A nice champagne - sorry sparking wine, to have for xmas?

[Pointyfish]

Can anyone recommend a good one. Medium priced and avaliable from the likes of Dam Murphy's? Thanks.

[Captain Seaweed]

asti riccadonna

[BGG]

Pointy, I love good French bubbles but can't afford it. The best of the reasonably priced ones IMHO is GRANDIN.

[Steeler]

asti riccadonna


+ 1, very nice.Can usually pick it for about $ 10-12 a bottle.

[BGG]

Yep, if you want something sweet and fruity then go the Asti. If you are looking for more of a French Champagne crisper and drier taste, go the GRANDIN.

[TheRealAndy]

Nice avatar BGG!

[Macks forever]

Asti [Ricadonna or I prefer Martini] both very sweet - lolly water type but great for the very occasional drinker, they seem to like it.

Grandin is good value but I reckon the cheap old Yellow by Yellowglen [6 - 9 bucks] is the best value cheap 'imitation' champagne out there.

And if you have 60 -70 bucks or so and want to impress someone, the Verve Cliquot is the best in the real champagnes for the money.

And beware of the expensive but low turnover champagnes. Places like Dans are not ideal for storing quality wine for long, at least in Qld. Have had 2 bottles of Moet that I have poured down the sink. Should have taken both back and got a refund but both were gifts. [They were not both from Dans]

IMHO. ;-)

CHEERS!!!!!!

[jason p]

yep asti riccadonna is always on the drinks list for xmass the girls love it.

[Captain Seaweed]

I have had a carnt of a week , great to have people agree for a change :)

[wags on the water]

http://danmurphys.com.au/product/DM_29643/katlenburger-strawberry-sparkling#Reviews

Something different - but a sparkling wine none the less. My wifey and I will recomend this one.

[Steeler]

Were not as rich you Timi, you must have plenty.

[Captain Seaweed]

yep definitely some bites......this one will be easy....I think there is moonshine involved..........cmon damn it bite will ya!!!!

[jason p]

marty i think you where on the hook end this time mate lol;D but it is a fish eat fish world out there.

jp

[Captain Seaweed]

I know he is on here and cant resist......

[Giffo65]

Bundy and Coke, or Bundy Ginger Beer,or Bundy and ice.Is there anything else worthwhile drinking ?;D

[Captain Seaweed]

oooh here we go.....another nibble I think. Jee he is a tough one to hook.....certainly has read the post but is holding back.

[TimiBoy]

I think he will just stick to his favourite ....VB and old crow :)

VB? Vomit Beer. Why people drink that bat's piss is beyond me. Coopers Sparkling Ale will do me nicely.

And a taste for Chandon or better is nothing to do with affordability. It's just a recognition that it's worth saving up to experience quality. But I still favour reds. I have a few in the cellar that are ready, some 20 years old...

Tim

[Captain Seaweed]

My favourite drinks are...dont know why I am saying but here goes..

Beer- Asahi or Coopers Pale Ale or Hahn Superdry although I have tried some very nice Trappist Beers (La Trappe comes ina ceramic jar with cork)
Red- Climbing and Rolling are always good in my opinion or Wirra Wirra Church Block


Anyway, my wife organised a romantic weekend for me on Valentines this year, we did drink lots of veuve and found as pissed as we got work up 120% no shite. Although I did wake up with a smelly finger, thats another story ;)

Marty

[Lucky_Phill]

In response to the thread question.....

I vote 1 for the Yellow Glen.

LP

[gruntahunta]

My favourite drinks are...dont know why I am saying but here goes..

Beer- Asahi or Coopers Pale Ale or Hahn Superdry although I have tried some very nice Trappist Beers (La Trappe comes ina ceramic jar with cork)
Red- Climbing and Rolling are always good in my opinion or Wirra Wirra Church Block


Anyway, my wife organised a romantic weekend for me on Valentines this year, we did drink lots of veuve and found as pissed as we got work up 120% no shite. Although I did wake up with a smelly finger, thats another story ;)

Marty

Smelly Finger?.... sounds Fishy to me...

[PinHead]

Lash out..it is Xmas..get a few bottles of Mumm.

[NAGG]

asti riccadonna

yes it has bubbles in it .......... but that's about where the comparison ends !

locally there are a few really good methode champenoise ....... a few are from Petaluma ,Wolf Blass & Tempus Two (a cracker!!!)
The closer to the to the French champagnes you get - the more you'll pay ........ but $20-$40 will get you a good domestic wine that wont taste like sparkling vinegar or sparkling syrup.
Try to track down the Tempus Two (platinum series) ....... A few years ago I gave it as chrissy gifts ....... & to a tee - everyone commented on how nice it was.

Chris

[Macks forever]

Sorry just a little correction. One I poured out was a Moet, the other was a Bollinger. Both had oxidized - totally off smelling and dark yellow.

