despite its strawberry start and ripe apple finish. The bubbles were fine, lasting through both the glass and the bottle. As for the redness...this wine held up to food, but was equally good being sipped on its own. At just shy of £30 a bottle, this is definitely one to try if you can find it.
Showing posts with label pinot meunier. Show all posts
Showing posts with label pinot meunier. Show all posts
Wednesday, 3 April 2013
Saturday, 6 October 2012
September report
We drank from all over the map in September...
First up was an English sparkler, Coates & Seely blanc de blancs. I had high hopes for this wine, as I really like the rose from this maker. The blanc de blancs has a nice flavour, with orchard fruits and a touch of yeast, and very good balance, but not enough bubbles. I prefer the rose.
From there, we went to Australia, with Grant Burge pinot noir chardonnay that we bought from our new local wine shop. I was very excited that this shop has loads of things that you don't see every day! This wine tasted of very ripe pears, with just a hint of sweetness at the mid-palate, but a very clean finish. The disappointing thing was that even though you could see loads of bubbles in your glass, they didn't have any structure in your mouth, so the wine itself was more effervescent than bubbly. But it was a good deal at £12.
Next up, France, with Charles de Fere Jean-Louis Brut, again from our local wine shop. This is technically a sparkling wine rather than a champagne, and again, lacked the sort of bubbles that I really like. But the flavour was excellent, loads of apple and a touch of buttered toast at the finish. And again, another real bargain at £9 for the bottle. This sort of wine really makes you wonder what the English sparkling makers are thinking when they price their wines at £20+, as in a blind tasting, the Charles de Fere would trounce most of them at less than half the price!
Back to England, with Henners 2009, a traditional chardonnay, pinot noir, pinot meunier blend. This wasn't a very memorable wine, perfectly drinkable, but nothing stand-out-ish about it. And again, not enough bubbles.
We concluded the month, though, with a wine with plenty of fizz, enough to keep me happy! This was Alamos extra brut, a chadonnay/pinot noir blend from Argentina, again purchased at my new local. We really like the new local : ) My husband found this wine a little acidic, with tart apple flavours. While it wasn't as well-balanced as the other wines we had drunk in September, for me, the bubbles made up for it. And again, around a £10 price point, you can't go wrong.
It's so nice to get these empty bottles off of my kitchen counter...I really must find the time to blog more often.
First up was an English sparkler, Coates & Seely blanc de blancs. I had high hopes for this wine, as I really like the rose from this maker. The blanc de blancs has a nice flavour, with orchard fruits and a touch of yeast, and very good balance, but not enough bubbles. I prefer the rose.
From there, we went to Australia, with Grant Burge pinot noir chardonnay that we bought from our new local wine shop. I was very excited that this shop has loads of things that you don't see every day! This wine tasted of very ripe pears, with just a hint of sweetness at the mid-palate, but a very clean finish. The disappointing thing was that even though you could see loads of bubbles in your glass, they didn't have any structure in your mouth, so the wine itself was more effervescent than bubbly. But it was a good deal at £12.
Next up, France, with Charles de Fere Jean-Louis Brut, again from our local wine shop. This is technically a sparkling wine rather than a champagne, and again, lacked the sort of bubbles that I really like. But the flavour was excellent, loads of apple and a touch of buttered toast at the finish. And again, another real bargain at £9 for the bottle. This sort of wine really makes you wonder what the English sparkling makers are thinking when they price their wines at £20+, as in a blind tasting, the Charles de Fere would trounce most of them at less than half the price!
Back to England, with Henners 2009, a traditional chardonnay, pinot noir, pinot meunier blend. This wasn't a very memorable wine, perfectly drinkable, but nothing stand-out-ish about it. And again, not enough bubbles.
We concluded the month, though, with a wine with plenty of fizz, enough to keep me happy! This was Alamos extra brut, a chadonnay/pinot noir blend from Argentina, again purchased at my new local. We really like the new local : ) My husband found this wine a little acidic, with tart apple flavours. While it wasn't as well-balanced as the other wines we had drunk in September, for me, the bubbles made up for it. And again, around a £10 price point, you can't go wrong.
It's so nice to get these empty bottles off of my kitchen counter...I really must find the time to blog more often.
Monday, 10 September 2012
August round up - UK
I haven't had much time to blog, but don't want to forget what I drank in August. A few things that were ok but not worth repeating:
Finca Flichman Extra Brut, a rose from Argentina that I purchased in the US, an 80/20 Chardonnay/malbec blend. It didn't have enough bubbles for me, and while my husband knew that it wasn't made from traditional champagne grapes, he couldn't place the malbec. Different, but not 'wow'.
Comte de Lamotte brut, purchased at Majestic, a chardonnay, pinot noir, pinot meunier blend that my husband spotted at a sub £20 price. It was again perfectly ok, but not enough bubbles.
Nicolas Feuillatte 2005, a 100% chardonnay. This had crisp citrus flavours, but almost no fizz whatsoever, very disappointing if you love bubbles the way I do.
