December 29, 2004

7:26 AM

Champagne! I've volunteered to buy a nice bottle o' the bubbly for a small New Year's Eve gathering. Trouble is, I hardly ever drink (mostly, in fact, champagne at New Year's) and have never actually chosen the champagne. So what should I get? Let's keep it under $100, please. (And yes, I'm aware that only sparkling wines from Champagne should really ever be called "champagne," but I'll consider wines from elsewhere as well.)
posted by kindall to (41 comments total)

Well, at the moment I can't get enough of Veuve Clicquot but I have a bottle of Piper Heidsieck waiting for a test, and I have high hopes for that too.


Veuve bottles look cool. Not sure on price in the USA but in the UK you are looking at about £25... 50 bucks at current exchange I think.

Some cheaper ones can taste just as good but there is some cak out there so try and read some reviews if you can.

Lindauer is a VERY good cheap alternative.. (not real champagne though)
posted by Frasermoo at 7:34 AM on December 29, 2004

There are a _lot_ of options for very good "Champagne" at under $100/bottle. If there are no real connoisseurs in your group, you shouldn't pay more than $40-50/bottle, _tops_, and you can probably find stuff in the $20-30/bottle range that's very good.

I'm sure other folks here can offer a lot of specific suggestions (I'd look at "Domaine Chandon", which is one of Moet's California labels), but your best bet is maybe to just go to a good wine store, and ask them for advice.
posted by LairBob at 7:36 AM on December 29, 2004

Highly recommend the Moet & Chandon White Star. It's extremely good for the price, it's a nice bottle and as noted before, you probably won't notice a taste difference unless you go over the $100 mark.
posted by jeremias at 7:56 AM on December 29, 2004

I second the White Star suggestion. We just bought a bottle ourselves for Friday and you can find it for under $30.
posted by trey at 7:57 AM on December 29, 2004

if you want something accessible/drinkable without having to pay a lot, cava is a great alternative. e.g. non-vintage marquis de la gelida.

otherwise, moet white star, even the non-vintage is decent. (er, on preview....etc)
posted by dorian at 7:57 AM on December 29, 2004

I like Veuve Clicquot and Perrier-Jouet. M et C White Star is a little flinty for me, but I know many people really like it.

If you want a sparkling wine that isn't a Champagne, let me recommend a Cremant de Limoux or a Prosecco.
posted by Sidhedevil at 8:09 AM on December 29, 2004

i would guess (and suppose you'd know otherwise if i was wrong) that these people aren't conoisseurs of champagne and don't even drink it regularly (nor even like it particularly). so you're really buying a symbol - you want something that makes people feel "right". i'd suggest looking at the kind of media the people you're meeting typically use and seeing what's advertised there. that way you'll provide what they're expecting.
posted by andrew cooke at 8:29 AM on December 29, 2004

can't go wrong with Veuve Cliquot -

if your budget is $100 for champers, then bring two bottles ;)
posted by seawallrunner at 8:35 AM on December 29, 2004

I think Veuve Cliquot is overrated (people love the bottle and history), but that's just me. White Star is very good for the price, and I'm extremely fond of Bollinger (rich flavor). I hope someday to be able to try Krug, which is supposed to be the best around but costs over $100 a bottle.
posted by languagehat at 8:39 AM on December 29, 2004

conundrum, innit?

people that don't regularly drink (or like) champagne would be much better served with something like a prosecco or a cava. not just in terms of cost, mind, I mean taste and drinkability here.

but for the purpose of the occasion you need to buy a symbol which will be more appreciated in ways other than actual consumption.
posted by dorian at 8:43 AM on December 29, 2004

Forget Champagne, the true wine connisseur appreciates the real Hogmanay tipple.
posted by the cuban at 8:46 AM on December 29, 2004

1995 Bollinger - Grand Annee, ~$90 (rating: 95)
1995 Deutz - Blanc de Blancs, ~$75 (rating: 94)
1975 Laurent-Perrier - Grand Siecle la Cuvee Brut, ~$75 (rating: 94)

If you're looking at a lower price range:

2001 Fontanafredda - Millesimato, ~$20 (rating: 87)
1999 Agusti Torello - Brut Riserva, ~$12 (rating: 88)

To put things in perspective, M&C's White Star usually gets around an 85 (+/- 2) rating, and goes for about $45.
posted by Civil_Disobedient at 8:54 AM on December 29, 2004

100 bucks? get 10 bottles of friexenet.
posted by sachinag at 8:57 AM on December 29, 2004

Oh, and I second dorian's suggestion for a cava. The Avinyo Cava Brut (for example) is about $13 and is rated at 88
posted by Civil_Disobedient at 8:58 AM on December 29, 2004

The recent Charles Heidseck Mis en Cave releases have been fantastic. Otherwise, I like Pol Roger (white foil) or Veuve Cliquot. Not worth buying a vintage unless you are looking to appreciate the difference from the non-vintage: a good champagne house should have a consistent good non-vintage.

