good champagne?

**welfareloser** · 12-31-2004, 08:11 AM

i won't be having any this year, actually, but i've bought it a few times in the past and have never been terribly impressed with any of it... what's a good one that's not too sharp/acidic ? (and i haven't just tried cheap ones, i've had some pretty expensive ones, too

)

**ialsohaveadream** · 12-31-2004, 09:05 AM

The only kind I've ever liked was some very cheap-o brand. We ended up killing the bottle between the two of us, and it ended up being a VERY good night.

**Merlin** · 12-31-2004, 10:12 AM

Moet & Chandon and Tattinger are both quite good. A little pricey though.

If you want something cheap and sweet and festive look for the pink stuff. I don't like it but most people who don't have a taste for Champaigne will like it.

**~~Cantacuzene~~** · 12-31-2004, 10:12 AM

Just drink Boones Farm.

**hoey222** · 12-31-2004, 10:41 AM

thunderbird and alka-seltzer

**welfareloser** · 12-31-2004, 10:52 AM

okay, i know boone's farm... but i think hoey may have just out-ghettoed me. what the heck is thunderbird?

i've had moet & chandon... haven't ahd tattinger. i'll keep it in mind next time i want champagne. but it may just be that i'm not a champagne person... so i'll keep my eye out for the pink frufru stuff, too

**hoey222** · 12-31-2004, 11:33 AM

With the end of Prohibition, the Gallo brothers set out to dominate what was then a relatively small and down-market American wine industry. Ernest wanted the company to be the "Campbell Soup company of the wine industry" and effectively marketed cheap, fortified (20% alcohol content) wines like White Port and Thunderbird in inner city markets. A radio jingle for perhaps the Gallos' most notorious product went like this: "What's the word? /Thunderbird/ How's it sold?/ Good and cold/What's the jive?/ Bird's alive/ What's the price?/ Thirty twice." According to author Ellen Hawkes, who wrote an unauthorized history of the Gallo family called Blood and Wine, Ernest later delighted in telling the story of driving through a tough, inner city neighborhood. Seeing a man on the sidewalk, Gallo rolled down his window and called out, "What's the word?" The immediate answer was, "Thunderbird."

**ialsohaveadream** · 12-31-2004, 01:07 PM

Thunderbird is ghetto fabulous. It's the Natty Lite of wine.

**guiseppewv** · 12-31-2004, 01:18 PM

Dom Perignon
Cristal
Veuve Chequot Ponsardin

OC · 12-31-2004, 01:27 PM

I like Martini & Rossi Asti myself

**Gothic Girl** · 12-31-2004, 01:31 PM

I don't like champagne. I'm barely starting to somewhat like wines. Can't help you there wl. Personally, I'd probably go for the Boones too!

**Kevster** · 12-31-2004, 06:21 PM

I personally like Moet & Chandon White Star. It is an excellent dry champagne. I have had many others including Dom Perignon, but I still prefer White Star.

**ski** · 12-31-2004, 07:12 PM

It's not exactly champagne, but MD 20/20 does certain jobs well

**Gothic Girl** · 12-31-2004, 07:14 PM

mmm those look good! As for me, I'm doing the long island iced tea! yummy!

**zippyjuan** · 12-31-2004, 08:12 PM

Serious suggestions: First go for a Brut. Despite the name, it is drier than the Extra Dry and tastes cleaner and more refreshing. I suggest this even to those who think they like "sweet" champagnes. Lower price, try Domaine St Michelle out of Washington state. Excellent value. Or Frexinet from Spain (in the black bottles). If you want to move up a bit, try Gloria Ferrer or Roederer Estate. The Gloria Ferrer Brut Rose is an excellent pink champgne and makes a good aperitif when chilled. A little higher? Look for Veuve Cliquot- the yellow label for lower-mid priced, the gold label if you want something special. For my tastes, White Star is OK, but over priced. Dom Perignon is definately over rated. The ultimate? Crystal.

Remember, the cheaper or sweeter you go, the worse the hangover you will get. Also the cheaper you go the colder you will want it so you taste it less. It is still best chilled whatever you are drinking. Enjoy and everybody have a Happy New Year! (This may come a bit late for some, but I just got home from work).

**welfareloser** · 01-01-2005, 09:18 AM

hmm. my tastebud's are apparently unrefined. i dislike every brut i've tried... dislike dom perignon...

prm brought home a $7.50 bottle of tosti last night. i loved it.

oh, well. i guess i'll stick to being a beer snob

oh, and i have to go find some thunderbird now...

**BrewMaster** · 01-01-2005, 11:01 AM

Originally Posted by OC

I like Martini & Rossi Asti myself

yeah, i'm all about the sweet, dry asti spumanti they sell at Trader Joe's. I think it is Martini & Rossi. Not expensive but very tasty. My fiancee and I opened a bottle of that up the day I proposed to her.

**Burzhui** · 01-03-2005, 03:04 PM

Originally Posted by guiseppewv

Dom Perignon
Cristal
Veuve Chequot Ponsardin

so did you just search for expensive champagnes on google or something, have you even tried any of them?

**nickel** · 01-03-2005, 03:10 PM

Originally Posted by Burzhui

so did you just search for expensive champagnes on google or something, have you even tried any of them?

i'd be willing to bet he noted those from experience. what you might not know is that guiseppewv is a handsome Italian guy with very good taste, and the cash to back it up.

**Yossarian** · 01-03-2005, 03:14 PM

i'll just stick to the simple stuff

**AlpineJay** · 01-03-2005, 03:31 PM

Originally Posted by ski

It's not exactly champagne, but MD 20/20 does certain jobs well

Or the good ol' Andre. $3.49 a bottle baby

**nickel** · 01-03-2005, 03:33 PM

Originally Posted by ski

It's not exactly champagne, but MD 20/20 does certain jobs well

actually, nothing is truly champagne unless it is made in Champagne, France.
all else is just sparkling wine even though it may use the name.

**ialsohaveadream** · 01-03-2005, 03:38 PM

Originally Posted by AlpineJay

Or the good ol' Andre. $3.49 a bottle baby

Ok, I gotta admit...that's actually the cheap-o brand I was referring to that inspired the very good night for me.

It's actually pretty tasty. Not very refined, but tasty.

**welfareloser** · 01-03-2005, 03:46 PM

Originally Posted by nickel

actually, nothing is truly champagne unless it is made in Champagne, France.
all else is just sparkling wine even though it may use the name.

actually, it may not use the name... but i may

as far as i'm concerned, all spring toys are slinkys, all tissues are kleenex, and all sparkling wines are champagne.

**nickel** · 01-03-2005, 05:23 PM

glad to see you processed that information

**welfareloser** · 01-03-2005, 07:25 PM

Originally Posted by nickel

glad to see you processed that information

uhhh, yeah. it was a difficult task, but i managed somehow... you mean processing one of the most well-known bits o "trivia" on the planet, or processing the fact that you mis-stated it?

okay. now seriously... are you going to tell me that wasn't intended to be snotty?

**nickel** · 01-03-2005, 08:00 PM

Originally Posted by welfareloser

uhhh, yeah. it was a difficult task, but i managed somehow... you mean processing one of the most well-known bits o "trivia" on the planet, or processing the fact that you mis-stated it?

okay. now seriously... are you going to tell me that wasn't intended to be snotty?

no, what you just said to me was definitely snotty. which is par for the course.

**welfareloser** · 01-03-2005, 08:05 PM

you continue to amaze me. if you honestly want to claim that making reference to someone being "able" to "process" a simple statement isn't snotty, there is no hope for you.