That reminds me, the Roederer Estate demi-sec out of CA is also fantastic for a pittance. It’s the exact same as the Roederer Estate Brut, but with the higher dosage.
Er, where was I . . . ? I bought a couple of demi-sec examples to actually taste rather than just conceptualize.
Mumm Napa Cuvee M NV
Brad Baker had suggested this as an inexpensive example of the style (~$20) OK, not a real Champagne, but made with the methode traditionelle by a house that knows a bit about real Champagne. It is a mostly Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, but has some Pinot Meunier and even some Pinot Grigio for je ne sais quois. We had this with a mixed cheese plate and prosciutto. Delightful sparkling wine! Slightest of slight pinkish hue. Noticeable sweetness,but this is integrated with the abundant fruit so it is not off-putting to me at all. Very soft mouthfeel. The mousse and taste explosions occur in the back of the mouth just before swallow. Lingering fruit aftertaste of peach and apricot. Delicate touch of brioche and chalk. Just a very nice sparkling wine that I think a lot of people would enjoy without thinking too much about it. Recommended.
In my “grasshopper” Champagne explorations over the past few years, I have enjoyed a few bottles of the basic Louis Roederer NV Brut premier. When I found out that Louis Roederer also makes a Demi-Sec version using the same wine blend as the Brut Premier, I ran down a bottle of that for a tête-à-tête comparison. Although these two bottles differ by more than the dosage, with different base years and age, so that might cloud the comparison, let’s taste and compare
LOUIS ROEDERER Brut Premier
Cuvee 2016
Bottled in 2017
Disgorged in 2019
LOUIS ROEDERER Carte Blanche Demi-Sec
Cuvee 2012
Bottled in 2013
Disgorged in 2016
We began with the ceremonial cork launch outside. The flights of the two corks were of similar heights but the Demi-Sec left the bottle with more determination. We poured a small glass of both the Brut and the Demi-Sec and tasted without food at near fridge temps, followed by a mixed cheese/prosciutto/ country pâté plate. The bubbles of the (older) Demi-Sec were brisker and longer lived than the (younger) Brut. Alone, the Brut came across as lively, stone fruited, dry, with noticeable lees, and the Demi-Sec was fruitier and a little on the sweet side (surprisingly reminiscent of Moscato). With the food each Champagne found its favorite dance partners: the Demi-Sec paired well with a blue cheese, the prosciutto, and the country pâté ; the Brut paired up well with most of the other cheeses, especially the chèvre and the harder cheeses. Also, when paired with their successful partners, the taste profiles of the two Champagnes became similar.
Cheers, Berserkers!
Great write up, Jim.
at one point in history, champagne was VERY sweet, because that was vogue at the time. the “sec” category was created as the driest category of champagne made at the time. eventually, tastes began to change and champagne was made more and more dry, and newer categories were created to account for the more dry styles, but the names for the existing ones stayed where they were.