With Christmas coming up (apparently), I just wanted to post up some info about Champagne as although I don’t really drink much of it, I am tempted to buy some from the Boizel EP offer to lay down for a bit.
I have found an infographic about Champagne which I believe was used in an offer ages ago which can be found here:
I wanted to bring attention however to the below part of that infographic, when someone says ‘I don’t really like champagne because it tastes of XYZ’ its probably due to them only trying a certain house style - much like Burgundy, Champagne has various styles from the different houses. Below is a chart which shows where the different house styles sit roughly but it might also be really useful to see what other houses might be to your taste - for me I do enjoy the Society Champagne but can also see that if I wanted an even more full on biscuit style I could go with a Bollinger or so slightly more delicate and appley and go with a Boizel.
Thanks Mitch, that’s a really useful graphic.
Would you mind if I displayed that in my Powerpoint to my wine students on our Sparkling wine evening? I would obviously acknowledge The Wine Society and refer them to the Wine Society web page.
Following the recent press regarding the Black Swan in Oldstead I took a look at their wine list which utilises another interesting graphical representation for their wines, with the champagnes included on the white chart:
Just thinking about Champagne style and a search led me to resurrect this thread. Does anyone have experience of Jacquart Champagne? Specifically Mosaic Brut. I know they were formed from a Co-op but I’m interested in the overall style. Very good offer on at Tesco at the moment (£16.50 / bottle) so thinking of stocking up with a few
Further proof my tastebuds are shot as I like Charles Heidsieck and Chartogne-Taillet very much but the couple of times I tried Bolli was not impressed.
Just an updated link to the Black Swan’s winelist. Very interesting indeed. We’re going there for our anniversary in October, so can’t help day dreaming about what to order!
Sadly I’m rarely prepared to pay the price for good wine in a restaurant I just resent paying for a glass what I would pay for a bottle outside. And that is almost exactly true of any of the wines I know that appear on that list. These days when I go to a restaurant I plan on enjoying the company rather than the wine, and usually just go for a cheap house wine.
I think the reason I resent it is that whilst I’m prepared to pay a significant mark up for good food as the restaurant is there providing significant added value (assuming it’s a good restaurant) I’m not prepared to pay such a mark up on wine when the restaurant is providing no added value for that mark up; it is exactly the same wine I can buy outside.
I’d generally agree @MikeFranklin, but an exception would be when I encounter wines that I know are in scarce supply retail, often when they’re limited production.
Sadly, in the UK at least, it’s the profit from the wine list that often makes the difference between a restaurant’s success or failure. We tend to be a subset of people more attuned to wines than the average so are more sensitive to this sort of thing. Whereas Joe Public would react more negatively to a corresponding raise in the price of the food.
Good to know that the Hoffman & Rathbone wine is a good’un. I have a couple I am sitting on.
Good to know! I guess it will all depend on what we eat. I love this forum. It is fantastic to get suggestions from people who have actually tasted the wines. Many times I order based on whether or not I have heard of the producer! If anyone has other recommendations please share!
I have tried and thoroughly enjoyed 124 and 126
I regularly buy Mosaic when it’s on special. In style terms, I’d place it in the Hebrart quadrant, near enough to his and the Lilbert. Although I’ve no great palate, I’d go with light floral moving to toasty. Hope that helps.
I recommend 114. Har’el Syrah, Clos De Gat 2012 (Judean Hills, Israel) (F,3) £11
/ £57. The bottle price of £57 I think is reasonable for a restaurant (I pay £24 for a bottle at my wine merchant). This wine is fantastic.
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