Although not from AOC Champagne, I had a NV Gloria Ferrer BdN from California yesterday. We were struck by how almost rose colored it was. So much darker than the usual CA sparklies we guzzle for our first experience with this large supermarket type producer. Popularly styled, and a touch sweet, which I like, but the SO doesn’t prefer that. It would have been interesting to compare it to a BdB side by side!
Yes this
Arv,
My wife and I agree with your SO. This was served to us at our Sonoma hotel lobby, and after the first one, we passed on further complimentary offers. Too much candied fruity strawberry for our tastes. Brad Baker, OTOH, had a nice review of this wine a few years ago, so what do I know. Different strokes…![[shrug.gif]](/uploads/db3686/original/2X/4/48636ebda2a440a43ad8d24c83be20ac20c53420.gif "shrug"){kind=small}
Cheers,
Warren
Whilst my cellar has far more BdB than blends or BdN, I tend to enjoy BdNs the most. I think the reality is they are far less common and that’s reflected in most people’s drinking behaviour. Even then, I don’t actively seek them out.
I’ve found my preferences all over the map. I adore Taittinger Comtes and Dom Ruinart BdB. They are two of my favorite champagnes. But I also love Krug and Dom Perignon, which are not chardonnay driven. On the other hand, Salon and Delamotte are tremendous. Then again I like Bolly GA, PR Winston Churchill, and Cristal, and all of those are more PN than C. So i think it just depends on the wine. I don’t drink many Blanc de Noirs simply because they’re less common, but I enjoy them.
What I find is that I enjoy Champagne, and the differences in blends and styles makes it all the more fun to enjoy.
My issue with BdN is that I’ve never had a great bottle with more than 20-25 years of age to it, and not many with more than 15 years. Never had an older VVF that I really enjoyed. Don’t think '95 or '96 Clos St Hillaire has aged well.
I’ll be drinking '95 and '96 Krug Clos d’Ambonnay later this week (as well as '96 Hillaire) and since I haven’t had either Krug in a couple of years, very much looking forward to see how they are evolving.
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I had to think about this, and offhand I can’t recall a great aged example in my tasting history. I love VVF at about 15-20 years, but never had one older.
For me it is Rose all the way.
Having seen your notes over the years, I think you like classier, drier bubblies than I do.
I just don’t get enough out of vintage ones, or even tete du cuvees, to merit to the upcharge.
Maybe the sparkling ‘texture’ overwhelms everything else for me.
Interestingly, one of the kids sniffed a glass of that, and decided it had some apple notes.
So that one is probably counting the days til they are 21ish.
BdB preferred. For “normal” days, my go-to is Delamotte BdB (vintage or NV). Ulysse Collin’s BdB Les Pierrières NV also a go-to of mine; but it’s not always as readily available in Manila as Delamotte.
Couldn’t agree more.
I like BdBs for their acidity, crispness and citrus notes. I like BdNs for their red fruity notes. I love both alone and prior to dinner and with most any food.
According to many here, I drink most of them way too young= 10-15 years old; e.g. 06 Taittinger CdC which Ive probably had more that 20 bottles and loved every one. The 08` Cristal is not ready and is the most recent example of waiting.
What seems to be very important to me these days is lower dosage. I’m overwhelmed by the sugar laden sweeties and don’t feel that great after drinking them.
Excuse my ignorance Ray and Jim. What is VVF?
Sorry - Bollinger Vieilles Vignes Françaises
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Couldn’t get there. Thanks
Let’s be honest, isn’t the answer on the whole: YES!
It’s fun only choosing in the moment
It’s wine by wine for me - they can all be great. Probably not useful to say “Krug vintage is great” and therefore that’s the best approach. What about Salon? What about Selosse single vineyards? What about Comtes? They are all great wines.
Sorry. Another hipster cool kid Champagne acronym.
I’ve become more open to BdNs over the past few years, especially some of the best pure Meunier examples. Interestingly, it seems easier to find examples of pure Meunier than pure Pinot Noir.
One of my old received wisdoms about Champagne, and I’m not even sure where I got it, was that it was possible to make great Champagne without the red grapes, but almost impossible to make one without Chardonnay. The cepage of many of my favorites from the best part of the Montagne de Reims and Vallee de la Marne almost always have 10-20% Chardonnay in them.
And Blake, I see a theme developing for your next visit to the Midwest…
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Glad to see my thread here revived after two years…lots of good info! I will add that I am no closer to picking a favorite between BdB and BdN. I simply love good bottles of both.
That said, I did have the opportunity not too long ago to try a GC (Grower Champagne) Chartogne-Taillet which–at least as it was described to me at the time–is a blend of approximately equal parts Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Definitely different, still good, and apparently a bargain of sorts given that it must have been under $50/btl for my friend to have served it 
If only for research purposes on this topic, I recommend giving it a try if you happen to find it anywhere.