Ruinart NV, a blend of chardonnay and pinot noir. This again had very nice flavours, with lots of toast and yeast, but I would have liked more bubbles and expect them from champagnes at this price point.
Finca Flichman Extra Brut, a rose from Argentina that I purchased in the US, an 80/20 Chardonnay/malbec blend. It didn't have enough bubbles for me, and while my husband knew that it wasn't made from traditional champagne grapes, he couldn't place the malbec. Different, but not 'wow'.
Comte de Lamotte brut, purchased at Majestic, a chardonnay, pinot noir, pinot meunier blend that my husband spotted at a sub £20 price. It was again perfectly ok, but not enough bubbles.
Nicolas Feuillatte 2005, a 100% chardonnay. This had crisp citrus flavours, but almost no fizz whatsoever, very disappointing if you love bubbles the way I do.
Ruinart NV, a blend of chardonnay and pinot noir. This again had very nice flavours, with lots of toast and yeast, but I would have liked more bubbles and expect them from champagnes at this price point.
Wednesday, 1 August 2012
A New Old Favourite
I made tofu and rice for dinner the other night. I really like tofu and rice, but my poor husband...he'll eat it, but it's just not the same as meat and potatoes. He cheered immensely when I offered a glass of bubbles to go with it, especially as I had a bottle of 'the good stuff' in the fridge. We've been really impressed with Billecart-Salmon Brut Sous Bois, a blend of the traditional champagne grapes, chardonnay, pinot noir, and pinot meunier, aged in oak. The oak adds such a stunning richness to a champagne that we already love. On top of the usual clean and yeasty wine, there is a layer of dried apricot (without being sweet) and buttered, toasted nut bread. And the finish...wow...lingered forever, making us just want to drink more and more. It was such a good champagne for food, although not a great pairing with the grapefruit in the salad that I had also made, which was far too acidic for the depth of the wine. But champagne and tofu...a definite do-over. THIS champagne and tofu...made it a gourmet meal.
Wednesday, 25 July 2012
And The Winner Is...
We managed to save the best of the case from Sparkling English Wine till last...having liked the English Oak Chinkapin rose, we had set aside the Engelmann from the same producer. Smart move, as this bottle was really nice.
The wine is a traditional chardonnay, pinot noir, pinot meunier blend. It smelled yeasty and champagne-like, and tasted of toast and citrus fruits, with just a touch of vanilla on the finish. It had good bubbles, too. We really enjoyed it and thought it was well worth the £25 price.
Well done English Oak, I'll be drinking more of your wines...
The wine is a traditional chardonnay, pinot noir, pinot meunier blend. It smelled yeasty and champagne-like, and tasted of toast and citrus fruits, with just a touch of vanilla on the finish. It had good bubbles, too. We really enjoyed it and thought it was well worth the £25 price.
Well done English Oak, I'll be drinking more of your wines...
More Bad British
Two more from the Sparkling English Wine case that we didn't like:
The first was another 'undrinkable', Daws Hill 2008 Vintage Brut, a chadonnay, auxerrois, pinot noir, and pinot meunier blend. It surprised me how much I disliked this wine as it's been winning medals in UK sparkling wine competitions. But I guess now I know how seriously to take the awards that are being issued within the UK. This smelled of unwashed socks and stinky cheese, and had some really unripe and dirty green flavours to it that mercifully disappeared almost immediately from the tongue, leaving nothing behind. Because it's such a fleeting moment of bad and then nothing, you could use this sparkling wine for cocktails (which is what we did with part of it) - but for what this wine costs, you'd be better off buying a decent cava for a third of the price.
The second was another 'too sweet', Plumpton Estate The Dean, a pinot noir/chardonnay blend. This wine had overripe apple flavours with a bitter, burnt-nut finish, not very well balanced and too sweet for my taste. If you're still interested in trying it, you can buy it for a couple of pounds less through Waitrose Wine than I bought it for through Sparkling English Wines.
The first was another 'undrinkable', Daws Hill 2008 Vintage Brut, a chadonnay, auxerrois, pinot noir, and pinot meunier blend. It surprised me how much I disliked this wine as it's been winning medals in UK sparkling wine competitions. But I guess now I know how seriously to take the awards that are being issued within the UK. This smelled of unwashed socks and stinky cheese, and had some really unripe and dirty green flavours to it that mercifully disappeared almost immediately from the tongue, leaving nothing behind. Because it's such a fleeting moment of bad and then nothing, you could use this sparkling wine for cocktails (which is what we did with part of it) - but for what this wine costs, you'd be better off buying a decent cava for a third of the price.
The second was another 'too sweet', Plumpton Estate The Dean, a pinot noir/chardonnay blend. This wine had overripe apple flavours with a bitter, burnt-nut finish, not very well balanced and too sweet for my taste. If you're still interested in trying it, you can buy it for a couple of pounds less through Waitrose Wine than I bought it for through Sparkling English Wines.
