I’m hosting an event and want to open a BdB, BdN and perhaps a vintage blend side-by-side. To minimize variables I’d like to buy them all from the same house.
Do any growers come to mind with a wide offering like this? How would you tackle it?
What would you like to spend per bottle?
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Just off the top of my head, Collin, Bereche, Savart, Chartogne-Taillet, Selosse, Marguet. Lots of options.
Henriet-Bazin, Brisson-Lahaye, Mater & Filii are 3 where i’ve had BdB, BdN and a blend from the same house. There really are many options at a wide range of price points (these 3*3 are all under about US$50/bottle where I am).
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It is not difficult to do such a tasting, Most producers offer such selections. A number of factors which might be relevant. With for instance Bereche, you do not have a vintage, in the classical sense, also the parcels are spread out all over the place, so you have the producers style but not really a constant terroir.
Personally I would try for a cluster, say like Pierre Gerbais, where the parcels are very close to one another, this gives you the producer style and also a more burgundian terroir approach, howver there is not a vintage champagne.
I would also pay attention to the degorments and the vintages involved, again I would look for a cluster, if you are taking different vintages/degorgements, this would make for an interesting tasting but you could have big distortions with quality. The same with dosage.
i think also price plays an interesting factor. Bereche for instance the prices are all over the place and this is has nothing to do with the quality. With someone like Benoit Marguet the prices are more homogenous and distort less.
An interesting concept, we have done many of these tastings and have never as of yet found a truly satisfactory solution.
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Wow this is great input so far. From a budget perspective I’d like to be around $500-$600 all-in. Could spend a little more if it’s worth it.
Thank you!
OK, but how many bottles do you need for your $5-600? I mean to me a wine event needs 1-1.5 bottles per head in total. So for 6 people that’s maybe $60 per bottle, for 10 people maybe $40?
This is only one part of the night, so I just need one bottle of each (BdB, BdN, Blend, Maybe a vintage blend?). I’m glad to spend up to ~$600 bc I want to drink something from a nice grower, and I figure the vintage bottle may set me back a bit. In addition to this I’m doing a mini-02 horizontal (3 bottles), and then whatever else gets opened up.
A few big national importers, which might help you with lineup details:
Oh, OK. Then sorry - I can’t help - that sort of money for wine is way out of my price range. I’m very happy with much of the champagne I get at sub-US$60/bottle.
Try Andre Clouet. He makes excellent vintage Blanc de Blancs under the Dream Vintage moniker. He has two Blanc de Noirs - V6 experience and Un Jour de 1911 -Should come to well less than $300 for all three and they are excellent wines.
Paul Déthune!
They grow both Grand Cru Pinot Noir and Chardonnay in Ambonnay, you get everything you need and want from the same grower.
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Marc Hebrart is another option for delicious and well priced wines of all the types you are looking for.
Laherte Freres makes a lovely example of everything your looking for including a blend of every acceptable grape allowed in champagne
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I will second David’s recommendation for Hebrart. They also make a fantastic rose if you care to expand to a fourth bottle.
I have served the NV BdB and rose to introduce friends to the value of smaller producers and have received enthusiastic, positive feedback each time.
Ding ding ding!
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I honestly would not go with Laherte. Too much no dosage which might put people off depending on the audience.
Good point.
I’d look for Jean Laurent- has the full range, should be easy to find, and won’t break the bank.
Now that’s a name I haven’t heard in a long time.