Panel Tasting - Sparkling but not Champagne

1 April 2006.

Ok, no jokes about the date please. Before the panel head off to Champagne for a well-deserved break (from work, not tasting) we decided to whet the appetite with some sparkling wines around the world, but categorically no Champagne. We all love the golden, sparkling liquid. Too much for our own good, really, so the expectations are high.

We are still doing this tasting blind, although no decanting will happen and I'm the only one not in the dark about which wine is which. The wines were carefully chosen to reflect as wide a range of 'Champagne Clones' as possible. All wines can be bought through Majestic, who really do have an excellent selection of both Champagne and sparkling wines. The prices mentioned are generally reduced prices, if bought as a pair. I've put the full price in brackets.

We're starting with a glass of a 1998 Chanoine Champagne (we couldn't resist) which Tesco still sells under £15. Great value for such a delicious wine. But you better be quick, Tesco bought pretty much all of it and it's disappearing fast.

Next up are the six wines in the tasting. Most follow the Champagne method (second fermentation in the bottle) and are made using classic Champagne grapes (Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier). Although the object of the tasting is not to find the best Champagne imitation, just the best wine, the winner ticks both boxes. And it's English! Nyetimber, a West Sussex wine maker sweeps the board with the first 30/30 score.

See below for some information on all the wines. I've also added some words around the character of the wine, generally taken from producers' own notes and back labels. This is followed by our personal opinions.

Nyetimber
Classic Cuvee
1999 Brut
West Sussex, England

Recently sold to a private investor for around £7.5 million. The new owner is looking to invest another substantial sum in more vineyard planting. It has been called the biggest investment ever made in English wine. Beats many ‘Grand Marques’ at their own game in blind tastings.

Blend: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier, the classic Champagne blend. Traditional method with 5 years bottle ageing after second fermentation.

Character: Body and fruitiness derived from the Pinots. Elegance and finesse from the Chardonnay. Creamy and rich.
 

What did we think: Beautiful Champagne nose. Rich, complex, like freshly baked bread. Well balanced palate. Creamy butter biscuits, nice appley acidity and great length. A powerful wine and no surprise it manages to beat Champagne at it's own game. Well worth the money.

5 Stars (30/30)

Where/How Much: Majestic £19.99 (£24.99)

Green Point
Domaine Chandon
NV Brut
Australia

Owned by Moet Hennesy, winery opened in 1986.

Blend: Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from various, cool-climate areas. Traditional Method.

Character: Fresh, subtle with a creamy palate.

What did we think: Lovely nose with vanilla and reminding me of lemon meringue. Fine creamy palate. Lemon, almonds and green apple. Complex with finesse.

4 Stars (24/30)

Where/How Much: Majestic £8.99 (£11.99)

 

Codorniu
Reserva Raventos
Brut
Penedes, Spain

First released in 1997 to commemorate the winery’s 125th anniversary.

Blend: Chardonnay, Macabeo and Xarel-Lo. Traditional Method with 9 months bottle ageing.

Character: Full bodied, fruity and elegant. A creamy citrus finish.
 

What did we think: The Cava is a bit of an odd one out with its blend deviating from the normal Champagne set. The nose is slightly rubbery and smoky at first but opens up to maple syrup on warm waffles. Some of us find it hard to get past its oily nose though, which can almost be describes as Riesling. Very different from any of the others. The palate is full bodied, with some of us picking up kiwi and melon, others strawberry. Toasted sesame also makes an entry. Great with sushi as we found out after the tasting was done. An interesting wine and good value at the offer price.

3 Stars (20/30)

Where/How Much: Majestic £6.39 (£7.99)

 

Lindauer
Brut NV
New Zealand

Owned by Montana wines (Allied Domecq). Vineyards in Marlborough, Gisborne, Hawkes Bay and Auckland.

Blend: Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Transfer method. Second fermentation and maturation in bottle. Disgorged into a vat under pressure and then filtered and bottled again under pressure.

Character: Refreshing lemon meringue, going creamy and biscuity with age.
 

What did we think: Lemon and vanilla on the nose with a hint of tropical fruit. Nice palate, but a bit simple. Shortbread, with the accent on short as it disappears a bit too quickly. A great party wine when the budget doesn't quite stretch to Champagne.

3 Stars (19.5/30)

Where/How Much: Majestic £5.99 (£7.99)

 

Roederer
Quartet NV
Brut
California, USA

Owned by the Roederer estate (Louis Roederer)

Blend: Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from the Anderson Valley. The estate owns four different ranches in three different districts of the valley, hence the name Quartet. Traditional method.

Character: Elegant, complex with finesse. Creamy, biscuity aromas.
 

What did we think: Starts off very sweet on the nose. Light lemon zest. The palate is light and elegant. Creamy lemon sherbet. Sweetness keeps coming back and makes this a bit unbalanced.

2 Stars (14/30)

Where/How Much: Majestic £13.99 (£17.49)

 

Louis Bouillot
Blanc de Noirs
Perle Noire Brut
Burgundy, France

Blend: Pinot Noir and Gamay (white wine from black grapes). Gamay is the grape normally associated with Beaujolais and would never be used in Champagne. Traditional Method. Based in Nuits-Saint-Georges.

Character: Full bodied. Fresh and fruity.

What did we think: Very pale pink in the glass. The nose reminds us slightly of rose water, and is a bit chemical. On the palate it comes across as sweet citrus sherbet. One taster commented this would be something his granny would put in her iron. He then mentioned something about her drawers, but never mind. We weren't impressed, I'm afraid.

1 Star (9.5/30)

Where/How Much: Majestic £6.66 (when buying 3) (£9.99)