349059 Thu Dec 07 15:59:11 -0800 2006 28 34 Wine 0 2078377 Any rec's for a decent wedding champagne to be served to guests? And one for the bride/groom table? Thu Dec 07 15:59:11 -0800 2006 51012 Likoau 1 2078391 Do you want actual champagne, or are you amenable to sparkling wine? I like the Anderson Valley Roederer sparkling wine - just served it at a party on Sunday. It's about $17.99 in the NYC area. Thu Dec 07 16:07:47 -0800 2006 2078377 10985 MMRuth 1 2078460 I agree with Anderson Valley Roederer. Also Domaine Chandon makes some some nice California sparkling at a about $12 to $15. I also enjoy the Mumm California offerings. All good values. Thu Dec 07 16:27:27 -0800 2006 2078377 12473 Wineman 2 2079085 I will third the recommendation for Roederer, even if you have the budget to spend $40/bottle for Veuve Cliquot. a) your wedding guests probably won't be examining the champagne that closely b) $40/bottle really adds up quickly, and at a wedding I know my friends would be POed if champagne ran out! c) Most people don't drink bubbly regularly, and unless they do I doubt they'll be able to tell the difference between the Roederer and something $40. The Roederer is solid. For the bride and groom, I would actually forego quality/expense for the sake of choosing whichever high end champagne has the LEAST % alcohol. All those toasts? I'd pass out even if I took pretend sips. Thu Dec 07 18:55:48 -0800 2006 2078460 11577 Pei 1 2078510 Veuve Clicquot NV for the wedding. For the bride and groom, 3 good choices are: 1. Cristal 2. Krug 3. Veuve Clicquot "La Grande Dame" Thu Dec 07 16:41:14 -0800 2006 2078377 27914 WineTravel 1 2079314 For the Bride and Groom? Try something a bit different. Rose Champagne. Laurent Perrier Alexandra Cuvee... wow. If you don't want the Bride/Groom's wine to look too different from everyone else... Very recently Taittinger re-released their '96 Comte de Champagne Blanc de Blanc and you can find it for around $100 per in most good wine shops. An EXCELLENT wine, especially for that price. Thu Dec 07 19:49:32 -0800 2006 2078377 10385 woojink 1 2091824 What is your budget, and how many people will you be serving? The type of reception will dictate volume (e.g. time of day, meal being served, bar with alternative alcohol beverage options). If a sparkling wine is to be the primary alcoholic beverage and budget is limited, I echo the previous recommendations of NV Roederer Estates. This property is affiliated with the French house and produces a very nice non-vintage wine. I have conducted many blind tastings of NV Champagnes and their American equivalents, throwing in a DP for giggles and grins. The NV Roederer Estates has been a consistent #1 - and this is with trade people as well as regular consumers. Another fun wine for guests is Iron Horse Wedding Cuvee. This was first produced for the owner's daughter's wedding. If you want to stay domestic and have something special for the bride and groom, consider Domaine Carneros "le Reve" - the Dream. It is French in style. If budget is not a particular issue, check with your local merchant about some smaller producers: Demeric; Lallemont; LeClerc Briant; Tarlant; Rene Collard This is the time of year to be tasting since many merchants host Champagne tastings to secure the holiday orders from the clients. My personal favourites are the rose's being produced in Champagne. Delicious! Tue Dec 12 09:04:38 -0800 2006 2078377 55002 SanseiDesigns 1 2091916 You may also do well with a prosecco for guests. I've found Canella NV Prosecco di Conegliano to be a reliable and affordable choice (under $17 a bottle if you have a large guest list) As for the bride/groom table, I'm guessing you might be one or the other? Why not have fun and try some different champagnes with your fiance(e)? Tue Dec 12 12:31:24 -0800 2006 2078377 49959 thegolferbitch 1 2092354 For