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Permalink Reply by Jeff Weiss on December 11, 2007 at 2:38pm

Moet - White Star - We did a blindfolded champagne tasting on New Year's Eve about six years ago and it was the undisputed winner. I've been hooked ever since. - jeff

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Permalink Reply by Christina Monk on December 12, 2007 at 4:33pm

I love my "yellow label" Veuve Clicqout the best - It may not be the absolute best on the market (hands down Cristal for my vote on that one!) but over the years, it's become my favourite memory making champagne - plus you gotta love the story behind how it came to be Veuve Cliquot!

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Permalink Reply by Jeff Weiss on December 14, 2007 at 1:00pm

Hey Christina, don't leave us hanging right before New Year's - inquiring minds want to know the story behind how it came to be "Veuve Cliquot." Sounds like a good party topic. Thanks. - jeff

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Permalink Reply by Christina Monk on December 14, 2007 at 4:42pm

Hi! Well, in french "veuve" means widow - and the widow was just 2 years or so into her marriage when her husband died - she was only 27 (the year was 1810 I think?) and back then women never or rarely ever took over a business.

She did though and did a great job at it! She took risks that other vitners at the time didn't dream of taking - such as overseas ventures and deals. Anyway, she stuck to her guns and even invented a way that removes yeast from the bottle - revoluntionary at the time and now sort of a gold standard. I guess we can thank her for not having opaque champagne!

Pretty cool lady in my book!

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Permalink Reply by matt on December 20, 2007 at 1:46pm

Billecart Salmon Brut Rosé when I'm a big spender- otherwise the more down to earth ($18) Crémant d'Alsace Rosé from Domaine Allimant-Laugner is nice. Merry Christmas! Matt

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Permalink Reply by Kevin Dixon on March 19, 2008 at 10:14pm

I was fortunate to spend seven years working for an Italian company and at least two months a year was spent in the Prosecco district. Our headquarters was about 1.5 miles off what is known as the Prosecco Trail that connects Vadobbiadene and Conegliano. Having a second phone with a +39 prefix brings some nuggets of knowledge, that shouldn't be confused with wisdom.

The modern Prosecco trail lies south of the Piave river (below the Montello) while the traditional Prosecco trail (and that adored by bike enthusiasts) is a winding two land road through the hills.

One advantage we on the eastern edge of the country have is a more abundant supply of prosecco, though the west is catching up.

Being that the Euro is gaining by the minute and Prosecco is gaining popularity, there are some tricks of the trade. My Italian friends are, naturally, Prosecco snobs. So by extension, I am a hack American with a smattering of knowledge.

The normal direction in finding good Italian is a DOC accreditation. This is good and proper, but prosecco is a casual, pre-dinner drink - not a fancy formal drink.

Given my limited knowledge and inherent cheapness, I search for an IGD that has an address that starts with town name and ends with "del Montello." My company was headquartered at Giavera del Montello - smack in the middle between Valdobbiadene and Conegliano. Many of the proper Prosecco grapes are brought down the road to contract bottlers. These offer proper grape production with an external bottler. Many non-Valdobbiadene/Conegliano proseccos not bottled in "the Montello" are not prosecco region grapes - they are only called prosecco on export (per Veneto regulations)

My usual trek from VCE to my second residence (aka hotel Bellavista or Relais Monaco) in Montebelluna involves stopping at the Prosecaria even before the hotel for the armful of EU 3.00 bottles of prosecco. Inside this bottling plant, they have a treasure trove of Prosecco that they bottle for the growers just north of the Montello in the official prosecco district. Now . . . here is the kicker. The locals bring jugs and pump prosecco from what are, quite literally, gas pump apparatus. I will be back there in about 8 weeks and I'll take a photo and post later - it is an amazing site.

As far as lodging and touring - the Prosecco district is incredibly beautiful and there are accommodations worthy of the environs. However, many require a three night minimum (as I found in my recent planning).

I love Champagne and Christina's recommendation of Veuve Cliquot has got me hooked (I love the splits so many bars are now serving - just last week me and the girl downed a couple in the bakery district in Culver City)- but the Italians just seem to know how to take the pomp and circumstance away and elevate expectations such that quality is casually expected.

So - my experience (and your mileage may vary) is that a) the sale Prosecco at Whole Foods ($8.99 east coast, $10.99 West Coast) is not bad, could be better. The better deal is that generic looking bottle at Trader Joes. It comes with a cork and no fancy foil, just some string assuring the cork doesn't put someone's eye out - this is a Montello prosecco. As a wannabe Prosecco snob, this is where I go. Again, this is a pre-dinner casual drink, not an occasion drink.

ciao sono kevin da montebelluna e new hampshire

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Permalink Reply by Peter Monk on March 19, 2008 at 11:11pm

Wow - great tribute to prosecco! Please do send some photos from the trip and post them. If you can snag some video, even better!

I must say, this is one of the best posts I've read to date. Very well written and makes me want to head to that section of Italy.

One point I would add; the notion of champagne as a special occasion, 'snob' drink is one that (in my experience at least) is a uniquely American point of view. In France and the rest of the old country, they drink it very frequently and consider it an important part of their wine 'diet.' The reality is that while you can find many extravagant (and amazing) bottles for a pretty penny, there are also many that can be found for under $15 that are quite wonderful...