Monday, 9 July 2012
Drinkable
And now I'm happy to report on three wines from Sparkling English Wine that were entirely drinkable!! None of them have any finish, but that could almost be a plus, considering how overly sour or sweet the other bottles of wine from this case that we've tried have been.
The first was a rose - English Oak Chinkapin, a blend of chardonnay, pinot noir, and pinot meunier. It tasted of tart red berries, slightly under-ripe strawberries and red currants. I'm pleased that I bought a white version from this maker, I'm saving it as the last bottle to try from the case in the hope that it also doesn't disappoint.
The next was Upperton 2009 Nebula. Undoing the trend in my last post of not really liking the chardonnay/pinot noir blends, this was a pinot noir/chardonnay blend! It smelled of grapefruit and mint, with more orchard fruit flavours. Even though I know I'm not supposed to be influenced by these things, I liked the naming and labeling of this wine.
The last was Jenkyn Place 2008 Brut, a chardonnay, pinot noir, pinot meunier blend. This was the most champagne-like of the wines we've tried from this case, smelling and tasting of lemon drop candies. It had the best balance between sweet and tart, and if this had a decent finish, it would be a really good sparkling wine instead of just a drinkable one.
Notably, all of the wines had decent bubbles, always a good thing for me!
The first was a rose - English Oak Chinkapin, a blend of chardonnay, pinot noir, and pinot meunier. It tasted of tart red berries, slightly under-ripe strawberries and red currants. I'm pleased that I bought a white version from this maker, I'm saving it as the last bottle to try from the case in the hope that it also doesn't disappoint.
The next was Upperton 2009 Nebula. Undoing the trend in my last post of not really liking the chardonnay/pinot noir blends, this was a pinot noir/chardonnay blend! It smelled of grapefruit and mint, with more orchard fruit flavours. Even though I know I'm not supposed to be influenced by these things, I liked the naming and labeling of this wine.
The last was Jenkyn Place 2008 Brut, a chardonnay, pinot noir, pinot meunier blend. This was the most champagne-like of the wines we've tried from this case, smelling and tasting of lemon drop candies. It had the best balance between sweet and tart, and if this had a decent finish, it would be a really good sparkling wine instead of just a drinkable one.
Notably, all of the wines had decent bubbles, always a good thing for me!
Monday, 18 June 2012
Better, But Not Great
We tried another of the wines we got from Sparkling English Wine. This was Court Garden 2009 Classic Cuvee, a traditional blend of chardonnay, pinot noir, and pinot meunier. While this was better than the last two bottles of English bubbles that we tried, it still wasn't great.
On the plus side...it had plenty of bubbles. It smelled like grape soda, which both appealed to and worried me as I like grape soda, but find it very sweet. The wine itself wasn't too sweet, though, tasting of lemons and mint, with a touch of buttered toast.
The down side was a big one, though, as the wine was again incredibly acidic and somewhat bitter on the finish. We're just finding no balance so far in this batch of English sparkling wines, which is really discouraging as we keep hearing the PR about what great quality wines the UK-based makers are producing, but it's not consistently been our experience.
Like the others, this bottle was around the £20 mark (surprisingly, it was a couple of quid less expensive on the Sparkling English Wines website than on Court Garden's website), which I again thought was overpriced for the wine.
Three down, nine more to go...
On the plus side...it had plenty of bubbles. It smelled like grape soda, which both appealed to and worried me as I like grape soda, but find it very sweet. The wine itself wasn't too sweet, though, tasting of lemons and mint, with a touch of buttered toast.
The down side was a big one, though, as the wine was again incredibly acidic and somewhat bitter on the finish. We're just finding no balance so far in this batch of English sparkling wines, which is really discouraging as we keep hearing the PR about what great quality wines the UK-based makers are producing, but it's not consistently been our experience.
Like the others, this bottle was around the £20 mark (surprisingly, it was a couple of quid less expensive on the Sparkling English Wines website than on Court Garden's website), which I again thought was overpriced for the wine.
Three down, nine more to go...
Monday, 11 June 2012
Waiting to be Wow'ed
I've been on the hunt for some new kinds of bubbles to try, and came across the Sparkling English Wine website, which does what it says on the tin. It has a very large range of sparkling English wines on offer, with delivery free if you order 12 bottles. I ordered a mixed dozen from makers that I didn't know. This was rather brave of me, as the wine isn't cheap, with most bottles in the £20 or more price range. I still think English producers are rather cheeky in their pricing - they know that most people think that expensive = good quality. I know better, but took the risk anyway.
Two bottles in and I'm disappointed, not seeing a payoff on my risk yet. The first bottle we tried was the Danebury Cossack 2004, which is a blend of auxerrois and rulander grapes. I can only hope that the bottle I bought was off, as it was entirely undrinkable. It smelled like the damp sponge that sits next to my sink combined with overly cooked green veg, with a distinct hit of asparagus. It didn't taste much better, with an acidity that made my stomach churn. £20 poured down the sink.