I think you'd be disappointed with the Piper Heidseck, likewise Mumm.

Cava is good, but it isn't the same.
posted by deaddodo at 9:01 AM on December 29, 2004

I had white star at my wedding, everyone loved it.

I've always noticed that non-champagne drinkers often prefer something like Spumante, which is a bit sweeter. Martini and Rossi will run you something like $15. And for people who don't drink or purchase it normally, the name is known enough that you may be able to con them into thinking you spent more than you did.

If you want to go really cheap I've always had a soft spot for Andre. Mostly because, at $3.99 a bottle, everyone at the party gets their own.
posted by Kellydamnit at 9:02 AM on December 29, 2004

Today's Wine column in the Washington Post has several promising recommendations.
posted by grateful at 9:22 AM on December 29, 2004

I'd always pretty much considered champagne to be champagne...until one year I splurged a little bit on a $40 bottle of Bollinger ("Special Cuvee Brut"). Very, very good stuff, clearly a cut above the standard Korbel. (I admit I chose Bollinger mainly for it's numerous mentions in "Absolutely Fabulous" - Bolly, sweetie darling. But it was worth it.)

I have also liked Domaine Chandon from California, ever since touring their winery.
posted by dnash at 9:30 AM on December 29, 2004

Last year my friend brought splits of "Pop" to our holiday party. They were fun and everyone had their own bottle of champagne complete with a funky straw.

Now I know true connoisseurs would scoff and turn up their noses at this but it was really fun and a charming idea.

I have had the luxury of sampling many fine champagnes in my life and the kitsch is often times most of the fun.
posted by Lola_G at 9:50 AM on December 29, 2004

Just yesterday at Costco they were selling Dom Perrignon for $95, if you want to push the high end of that $100 range and really impress everyone.
posted by rorycberger at 10:01 AM on December 29, 2004

If you know anybody who runs a restaurant (or perhaps a cooking school, or anything similar) have them buy you the non-vintage, sold-only-to-restaurants kind.

For instance, I bought a case of Perrier-Jouet for NYE, non-vintage, and it was about $20 a bottle as opposed to the "vintage" champagne which is very similar at $35-40. And it's just as good, especially if you are not going to save it or sell it later.

I vote no on Dom, because I think it's one of those "all label" things- I don't think it's great champagne in general, ignoring specific vintages which will be way beyond $100. The white star is pretty good.

Rotari is an Italian sparkling white, very good, a little different.
posted by thethirdman at 10:07 AM on December 29, 2004

I'll second the Prosecco suggestion- I just had it for the first time 2 nights ago- really different and really good.

I had a nice bottle from J Vineyards once upon a time.

I've also found that bevmo.com is a good place to start researching- when you find something that has a good rating, google it and see how other people like it. I found a seriously kick-ass bottle of whisky that way.
posted by small_ruminant at 11:23 AM on December 29, 2004

i'm a fan of nicolas feuillatte champagne.
posted by heather at 11:29 AM on December 29, 2004

oh and a third for the prosecco. we had it at our wedding... it's lovley.
posted by heather at 11:29 AM on December 29, 2004

I'm a prosecco fan too. Also curious to try the Sofia Mini, if just for novelty value.
posted by judith at 1:14 PM on December 29, 2004

The Sofia judith mentions is a nice, fruity blanc de blancs, inexpensive and beautifully presented in pink cellophane. That it also comes in cans is just a wacky bonus. As I understand it, Niebaum-Coppola first made it for Sofia's wedding reception. It's sparkling, though not extremely champagne-y. Veuve & Perrier-Jouet are my faves in that category- for $100, you should be able to get 3 bottles of PJ, 2 of Veuve, or 5 Sofias and get change back on them all.
posted by obloquy at 2:20 PM on December 29, 2004

I found a seriously kick-ass bottle of whisky that way.

Do tell...
posted by rorycberger at 3:25 PM on December 29, 2004

As above - you can't go wrong with Veuve Cliquot. During the holidays larger liquor stores in a number of cities price it as low as $31/bottle (e.g. Boston's Kappy's Liquors).

Also - I suggest Roederer Estate Brut Anderson Valley L'Ermitage - about $39/bottle. While the true champagnes from Roederer's French estate fetch top dollar (e.g. Cristal), their California sparkling wines - particularly L'Ermitage - is up there with the better sparkling wines. Wine Spectator has ranked it a "93" (out of their 100-point scale). In 1999, Newsweek ("Battle of the Bubbles" by Laura Shapiro, 12/06/99) sponsored a blind tasting, pitting California sparkling wines against the top-tiered French Champagnes. To all of the wine experts' surprise, they ended up favoring the Californian "LErmitage. After that event its price shot up from about $21/bottle to its current price.

