What is your relationship to Champagne?

WINE TALK
21

It’s only in recent years that I’ve realized how much I love certain styles of Champagne. I might have realized it sooner if there weren’t so many I don’t care for. You people who like Krug are all crazy.

22

I like Champagne. It is refreshing and the perfect starter wine, before we progress to the red wines, which are the main event. But Champagne is the ultimate example of a spoofulated wine, and I have trouble taking it very seriously for this reason. By spoofulated, I mean it is a wine that is conjoured up by the winemaker, who takes some good grapes and processes them into the desired wine. I’m not saying all grapes are created equal, but I am saying all Champagnes are more the product of winemaker process than anything else. Just my $0.02.

23

Slave to Master

Dan Kravitz

24

Indeed. Much lust. flirtysmile

25

Extremely versatile wine. Goes great with light appetizers, matches well with heavier, fatty dished such as stews, and great with dessersts. And it never gets you full. [cheers.gif]

26

Growing appreciation. I am finding though that two American “Champagnes” … Roderer Brut & Gloria Ferrer can probably satisfy my itch 90% of the time. I’m not often dazzled by $50 or even sometimes, $100+ French Champagnes vs these two sub $20 American “Champagnes”. I think in the blind tasting these two would perform very well. So I love the wine type but rarely blown away by the higher end stuff. I keep trying though and own about 25 btls of assorted French Champagne price points at any given time.

27

I don’t like champagne, can I have some more?

28

I guess I would say that I really don’t like a lot of the Champagne one “normally” sees around that much. But I am gaining more and more appreciation for the Champagnes of certain producers. I am still not sure which Champagne falls into which category for me, so to me it is still somewhat of a minefield where I tread gingerly. I started off liking Bouchard several years ago because of wines Randy McFarlane brought to offlines. Then I had some spectacular epiphany Champagnes at a tasting of Dom Ruinart that Randy invited me to be part of (see a pattern here?). Recently, I have tasted wines from Lassalle and Beriche from Arrowine locally here that I have liked. So, I am learning. Call me in Kindergarten still.

29

Completely lovestruck. I’m doomed. flirtysmile

30

our love for each other is growing.

31

so many bubbles, so little time. can never go steady with one producer; i’ll always be playing the field.

32

I voted “I think Champagne is good but I don’t drink it or think about it very much”.

But after Friday evening when Ray Tuppatsch brought a magnum of 1988 Bollinger RD to Leo’s, I need to move it up to “I really like Champagne”. It was the WOTN for me even over some serious Giacosa Barolo.

33

Ha! I was ready to say “dominant/submissive,” but I see kink-meister Kravitz beat me to it. (“Beat me”; see what I did there?).

My favorite white by a very wide margin. Many different styles. The most flexible wine at table. Delicious, joyous, stimulating, sexy as hell. I love it.

34

[rofl.gif]

SO true! I wanted to snatch that glass of Champagne out of your hand each time I saw you “not liking” every last sip.

I love Champagne, it makes me feel good. I am always looking to find a good, affordable Champagne and my quest has been full of fun.

35

Exactly

36

Love the stuff - I don’t cellar a lot of it nor do I have a lot at home but I frequently have a glass when I go out to dinner. Love it with oysters. Probably my favorite food wine.

37

Generally like it, though not usually better than, say, a very good Chablis. It’s cost relegates it to the special event category in our household. There are a couple of good alternatives, and I wonder how much of Champagne pricing is cost-driven and how much is a branding exercise.

38

For me, Champagne is like oral sex. I always love it when I get it, but it typically only happens once or twice a year.

39

Voted that I like it (in fact really like it), but it is not one of my favorite wines. I would put it possibly in the top five behind pinot, white burgundy, and riesling.