Champagne Overview and Recommendations
With 2009 ready to make bid adieu its time to get ready for a fitting goodbye to a great year. With that said I am going to go over everyone’s favorite New Years Eve beverage. Champagne is very good. It’s very misunderstood. In my opinion very under consumed. After all we all have a lot to celebrate in one way or another this year. Even if it’s to a great 2010.
Bubbly: A 19th Hole Overview
What makes Champagne Champagne?
Champagne is made from as many as three varieties of grape: chardonnay, pinot noir and pinot meunier. Sparkling wines made exclusively from chardonnay grapes are known as blanc de blancs ("white of whites"), while wines made entirely from pinot noir grapes are known as blanc de noirs ("white of blacks").
Large Champagne producers buy most of their grapes, while some small vintners both grow and produce their own Champagne. Rose Champagne is produced when unfermented juice is allowed to steep with grape skins, or a small amount of red wine is added before bottling. Whatever the blend, the best sparkling wines employ the methode Champ noise: Grape juice is fermented in stainless-steel vats or wooden casks, blended and bottled. A mixture of yeast, water and sugar is added, and in-bottle secondary fermentation produces carbon dioxide, giving these wines their fizz.
Ninety percent of the Champagnes shipped worldwide in 2006 were non-vintage (NV). Non-vintage sparkling wines are made from a blend of vintages, which enables producers to make wine with a consistent style year after year. Experts say that non-vintage bubblies can be exuberant, with juicy acidity and the yeasty, toasty aromas characteristic of Champagne. Bruce Sanderson of Wine Spectator believes that non-vintage Champagnes offer better value than their vintage counterparts.
True Champagne is produced only in the Champagne region of France; however, many French Champagne producers, including Mumm and Louis Roederer, have offshoots in northern California. A few players, including the LVMH group (which owns Dom Perignon and Veuve Cliquot, among others) and Allied Domecq (which owns Mumm and Perrier-Jouet), control more than a third of the Champagne market.
Some U.S.-produced sparkling wines are a good value
Sparkling wine from California's Roederer Estate -- a domestic offshoot of the French producer -- can compete with the top French houses, say experts. The estate uses a blend of chardonnay and pinot noir grapes grown on-site to produce its California Brut. Ed McCarthy, the author of several books on wine, believes that Roederer Estate is the world's best sparkling wine in its price class. Eric Asimov of The New York Times has said he's always satisfied with a bottle of Roederer Estate Anderson Valley Brut NV (*Est. $20), and Fiona Beckett of Epicurious.com calls this wine "rich, seductive, and full-bodied." Wine Spectator says this sparkling wine is "rich, crisp, and appealing, with notes of cherry, ginger, citrus, and spice." The San Francisco Chronicle's tasting panel awarded Roederer Estate Brut NV perfect scores, and Wine Spectator awarded it 88 points (out of a possible 100) -- a high score in this price range. Experts say Roederer Estate Brut NV is ready to drink now.
In a slightly lower price range, Sonoma-based Gloria Ferrer produces a rich, creamy Sonoma Brut NV (*Est. $15) with flavors of fruit cocktail, lime and toast, reviews say. Ferrer earned a high rating from Wine Spectator. Moreover, Ferrer is the least expensive of the highly rated California Brut sparkling wines. Although not as refined as the top-rated vintage Champagnes,
Ferrer is said to be a delicious bubbly that's suitable for drinking now. In professional reviews, inexpensive and widely available Korbel Brut NV (*Est. $13) earns praise in its price range. Experts say this California sparkling wine is nearly as good a value as Gloria Ferrer. Wine Spectator and Wine News give it solid scores in its price range.
Domaine Chandon Brut Classic NV (*Est. $20) is another lively, widely available California bubbly with layered flavors of pear, spice and fresh-baked bread, according to the most credible reviews. For the money, we found the most universal praise for Roederer Estate NV Brut, but Domaine Chandon is said to be worth a try if you have trouble finding the Roederer sparkling wine. Any of these four sparkling wines outperforms others in their price class.
French Champagne
Best values in French Champagne for WereTalkingGolf fans….
Critics will tell you that if it's not from France, it's not really Champagne. In general, French Champagne tends to outscore domestic sparkling wines, but not always. Critics say that Nicolas Feuillatte Brut NV (*Est. $30) is a frothy, slightly floral Champagne with a well-deserved reputation for quality. Wine Review Online's Ed McCarthy recommends Feuillatte for those seeking a light-bodied Champagne, and Eric Asimov says that it's well balanced, off-dry and bright with citrus and floral flavors. Feuillatte Champagne also gets high ratings in its class from Tim Fish of Wine Spectator, who notes that with a year or so of aging, this "appealing" wine will reveal even more depth.
Slate.com's Mike Steinberger considers Louis Roederer Brut Premier (*Est. $40) the finest non-vintage Champagne on the market. Steinberger is bowled over by its complexity and refreshing minerality. With an average of three and a half years of aging, this Champagne is redolent of berries, apple, pear and almonds. Wine Spectator notes that it's rich and full of flavors, including lemon and grapefruit, and it really lingers on the palate.
We also found consistently good reviews for Charles Heidsieck Brut Reserve(*Est. $35), which some experts say is fuller-bodied and has a longer finish than others in its non-vintage class. This is sleek Champagne, with flavors of vanilla and toast. Its finish is said to be especially long.
Piper-Heidsieck Champagne Brut (*Est. $30) is said to be lighter and crisper than Feuillatte, with honey and citrus notes. Wine Spectator awards this "well knit and smooth" sparkler 90 points (out of 100); Bruce Sanderson notes that the "tart" finish is long.
