Happy Friday!  LA Wine Co. is selling FULL BOTTLES of non-vintage Pommery Brut Royal for $19.95.  This is a textbook Champagne (you know – the kind from France), for the lowest price in the country by $8.39!  Actually, I can honestly say this is the lowest priced Champagne I’ve ever seen, and it’s not some random no-namer.  It’s Pommery!!!

Buy Here: Pommery Brut Royal $19.95

Wine Spectator 89 points

“Broad and inviting, exhibiting peach, honey and spice flavors. This is creamy and, though balanced on the soft side, stays focused, with moderate length. Drink now. 5,568 cases imported.”

Here are some facts of Champagne: It grows in a crappy climate, it’s overpriced and many people think it’s only for celebrations.  Ironically though, each of these facts has contributed to making this fizzy beverage something we love to enjoy. Let’s examine each a little more closely.

Champagne Grows in a Crappy Climate

The Champagne region lies just East of Paris along the 49th parallel.  Also on the 49th parallel: North Dakota.  Sounds like prime wine country, right?  Not exactly, but this less than ideal climate has really made Champagne what it is today.  Most Champagnes are bottled non-vintage (N/V) which really means that they are a mix of multiple vintages.  This is because dramatic variations from vintage to vintage meant the grower needed a way to ensure quality and consistency.  Mixing multiple vintages together results in a pretty consistent product every year.  The cool weather also creates that crisp, mineral flavor we love in Champagne.  It’s made from much less ripe (sugary) grapes than most wines.

Champagne is Overpriced

Champagne is overpriced, and most implications of this are negative.  But Champagne’s high price is a reflection of its demand and its cost to produce.  It really is much more expensive to produce Champagne than normal wine, and that’s what makes it a sparking wine vs. a Chardonnay or Pinot Noir.  The process involves multiple fermentations and takes over two years.  Check out this very informative video to see how it’s done.

They only part they leave out, is that sugar (dosage) is actually added right before the wine is corked to add in the sweetness that was removed when the yeast ate the sugar during fermentation.

People Think Champagne is only for Celebrations

I was in Las Vegas last week and around 1 am some scantily clad cocktail waitresses paraded through the night club with bottles of Dom Perignon.  Why?  Because Champagne is what you drink when you celebrate.  I’m just glad I wasn’t paying!  Here’s the challenge: try drinking Champagne just to celebrate being alive.  It tastes even better!

Follow this link for some of the top Champagne deals on the market now.

Everyone loves to receive Champagne as a gift.  Those who don’t are hereby declared suspected communists (yes that’s you dad).  This year, make it a point to ditch the Asti Spumante (A.K.A. “Nasti Spumante”) shrink wrapped in the cheesy basket, and get a gift that someone can actually enjoy: Fine Champagne.  But wait,  there’s more!  This fine Champagne happens to come with some nice glasses that are the perfect shape for enjoying Champagne and other sparkling wine.  They are shaped like narrow versions of a Bordeaux glass rather than a straight flute.  I much prefer this style, so much in fact, that I’m going to buy another gift pack for myself so I have a total of four glasses.

So how’s the bubbly?  It’s great.  It actually compares quite favorably with the other $25-30 Champagne we’ve reviewed on this blog.  Rich, creamy and focused with enough dry citrus flavors to tell you you’re drinking a quality Champagne.

This item is only available for in-store pickup so unfortunately non SoCal readers will need to make alternate gifting plans.  But the lesson from today’s post sh0uld still be taken to heart:  Just because wine has bubbles doesn’t mean it’s an acceptable holiday gift.  Do the right thing.

Buy Here: Pommery Brut Royal Gift Pack $29.95

Wine Spectator 89 points

“Broad and inviting, exhibiting peach, honey and spice flavors. This is creamy and, though balanced on the soft side, stays focused, with moderate length. Drink now. 5,568 cases imported.”

