tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210235767643862872.post7241017837760563260..comments2024-03-18T04:47:16.199-07:00Comments on The Gray Report: Sparkling wine/Champagne buying advice: 8 simple tipsW. Blake Grayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17755307711801965966noreply@blogger.comBlogger21125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210235767643862872.post-58488003787862640892013-01-02T17:40:47.455-08:002013-01-02T17:40:47.455-08:00Thanks, David! You're right, $30 is much bette...Thanks, David! You're right, $30 is much better for Champagne, but my main comment from non-enophiles has been that $20 is a lot of money.W. Blake Grayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17755307711801965966noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210235767643862872.post-34939134886364235382013-01-02T14:14:36.600-08:002013-01-02T14:14:36.600-08:00I intensively read about champagne for professiona...I intensively read about champagne for professional reasons and it's one of the most sensitive introduction to sparklers I've read. To give a better chance to champagnes you should maybe raise your price bar to 30 $.<br />Thanks !davidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16088883803708410190noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210235767643862872.post-3222369603245492592012-12-31T16:16:05.547-08:002012-12-31T16:16:05.547-08:00Thanks so much for the suggestions! I'll chec...Thanks so much for the suggestions! I'll check out the ones you mentioned when I get home. (Astor *is* fantastic. It is a fair schlep for me, but I make a pilgrimage a few times a year for the hard-to-find spirits.)<br /><br />For tonight, I'll just have to see what our choices are en route. Happy New Year!Victoria Swannhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17597383637212754695noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210235767643862872.post-50313424213964185422012-12-31T11:07:42.755-08:002012-12-31T11:07:42.755-08:00Good recommendations. My wife and I drink bubbles ...Good recommendations. My wife and I drink bubbles throughout the year. There are some awesome bottles that cost between $18 to $25. No offense to the Gruet and Ferrer brands which are fine, but for a couple of extra dollars one can buy Cremant Du Jura and Vouvray as well as other sparkling bottles made of Gamay or Grolleu from the Loire or Fallanghina from Campania. I recognize we are spoiled inMister Vinohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16670226437603502925noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210235767643862872.post-14005089098152286572012-12-31T11:06:26.151-08:002012-12-31T11:06:26.151-08:00Good recommendations. My wife and I drink bubbles ...Good recommendations. My wife and I drink bubbles throughout the year. There are some awesome bottles that cost between $18 to $25. No offense to the Gruet and Ferrer brands which are fine, but for a couple of extra dollars one can buy Cremant Du Jura and Vouvray as well as other sparkling bottles made of Gamay or Grolleu from the Loire or Fallanghina from Campania. I recognize we are spoiled inMister Vinohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16670226437603502925noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210235767643862872.post-25425534901181115212012-12-31T09:22:06.864-08:002012-12-31T09:22:06.864-08:00Victoria: For Baltimore wine shops, not many seem ...Victoria: For Baltimore wine shops, not many seem to have their inventory online and one that does says its prices change every day, which is not confidence-inspiring.<br /><br />Best I could find for you is Bin 604, which has Gruet Blanc de Noirs for $15.99. That's what I'd drink tonight if I were you. <br /><br />And if I were you, I'd raise a glass in the direction of Camden Yards W. Blake Grayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17755307711801965966noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210235767643862872.post-54745139380409141152012-12-31T09:15:55.337-08:002012-12-31T09:15:55.337-08:00Victoria: Thanks for the note about the acid. I...Victoria: Thanks for the note about the acid. I'm going to second your local wine shop's suggestion (local wine shops know!) and suggest you drink something pink. Good pink Champagne starts at about $40 so I'll suggest you try a Crémant. Louis Bouillot Crémant de Bourgogne rosé is under $20 most places and is pretty good. The Pierre Sparr Crémant de Alsace I ran a photo of is also W. Blake Grayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17755307711801965966noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210235767643862872.post-68035160790829736202012-12-31T08:59:31.419-08:002012-12-31T08:59:31.419-08:00Oh. Right. Budget. For common-or-garden wine, ...Oh. Right. Budget. For common-or-garden wine, having a glass with dinner etc., I keep it below $15. But every so often I will go up to $20 - $25 for special occasions or just if the spirit moves me. <br /><br />The chief thing I haven't liked about Champagne thus far is that it always seems to taste ridiculously acidic to me, although I do like dry wines on the whole. Maybe this is theVictoria Swannhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17597383637212754695noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210235767643862872.post-71639151174524247952012-12-31T08:52:54.701-08:002012-12-31T08:52:54.701-08:00I'm traveling for the holiday--currently in Ba...I'm traveling for the holiday--currently in Baltimore. The population of the party we are going to tonight is, erm, perhaps less advanced on this evolutionary track than even I. I don't think I'd spend more than $20 on an offering. If we are stopping to pick up a bottle or two, I figured on following your recommendations in the original post.