For as long as I have been consuming Roederer Estate, they have always claimed the dosage is 10g/l. Was it higher in the past?
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Youâre paying for the cool VC bicycles, the gift boxes, the wetsuit carriers, the xxxxxxâŚitâs paying for their marketing budget and all the image you get to enjoy by consuming it.
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Fun thread! Thanks for the entertainment, all.
Iâve had VC Yellow Label exactly twice in my life, both maybe 15 years ago. Our local wine shop used to do a Champagne tasting every December. They always poured almost exclusively grower Champagnes and poured them blind. Two years in a row, a bottle of yellow label was included. On both occasions, it stood out like a sore thumb, primarily for the nose. It smelled exactly like the stench of a hair salon when someone was getting a permanent (an 80s thing). It was incredibly off-putting and is a smell that I am immediately reminded of every time I see that label. I get that it sounds like theyâve improved the winemaking, but Iâm scarred enough by those two experiences, I wonât be finding out for myself unless someone sneaks a glass to me blind! 
VC Yellow label improves significantly with about 5 years of bottle age on it. Iâve had mags with 20 years of bottle age on them and itâs a completely different wine.
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I am drinking a glass right now at a very reasonable happy hour price at nearby seafood restaurant. I see this wine get criticized often for its dosage, and the sugar is noticeable, but it is by no means a sweet wine. This wine has lots of acidity and to my palate the dosage is perfectly in balance with the underlying tartness. Itâs less sweet than the Vouvray Sec I drink to excess.
I agree itâs nothing special, and $60-$70 is an obscene price, but itâs a very satisfying tipple. What drinks better than this at $35 a bottle? I used to like L. Aubry Premier Cru and Chartogne Tailler at that price point, but they are now selling in my market for $63 and $79 respectively. I see $45 as a fair price and I would rate this at 89 points. Its got some complexity , high drinkability, and is reasonably elegant.
This is priced within $4 of the Charles Heidisck in my market, and while Heidsick is objectively the superior bottle, itâs heavy and somewhat lacking in elegance. I wiuld prefer drinking the Veuve about half the time.
The idea that this wine is inferior to Mumm Napa or Roderer Alexander Valley is silly. (I realize, you werenât the one making that claim. I am just sayinâ).
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Except I agree that Roederer Estate is better. Although I would not say that about the entry level Mumm Napa NV Brut. While some disgorgements of Roederer Estate are better than others, but in general I feel it is a step above the Yellow Label I had today.
Last year I bought a bunch of sub $50 Champagne and a bottle of Roederer Estate and we consumed them in a short window. The only sub $50ish bottle to really show better than Roederer Estate was the Bollinger Special Cuvee.
The big issue I have with all of the entry level Grande Marques is the value prospect. Nothing, including the VC today, were bad. But are the are they worth the price they are charging these days? If Yellow Label was $35-40, I might grab a few bottles and leave in the cellar for several years. And if I am looking for something simple and clean, I can grab a Dibon Orange Label Cava at $10.
At the $50-60 price point, there are lots of interesting options from growers and from California such as Under the Wire.
Just saw 14 Cristal for $250 in our market. Little out of the budget but a very good price
Just saw 14 Cristal for $250 in our market. Little out of the budget but a very good price
A very good price, indeed! W-S Pro low is $279. I paid a bit over $300 for six.
Dang, this thread has really drifted.
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I think thatâs all true. But, champagne is a luxury product, so this is true of all the big houses. They all have marketing budgets to create an image. Besides, a marketing budget isnât necessarily related to a productâs quality; Roederer makes some of the best wine in the world and theyâre not a press shy mom and pop operation.
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Correct. Roederer Estate disgorgement date of 9/2020 is better than the Yellow Label. My wife does not drink much but usually will have a bottle every other week. I will say that the 2/2022 is not nearly as good but that is based on one bottle. A bit leaner for sure.
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This is wine berserkers expect anything different. Someone could start a Caymus 2020 thread and I am sure that would entertain. Might be worth blowing $80 for a bottle on New Years.
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Good point. I have only had the Roederer 242 once and liked it. Always enjoyed their Brut Premier.
Interesting to see this thread.
I paid $56 at Costco for the VC to open on Christmas. (Wow, the price increase. I think it was $35 the last time I had it.)
Two people in the gathering had never had it. All they know of it is that I refer to it as âVeuve Crapco.â (I guess it should be spelled, Crapquot.)
I poured it blindly. They thought it wasâŚok. (They typically drink Cava, but also DP.)
I hadnât had VC YL in MANY years so it was time to revisit. Well, my opinion has not changed.
That being saidâŚI have always been a Grande Dame fan.
My go to is Deutz Brut for $35!
And yes, I am a DP fan. 
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Well have not seen a good note on it yet so for sure marketing at its finest. I remember when it was $35 but also remember buying Dom at $125 and that was just 3 or 4 years ago.
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Thatâs logical.
That is on this board. I am sure some critic gave it 92 points. 
Iâll give you the members of this board who opened this thread and decided to post their notes. Of them, no one loved it, some didnât like it, some were in the middle.
At $60 a bottle middle is not good!
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Yes, we understand that you do not like it.
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