Agreed. Plus, gift baskets are always expensive. John, if you’re surprised by the cost of this, take a look at baskets from Zabars or Zingermans.
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Still a bad buy! Prove me wrong. We have much better cheese shops in MN than Surdyk’s who have a shady past.
A shady cheesemonger?!?!?! Wow, that got weird.
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Not talking cheese dude. Surdyk’s opened on Sunday prior the law going live on Sunday sales. The place is not a MN shop of substance.
The guy opened on Sunday when he wasn’t supposed to? I think I would shop there more often in appreciation!
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I guess that’s what passes for corrupt in Minnesota. Meanwhile in NJ there are probably bodies buried in some of the stores…
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No! The much better shops did not open. Jim and his daughter Melissa have seen better days. No real wine consumers promote them in this town!
K2 skis. Used to love extremes back in the late 80s.
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Never forget that run at Whistler in the early 90s on Extreme Couloir at Whistler when someone said who would go off that face and on cue went off it and landed it but a ski came off and went down a few dozen moguls before retrieving my ski. Thanks for the memories! Fall Out Boy.
Frank this whole thread is premised on the relatively terrible pricing of Veuve (unusually high at an MN shop) compared to “other good buys” like Charles Heidsieck NV, which Glas can find in MN at the US low price of $30, a price seemingly unavailable in literally every other US market. As I noted above, it is empowering to John, given his financial constraints, to just take a shit on everyone who would stoop so low as to buy a bottle of Veuve when other delicious bottles are available for less money. It helps his ego, fuels his self-perceived expertise though he admittedly drinks very little champagne, and allows him to look down his nose at others who are ignorant of so many other good buys. They may have more money, but they are ignorant and he is not. The more times he beats the dead horse, the better he feels about himself.
It’s very simple, and it is the worst kind of wino behavior.
On a side note, I thought of you last night when drinking a Guillaume Sergent Le Chemin de Chappes a very low dosage extra brut BdN made of 50% pn and meunier. Great citrus profile with just the right amount extra stuffing, and acidity at a level I think you’d really enjoy. I think the BdN is a good bit better than Sergent’s BdB.
As another aside, Roederer Estate Brut Anderson Valley is a fair buy, but carries 12g/l dosage and is, in essence, the Veuve of California for a good bit less money. I kinda chuckle that one can piss on Veuve and then happily drink Roederer Estate. Recently Veuve is bottled at 10, Roederer 242 at 8.
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Do you think that dosage level has changed over time? Maybe that level of sugar explains why I have always liked Roederer Estate so much.
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Also sometimes, a NV Charles Heidseck blue label of some kind gets dumped locally for sub $20. I’m not sure if its the same bottling (monopole maybe?). Mrs. AKR suspected it of being some knock off of the red Piper Heidseck.
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@K_John_Joseph It’s been a while since I had that Sergent LCdC bottling. My last one was the June 2019 diagorgement. I only had one, with Scott @ Lopa turning me onto it. Then since that time, have not run into it again. I really enjoyed that wine. If I see the wine again, I will buy it. happy holidays to you JJK.
If memory serves, the blue label is actually, or was, the Piper-Heidsieck demi-sec Champagne. I just looked at the website and that wine now has a gray and gold label and has been renamed “Cuvee Sublime”.
Do you mean the regular C. Heidsieck Brut Reserve or the one named Blue Top?
Blue Top and the Monopole name are Heidsieck & Co, not Charlie.
There are Charles Heidsieck, Piper-Heidsieck and Heidsieck & Co. Learn the differences.
This was going to be my response. There is another lengthy thread somewhere discussing the history of and differences between the three entities. If I recall, it was tied to trying to identify the origins of an old champagne label.
Blue Top from Heidsieck & Co. Is probably what was getting liquidated at $20.
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I’m not sure. Recent renditions have been winners for Roederer, so I don’t anticipate a reduction. If you want to test just how much dosage you like, buy a Piper Heidsieck Brut and a Piper Heidsieck Extra Dry and taste them blind. See which you prefer.
Dosage is a topic of much discussion in the champagne threads (which are you drinking, and aging). Worth a look if you’ve some time. Good discussion by Brad Baker and William Kelley, both of no small international followings for their wine criticism and expertise on champagne.
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You are both experts on Heidseck heraldry!!!
https://www.zachys.com/veuve-clicquot-brut-nv-750ml.html
$49.99 at Zachys
But remember, the Heidsieck Monopole Blue Top has a yellow label; only the neck foil is blue.
I’ve never seen Charles Heidsieck (or any Heidsieck) being dumped publicly for sub $20 US, but I would buy Charles, Piper, and even Heidsieck Blue Top (in that order) for that price.
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Since I have been following this thread and the SF Costco had it for $50.89 today, it was time to revisit it. I think I haven’t had a bottle in 6+ years.
Overall, my biggest gripe is the price. The quality on this bottle was here but it doesn’t justify the current price - $30-35 feels like a better price range.
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NV Veuve Clicquot Champagne Brut - France, Champagne (12/30/2022)
Been a long time since I’ve had a Yellow Label.
Pale yellow with a generous stream of fine bubbles. Nose of saline, green apple, lemon zest, caramel, and a bit of brioche. Less rich than I remember it being. Ample lift from the bubbles on the tongue. Medium bodied, high acidity, and a bit sweet. Green apples, tart oranges, and bright lemons. Finish is clean and crisp with lemon and orange zest, bit of toast, and saline. As it warms up some, the finish develops some caramel notes and my lips become sticky after sipping a glass.
To sum it up, this is a quality wine, but it is not special. I do not think this justifies the price I paid of $50. It is lacking the qualities I am seeking in a Grande Marque NV Champagne. I rather grab a Roederer Collection, or for a few bucks more, a Bollinger Special Cuvee. (88 points)
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