<br /><br />For purposes of my own Victoria Swannhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17597383637212754695noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210235767643862872.post-72302322352388411442012-12-29T07:59:45.711-08:002012-12-29T07:59:45.711-08:00I missed the twitter discussion of English bubbly,...I missed the twitter discussion of English bubbly, but have two bottles of the Ridgeview Cavendish, if you want to try it. It may end up a Tour de France wine.winebookgirlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01108898075062843791noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210235767643862872.post-50872820190886573152012-12-28T13:57:27.766-08:002012-12-28T13:57:27.766-08:00Christopher: I could drink bubbly every day. I'...Christopher: I could drink bubbly every day. I'm always just a little sad when I meet a wine drinker who says she doesn't like bubbly. You'd be amazed how many people get a gift of a bottle of Champagne and never open it. Pop those corks!W. Blake Grayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17755307711801965966noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210235767643862872.post-34480122437858569992012-12-28T12:41:16.245-08:002012-12-28T12:41:16.245-08:00Blake: A great primer for the uninitiated. Well do...Blake: A great primer for the uninitiated. Well done! Perhaps we should make you an honorary member of the Society of Wine Educators.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12518530875317856476noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210235767643862872.post-15000495743775433602012-12-28T10:47:37.056-08:002012-12-28T10:47:37.056-08:00Oh man, I think back when bubbles used to just be ...Oh man, I think back when bubbles used to just be a New Year's Eve thing and I feel bad for my past self. Now, the wife and I drink bubbles at least once a week, more if we can. <br /><br />Despite being expensive to make, sparkling wine has one of the best QPR of any wine. The local wine shop often has Gruet Blanc de Noir for under $20 and for that price, bubbles become a daily drinker!Christopherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00240534359160170087noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210235767643862872.post-5874517638298954002012-12-28T09:58:49.041-08:002012-12-28T09:58:49.041-08:00Victoria: That's interesting. Pinot Noir isn&#...Victoria: That's interesting. Pinot Noir isn't a traditional Cava grape, but here is one instance where I like internationalization, because it just makes a better sparkling wine (I can feel the traditionalists grumbling).<br /><br />What's your budget and what's the nearest big city to you? Let me see if I can suggest a one-last-shot Champagne in a nearby store.W. Blake Grayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17755307711801965966noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210235767643862872.post-22997137932192554142012-12-28T07:07:26.487-08:002012-12-28T07:07:26.487-08:00I read this blog and I haven't yet met a Champ...I read this blog and I haven't yet met a Champagne I enjoy drinking on its own (though I love a champagne cocktail). I am hoping to edumacate myself, at least insofar as my budget permits.<br /><br />In re: comment #3 above: the local wine store dude recommended an inexpensive dry sparkling rose for my Christmas dinner (we were having ham); it is Cava but the label says it's Pinot Noir.Victoria Swannhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17597383637212754695noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210235767643862872.post-10502614332916271852012-12-27T11:53:54.463-08:002012-12-27T11:53:54.463-08:00Fair enoughFair enoughrapopodahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00413215670441671568noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210235767643862872.post-43705206028467834152012-12-27T11:12:22.804-08:002012-12-27T11:12:22.804-08:00Rapo: I'm hoping folks will find this by searc...Rapo: I'm hoping folks will find this by search, or that my enophile readers will forward it to their non-enophile friends.<br /><br />I have had the same conversation with several non-enophile friends this year: Why don't you write more for people who don't know much about wine, but are interested in learning more? Gotta start somewhere.W. Blake Grayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17755307711801965966noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210235767643862872.post-15781348334195458602012-12-27T10:39:53.813-08:002012-12-27T10:39:53.813-08:00There are people who don't like Champagne?; wh...There are people who don't like Champagne?; who read this blog?rapopodahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00413215670441671568noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210235767643862872.post-53263133237996998982012-12-27T09:32:50.061-08:002012-12-27T09:32:50.061-08:00Joe: Cava doesn't taste as good as wines made ...Joe: Cava doesn't taste as good as wines made from Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.<br /><br />I strongly discourage shopping for sparkling wine at Safeway. Strongly. I'll bet those sale wines are the weakest in Domaine Chandon's and Gloria Ferrer's portfolio.<br /><br /><br />W. Blake Grayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17755307711801965966noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210235767643862872.post-58405016823582634122012-12-27T09:20:09.944-08:002012-12-27T09:20:09.944-08:00There are a good number of Spanish Cava wines well...There are a good number of Spanish Cava wines well under the $20 mark. You can also find good deals on Domain Chandon and Gloria Ferrer at the Safeway, about $12 to $14. Joehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14254920610219646460noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9210235767643862872.post-37937991186171355492012-12-27T08:17:31.472-08:002012-12-27T08:17:31.472-08:00$20.00 is little to much for me at this time I'...$20.00 is little to much for me at this time I'll stick with my fav. Mad Dog 20/20 with 7up for the bubbles of course. <br /><br />Have Safe and Happy New Year.jo6pachttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13243469700844995455noreply@blogger.com