The next bottle was somewhat better, although not by much. This was Terlingham Rose 2010, a classic blend of chardonnay, pinot noir, and pinot meunier grapes. It smelled of tart red fruits, currants and cranberry, with just a touch of yeastiness. It had some of the sweetness of the red fruit on the tongue, although again this was overwhelmed by the acidity of the wine. It was drinkable, but completely overpriced at another £20 for the bottle. There are nicer sparkling wines out there at half the price.
Hopefully there's something in that case that will wow me...
Postscript...a couple of weeks later, I noticed I had a bottle of Terlingham Rose 2009 in the case. I was surprised I had ordered two different vintages from the same maker, it's not like me, but I was quite busy when I placed the order and received the case, so I didn't check either through as thoroughly as usual. The wine wasn't much different from the 2010, though, still a strong acidity, so I used most of it to make a pot of chili rather than drink it.
Two bottles in and I'm disappointed, not seeing a payoff on my risk yet. The first bottle we tried was the Danebury Cossack 2004, which is a blend of auxerrois and rulander grapes. I can only hope that the bottle I bought was off, as it was entirely undrinkable. It smelled like the damp sponge that sits next to my sink combined with overly cooked green veg, with a distinct hit of asparagus. It didn't taste much better, with an acidity that made my stomach churn. £20 poured down the sink.
The next bottle was somewhat better, although not by much. This was Terlingham Rose 2010, a classic blend of chardonnay, pinot noir, and pinot meunier grapes. It smelled of tart red fruits, currants and cranberry, with just a touch of yeastiness. It had some of the sweetness of the red fruit on the tongue, although again this was overwhelmed by the acidity of the wine. It was drinkable, but completely overpriced at another £20 for the bottle. There are nicer sparkling wines out there at half the price.
Hopefully there's something in that case that will wow me...
Postscript...a couple of weeks later, I noticed I had a bottle of Terlingham Rose 2009 in the case. I was surprised I had ordered two different vintages from the same maker, it's not like me, but I was quite busy when I placed the order and received the case, so I didn't check either through as thoroughly as usual. The wine wasn't much different from the 2010, though, still a strong acidity, so I used most of it to make a pot of chili rather than drink it.
Wednesday, 22 February 2012
I Knew I Could Heart NY
Finally!! A sparkling wine from Chateau Frank that we liked - the 1999 Brut Prestige Cuvee, a classic champagne blend of chardonnay, pinot noir, and pinot meunier. The flavour of this wine was very nice, with rich apples, a bit of yeast, a little bit of hazelnut, and just a touch of slightly-sweet apricot. It didn't have anywhere near enough bubbles for me, but considering that I really wanted to find a like-able Chateau Frank sparkling wine, I can overlook that.
Monday, 26 December 2011
The Run-Up to Christmas
December always presents excellent opportunities for drinking bubbles. We had a number of interesting bottles to try, particularly a few that I acquired in my travels this year. I'll start with those:
From my home state of New York in the USA, I purchased a bottle of Chateau Frank 2004 Brut. To be honest, this was not my preferred purchase from this vineyard, as the blanc de noir is supposed to be the best that this maker offers. But I couldn't find this in my local shop, just the brut, which is a blend of the traditional champagne grapes of chardonnay, pinot noir, and pinot meunier. It was only OK, definitely not a classic champagne as it was overwhelmed with apple cider flavour and too much sweetness on the finish, very typical of an American sparkling wine. I'll keep trying this maker, though, both for the still wines they produce and for the elusive blanc de noir, which I'll have to order on-line.
Next were two from Canada - a mixed group. We really liked Gray Monk's Odyssey White Brut 2008, a riesling and chardonnay blend that had a wonderful citrus freshness to it and plenty of tiny bubbles (which was a surprise from all of the flatter Canadian sparkling wines that I'd tried in the past). It was incredibly refreshing, the sort of wine you just want to keep on drinking because it's somehow both so flavourful and so clean on your palate. Less successful was Blue Mountain Brut, a mix of pinot noir, chardonnay, and pinot gris grapes. This was just not very memorable, a bit of apple and citrus flavour with a touch of candied apple on the end, and nowhere near enough bubbles. Really not worth writing more about.
Some friends sent us a bottle of proper champagne for the holidays from Bedales - one we hadn't tried before called Jean Milan Blanc de Blancs. This family was originally a grower who first started making champagne for Krug and who now produce their own wines. This was a lovely bottle, with all of the things that make a blanc de blancs delicious - a light yeastiness on the nose, a crisp finish, loads of fruit flavours in the middle, and masses of delicate bubbles. What a fantastic gift - thank you!
I've saved my very favourite for last, though, as my husband bought me an English sparkler from The Wine Pantry. This was Coates & Seely Rose, which on the bottle says is made from pinot noir, pinot meunier, and chardonnay grapes (while their website doesn't include the chardonnay). At first, we weren't sure about this wine, as the bottle is done up in knock-off French, claiming to be from 'Britagne' and being made in 'methode britannique'. We weren't sure if they were taking the mickey or trying too hard to confuse the less au fait among us into thinking that they were actually champagne. But we forgive the exterior of the bottle for what was inside - smelling of the freshest summer berries, tasting of pink grapefruit, and leaving a lingering mouthful of tart candied peel. The bubbles matched the explosion of flavour, leaving me in no doubt that I will buy and drink this wine again!