Bruce Sanderson of Wine Spectator says that the Piper-Heidsieck Brut Champagne Cuvre Rare NV (*Est. $105) is a wine with "finesse, and a mouthwatering finish." He considers it an excellent buy in its price class.
Eric Asimov of The New York Times says that Champagne Bollinger's house style, which relies heavily on pinot noir, balances power with grace. The house's Special Cuvre Brut NV (*est. $60) evokes honey and dried orange peel. Slate.com's Steinberger calls this Champagne "superb," praising its "terrific medley of fruits and spices." Bollinger wines age gracefully, according to experts.
Experts say that most Champagnes improve with aging, but this is especially true of vintage Champagnes. Many vintage Champagnes will not reach their peak until they have spent a decade or more in the bottle. The best recent vintages were 1990, 1995, 1996, 1997 and 1998, according to producers and critics.
In a tasting of 25 blanc de blancs vintage Champagnes, The New York Times singled out Charles Heidsieck Blanc des Millionaires Brut 1995 (*Est. $100) as a particularly elegant, balanced example of the style. According to Wine Spectator's Sanderson, 1995 was an outstanding vintage. This Champagne can be consumed now or held until about 2012.
If you want the best Champagne available at any price, we found the highest praise for Krug Brut Champagne 1996 (*Est. $300). Wine Spectator's Sanderson says that this wine's creamy texture offsets the steeliness of the 1996 vintage; Sanderson calls expensive Champagne "majestic" and "stunning." Ed McCarthy goes a step further, calling Krug Brut "one of the greatest Champagnes I have ever tasted." Experts say that Krug Champagnes only improve with many years of aging. According to Eyewitness Companions' Wines of the World, the 1981 Krug was nearing its peak in 2002 -- over 20 years after its release. Sanderson says that the 1996 Krug can be held until 2040.
Reviews say that long-aged Champagne has a complex aroma, moderate levels of fruit and a deeper color than young wine. If you are interested in tasting one now, reviews say that the De Venoge Brut 1988 (*est. $100) is a Champagne of exceptional quality, with flavors of leather, coffee and dried fruits. Wine Spectator awarded it 97 points (out of 100). It can be consumed now or held for several more years.
According to The New York Times, sales of rose Champagne increased 700 percent between 1995 and 2006. The majority of experts say that these wines are appealingly quirky, with notes of earth, flowers and berries in additional to the usual toasty, citrus-y flavors characteristic of Champagne.
Rose Champagne gets its pink hue one of two ways: Producers either leave grape skins to steep in the juice, or they add a small amount of red wine to the blended juices. Roses tend to cost more and spend more time in the bottle than traditional Champagnes. Critics caution that while these wines may be in vogue, their quality doesn't outclass that of their traditional counterparts, and in many cases may be lower.
Schramsberg Mirabelle Brut Rose NV (*Est. $25) is an excellent sparkling rose for the price, according to Wine Spectator's Tim Fish. This pale salmon-colored wine is said to be fresh, festive, and shot through with strawberry and vanilla notes.
Mike Steinberger of Slate.com says that Billecart-Salmon Brut Rose NV (*Est. $85) is a superb rose that's redolent of wild strawberry, tangerine and coconut. Moreover, its texture is "almost pillowy." According to The New York Times' tasting panel, the Billecart-Salmon is complex and mature, with a delicate, honeyed flavor.
Champagne in the spotlight:
Chandon
This year we recommend that you partake in a bottle or two of Chandon. With deep French Heritage in the Napa Valley. Chandon will make your New Years Eve enjoyable and fun. Below is information gathered from the vineyards for you as you make your choices. Enjoy!
When the founders came to the Napa Valley from France and found the best vineyard land, they saw the unique climate and soil, and considered many grape varieties. Yet after much experimentation, they reconfirmed the superiority of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Pinot Meunier, the traditional varietals of French Champagne.
After 30 years of cultivation we are experts in each sparkling varietal, and fortunate to grow them in three of California’s finest appellations: Yountville, Carneros and Mount Veeder. Today we farm 1,000 acres in these appellations and are leaders in sustainable farming. They feel privileged to grow the finest fruit while preserving our environment for future generations.
Yountville
Here a slightly warmer climate produces riper Pinot Noir and Chardonnay fruit, which contributes to the richer more robust style of our reserve wines.
Carneros
Napa's cool and breezy district is one of California's finest areas for growing Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier, which are integral to sparkling wine.
Mount Veeder
The steep well-drained slopes of this portion of the Mayacamas Range produce small, intensely flavored Chardonnay grapes, which are also essential for making bubbly.
With special thanks to Consumer Search and Chandon vineyards for article content. WereTalkingGolf 19th Hole. All Rights Reserved Copyright 2008. |
We present to you the 
Yalumba Viognier
as little as possible in the fermentation and aging process. Natural indigenous vineyard yeasts play a key role in letting the flavours and textures express themselves to the full.” Louisa Rose, winemaker.
A perfect afternoon on the golf course is always made ten times better with good company and a great cigar. Cigar’s and par’s seem to have that quintessential marrage like peanut butter & jelly, beer and pizza or a fabulous aged Bone-In-Rib Eye accompanied by a 1999 Alexander Valley Silver Oak.
His hand are his tools and with fingers the size of vienna sausauges he worked them like a concert pianist performing at Carnegie Hall. I found myself mezmorized at his skill and the care in which he handled the cigar as it took on its lovely form. To be honest with you, I think I drooled on my shirt a little.
I will be asking if any new brands are hand rolled because I for one, will never touch a machine rolled stogie after seeing what goes into a hand rolled cigar.
Recently, Steve and I sat down to talk about many things. Among those things, cigars. Steve asked me to do a refresher for all the new visitors and listeners to the shows. With the updated website and a new year it’s a fitting time to go over tips for buying cigars. 
