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From: spp@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU (Stephen P Pope)
Newsgroups: net.wines
Subject: Re: Champagnes
Message-ID: <11381@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU>
Date: Thu, 9-Jan-86 17:13:43 EST
Article-I.D.: ucbvax.11381
Posted: Thu Jan  9 17:13:43 1986
Date-Received: Fri, 10-Jan-86 07:30:10 EST
References: <158@cosivax.UUCP> <4761@alice.UUCP> <1312@tekgvs.UUCP>
Organization: University of California at Berkeley
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    I have drunk many a Spanish sparkling wine and agree they
are good values.  I have only a couple reservations -- the 
flavors are somewhat variable (but not the dryness or texture,
these are usually fine); and some Spanish sparkling wines
have a tendency to give me a headache.
    But they don't really compare to the real thing.  I'll
recommend any of the following, listed along with prices 
recently paid in the bay area. (All non-vintage brut's.)

    Lanson ($9)
    Charles Heidsick ($9 after $5 rebate)
    Laurent Perrier ($10.50)
    Joseph Perrier ($11)
    Roderer ($11)
    Bollinger ($13)
    Billecarte-Salmon ($14)

Avoid the current batch of Deutz N.V. Brut ($11) -- it's
quite dull unfortunately.  I have never been a real fan
of Moet, Mumm's or Perrier-Jouet, at least for the N.V. Bruts.
    Also to be considered are French sparkling wines from 
other than Champagne -- Brut Royal (cote de Jura, $8) and
Les Acaias (Cremant de Bourgogne, $6) have impressed me
as reasonable.

steve (...ucbvax!spp)

P.S. Despite my recent defense of the California wine 
industry in this newsgroup, I can't really recommend any
California sparkling wines.  Schramsberg used to be good, but
after increasing production by a factor of 10 a few years
ago they went way downhill.  Chandon and Piper-Sonoma charge
as much for their wines as some of the Champagnes I recommended 
above -- and can't hold a candle to any of them.  Kornell
is interesting due to its use of Reisling; Korbel I find 
acceptable, especially the "Naturel".