Looking forward to trying some more in the run-up to New Year's...
From my home state of New York in the USA, I purchased a bottle of Chateau Frank 2004 Brut. To be honest, this was not my preferred purchase from this vineyard, as the blanc de noir is supposed to be the best that this maker offers. But I couldn't find this in my local shop, just the brut, which is a blend of the traditional champagne grapes of chardonnay, pinot noir, and pinot meunier. It was only OK, definitely not a classic champagne as it was overwhelmed with apple cider flavour and too much sweetness on the finish, very typical of an American sparkling wine. I'll keep trying this maker, though, both for the still wines they produce and for the elusive blanc de noir, which I'll have to order on-line.
Next were two from Canada - a mixed group. We really liked Gray Monk's Odyssey White Brut 2008, a riesling and chardonnay blend that had a wonderful citrus freshness to it and plenty of tiny bubbles (which was a surprise from all of the flatter Canadian sparkling wines that I'd tried in the past). It was incredibly refreshing, the sort of wine you just want to keep on drinking because it's somehow both so flavourful and so clean on your palate. Less successful was Blue Mountain Brut, a mix of pinot noir, chardonnay, and pinot gris grapes. This was just not very memorable, a bit of apple and citrus flavour with a touch of candied apple on the end, and nowhere near enough bubbles. Really not worth writing more about.
Some friends sent us a bottle of proper champagne for the holidays from Bedales - one we hadn't tried before called Jean Milan Blanc de Blancs. This family was originally a grower who first started making champagne for Krug and who now produce their own wines. This was a lovely bottle, with all of the things that make a blanc de blancs delicious - a light yeastiness on the nose, a crisp finish, loads of fruit flavours in the middle, and masses of delicate bubbles. What a fantastic gift - thank you!
I've saved my very favourite for last, though, as my husband bought me an English sparkler from The Wine Pantry. This was Coates & Seely Rose, which on the bottle says is made from pinot noir, pinot meunier, and chardonnay grapes (while their website doesn't include the chardonnay). At first, we weren't sure about this wine, as the bottle is done up in knock-off French, claiming to be from 'Britagne' and being made in 'methode britannique'. We weren't sure if they were taking the mickey or trying too hard to confuse the less au fait among us into thinking that they were actually champagne. But we forgive the exterior of the bottle for what was inside - smelling of the freshest summer berries, tasting of pink grapefruit, and leaving a lingering mouthful of tart candied peel. The bubbles matched the explosion of flavour, leaving me in no doubt that I will buy and drink this wine again!
Looking forward to trying some more in the run-up to New Year's...
Saturday, 26 November 2011
November Round-up
I'm a little embarrassed to admit this, but I've been so busy lately I have actually been drinking less champagne than I ordinarily would because I know I won't have time to blog about it and I hate seeing the bottles lined up on the counter waiting for their reports.
For the month of November (so far) I have three bottles to report on:
The first is a British sparkler, Avonleigh Brut. My husband brought this one home, I'm not sure what caught his eye, other than it is organic. This wine is a pinot noir and chardonnay blend, with the back of the bottle saying that it has hints of elderflower. I couldn't find them. We liked this wine, but it's nothing like the label describes, nor anything like a champagne. It has such heavy and rich apple flavours, it tastes like a sparkling cider. Even though I enjoyed it, it's not what I look for in a sparkling wine.
The second was another British wine, Denbies Sparkling Rose 2007. I had high hopes for this wine, as I really like Denbies still rose wines. This didn't live up to expectations. It was terribly bitter, and even drinking it with food couldn't mask the harsh finish.
So back to France for the last bottle...Ocado was running a special, so I bought a bottle of Perrier-Jouet Grand Brut, a blend of the three traditional champagne grapes, pinot noir, chardonnay, and pinot meunier. This was so much better than the other two bottles - plentiful bubbles, crisp, biscuity flavour. A reminder of why champagne is champagne. That said, I've had just as good champagnes for a better price than this one (usually in the high £30's, I bought it in the high £20's). So while it was a refreshing change from the British bubbles I had drunk this month, it's still not something I'd buy again.
It hasn't been all disappointing in November...we're also working our way through our latest order of Billecart-Salmon, although since I've reported on it all before, I'm not writing up the repeat bottles. There's still not much that compares to this brand though, for bubbles, flavour, and quality at price point. It's a sure-thing, always nice to have on hand when a never-before-tried bottle of something else disappoints.