Check out today's New York Time's article: The Price Is to Gulp, but the Champagne's to Sip - the higher end of the price spectrum.
posted by ericb at 3:31 PM on December 29, 2004

As per the Sofia mention, Niebaum-Coppola has creatively packaged "Sofia Mini Blanc de Blancs" in red cans (with straw). Champagne Pommery has their Pop champagne in quarter-bottle format in blue glass (with straw).
posted by ericb at 3:37 PM on December 29, 2004

If you want the complete low end--my fav is Freixenet (it comes in a black bottle)--always under ten bucks, and delish. I've never tasted an expensive champagne i liked, although everyone i know likes Piper-Hiedsiecker, and no one i know likes Perrier-Jouet or Moet that much.
posted by amberglow at 3:41 PM on December 29, 2004

i'm a fan of nicolas feuillatte champagne

Yeah, and that's another one you can get for a good price, at least in NYC. Which reminds me:

To put things in perspective, M&C's White Star usually gets around an 85 (+/- 2) rating, and goes for about $45.

In NYC, in Champagne season (now), you can get it for almost half that. Don't know about other venues. Under $30, it's a great buy; I wouldn't pay $45 for it.

I've never tasted an expensive champagne i liked

I've never tasted a cheap "champagne" I liked; in fact, I used to think I just plain didn't like champagne until a friend and I liberated a bottle of Moet one drunken evening and I discovered what the real stuff was like.

(Incidentally, the -t is pronounced at the end of both Moet and Perrier-Jouet -- my brother visited the Champagne region and got it from the horse's mouth, as it were.)
posted by languagehat at 5:06 PM on December 29, 2004

Piper-Heidseck is generally liked by people who also like Chardonnay. It's not moeulleux enough for me; I like my sparkling wines with a softer mouthfeel and less flint in the finish, which is why I like Veuve Clicquot and Perrier-Jouet. But I also loathe Chardonnay and love Sancerre.

You can get a nice vintage of Piper-Heidseck (1995 is good) for $50 or so.
posted by Sidhedevil at 5:18 PM on December 29, 2004

Piper-Heidsieck.
posted by Sidhedevil at 5:19 PM on December 29, 2004

Francois Montand Blanc de Blancs pulls an 89 from Wine Spectator and sells for about $10 per bottle. A steal, and I prefer over White Star and other and Moet and Chandon champagnes that cost 3, 4 or 5 times as much.
posted by NortonDC at 8:51 PM on December 29, 2004

I like Perrier-Jouet a lot. White Star doesn't really do it for me.

My family tradition is Asti Spumante, in sub-$10 bottles I prefer Maison Deutz (Domaine Ste. Michelle a close second), and I have a soft spot in my heart for pink Andre, although I prefer looking at it to drinking it.
posted by ikkyu2 at 11:32 PM on December 29, 2004

Pass on White Star - White Star isn't even sold in Europe (it's a mass product for the US).


Today's NY Times reviews not-so-cheap sparkling wines.

Personally, I like Vilmart champagnes the best. They're available at most wine stores that carry Therry Thiese wines.
posted by Kreylix at 11:57 PM on December 29, 2004

Wow, what a bounty. Thanks, I knew the boozehounds at MetaFilter would come through. This is going to be a small gathering, so I'm focusing on quality over quantity. At least one of the guests is, I expect, going to be able to tell whether the champagne is actually any good or not. So, thanks for helping me not look like a total n00b at this.
posted by kindall at 12:56 AM on December 30, 2004

I found a seriously kick-ass bottle of whisky that way.

Do tell...

I've had a very profitable year, so for Xmas I treated myself to a bottle of 32 year old Springbank.

It's rather nice...
posted by hardcode at 6:58 AM on December 30, 2004

It's extremely worthwhile to find a high-end liquor store for these types of occasions. The proprietors of these establishments generally have a true love and appreciation of their products, and are enthusiastic at helping solve problems like yours.

My personal favorite champagne is Perrier-Jouet's Fleur De Champagne. There's a rose version of this which is actually quite nice as well. Next up on my list would be the Bollinger RD. These are at the top-end of your price range, but I think they're as good as Cristal, and better than Dom.
posted by mosch at 9:12 AM on December 30, 2004

Champagne or another sparkler? A bubbly 101 (from MSNBC/Today Show)
posted by ericb at 12:06 PM on December 30, 2004

Of course in Washington, all the liquor stores are state-operated, and pretty much all the same in terms of their expertise. And I seem to recall they don't sell wine anyway, only the hard stuff. However, I did find a wine store -- Pete's Wines in Bellevue. I ended up with a bottle of the M&C White Star and also one that the wine guy recommended, a Billecart-Salmon of some sort. We didn't get to the second bottle, but I did enjoy the White Star.
posted by kindall at 5:40 PM on January 6, 2005