How much do I like Champagne?  A lot.  How much do I like Champagne’s pink version?  A lot plus a little more.  Unfortunately, the rosé version usually costs between 2 and 5 times more than the standard version, so it’s a very rare occasion that I get to drink the real deal.  Legally, only grapes grown in the Champagne region of France can be called Champagne (with the exception of a few U.S. sparkling wines that were grandfathered in).  And much like the “Napa Valley Effect” Champagne demands a much higher price than it’s less prestigious, though sometimes just as tasty, counterparts in different regions of France and elsewhere.

In this case the grapes come from Alsace in eastern France near the German border.  Lucien Albrecht’s brut rosé is made from 100% Pinot Noir grapes whose skins impart the beautiful pink color in this wine.  A perfect alternative to Champagne, this wine is fruity and creamy on the palate, with the Pinot grape coming through on the finish with nice mineral flavors and a little bitterness that reminds you this is a rosé, not a run of the mill sparkling wine.

At $14.95 you really can’t go wrong giving this a try, especially if you are in search of an alternative to Champagne which starts at $25.

Buy Here: Lucien Albrecht Cremant d-Alsace Brut Rosé $14.95

Wine Advocate 87 points

“While Albrecht’s Pinot Blanc Cremant d-Alsace (a genre Lucien Albrecht was prominent in legally codifying) is delicious, it is a bit simple to count as a top value at $24, whereas their non-vintage Cremant d-Alsace Brut Rose – a pure Pinot Noir – is more intriguing and distinctive. Along with strawberry and red raspberry fruit suggestions that are enhanced by the wine’s discreet hint of sweetness, there are saline, meaty, and herbal notes to add interest to both the nose and a lush palate, and the hints of salinity and bitterness in the finish make for an invigorating complement to the wine’s prominent fruit. This comes in a light-sensitive clear bottle, and I could identify no lot number, so make sure that whoever sells you a bottle will take responsibility for freshness and proper storage.

As a group, Albrecht’s wines were delightfully user-friendly, although some of them – like so many wines of Alsace nowadays -lacked the concentration or distinctiveness to render them excellent values, given starting prices of close to $20.”

I’ve been on a major Champagne kick lately and it seems like anything with the word “Heidsieck” on the label is really good.  In the last month, I’ve had Piper-Heidsieck, Charles Heidsieck and Heidsieck & Co, all in the $25-30 range and all fantastic values.  This got me thinking about about how three different Champagne houses could have the same name, so I did some research on the Interweb’s #1 source of sometimes accurate information (Wikipedia), and here’s what I came up with:

Charles Heidsieck (of Charles Heidsieck) was the son of Charles-Henri Heidsieck (a Champagne merchant) who was the nephew of Florens-Louis Heidsieck (of Piper-Heidsieck) and the cousin of Pierre Auguste Heidsieck (of Heidsieck & Co Monopole).  Got it?

Now that you know who founded Heidsieck & Co., you’re probably wondering how it tastes.  It tastes exactly as Champagne should; dry, slightly woody, with nice citrus notes.  What make this special is the texture, which is particularly creamy, making this Champagne more comparable to those in the $50 price range.  Of all the Champagne I’ve enjoyed recently, this is probably my favorite under $30, though you really can’t go wrong with any of the Heidsiecks.

You don’t need a reason to drink Champagne any more than other fizz-free wines, so buy it up and enjoy!  You can bet I am.

Buy Here: Heidsieck & Co. Monopole Blue Top $26.95

Wine Spectator 90 points

“Delicate in style, with fine bubbles and apple, wheat beer and mineral flavors. Precise and intense, this is balanced, with a lingering aftertaste of chalk. Drink now through 2012. 12,714 cases imported.”

I was in Chicago last weekend and having recently enjoyed the 2000 vintage Piper-Heidsieck, I thought it was the perfect opportunity to give the non vintage version a try.  As you will find out with our soon to be launched (massive) Facebook campaign, I don’t need a celebratory excuse to drink Champagne, but in this case I was celebrating meeting up with the family in the Second City.

Much like Chicago, this Champagne is clean, crisp and a little nutty.  Unlike Chicago, it’s best enjoyed on ice.  Totally unrelated to Chicago it has a really nice citric note and a creamy mouthfeel with a complexity rarely found in Champagne at this price point.  I loved Piper-Heidsieck’s vintage bottling, but at less than half the price I’m having trouble coming up with a reason not to just drink the NV version twice as often.  It’s really good.

