Champagne

A little before the holidays, I started to pay more attention to champagne.

Like most people, I paid attention to the usual suspects. My favorite used to be Veuve Clicquot NV yellow label, which is what most people know from the maker. About 2 years ago, I discovered a (then) mostly unknown maker called Duval-LeRoy, which immediately became my favorite. Today, they're getting very good publicity and fantastic reviews, so I don't think they will stay under the radar too long.

I started reading and learning about "Grower Champagne", and I was intrigued. I heard about three that were very well regarded. All of them Blanc de Blancs:

Gaston Chiquet
Pierre Peters
Jean Milan


I haven't been able to find the Gaston Chiquet. The grower has a very small operation, so the amount of bottles that come in as very small. I managed to find the standard (blended) type, but it is nearly as good as the Blanc de Blancs. I had the Pierre Peters, and it was as good as the reviews implied. It has a light citrus smell with a little hint of yeast. The taste is one of mild pineapple and citrus, and the acidity is perfect. The only bad thing is that the prices are set to jump about 30% this year due to all the "usual suspects" like a weak dollar and high fuel prices.

I have found a few other grower Champagne makers, but I haven't tried them yet. The plan is to have a tasting party and break them there. I hope they're as interesting as the ones I've had to this point.

One thing that became very obvious to me is that Champagne is a much more versatile drink than I thought. Blanc De Blancs pair very well with dishes that go with high acidity wines like Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay. After all, Blanc de Blancs are pure Chardonnay. Rose and Blanc de Noirs are great for a mid-weight meal like grilled chicken with a mild sauce as well. Based on a recommendation, I tried the California Gloria Ferrer NV Blanc de Noirs, and it was much better than expected. I found later that it has been getting great reviews. For about 20 dollars, it's a great deal.

My last bit is about dossage. For those that do not know, most sparkling wine making that follows the Methode Champenoise do a sediment purge after the first fermentation, and they usually have to add a small amount of wine to compensate for the lost volume. Most makers add a bit of sugar with the wine to trigger a second fermentation. The amount of sugar added is what is called the dossage, and it is a volumetric measure. Each class (Brut, Demi-sec, Dux) has a range, and most makers use different amount within the range. I have found that for most people, the amount of sugar almost dictates how much they like the wine when they do not know the brand they're drinking. I would think that makers would publish this information on the bottle, and in the end it would help sales. That's just my 2 cents :)