For the month of November (so far) I have three bottles to report on:
The first is a British sparkler, Avonleigh Brut. My husband brought this one home, I'm not sure what caught his eye, other than it is organic. This wine is a pinot noir and chardonnay blend, with the back of the bottle saying that it has hints of elderflower. I couldn't find them. We liked this wine, but it's nothing like the label describes, nor anything like a champagne. It has such heavy and rich apple flavours, it tastes like a sparkling cider. Even though I enjoyed it, it's not what I look for in a sparkling wine.
The second was another British wine, Denbies Sparkling Rose 2007. I had high hopes for this wine, as I really like Denbies still rose wines. This didn't live up to expectations. It was terribly bitter, and even drinking it with food couldn't mask the harsh finish.
So back to France for the last bottle...Ocado was running a special, so I bought a bottle of Perrier-Jouet Grand Brut, a blend of the three traditional champagne grapes, pinot noir, chardonnay, and pinot meunier. This was so much better than the other two bottles - plentiful bubbles, crisp, biscuity flavour. A reminder of why champagne is champagne. That said, I've had just as good champagnes for a better price than this one (usually in the high £30's, I bought it in the high £20's). So while it was a refreshing change from the British bubbles I had drunk this month, it's still not something I'd buy again.
It hasn't been all disappointing in November...we're also working our way through our latest order of Billecart-Salmon, although since I've reported on it all before, I'm not writing up the repeat bottles. There's still not much that compares to this brand though, for bubbles, flavour, and quality at price point. It's a sure-thing, always nice to have on hand when a never-before-tried bottle of something else disappoints.
Friday, 8 July 2011
I'll Half That
I didn't realise it, but I ordered a half-bottle of champagne from The Sampler when I placed my order. The website did actually say it was a 375ml bottle, but I wasn't paying attention. It had caught my eye that they had a number of half-bottles on offer, which I really liked. It's a great way of trying new things without committing too much money (or paying for things you might not drink). But I was buying wines that were low dosage when I placed my order, rather than looking at the half-bottles. At some point, I'll go back and order more half-bottles intentionally.
When I unpacked this particular bottle, I immediately put it in the fridge thinking that it would be nice to have for some night when I was on my own. Wednesday was such a night, my husband was out and I was home by myself. I uncorked the half-bottle of La Chapelle Brut Audace as a small treat, sipping it while I watched The Apprentice. It's a predominantly pinot meunier champagne with a bit of pinot noir and chardonnay, something I usually like. This bottle was a bit different - it smelled of stewed apples with just a touch of dirty dishwater. It had lots of ripe orchard fruit flavours with a touch of shortbread biscuits, but not the crispness that I like and expect from a great champagne. In its favour, it had loads of bubbles, but that just wasn't enough to make me love this wine. It was fine, but it didn't 'wow' me, so my mistake in ordering just a half-bottle paid off!!
When I unpacked this particular bottle, I immediately put it in the fridge thinking that it would be nice to have for some night when I was on my own. Wednesday was such a night, my husband was out and I was home by myself. I uncorked the half-bottle of La Chapelle Brut Audace as a small treat, sipping it while I watched The Apprentice. It's a predominantly pinot meunier champagne with a bit of pinot noir and chardonnay, something I usually like. This bottle was a bit different - it smelled of stewed apples with just a touch of dirty dishwater. It had lots of ripe orchard fruit flavours with a touch of shortbread biscuits, but not the crispness that I like and expect from a great champagne. In its favour, it had loads of bubbles, but that just wasn't enough to make me love this wine. It was fine, but it didn't 'wow' me, so my mistake in ordering just a half-bottle paid off!!
Wednesday, 18 May 2011
Back to France
Last night, my husband cooked pasta for me for dinner, which was a great treat. We decided to open the bottle on the 'champagne shelf' to go with it - Bereche et Fils Brut Reserve, which I had acquired from Green & Blue. This wine is a balanced mix of the traditional champagne grapes, chardonnay, pinot noir, and pinot meunier, but does not undergo malolactic fermentation like most champagnes.
We had high hopes for this wine, as we've drunk champagnes from this maker before. We weren't disappointed. The champagne smelled of uncooked bread dough and tasted slightly of this at the start. The finish was long and lovely - crisp, juicy grapefruit. The bubbles were teeny-tiny, but there were lots of them and they lasted. My husband commented that it was nice to "drink French again" as this champagne was such a different experience to the Italian and Spanish wines we had in the past two days - much cleaner, more balanced, yeastier, weightier. We loved it!
Bereche et Fils say on their website that this is their 'signature' champagne and I can see why. That said, I'm now keen to track down a bottle of their zero dosage Extra Brut Reserve...
We had high hopes for this wine, as we've drunk champagnes from this maker before. We weren't disappointed. The champagne smelled of uncooked bread dough and tasted slightly of this at the start. The finish was long and lovely - crisp, juicy grapefruit. The bubbles were teeny-tiny, but there were lots of them and they lasted. My husband commented that it was nice to "drink French again" as this champagne was such a different experience to the Italian and Spanish wines we had in the past two days - much cleaner, more balanced, yeastier, weightier. We loved it!