I love California sparkling wine but Champagne (meaning sparkling wine from the Champagne region of France) has a certain dryness and complexity that I haven’t tasted in the domestic version.  If you’re just getting into Champagne or you’re a long time fan, this is a perfect expression of the style that anyone can enjoy.

Of note, it comes in a clever aluminum “Cool Box” (pictured right) which is meant to keep the bubbly cool after it’s removed from the fridge.  This would make a great gift, a perfect start to any day ending in “y”, or an outstanding first bottle on a Friday evening.  I’ll take a mimosa hold the orange juice.

Buy Here: NV Piper Heidsieck Brut $27.95

Wine Spectator 91 points

“A fresh, medium-bodied style, this shows finesse, with notes of apple, peach, ruby grapefruit, vanilla and toast. The refined texture and vibrant structure keep this focused and lingering, with fine length. Drink now through 2012. 50,000 cases imported.”

Generally speaking, Champagne releases two different kinds of bubbly: Non vintage and vintage.  Non vintage Champagne is released every year and consists of a blend of multiple vintages with the goal of creating a sparkling wine that’s consistent year to year.  It’s meant to be consumed within the first couple years of life.  Vintage Champagne is only produced in the best years and consists of only one vintage of grapes and is meant to be aged.  The 2000 vintage is the most recent that most Champagne houses released a vintage bottling.  My question: how do those bubbles last 10 years!?

In fact, those tiny bubbles can last much longer than 10 years, with some decades-old Champagne drinking great to this day.  To me, that’s what is so satisfying about drinking vintage bubbly.  So how good is Piper-Heidsieck’s vintage offering?  Really good.  $60 Champagne isn’t for everyone, but for those who enjoy drinking the good stuff, it doesn’t get any better at the price.

Tiny bubbles bring clean, fresh mineral and citrus scents to the nose.  On the palate, this Champagne is dry yet creamy with toasty oak and enough acid to cut through and create a nice clean finish.  By far, the most enjoyable part are complexities that can only develop after 10 years in a bottle.

At the price, this is, admittedly, for special occasions or for a thoughtful gift (it comes in a cool case).  But Champagne, or any sparkling wine for that matter, shouldn’t be saved only for special occasions.  In fact, Piper-Heidsieck makes a non-vintage version of this wine for $27.95, more in the weekend drinker territory.  Watch for further posts on my mission to make sparkling wine, including Champagne, an integral part of the U.S. wine repertoire, not reserved only for special occasions.  That concept is totally ridiculous and needs to change!

Buy Here: Piper-Heidsieck Vintage Brut 2000 $59.95

Wine Spectator 92 points
“On the dry side and spicy, with rich flavors of coffee, vanilla, mushroom and whole-grain toast. Shows fine intensity and length, with a quinine- and spice-filled aftertaste. Drink now through 2020. 1,000 cases imported.” (WS)

It was our 4th wedding anniversary so I needed some classy Champagne to celebrate.  You can never go wrong with Veuve Clicquot and its iconic yellow label (that curiously looks more orange to me).  We went with the half bottle because we were also opening a 15 year old bottle of Cabernet.  I love half bottles of Champagne because it’s the perfect amount for two people to share before dinner!

Veuve Clicquot might be the most popular higher-end Champagne in the United States, and for good reason.  It’s a perfect expression of what Champagne should be- dry, nutty and with lots of tiny tongue tingling (say that 3 times fast) bubbles.

You can easily pay $100 at restaurants, $60 at the grocery store and $50 at wine superstores for Veuve Yellow Label.  LA Wine Co. has it for $36.95 for full bottles, $21.95 for half and $89.95 for magnums, which is unheard of pricing.  Get it while you can because this pricing probably won’t last.

Buy Here: Veuve Clicquot Brut Yellow Label $36.95, 375ml $21.95, 1.5L $89.95

Wine Spectator 90 points

“A nice crisp structure focuses the graphite, honey and citrus flavors. This is rich, but remains smooth and elegant, with a lingering aftertaste of honey and pastry. Drink now.” (WS)