Champagne: Blanc de blanc vs Blanc de noir

Curious to hear opinions that compare/contrast pure Chardonnay based champagne vs Pinot noir and blends. Do you prefer one over the other? If so, why? Any particular food pairings you find uniquely suited to either? Absolute favorite producers in either category?

If I had to choose one (and I’m glad that I don’t have to) it would Pinot Noir dominated Champagne. But I really do enjoy BdB, especially with seafood and anytime I’m eating foods where I’m looking for palate cleansing throughout the meal. I find the Pinot sparklers to have a broader flavor profile and often a little oxidation that I find desirable.

If I had to choose one (and I’m glad that I don’t have to) it would Chardonnay dominated Champagne. But I really do enjoy BdN and blends, especially with seafood and anytime I’m eating foods where I’m looking for palate cleansing throughout the meal. I find the BdB sparklers to have a broader flavor profile and often a little oxidation that I find desirable.

Apparently not, if you have been “drinking a truck load of Deutz” as per the other threads!

Nice! Exactly the confusing input I was looking for.

Seriously, both comments are helpful to what is, admittedly, a broad question. I find myself drinking more and more champagne in recent years, to the point where I tend to pair any kind (that is, BdB, BdN,or blend) with just about any food. Good to know that I’m not necessarily missing the finer points of matching grape type to menu items.

I lean Blanc de Blancs over Blanc de Noirs for personal use (disclaimer - retailer and owner of a Champagne bar). There are plenty of exceptions.

Love BdB with brunch food, shellfish, sea food in general, pasta with a creamy sauce.

Love BdN with pork, veal (veal and morels and BdN (or rose) is awesome!).

Of my two favorite bottles in the past year, one was a BdB, one a BdN; I guess I don’t have a preference.
1996 Jean Laurent BdN; otherworldly.
2006 Taittinger Comte BdB Brut; my remaining bottles may never reach maturity, this wine is so good right now.
Honestly, maybe I’m uncultured, but I don’t discriminate between the two when I’m picking a wine for dinner. Sure, I can usually tell the difference, but to my palate (of a Yak?), they all (including blends) pair with most foods.

Cheers,
Warren

This would make a great poll. I’m a huge Blanc de Blancs fan, but I do love a good BdN!!

I think in general it is way easier to find a complete (as in complex, balanced, interesting etc) BdB than BdN. Tons of BdBs especially from Côte des Blancs are extremely well-made, well-rounded wines that are wonderful with seafood, fatty foods etc and often also without, whereas I have had too many BdNs that have lacked charm and/or been fairly one dimensional. Between these two styles BdB is by far the wine of choice in our household. Favorite producers include Pierre Peters, Larmandier-Bernier, Agrapart, Pascal Doquet, JL Vergnon, Diebolt-Vallois, Jacques Lassaigne and Gaston Chiquet (Blanc de blancs d’Aÿ). That being said I am not denying that a BdN from a top producer and terroir can be truly magical.

I agree with this. I think there are more good to very good BdB then there are BdN. That said, I will usually appreciate a very good Pinot heavy (or exclusively Pinot) champagne more than a pure Chardonnay one. I prefer heavier, more autolytic champagne though and that usually means at least some pinot (though certainly not always, Heidsieck BdM is pure chardonnay and it’s right up my flavour alley, though not as much as the Charlie which was ~50% pinot).

I like both BdB and cuvees … but real BdN (only Pinot Meunier and P.Noir) can often be a bit too broad and lacking liveliness, especially when aged …

BTW: there are not THAT many real BdNs … rather Pinot-dominated blends …

based on available wines, i’d rank them

1. blends

2. bdb

3. bdn

I tend to judge Champagnes based on producer and not on grape composition. For example, I generally don’t like 100% pinot meunier wines, but love the one from Prevost.

My favorite is Blanc de Noir, followed by Rosé (Brut, of course). I do appreciate a good, brioche-inflected Blanc de Blanc from time to time.

I almost never enjoy a sparkling wine with food, but I should try it more often…

I almost always will prefer a bdn over a bdb for pure drinking. I like the heavier umami style over the crispness of a bdb.

But my biggest favorite in champagne these days are roses made by the saignee method and pure PN. The savoryness and slight tannins are stunning in a sparkler.

Jo

For me it’s blends and BdN by far.

If you have not already done so, you must try Jose Dhondt’s Rose. A very vinous Champagne that goes great with the heartiest of foods.

I might be able to survive on Bouzy alone.

I like blanc de noir young, while I think blanc de blanc is best with age.

Thanks. Always on the lookout. Seems Dhondt is sold mainly in the US from checking WS unfortunately. My favorite is Ulysse Collin. Larmandier-Bernier also great. Just back from Champagne where I bought Geoffroy, Maurice Grumier and Ruppert-Leroy - never tried them before but the staff in good stores spoke highly of them - will be interesting. As a side note I am slightly concerned about the Geoffroy as it had a heavy dossage (10 gram).

Jo