[robsue]

grant burge pinot noir chardonnay......on special between $16-90 to $18-90....normally $23-90 i think, dan murphys

[Ausfish]

Can't stand the stuff but SWMBO love Beown Brothers Zibibbo

http://danmurphys.com.au/product/DM_907233/brown-brothers-zibibbo

[Pointyfish]

Thanks every one for your replies. Might have to try a couple!

[TheRealAndy]

Can't stand the stuff but SWMBO love Beown Brothers Zibibbo

http://danmurphys.com.au/product/DM_907233/brown-brothers-zibibbo

Wifey is a big fan of that crap too.

I vote the veuve and moet as the worst of the bunch, certainly not worth the coin. Horrible stuff.

[braders83]

If I haven't missed the boat (maybe grab a bottle for New Years?) try the Duperry (it's french) from Dan Murphy's - $38 a bottle and twice as good as Moet. Will certainly impress the wife! Tell her you picked it yourself!! :)

[TheRealAndy]

I personally prefer the cheap crap. The Yellow costs about $8 a bottle and taste fine to me, or at least it did on Monday when we ran out of beer and 3 of us cleaned up 4 bottles! Had a couple of glasses on Christmas day when not so pissed and it was not bad. Still better than veuve and moet.

[AnthonyL]

I buy all my customers Yellowglean or Pink for xmas.

[NAGG]

Wifey is a big fan of that crap too.

I vote the veuve and moet as the worst of the bunch, certainly not worth the coin. Horrible stuff.

why were the to french wines the worst ?

Vintage Moet is nice ....... and certainly tastes better (different) from most other cheaper varieties - Dom Perignon is an experience - yet again......... but like all good champagnes it's probably an acquired taste rather than one that is sweet.
btw - I just knocked over a Di Georgio Family Coonawarra Pinot Noir (traditional method) ......... very nice

Chris

[TheRealAndy]

why were the to french wines the worst ?

Vintage Moet is nice ....... and certainly tastes better (different) from most other cheaper varieties - Dom Perignon is an experience - yet again......... but like all good champagnes it's probably an acquired taste rather than one that is sweet.
btw - I just knocked over a Di Georgio Family Coonawarra Pinot Noir (traditional method) ......... very nice

Chris

Possible aquired taste, but then dirty water could also be an aquired taste. Either way, not a fan. I dont like sweet stuff, and neither are sweet. Guessing that how much they have come down in price over the last couple of years they were probably the bottom of the barrel. Cant say I have ever tried a Dom, but next time I see it when I am in the bottle shop I will grab a bottle and try it.

I trust you on the pinot, the aussies are much better winemakers than the french these days. In fact, there are a lot of countries that outdo france now.

[NAGG]

Possible aquired taste, but then dirty water could also be an aquired taste. Either way, not a fan. I dont like sweet stuff, and neither are sweet. Guessing that how much they have come down in price over the last couple of years they were probably the bottom of the barrel. Cant say I have ever tried a Dom, but next time I see it when I am in the bottle shop I will grab a bottle and try it.

I trust you on the pinot, the aussies are much better winemakers than the french these days. In fact, there are a lot of countries that outdo france now.

Make sure it is a very very important occasion to try the Dom - the price will blow your mind!!!! .

The French still do certain varieties extremely well - and If I remember correctly they have 4 of the top ten best wine growing regions in the world .......... the trouble is that their great wines are just so expensive (like our Grange) ...... so the chance to try them is a once in a life time experience .

Chris

[GBC]

Vuerve amiot and chandon(non vintage) disappears by the carton at this time of year around here. The kids have robots made out of the boxes. Neither is more than about $15 a bottle. I don't drink it but the mrs has decided that she only drinks French stuff since her holiday there earlier this year. You pay then you pay some more.....

[NAGG]

Interesting ....... The hosts on the Today show just did a blind taste test on 4 sparkling wines.
All 3 picked the French as the best ......... against 2 locals and a non alcoholic version - The "Yellowglen yellow" they all agreed was second best ($45 Vs $12) - not exactly definitive .... but interesting

chris

[Lucky_Phill]

Yep..... that Yellowglen is the drop I prefer, as stated in an earlier post.

That reminds me....... :) :)




LP

[wags on the water]

Phill, take the bike for a spin to Canungra and sample some local wines while you are there....

[Lucky_Phill]

problem.

If my Blood Alcohol limit is anything above 0.00% I will not get on my bike. Hence, I am still alive to keep riding.



Cheers LP

[wags on the water]

Problem solved....Take a sleeping bag and a pillow.

[two dogs]

rolling does a nice sparkling also... and there was one from tasmania that i enjoyed but the name escapes me, it was on james holiday's top 100 list last year