the Bride and Groom, Champagne Jaquesson Avize Grand Cru '95 or '96. Its estate grown and known for quality not marketing. For the guests, to be interesting, Gruet Blanc du Noirs. Made in Albaquerque New Mexico by a french family, great bubbly for the price. Tue Dec 12 15:42:31 -0800 2006 2078377 36197 Andrewski 2 2092656 Andrewski knows wine! These are excellent choices that 99.9% of people wouldn't know. You are obviously a very knowledgable wine lover with a good palate. Thanks for bringing these items to everyone's attention... chowhound comes thru again! Tue Dec 12 16:54:48 -0800 2006 2092354 27914 WineTravel 1 2092655 Don't over look Spanish Cava - the most widely known example is Freixenet - they are inexpensive and pretty good sparklers Tue Dec 12 16:53:55 -0800 2006 2078377 15747 djohnson22 1 2092771 If your looking for inexpensive, but well received and delicious look for Segura Viudas -- a sparkler from Spain (like a champagne) that has done well in ratings (~90-92) for about $6 a bottle. Worth a taste test at least! Tue Dec 12 17:27:37 -0800 2006 2078377 52088 huruta 1 2094031 Warning - Low Budget ahead! At home we both like the Spanish Cava "Cristalino" - $6 For parties we buy the magnum of Francois Montand Blanc de blancs for $20 at Total Wine. It's decent French bubbly, but not "AOC Champagne." Get a case of Welch's sparkling white grape juice for the kids and nondrinkers. For the bride & groom? drink what the guests are having, if you want an expensive bottle for them buy a good cab or bordeaux for the honeymoon. Tue Dec 12 22:33:00 -0800 2006 2078377 52884 AreBe 2 2094137 Echo that on the cava. Here is a good one that you can get for $12 a bottle - The 2001 Marquis Gelida Brut Exclusive. Vintage, real cork, nice bottle and great taste. Cristalino is very good too. Tastes like a $30 bottle. I have also had the Francois Montand and it was very good for the price point. Has nice yeasty flavor. For an excellent champagne that won't set you back, try the DuVal-Leroy NV Brut. Made WS Top 100 of 2006 (#42). You can find it for $30 - $35. I found this at Roots Cellars in Healdsburg, CA. They ship. Tue Dec 12 22:58:42 -0800 2006 2094031 38452 tomself 2 2096199 Yes, Cristalino, is good - I would second that recommendation. I wanted to post it originally when I mentioned Spanish Cava, but had completely blanked on the name. Wed Dec 13 16:57:52 -0800 2006 2094031 15747 djohnson22 1 2094628 I don't suppose you could give us: -- a budget of some sort (no point in suggesting wines which are too expensive, nor is there any point in suggesting some passable cheapie if you have the budget to spend a little more and get something much better); -- an idea of where you live (no point in recommending wines not available in your area). TIA, Jason Wed Dec 13 01:42:38 -0800 2006 2078377 28122 zin1953 1 2094658 Only one suggestion -- serve in Magnums or larger. There is nothing classier in this world than having a waiter walk around a wedding pouring champagne out of a large Magnum or Jerebaum of Champagne. Get some really big bottles; the price is the same or cheaper. And forget anything domestic; pour real Champagnes, from France. Its makes a difference. The suggestions above are all sound. To summarize, buy two or three magnums of real Champagne, from France, and have the waiter carry those big bottles around and pour refills. Class. Wed Dec 13 01:51:09 -0800 2006 2078377 55284 bengoshi 2 2095818 Actually magnums of Champagne always cost more than two 750ml bottles. This is not true, though, when it comes to mass-produced (Charmat/cuve close) sparkling wines, nor even of some California sparkling wines produced via methode traditionelle. Wed Dec 13 14:58:54 -0800 2006 2094658 28122 zin1953 1 2095861 Budget is $ 17-30/ bottle. I'd prefer the 20-25 range,but if there are good champagnes or proseccos at 17 or 18 I am