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+--- Thread: a not dry champagne?..champagne doux whats it like? (/thread-17939.html)
- ferre - 01-10-2006
hi all,
so i am fairly new to the whole wine thing. since i was young my family has only ever had sweet wines on the table like a lambrusco and so now when i buy wine i find i am a lot more fond of a sweet wine then a strong red.
so anyway i am yet to taste a sparkling wine which i have liked they have always been to dry for my liking. I want to buy a bottle for my girlfriend and i when i propose. but i am reluctant to spend a lot of money on something that i am unsure we will like anymore then the cheaper $20-30 bottles types we have tasted before.
so i did some research yesterday to find out if there where sweeter sparkling wines and came up with champagne doux which suggested to me that perhaps i could find a sweeter sparkling wine in the champagne style.
so can anyone give me some advice on some really special sweeter style sparkling wines i'd be willing to spend up to about $250 a bottle.
also i am from Australia so if there are any Australian wines I'd probably be more interested in them. for a bit of background i just went to the brown brothers website as we have tried quite a few of their wines and liked them. so these are some that we liked brown brothers spatles lexia, crouchen riesling, dolcetto & syrah ,muscato (though very nice i am looking for something much more bubbly). we also like very sweet desert wines like de bortoli noble one.
well anyway thanks all and i hope someone might have a few good suggestions [img]http://www.wines.com/ubb2/smile.gif[/img]
[This message has been edited by ferre (edited 01-10-2006).]
- wondersofwine - 01-10-2006
I hope others reply too as this is outside my usual area. Many people find a sparkling Brachetto d'Asti attractive--Banfi makes one called Rosa Regale. It is from a red-wine grape (Brachetto) and tastes a little like raspberry or strawberry with the bubbles. Or you might ask a retailer for a pink Champagne. Some Australian wineries produce a sparling Shiraz but that doesn't sound too inviting to me. (And it may be dry). Prosecco is another Italian sparkler you might like (from white wine grapes). Hope the big day (proposal) goes well.
- tw - 01-10-2006
I dont know that this answers your specific question but there is a winery in New Zealand that makes a sparkling muscat. Soljans Estate is the name but may be hard to find. It is very good though and seems right up your alley. The wine is called Fusion and it is in a very colorful little bottle.
- ferre - 01-10-2006
thanks for the replies so far guys [img]http://www.wines.com/ubb2/smile.gif[/img]
i think i'll try and track down that muscat it sounds very nice, but i don't think its what i'm looking for on this occasion.
my very brief search suggested it was a $20 or so bottle and i am wanting to get something a bit more special on this occasion.
on a side note i am wondering if any of the wines i listed earlier are nicer after being aged... from what i remember on the labels most seem to say best enjoyed with in a few years....
- winoweenie - 01-10-2006
Hi ferrer and welcome to the board. Sorry that a nice red isn't on the agenda as one of the worlds' great wines comes from your lovely country...Penfolds Grange. If its' a great bubbly for your impending imprisionment...oooppps nupitals, I'm a firm believer in the grand-daddy of all bubblies, France. My suggestions are in ascending order, 1990 Perrior Jouet Fleur de Champagne(!25-150Approx), 1990 Veuve Clicquot La Grande Dame (125-150 Approx) or one of my all-time favs 1988 Crystal (250 Approx). WW Congrats
- robr - 01-10-2006
"Banfi makes one called Rosa Regale. It is from a red-wine grape (Brachetto) and tastes a little like raspberry or strawberry with the bubbles." WOW
This is the best sweet bubbly I have ever tasted. If you can find it, you will like it.
[This message has been edited by bernkastler (edited 01-10-2006).]
- WileECoyote - 01-11-2006
Segura Viudas Brut Reserva Heredad (cavas)is not expensive but is really good. Also comes in a very decrorative bottle. It says brut but to me I would call it dry. It is worth a try especially for under 25 bucks US. You can also try the Shramsberg NV Cremant (California Sparkling) which is a little sweeter. I had both of these plus a bottle of M&C White Star for New Years and both were sweeter than the white star. (Champagne) I have not yet had the opportunity to spend more than 50 dollars so I have not tried the Cristal or Dom... ...yet [img]http://www.wines.com/ubb2/smile.gif[/img]
[This message has been edited by WileECoyote (edited 01-11-2006).]
[This message has been edited by WileECoyote (edited 01-11-2006).]
- winoweenie - 01-11-2006
Guys it amazes me that you don't seem to understans this feller is looking for a special drink for his soon-to-be special lady. 20-30 buck bubblies aint' what he's lookin for. SHEESH!!!WW
- ferre - 01-11-2006
thanks for the suggestions guys i will look into them for other occasions. but like WW said i am trying to chase down something a bit more special.