Bereche et Fils say on their website that this is their 'signature' champagne and I can see why. That said, I'm now keen to track down a bottle of their zero dosage Extra Brut Reserve...
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
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, 8 February 2011
Late...
My husband is late. We knew he might be late tonight, as he was meeting some friends for drinks at the Scotch Malt Whiskey Society. He told me he would try to get home at a reasonable hour to have a pre-dinner drink with me and then some pasta, but he's not here. He did call to say that he would be home shortly, so I have turned the 'everything in the fridge' pasta that I had started into baked ziti by mixing everything together in a baking dish, coating it with a generous helping of grated mozzarella (so much for my healthy meal), and popping it into the oven. Then I poured myself his pre-dinner drink (since I had already finished mine) and came up to the computer. I really should be finishing off the gardening paper that I started this afteroon, but he'll be home in 10 minutes, which is not enough time.
So I'll report on the pre-dinner drinks instead - kindly provided by the Champagne Warehouse (thank you!) - Roger Legros Rose, a pinot noir, pinot meunier, and chardonnay blend. It has a lovely aroma, full of ripe plums. On first sip, I was really surpised by this champagne. For a rose, it's got a hefty berry taste, not sweet strawberries and raspberries, but rich blackberries and cranberries. This leaves just a slightly bitter note on the finish, not unpleasant, but it's noticeable for just a moment. This champagne also has a consistent and fine stream of bubbles!
The tasting notes say that this is a good wine with summer salads like watermelon and feta or with non-chocolate desserts. I could defintely see those pairings working, and they would probably eliminate that touch of bitterness. I'll be ordering another bottle when watermelon is in season, as I do have a good watermelon, feta, and mint recipe that I've been keen to try.
Another nice champagne from Roger Legros. I'll have to try to visit them if I ever get back to the Champagne region.
So I'll report on the pre-dinner drinks instead - kindly provided by the Champagne Warehouse (thank you!) - Roger Legros Rose, a pinot noir, pinot meunier, and chardonnay blend. It has a lovely aroma, full of ripe plums. On first sip, I was really surpised by this champagne. For a rose, it's got a hefty berry taste, not sweet strawberries and raspberries, but rich blackberries and cranberries. This leaves just a slightly bitter note on the finish, not unpleasant, but it's noticeable for just a moment. This champagne also has a consistent and fine stream of bubbles!
The tasting notes say that this is a good wine with summer salads like watermelon and feta or with non-chocolate desserts. I could defintely see those pairings working, and they would probably eliminate that touch of bitterness. I'll be ordering another bottle when watermelon is in season, as I do have a good watermelon, feta, and mint recipe that I've been keen to try.
Another nice champagne from Roger Legros. I'll have to try to visit them if I ever get back to the Champagne region.
Monday, 7 February 2011
Will Work for Bubbles
I've been doing some garden design work for some friends, which is great practice for me as I'm undertaking my coursework. On Saturday, they very kindly assembled and gave me a case of champagne to thank me for my efforts. This was totally unnecessary as I'm not really comfortable charging anything for my gardening work with my still-amateur status - but very much appreciated (thank you!). And so I put one of the bottles in the refrigerator for Saturday evening - Billecart-Salmon extra brut - a zero dosage blend of pinot meunier, pinot noir, and chardonnay.
I love this champagne, it is totally my kind of champagne. It smelled like toast and grapefruit (or 'pamplemousse' as my friends say). It had the cleanest, richest, most refreshing taste with lots of citrus but no sourness or bitterness. The finish lasted forever and left us wanting more.
And the bubbles...perfect, round, plentiful bubbles!! The bubbles are my gold-standard for what a champagne should be.
This bottle disappeared far too quickly, even though my husband and I savoured every sip. My husband, cheeky-chappy that he is, suggested that we open the other bottle of champagne that was in our fridge, so that we could compare another champagne that we like to it. He knew I wouldn't say 'no' to that.
So he popped open the Roger Legros Cuvee Speciale from the Champagne Warehouse and we had a glass each. I have to say, I was a little nervous, because I've really liked this champagne in the past and didn't want it ruined because it couldn't stand up to the Billecart-Salmon. I'm relieved to report that, while it's definitely not in the same league as the Billecart-Salmon, it was still a very good champagne.
I should point out that there's no pinot meunier in the Roger Legros and that it's not a low or zero dosage champagne, so we weren't at all comparing like-for-like. These differences are very evident, with the Roger Legros having a much mintier nose, a lighter flavour, and a sweetness that I never noticed before when I'd drunk it on its own. My husband commented that while the Billecart-Salmon was 'toasty' the Roger Legros was more 'biscuity'. The Roger Legros was also far less structured than the Billecart-Salmon, it wasn't as crisp and lacked the amazing finish. While it couldn't quite compete with a bigger player, the Roger Legros still ranks among the top of their price range.
I'm now really starting to understand what you get with some of these bigger name producers...and why it's worth the price differential.
