The criteria for the selection is not mentioned, but it is interesting to see, how the selection more or less covers a complete round amongst the major brands in Champagne. No smaller producers are represented.
Well, it is not a fast and easy job to get an overview of 5.000 different brands, where most offer several products. You've got to start somewhere after all.
Non vintage bruts
Three amongst the mentioned bruts are brands, that have been developped during the last 20-30 years: Vranken, Thiénot and Paillard.
I have tasted the Vranken and Joseph Perrier bruts, both a bit too sexless for my taste. The "R" of Ruinart would be my choice, but I do admit, that I have a weakness for this brand after enjoying their blanc de blancs some years ago.
Vintage (millésimés)
We have a similar Moët-bottle in the cave to drink for some occasion, but we don't particularly like the non-vintagebrut of this brand. Maybe the millésime-bottle will convince more efficiently one day.
Moët-flasken har vi liggende i kælderen til en eller anden lejlighed, men egentlig er vi ikke specielt begejstrede for dette hus' stil. Måske millésime-flasken kan overbevise om noget andet.
If you like the vigorous style of Bollinger, there is even more of it in this vintage bottle than the - well - ordinary Special Cuvée. If I was to buy one of these bottles, I would go for the Charles Heidsieck after tasting there brut sans année with great pleasure.
Rosé champagne brut
The most expensive bottle of the pink company is the Elisabeth Salmon, always mentioned amongst the best of pink champagnes. I guess, there is a reason why, so of course I'd love to taste it. But, I don't know when we are in the mood to spend 150 euros for one bottle of champagne... so I guess, I'll have to wait.
But the rosé de saignée of Duval-Leroy interest me too, because I like the saignée style, where the colour originates from grape skin, that has macerated in the must instead of adding red wine as in the rosé champagnes.
Cuvées de prestige:
I have never tried a prestige bottle of one of the big brands. Could I choose freely amongst these, I would begin with Pol Roger, because I often like the brands, that are popular in England such as for instance Bollinger and Lanson.
Your own taste
The more champagnes, I try, the more I am able to define and develop my own taste. Today I find many - but not all - of the most popular products of the big champagne brands uninteresting. Vintage champagnes and prestige bottles are a different story.
The best bruts of the small winegrowers are more interesting - and cheaper - but you have to drink your way through an awful lot of bottles, before you can separate your own favourites from what is bad or what you dislike.
Another way - cheaper but maybe less fun - is to buy the Hachette or some wineguides to find the accessible paths through the jungle.
No comments:
Post a Comment