WW suggestions are more the type of thing i'm looking for. however these seem to be brut styles yes? my want is to find a champagne that is a little sweeter.
my concern is i would buy an expensive bottle and find that to my taste it is still dry like the cheaper champagnes i have already had and not liked.
( Or is there such a huge difference between a $30 champagne and a $200 bottle that there is no reason i wouldn't like it [img]http://www.wines.com/ubb2/smile.gif[/img] )
like i said earlier my internet research suggested that a doux style champagne is a sweeter style then a brut, is this true and can anyone suggest any great doux style champagne?
anyway thanks and i hope this clears up my question a bit
(ps i have used the word champagne in this post but this does not mean i am limiting myself to sparkling wines from that region) [img]http://www.wines.com/ubb2/smile.gif[/img]
- hotwine - 01-11-2006
Ferre, WW mentioned the Clicquot La Grande Dame, and its '88, '89 or '90 vintages would be my choice. The name of course means "the great lady", and that's what you're celebrating, the great lady in your life. And the Clicquot is a tiny bit sweeter than the bone-dry brut versions from other producers. It's not a sweet wine by any means, but she won't care. Trust me. No contest. Be sure to save the label or cork or the metal thingy on top of the cork... something to remind you both of the occasion. Congrats.
- winoweenie - 01-12-2006
As a last suggestion you might look into the realm of Rose Champagnes. An aged Billicourt-Salmon or Crystal(over the 250 mark for the 1990) as they are normally slightly sweeter than the bruts. WW
- WileECoyote - 01-12-2006
"Guys it amazes me that you don't seem to understans this feller is looking for a special drink for his soon-to-be special lady. 20-30 buck bubblies aint' what he's lookin for. SHEESH!!!WW"
WW [img]http://www.wines.com/ubb2/frown.gif[/img],
This is what we did drink when I proposed New Year's Eve. She said yes and it was still pretty special to us. I wouldn't want him to spend 200 bucks, ask his girl to marry him, her say yes and they toast to something that might be too yeasty or sweet. I think everything should be tried. Save the money for a huge bunch of flowers or a special set of stemware engraved with the date of the occasion. Just me I guess. sheesh. Maybe for the special dinner. Price does not always equal someones tastes... All of the above sparklies I mentioned all have good background stories that go along and can still make them special.
[This message has been edited by WileECoyote (edited 01-12-2006).]
[This message has been edited by WileECoyote (edited 01-12-2006).]
- wondersofwine - 01-12-2006
WW, I was going by the info that he doesn't like dry Champagne and thought he might be happier with a rose' sparkler even if cheaper. I don't have experience with Champagne Doux. I believe some Loire Valley sparkling wines are produced to be sweeter than regular Champagne but I lack experience with them.
Here is some information on degrees of dryness: http://www.soyouwanna.com/site/syws/champagne/champagne.html#para1.4
He might want to look for a demi-sec Champagne or, as he said at the start, a Champagne Doux. (However, with 5% residual sugar the website recommends the Champagne Doux only as a dessert wine.
[This message has been edited by wondersofwine (edited 01-12-2006).]
- winoweenie - 01-13-2006
Not chastizing anyone guys and WOW. Just trying to stay within the parameters he set in his post. Can't imagine anyone not enjoying a 250 buck bottle of sparkly. I'd sure as the blue-blazes volunteer to pour for the twosome iff'n I gots a glass. [img]http://www.wines.com/ubb2/wink.gif[/img]WW
- WileECoyote - 01-13-2006
I wouldn't know about the 250 buck bottle of bubbly. One day I will graduate to those bigger and better things. Maybe for the wedding I will spring for it and you will see me ask the same question on this board. [img]http://www.wines.com/ubb2/smile.gif[/img] (I can't wait!)
- VouvrayHead - 01-18-2006
Hey,
My mother likes sweeter style wines and loves bubbly, so recently I brought her a split (half-bottle) of Veuve Cliquot champagne Demi-Sec.
The words Demi-Sec mean half-dry.
it's the sweetest style of true champagne that i've come across.
It's not super-sweet by any meant, but it's got plenty of sugar--it's absolutely delicious and i think attractive to any pallate.
the split was around $25-$30, so you'd pay $40-$50 for a full bottle. It's really elegant stuff, and I wouldn't hesitate to bring it out for a special occassion.
Also, Veuve is all over, so any decent liquor store would be able to special order the demi-sec for you pretty darn quick. Just make sure it says demi-sec. it'll have a white label, as opposed to the orange label the brut (dry) has...
Good luck!
[This message has been edited by VouvrayHead (edited 01-18-2006).]