@TLL45236 @IngoBurghardt Yes! If you want to explore interesting stuff, look for RM on the label which stands for Récoltant-Manipulant. That's grower-producer, vineyards that grow their own grapes to make their own champagne (vs. the big houses that buy grapes from lots of vineyards)
@TLL45236 @IngoBurghardt It's like the microbrew equivalent of champagne. There are 3 main grapes in champagne: pino noir, pino Meunier, and chardonnay. the first 2 are red. blanc de blancs champagne is 100% chardonnay. Blanc de noir is from 100% red grapes. Most are blends, but some are 1 grape only.
@TLL45236 @IngoBurghardt Try different blends to see what you like! Other things to keep an eye out for. Special Club is a designation for wines that growers make to show off to each other. It's really unique and i ALWAYS buy it if i see it. It's rare!
@TLL45236 @IngoBurghardt Most growers have wines at several price points. If it's a grower-producer, the lower priced ones are often fantastic. Rosé tends to be pricier (of course, because it's my fav). But don't think >$ = >quality necessarily
@TLL45236 @IngoBurghardt Champagne is more expensive than other wines, but here's some stuff to look for Pierre Peters is great blanc de blancs (and his rosé is maybe my fav). You can get that for <$50. Same with Vilmart, another I love
@TLL45236 @IngoBurghardt For a lower price point, try Paul Bara. I LOVE that rose, but you can get a white for like $35 if you look hard enough. At that price, also try Schramsberg rose, the only non-French champagne I drink. It's from california & a long-time staple of State Dinners at the white house!
@TLL45236 @IngoBurghardt At a higher price point, our current fav producers are
-Ulysse Colin
-Cédric Bouchard (Roses de Jeanne)
-Bereche et Fils (actually also available <$50)
-Ulysse Colin
-Cédric Bouchard (Roses de Jeanne)
-Bereche et Fils (actually also available <$50)
@TLL45236 @IngoBurghardt The best advice is when you go out, talk to the sommelier and tell them you are learning about champagne and want their knowledge. If you get one who loves it, they will be excited to teach you and will usually sneak you tastes of different things! I still learn SO MUCH this way!
@TLL45236 @IngoBurghardt Hope that helps! Enjoy!
