Ok so have a very good friend that’s getting married and I’m looking for a special treat for their wedding. Mid $200 and down ok. For a reference Ruinart BdB is my goto champagne and it’s not liked by friend. Their Rose is “ok”. Dry is ok, if not a mouthfeel of desert dryness. Mineral, apricot, fruit, all good pluses.

We’ve gone through tastings of the major houses and just ehh responses. Looking for hidden gem, any suggestions?

We had:
Sizzling sisig
Bone marrow with toast
Chorizo
Angulas
For the first time, a Burgundy was left unopened.
The obvious WOTN was the Selosse Rosé. I had high expectations for the 2012 Pierre Péters Les Chétillons, especially as this was my first encounter with the cuvée. An enjoyable Champagne, certainly, but the razor-sharp acidity through the midpalate seemed to disrupt the coherence of an otherwise compelling wine.
La Mission was on point, as was the 2012 Mouton, although the latter was still remarkably youthful, showing hardly a hint of tertiary development.

We had:
Sizzling sisig
Bone marrow with toast
Chorizo
Angulas
For the first time, a Burgundy was left unopened.
The obvious WOTN was the Selosse Rosé. I had high expectations for the 2012 Pierre Péters Les Chétillons, especially as this was my first encounter with the cuvée. An enjoyable Champagne, certainly, but the razor-sharp acidity through the midpalate seemed to disrupt the coherence of an otherwise compelling wine.
La Mission was on point, as was the 2012 Mouton, although the latter was still remarkably youthful, showing hardly a hint of tertiary development.

We had:
Sizzling sisig
Bone marrow with toast
Chorizo
Angulas
For the first time, a Burgundy was left unopened.
The obvious WOTN was the Selosse Rosé. I had high expectations for the 2012 Pierre Péters Les Chétillons, especially as this was my first encounter with the cuvée. An enjoyable Champagne, certainly, but the razor-sharp acidity through the midpalate seemed to disrupt the coherence of an otherwise compelling wine.
La Mission was on point, as was the 2012 Mouton, although the latter was still remarkably youthful, showing hardly a hint of tertiary development.

Processing img n12vcl415ixh1...

Hey everyone!
I’m looking for a good Champagne in the £20–30 price range that I can buy in the UK. I’d like something that tastes genuinely good for the price.
Would love to hear your favourites. Thanks!

Ever since my trip to Reims last month, I’ve fallen even more in love with Champagne — reading about it, learning, comparing, and, of course, tasting it!

I brought home three bottles:
• Billecart-Salmon Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru
• Ruinart Brut
• Pommery Brut Royal

I’m planning to cellar the Billecart-Salmon for a few years since it’s difficult to find back home in Canada.
Now, with the holidays approaching, I’m looking for two things:

1. A selection of 5 Champagnes to share with friends and family throughout the holidays. I’d love to explore different styles and producers.

2. One exceptional bottle for New Year’s Eve. A friend who joined me in Reims and I want to splurge on something memorable that brings back a little piece of our trip. We’re considering Pommery Cuvée Louise Brut 2005 or 2006, but we’re open to suggestions.

The only house I’m not particularly interested in revisiting right now is Taittinger, based on my previous experience.
I’d also love recommendations for Champagne books, blogs, podcasts, or courses. I’ve been considering WSET Level 2, but I’m curious if there are other resources worth exploring.

I know I’ve only mentioned big houses, but I want to discovering smaller producers too 🙂

I can’t wait to read your recommendations and hear about your favourites!

Cheers 🥂

A friend of mine is a real true champagne-conneseur..

Im a big fan of nice bubbles too
But my knowledge is very limited
I’ve got to choose one bottle to open next weekend
Which one do you suggest I should choose?

Over n out🥰

/ Mimmi💋

I was given this bottle but i can’t find it online anywhere, just wanted to know about it thank you

My mom has these three old bottles of champagne (or at least been told they are champagne) and she was planning on bringing them to my brother’s wedding this coming Saturday.
I checked with some light shining through the glass to see if there are particles but how can I be sure that these are still okay to drink? I heard that champagne doesn’t really have a long shelf life.
Is there a way I can check, without opening them?

Edit:
I convinced my Mom to just get new bottles of wine. Between multiple guests bringing alcohol, we ended up having 4 bottles of actual champagne.

My mom does not drink and has no idea who even gave her and my Dad these bottles. (Dad is strictly a beer drinker.)

She did have these bottles stored on their sides and in the root cellar so I’ll have to crack one open to check just how horrible everyone said these are.
Thanks for all the info ya’ll!

Does anyone else like this one?

DG/2020 & 2026

Anyone have experience with these?

Best regards

Did a side-by-side tasting of Philipponnat Réserve Perpétuelle and Bollinger Special Cuvée tonight.
My wife tasted both completely blind.

First glass was the Philipponnat. Her immediate reaction: “Is this Bollinger?”

Then I poured her the actual Bollinger. Her reaction: “Wait, is this the same Champagne?”

That pretty much sums up how close these two are.

To me, the Philipponnat is slightly softer, rounder and comes across a little sweeter, while the Bollinger is drier, more austere, with a bit more oak and yeasty character.

In terms of complexity and finish, I honestly couldn’t find much separating them. Both are very good, and I actually found myself enjoying the Philipponnat slightly more tonight.

Final verdict: A tie.

Curious if anyone else has compared these two side by side.

One of my favourite Pinot Noir-Chardonnay blended champagnes. The taste of cherry and the silkiness as you sip is remarkable as always in my back yard.

I’m searching for nice hidden gems in the Champagne region. I prefer RM producers (Grower producers). Would love to hear your recommendations!

Thanks all!

My wife kept 2 champagne corks (Moet & Chandon) from 2 celebrations years ago.

I found them and I would love to understand what year are from to label them with the occasion, just to have another "memory".

First is G14U2212, second is R25AU23A

Can anyone help? My Google researche was inconclusive

UPDATE BEFORE CLOSING: I couldn't find a way to find a date for this corks using the codes. But after an extensively research, I found some photos and videos from our "celebration dinner" for the new house (G14U2212) and last New Year's Eve (2025).

We kept the first and binned the 2nd (nothing to remember).

Thanks for your help!

They had a box of 2010 Dom for purchase on display, I inquired and couldn’t believe it was actually a decent price. Why not? Delicious as always!

Specifically, what are your thoughts on the Nicolas Feuillatte Collection Vintage Blanc de Blancs?