O.K. I'm ready for some bubbles

I must admit that i know absolutely nothing about Champagne and am looking to broaden my horizons. need some recommendations on different styles, producers etc… price range is somewhere in the $40 to $60 if possible. TIA

Billiot, Peters, Lallement, Savès, Bara. Covers all major food groups.

Download this and read it. It will change your life:

Home - Skurnik Wines & Spirits" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Will do Roberto, thanks for the link.

Berto’s got your back on the grower stuff. He sells all of them as well.

The Bollinger Special Cuvee is their standard NV blend and it is still a value locally under $50 for a non grower wine. Easy go to when available. Duval-Leroy is a decent value for a lighter tarter style.

Skip many of the other big house NV blends though like Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label and White Star unless you want to make a comparison to see what poor values they are against the others. :wink:

Nice link Roberto! [cheers.gif]

Anything by Jean Milan is fantastic. I once asked our Champagne buyer to recommend what he would consider to be “Poor Man’s Krug” (something I could afford) and he picked the Francois Hemart NV, and the Vilmart & Cie NV (both $60). Love them. Been hooked on that ever since.

Heaven help you if you fall in love with Champagne. [rofl.gif]

Yeah, ‘value’ is $60 minimum, typically…

Not a cheap drink.

Bremont NV Cuvee Prestige is one of my favorites in that price range.

Jose Dhondt.

CRIS I CAN’T BELIEVE YOU FORGOT ABOUT BILLIOT GRAND CRU RESERVE!!! Where the hell is that heart break icon.

but seriously joe, Billiot Grand Cru reserve. $50 = delicious.

Charlie, i picked up a few of the Billiots this morning - have seen you and Chris rave about them in the past

Roberto- great read, thanks alot.

keep-um coming this is becoming very educational and i understand my price range is somewhat low, but you gotta start somewhere.

I gave Berto props for hitting that in the 2nd post.

Charlie, that’s the first wine I mentioned. And, yes, DHONDT!

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i personally love ruinart BdB, if you can find it.

** Disclaimer – this brand is in my portfolio. To be fair we loved it before I sold it. **

I just had a killer, very classy Cedric Bouchard “Urseles” the other day. You can pick up Bouchard’s “Inflorescence” bottling for $60, and I bet it’s great as well.

my heart has been mended [give_heart.gif]

Roberto I must stop by the shop sometime and pick up champagne. You’re just so so so so far away from me.

Agree w/ Roberto’s list w/ the additions of Dhondt & Vilmart. Then you’ll have all the major food groups.

“Roberto I must stop by the shop sometime and pick up champagne. You’re just so so so so far away from me.”

Charlie, people drive in here all the time from Santa Barbara, Palm Springs and even Escondido / Encinitas (and those last guys come up for BEER).