Friday 20 December 2019

This year's Fizz.



With so many good alternatives to Champagne around, I now very rarely drink the real thing; I find it overpriced, and the quality often lacking. 

This year I've bought a case of Rebmann Crémant d'Alsace. Only on unpacking it from it's box did I notice that it is a Vin Biologique. It cost just under €6 per bottle.

I presume that no chemicals have been used during its vinification, and no nasties sprayed onto the vines themselves. I also presume that no evil weed killers have been used on the soil. All that makes me reasonably happy.

It's a quality Vin mousseux, not some cheap white wine injected with bubbles. I've just opened a bottle to make sure that it's worthy of our Christmas celebrations, and it merits a very respectable 9/10.


Good sparkling wines are made all over France (and elsewhere), and whilst I always associate Burgundy with red wine, I have also bought a case of this Crémant de Bourgogne from the cellars of the Widow Ambal. Like its cousins in Champagne, it has rested for several years in its bottle, and frankly is no different from an Epernay wine. It was a tad more expensive at about €8. Again I give it 9/10. 


And, just in case we run-out, I picked up a couple of bottles of Wolfberger; another very pleasant Crémant d'Alsace that always goes down well. I can't remember the price of this one, but probably much as the top one.  8/10 for this one.

As you might imagine, all wines are BRUT.


19 comments:

  1. I was worried. You are late this morning. Here is a spring day, lots of sunshine and no champagne.

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    1. Power cut. It was very windy last night, and we lost our electricity at 3 am. We are now just back from the shops and are very happy to see it back on!

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  2. Lady M got up early and went to the shops too. Happy drinking.

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    1. Early-ish. After all the strong wind I was a bit worried that there would be trees down everywhere. In which cases I always leave a bit later to give time for clearing them.

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  3. We like you, have turned our back on ‘proper’ champagne, due in part to the increasing price and decreasing quality. Our tipple is Cremant Bouvet Samur. £9.99 per bottle, 20% discount on six bottles at Majestic Wine. We cycled in the Loire valley and developed a taste for the wines of the region due in part to cycling being thirsty work... No other reason, naturally?

    LX

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    1. Oops, it is £12.99 a bottle or £9.99 if you buy six... you can of course tell who is the wine buyer in our family Cro?

      LX

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    2. A bit more expensive than here. I think too many Champagne producers just rely on the name, and produce an inferior wine. Far better to drink a good Crémant.

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  4. I used to enjoy the bubbly stuff, but now it goes super fast to my head. I have become a lightweight and stick to my lower alcohol wine. One of our stores in town that sells local artists jewelry and other hand made goods pops the champagne the day after Thanksgiving and serves it to their customers till Christmas. I am sure that the alcohol equals more sales. Drink enough and the prices don’t seem so high, although you may be.

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    1. Plying your customers with Fizz must be a good bet. I'd buy anything after a few bottles!!

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  5. I've always thought 'proper' Champagne was overrated. But I'm not exactly a connoisseur, I just know what I enjoy drinking. The Cremant d'Alsace looks like an excellent buy.

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    1. In a 'blind test', I doubt if many people would know the difference; I certainly wouldn't.

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  6. The solitary bottle of fizz a Schlumberger Klassik 🥂 resting here was given us yesterday not for Christmas but for our New Years Eve ‘trankel’ as the donor put it. Preparations will gather momentum next week I expect.

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    1. Christmas is slowly becoming as popular as New Year here. I even managed to buy a pack of Crackers this year; the first time ever.

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  7. That first one is a nice find...and being biologique , no nasty aftertaste in the mouth and a smaller hangover if overindulged!

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    1. Yes, I haven't bought bio wine before. I shall be interested to hear what people say about it. I shan't tell them, of course.

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  8. A cheap Sauvignon blanc here diluted with water 50/50

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