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Grower Champagne

PeterMetro

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Since moving to China, one of the things I have missed is the availability of good Champagne. I have become a big fan of Grower Champagnes - wines that are generally produced by the grower, rather than the big boys (cliquot, moet, bollinger, etc.) who source their grapes from these guys and mix them all together into what I consider an inferior product.

The best part about these Grower Champagnes? They're cheap - between 40-60 bucks a bottle. For what you'd pay for a bottle of Cliquot yellow label, you can find a vastly superior bottle. I have long advised my friends, if you see a bottle with a funny French guy's name on it, buy it - it'll be great.

3 of my favorites:

Henri Goutorbe Brut Rose, Grand Cru, NV.

Varnier Fannierre Brut, Grand Cru, NV.

Michel Turgy Blanc de Blancs, NV.
 

HORNS

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Champagne is still a cottage industry to some degree, where most of the Champagne produced as a whole is consumed in France and not exported. That means there's a lot of very small producers who create very good and unique Champagnes.
 

gomestar

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I drink and enjoy grower Champagne, but I do not consider products from all of the big houses to be inferior. In fact, Pol Roger, Roederer, Laurent Perrier, and the Heidsieck group have produced some really excellent stuff as of late.
 

kwilkinson

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Paul Bara
Pehu Simonet
inlove.gif
 

foodguy

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lasalle!
chiquet!
 

SField

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Originally Posted by gomestar
I drink and enjoy grower Champagne, but I do not consider products from all of the big houses to be inferior. In fact, Pol Roger, Roederer, Laurent Perrier, and the Heidsieck group have produced some really excellent stuff as of late.

Given that they're all blended, their product remains consistent but has little character.

My favorite grand cru of the famous ones is Pol Roger Churchill... but honestly I've found growers to be more interesting and economical.
 

impolyt_one

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is there an echo in here?
redface.gif
I am impressed that China gets all of these. We get none of them.
ffffuuuu.gif
Also, a bottle of Pol Roger Winston Churchill is about $450 here at a liquor shop, not at a restaurant.
ffffuuuu.gif
 

LabelKing

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Originally Posted by impolyt_one
is there an echo in here?
redface.gif


I am impressed that China gets all of these. We get none of them.
ffffuuuu.gif
Also, a bottle of Pol Roger Winston Churchill is about $450 here at a liquor shop, not at a restaurant.
ffffuuuu.gif


Every media event/party usually has Moet & Chandon served.
 

PeterMetro

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Originally Posted by impolyt_one
I am impressed that China gets all of these. We get none of them.

I didn't mean to imply that China gets these imported - the only one I have seen here is Varnier Fanierre. Where are you that you're not getting any? (Champagne, that is.)

@foodguy - agreed on the Lasalle. The 2002 Cuvee Angeline is one of my favorite bottles at any price point.

@kwilkinson - love the Pehu Simonet, I wonder how many people have been turned off by their horrific packaging? If it wasn't recommended to me so strongly, I never would have tried it.

Never tried Paul Bara - will have to find some...
 

impolyt_one

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I live in Seoul. We have bottles from all of the big houses, nothing grower-level, all of it is expensive, even compared to Japan. I suspect Korean and Chinese wine culture are about on par.
 

kwilkinson

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Originally Posted by PeterMetro
@kwilkinson - love the Pehu Simonet, I wonder how many people have been turned off by their horrific packaging? If it wasn't recommended to me so strongly, I never would have tried it.
.

No doubt. Their bottles/labels are damn ugly. But I'll be damned if it isn't some delicious champagne.
 

LabelKing

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Originally Posted by impolyt_one
I live in Seoul. We have bottles from all of the big houses, nothing grower-level, all of it is expensive, even compared to Japan. I suspect Korean and Chinese wine culture are about on par.
One has to pay the equivalent of $30+ USD for a bottle of Freixenet Cordon Negro in China. However, the Russian "champagnes" are quite inexpensive--I like the fact that they have Soviet-era wine festival awards from places like Yalta on the labels.
 

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