not opposed. The guest list is about 60. Wed Dec 13 15:17:49 -0800 2006 2078377 51012 Likoau 1 2095867 Oh and I live in NYC. Wed Dec 13 15:18:39 -0800 2006 2078377 51012 Likoau 1 2096352 Under $30 for true Champagne is difficult. Not impossible, but certainly difficult. In the "under $30" category, I'd opt for either California sparkling wines (in addition to the always wonderful Roederer Estate previously mentioned, I'd also look for Domaine Carneros, either their Brut or their Brut Rose -- Taittinger's California property), or for some non-Champagne French sparkling wines, such as the Lucien Albrecht Cremant d'Alsace Brut or their delicious Brut Rose or a Cremant de Bourgogne from Les Acacias (CCV); also perhaps a Vin du Buguey-Cerdon from Bottex or Renardat-Fâche. Other options do indeed include Prosecco, and there are some wonderful examples available. Among my favorites is the Adami Prosecco di Valdobbiadene; also, Silvano and Alberta Follador, Ruggeri, and more. Another option would be Gruet. Wed Dec 13 17:37:43 -0800 2006 2078377 28122 zin1953 1 2098913 Pol Roger NV is the best Champagne under $30, e.g. $23.99 at WineLibrary.com Thu Dec 14 12:55:56 -0800 2006 2078377 26175 deetrane 1 2103785 I just had a bottle of Costco Kirkland Champagne (real French stuff) and found it to be very good and an excellent value ($19.99 750 mL). However, many people would probaby think the hosts were cheapskates at a wedding for serving a "generic" label, even though it is very good. If the glasses are filled outside the guests view, that would be my recommendation for the guests. If the bottles are taken to the tables, I would echo the recommendation to serve from magnums (1.5L) or bigger just for the visual effect. I have always loved the Chandon sparking wines from Napa, and they are a great value and available in magnums; I prefer the Blanc de Noirs myself, but the Brut may be more traditional for a wedding. If money is no object, splurge on some of the excellent French suggestions above - but most guests will not notice the difference. For the bride & groom I would choose a nice bottle of Clicquot La Grand Dame; the Rose would be excellent, but the Brut would look like everyone else's glasses. Fri Dec 15 21:57:41 -0800 2006 2078377 35837 Sacto_Damkier 1 2103794 Another costco suggestion, they have a french brut champagne, I can't remember the brand, in a magnum for $20!! It's really not bad, I've had it twice. Fri Dec 15 21:58:59 -0800 2006 2078377 11634 saeyedoc 2 2224937 For clarity... I'd venture so say that what you bought at Costco was not a French champagne. At, $20 for a magnum it can't possibly be champagne. It was probably a sparkling wine, most likely from Spain. In any case, if you liked it that's all that matters... and Magnums are the perfect size! Thu Jan 25 07:02:28 -0800 2007 2103794 27914 WineTravel 3 2226786 Nope, it is the real stuff. It comes from Verzeney, France, and Costco went through a major deal of paperwork to make sure it was truly a real French champagne. Costco was awarded the use in 2005 by the Comite Interprofessionnel du Vin de Champagne. It is real French champagne for $19.99, and it tastes pretty darn good! Thu Jan 25 14:00:26 -0800 2007 2224937 35837 Sacto_Damkier 1 2103805 I agree with what appears to be the overall majority, Roederer Estate and Clicquot. Fri Dec 15 22:01:58 -0800 2006 2078377 14910 nancyhudson 1 2231593 nino franco prosecco. around $12 or 15 a bottle. excellent stuff. Fri Jan 26 17:14:06 -0800 2007 2078377 38185 kaye 1 2244110 You could still go French, but avoid real Champagne to be budget-friendly. For New Year's this year we went with a Vouvray Brut, "Vigneau-Chevreau Vouvray Brut", which we thought was excellent and only $20 (Canadian Dollars, to be specific) a bottle. That particular one is organic as well. Tue Jan 30 21:10:36 -0800 2007 2078377 11124 PaulV