I'll look forward to your posts, photos, and any future recommendations for prosecco.

Cheers!

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Permalink Reply by jamyjamy on March 20, 2008 at 11:57am

I can recommend: EARL CHAMPAGNE LACROIX:

MILLESIME 2000(quantité limitée)
MILLESIME 2002(quantité limitée)
BRUT ROSE
BRUT CUVEE ANTHONY(quantité limitée)
BRUT Bouquet d’Arômes(Brut Tradition habillé d’un voile d’Arômes)
BRUT TRADITION
DEMI SEC
DEMIE Bt BRUT (37.5cl)
JEROBOAM Brut (3 litres)

Contact:
EARL CHAMPAGNE LACROIX
14 rue des Genêts
51700 MONTIGNY S/ CHATILLON
Tel : 03.26.58.35.17 Fax : 03.26.58.36.39
Champlacroix2@wanadoo.fr

Contact Céline Lacroix.

If anyone uses this information, I would be delighted, if you can send regards from Christoph Heckenbücker. Thanks in advance. (Just for information. The family only sells limited bottles up to 80 bottles.)

Best,
Christoph

Descriptif:

Veuillez découvrir ci-dessous le descriptif de notre gamme de Champagne.
Nos Champagnes nés d’un assemblage subtil des trois cépages traditionnels et de différentes années…sauf bien sûr pour les Millésimes, sont élaborés chaque années avec soin, pour vous permettre de retrouver la spécificité de nos différentes cuvées.
Seuls trois cépages sont autorisés en terroir Champenois : le Pinot Meunier qui confère au vin bouquet intense et fruité, le Pinot Noir qui apporte rondeur et puissance et le Chardonnay qui allie vivacité et finesse.

Notre gamme de Champagne :

Le Millésime : issu d’une seul vendange à majorité de Chardonnay (Raisin blanc) environ 50% complété par moitié Pinot Noir et Meunier.

Brut Rosé : assemblage de plusieurs années à dominant Pinot Noir environ 60% avec part égale de Chardonnay et de Meunier. Puis pour la couleur nous ajoutons du vin rouge élaboré avec 100% de Meunier. Vins qui ont entre 4 et 5 ans.

Brut Tradition (et Demi-Sec plus dosé en sucre) : élaboré également avec plusieurs années. Vinifiés avec environ 60 à 70% de Meunier, complété de Chardonnay et Pinot Noir. Vins qui ont entre 3 et 4 ans.

Cuvée Anthony : 100% Meunier (raisin noir à jus blanc, très fruité). Vins qui ont entre 3 et 4 ans.

Vous trouverez certainement parmi nos différents Champagne celui qui charmera votre palais.
Toujours à votre écoute, et au plaisir de vous servir…

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Permalink Reply by GirlwithaGlass on April 2, 2008 at 4:29pm

Have you tried the inexpensive but fabulous Cristalino Cava?

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Permalink Reply by Joshua Yates on May 2, 2008 at 9:19pm

If you guys haven't tried the Sparkles from Gruet out of New Mexico....

I know... it sounds crazy... but this stuff is LEGIT!

CLICK HERE AND CHECK IT

The Gruet New Mexico Story

In 1983, the Gruet family was traveling through the Southwestern part of the United States, and while in New Mexico met a group of European winemakers who had successfully planted vineyards in Engle, near the town of Truth or Consequence, 170 miles south of Albuquerque. The land was inexpensive and the opportunity golden. In 1984, Gilbert Gruet, whose Champagne house, Gruet et Fils had produced fine Champagne in Bethon, France, since 1952, made the decision to plant an experimental vineyard, exclusively planted to Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes. His children, winemaker Laurent and daughter Nathalie, and family friend Farid Himeur then relocated to the great state of New Mexico to begin their American wine making adventure.

At 4300 ft. the vineyards are some of the highest in the United States, so regardless of how hot the days might be, the temperature at night can drop as much as thirty degrees, cooling the fruit and slowing down the maturation process on an otherwise short growing season. Sandy and loamy soil, and a lack of humidity that might contribute to rot, give us a consistency of fruit year in and year out, and allow us to produce our award winning wines without the use of pesticides.

The excellent 1987 harvest allowed Laurent to produce his first two wines following the strict guidelines of a true Methode Champenoise. His Gruet Brut N.V., and his Gruet Brut Blanc de Noirs N.V. Production totaled 5000 bottles. All manual machinery had been shipped from France and the wine was produced in a small rented facility in the city of Albuquerque.

In 1989, after the required minimum of two years aging on tirage, our first two sparkling wines were introduced to a very appreciative wine world. Critics and connoisseurs alike were astonished by the quality and the value. New Mexico wine was on the map!

In 2005 Gruet produced 80,000 cases of wine and distributed them to 47 states. We now produce seven different sparkling wines: Brut NV (non-vintage), Blanc de Noirs NV, Rosé NV, Demi Sec NV, vintage Blanc de Blancs, vintage Grand Rosé, and Laurent's latest bubbly creation — an homage to his late, great father, and the Gruet Winery's luxury tête de cuvée — the vintage Gilbert Gruet Grande Reserve. We also produce two excellent Chardonnays and two Pinot Noirs, both with a regular bottling and an unfiltered barrel select reserve bottling.

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