The holiday season is the time for celebration, and no libation in the world says celebration like Champagne. Some of us can and do drink bubbly on a regular basis, but for most, sparkling wines are reserved for such festivities as holidays, weddings and large format flotation christenings.
While there are many, many fine Champagnes out there that serve admirably on such occasions, quite often, the average consumer opts for what I like to refer to as “the usual suspects,” with names like Veuve Clicquot and Moet & Chandon, and that’s fine, as these are established names of long standing and admirable character. Still, I take great (and perhaps slightly perverse) pleasure in recommending alternative selections from lesser-known producers that offer considerably higher quality for the same price, if not even less. I take even greater delight when a customer lets me know how well they enjoyed my recommendations, and Winebuys.com is currently offering selections from two such outstanding Champagne houses that offer brilliant QPR (quality-price ratio) for very reasonable prices.
One of the selling points used to promote the wines of J. M. Gobillard et Fils is that their vineyards are located primarily in Hautvillers, France, home of Dom Pérignon, and in fact they are the only Champagne house besides the more famous (not to mention much more expensive) Moët & Chandon to include that prestigious name on their labels. That’s all well and good, but it wouldn’t mean much if the wines weren’t of high quality, and happily, they are very tasty indeed.
Champagne Gobillard Brut Rosé NV 750 ml, $41.48: 1/3 Pinot Noir, 1/3 Pinot Meunier, 1/3 Chardonnay, Dosage: 8 g/l, Aged for 3 years in cellar, 12% alc. Peachy pink in color, with an explosion of bubbles when poured, leading into a fine, very active bead; big, rich and utterly dry, with earthy cherry flavors and aromas laced with undertones of minerality. With good weight, racy acidity and very good length on the finish, this is a pleasure to drink and it gets even better as it opens with air. A Winebuys staff favorite!
Champagne Gobillard Brut Tradition NV 750 ml, $36.60: 1/3 Chardonnay, 1/3 Pinot Noir, 1/3 Pinot Meunier; Dosage: 8-9 g/l. Aged for at least 2 years in cellar, 12% alc. Medium straw color, and like the rosé, explodes with bubbles when poured, leading into a fine, very active bead; big and crisp, with tart apple and grapefruit-citrus flavors and aromas, good minerality underneath and a distinct lack of the kind of yeasty bread dough characteristics found in many a Champagne, which is by no means a detraction. Intense in flavor, with excellent acids and length, this provides an eminently satisfying drinking experience, made all the more pleasurable when the price is considered. A Winebuys staff favorite!
Inspired not only by Brad Baker’s excellent narrative of his visit to the Champagne house Philipponnat last summer, but also some excellent closeout prices from their local distributor, I took the opportunity to bring in the two non-vintage offerings from this producer and I can’t say enough about them, or these great prices.
Champagne Philipponnat Royale Reserve Brut NV, $29.28: 30% Chardonnay, 45% Pinot Noir, 25% Pinot Meunier; Dosage 8 g/L, 12% alc. Pale gold in color, with an impressive mousse, active bead and racy acidity, this offers rich and intense flinty tart green apple and quince flavors and aromas shaded with yeasty undertones and a subtle nutty note. With good weight and length, there’s a lot to like here, and like it I do, especially as it opens and improves with air. A great value while it lasts. 24 bottles in house for immediate shipment.
Champagne Philipponnat Royale Reserve Rosée Brut NV, $30.50: 35% Chardonnay, 55% Pinot Noir; 10% Pinot Meunier, 12% alc. Salmon pink color, with an impressive mousse and active bead; rich and intense in the mouth, with earthy minerality over tart red apple and subtle yeasty undertones. Good weight, excellent acidity and nice length on the finish; in short, a very solid Brut rosé and a great value while it lasts. Only 11 bottles still left for immediate shipment, so get them while they last.
Of course, there are always those who are after that extra-special bottle, and for whom price is no barrier, and to those people, we offer Moet & Chandon Dom Perignon Rosé Brut 1996, for $324.82. While my experience with this is limited and brief, having had only a short pour at a large trade tasting a few months back, it was one of the wines that stood out among those that I tried, and I was focusing specifically on Champagnes from the likes of Krug, Dom Ruinart, Veuve Clicquot and of course, Moet & Chandon. There was far too much clamor and jostling for position at the various tables for taking detailed notes at this event, but I can point to Josh Raynolds’ impressions recorded in Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar, in which he awarded this gorgeous Champagne 95 points.
“Bright, amber-tinged pink with pinpoint bubbles. Deep, smoky and complex, with a kaleidoscopic bouquet incorporating wild strawberry, peach, apricot, chestnut honey and cured meat. A firm, strikingly concentrated mid-weight with powerful flavors of orange peel, raspberry, redcurrant, baking spice and smoked meat and gentle supporting acidity. Smoky, sweet and long on the back, with a slowly building impression of acidity that suggests this will be a long ager. As usual, a stunning Champagne.”
We still have five bottles of these in stock for immediate shipment, so, again, get them while they last.
Happy Holidays,
The Winebuys Guy
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