I love this champagne, it is totally my kind of champagne. It smelled like toast and grapefruit (or 'pamplemousse' as my friends say). It had the cleanest, richest, most refreshing taste with lots of citrus but no sourness or bitterness. The finish lasted forever and left us wanting more.
And the bubbles...perfect, round, plentiful bubbles!! The bubbles are my gold-standard for what a champagne should be.
This bottle disappeared far too quickly, even though my husband and I savoured every sip. My husband, cheeky-chappy that he is, suggested that we open the other bottle of champagne that was in our fridge, so that we could compare another champagne that we like to it. He knew I wouldn't say 'no' to that.
So he popped open the Roger Legros Cuvee Speciale from the Champagne Warehouse and we had a glass each. I have to say, I was a little nervous, because I've really liked this champagne in the past and didn't want it ruined because it couldn't stand up to the Billecart-Salmon. I'm relieved to report that, while it's definitely not in the same league as the Billecart-Salmon, it was still a very good champagne.
I should point out that there's no pinot meunier in the Roger Legros and that it's not a low or zero dosage champagne, so we weren't at all comparing like-for-like. These differences are very evident, with the Roger Legros having a much mintier nose, a lighter flavour, and a sweetness that I never noticed before when I'd drunk it on its own. My husband commented that while the Billecart-Salmon was 'toasty' the Roger Legros was more 'biscuity'. The Roger Legros was also far less structured than the Billecart-Salmon, it wasn't as crisp and lacked the amazing finish. While it couldn't quite compete with a bigger player, the Roger Legros still ranks among the top of their price range.
I'm now really starting to understand what you get with some of these bigger name producers...and why it's worth the price differential.
Tuesday, 21 December 2010
Let it Snow...
My husband is supposed to be away this week with a friend of ours, so I stocked up on some bubbles to enjoy while I was home alone. But the snow scuppered their plans, the flights were cancelled, and they're now here with me, helping me tuck into my champagne stash.
On Monday, we popped open a bottle of Francoise Bedel's Entre Ciel Et Terre. It is a predominantly pinot meunier champagne, being a 72/14/14 split of pinot meunier, chardonnay, and pinot noir. I bought this on-line from Gauntley's, having gone there to buy something else, but recognising this bottle from a trip to Epernay last year. I can't remember if I actually drank this champagne when I was there since I didn't blog about it, but it had a very distinctive label that caught my eye. I will remember it now. It started off well, having a slight whiff and taste of brine that opened into more honey-and-apple flavours. But the bubbles didn't last through the glass, a big disappointment for me. I will have to pass the next time this bottle catches my eye.
Last night, the guys were drinking martinis while I opened a bottle of Ridgeview Merret Bloomsbury 2008 that I bought from Ocado. This maker has been racking up awards, including beating several big-name champagne houses to be named best sparkling wine of the year by Decanter magazine. The Bloomsbury is a chardonnay, pinot noir, pinot meunier blend and I can see why the maker is winning awards. The wine had a clean floral aroma - a little bit like freesias - followed by a very pleasing grapefuit taste. It also had loads of bubbles, and it will be interesting to see how they hold up in the capped bottle in the fridge. Unlike some of the other English sparklers that I've had, this one wasn't distinctive because it had a strong or unusual taste. This one was much more polished and I think I would be hard-pressed to distinguish it from a French champagne. We'll have to include a bottle in our next blind tastings! I'm looking forward to trying more from this maker, and considering the bottles are in the low-£20 range, they won't break the bank.
On Monday, we popped open a bottle of Francoise Bedel's Entre Ciel Et Terre. It is a predominantly pinot meunier champagne, being a 72/14/14 split of pinot meunier, chardonnay, and pinot noir. I bought this on-line from Gauntley's, having gone there to buy something else, but recognising this bottle from a trip to Epernay last year. I can't remember if I actually drank this champagne when I was there since I didn't blog about it, but it had a very distinctive label that caught my eye. I will remember it now. It started off well, having a slight whiff and taste of brine that opened into more honey-and-apple flavours. But the bubbles didn't last through the glass, a big disappointment for me. I will have to pass the next time this bottle catches my eye.
Last night, the guys were drinking martinis while I opened a bottle of Ridgeview Merret Bloomsbury 2008 that I bought from Ocado. This maker has been racking up awards, including beating several big-name champagne houses to be named best sparkling wine of the year by Decanter magazine. The Bloomsbury is a chardonnay, pinot noir, pinot meunier blend and I can see why the maker is winning awards. The wine had a clean floral aroma - a little bit like freesias - followed by a very pleasing grapefuit taste. It also had loads of bubbles, and it will be interesting to see how they hold up in the capped bottle in the fridge. Unlike some of the other English sparklers that I've had, this one wasn't distinctive because it had a strong or unusual taste. This one was much more polished and I think I would be hard-pressed to distinguish it from a French champagne. We'll have to include a bottle in our next blind tastings! I'm looking forward to trying more from this maker, and considering the bottles are in the low-£20 range, they won't break the bank.
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