I need a couple bottles of Champagne.

WINE TALK
21

Ian, if you are in Orlando, please go to Tim’s wine market, and talk to Tim Veran. He has a ton of Grower Champagnes, and other great sparklers.

Great options, he has many that I recommend. Here is a small portion of some recent wines I have bought there and recommend:
Magraine rosé
Billicart-Salmon
Pehu Simonet
Lambert de Seyssel Seyssel Petit Royal
Meßmer Spätburgunder Rosé Sekt Brut
J.B. Adam Crémant d’Alsace Brut Rosé
Paul Clouet Champagne Grand Cru Brut Rosé
Raventós i Blanc de Nit
Jean François Mérieau Touraine “Bulles”…

to name a few, and many of these are easy on the wallet.

22

How can you say no to Billecart-Salmon? Also think NV Heidsieck shows well why nothing taste like champagne except champagne and won’t break the bank.

23

Billecart Salmon Rosé is $95 in my market. Averages $88 nationwide according to WineSearcherPro. I loved it at $55, but other than on special, it’s not at that price point anymore.

24

Warren, I paid $55 back in January so it can be found for a decent tariff.

25

I think this is the best suggestion in the thread. Based on your request, if it were me, I’d buy Champagne rather than sparkling wine from the US or somewhere else. With a budget of $50 to $75, you have many good options (even at lower price points). But, you need a local shop that can advise you and, based on the options listed above, I’d say this is a good choice and much better than a Total Wine store.

-Al

26

Good call. I ordered one of the Rose Champagnes from B21, but still need another bottle. I have purchased lots of red (Bandol, Beaujolais, Vacqueyras) from Dan at Tim’s and they have always steered me right. I’ll get the other bottle there.

27

I agree - L’Ermitage!!

28

Roederer. It’s like $45 and it’s really lovely champagne.
Roederer Estate L’Ermitage is good vintage sparkling wine from Cali

You can find those at Total Wine. The Roederer may be in the high 30s at total wine.

29

I’m not convinced that Billecart-Salmon is really that good QPR. I’ve had many bottles of it and each time I think, you know, this is good but there are better options from $45 to $100.

Ruinart Blanc de Blanc comes to mind as another decent option. There are tons of good options in your range, but I’m trying to come up with ones that I’m certain will be available. So many good growers and smaller producers.

30

I didn’t think I liked Champagne until I tasted something that wasn’t Veuve orange label, Moet imperial, or Feuillatte. Not to sound like a snob but the bottom tier bottlings from the “big name” negociant houses are pretty crap for what you pay. For a similar amount of money there are dozens of grower bottles that will blow your mind and still say “Champagne” on the bottle. Pierre Peters and Agrapart are great as some have suggested. Henriot Millesime (a neg, but one I like) can be good but a decent price can be tricky. Gimmonet and Pierre Paillard are also a good choice.

Roederer Estate Brut is a good widely available choice that beats most entry-level negociant Champagne, and the palate is a nice balance between the richer fruited cali sparklers and the somewhat racy and sometimes bitter entry negociant bottles out of France. If you can source a nice Gran Reserva Brut Nature Cava they can be extraordinary, but they’re pretty scarce on this side of the pond. Recaredo will change your life.

If you’d asked me like 2 years ago if I cared about sparkling wine I’d have laughed in your face, but man I am pretty bossy about it these days.