Champagne Reviews

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Champagne Reviews Reviewed
Review Ratings	Citation	CS Credibility Rating	Champagne Ratings Comments on Reviews
1. Wine Spectator >> Details/Subscribe	Champagne Riding High Bruce Sanderson Dec. 31, 2007		In this year-end wrap-up, Bruce Sanderson extols the consistently high quality of the 300 Champagnes he blind-tasted in 2007. He notes that French Champagnes have risen in price between ten and 30 percent in the last year, with the largest increases in the luxury category. This trend is expected to continue, he reports. Sanderson praises the Krug Brut Champagne 1996 -- a "majestic" wine from one of the region's top houses. Piper-Heidsieck Brut Champagne NV and Louis Barthélémy Brut Champagne Améthyste NV represent particularly good values, he writes.
2. Wine Spectator >> Details/Subscribe	Champagne Glory Days Bruce Sanderson Dec. 31, 2006		Asserting that the sparkling wines of Champagne deliver excellent quality across the board, Bruce Sanderson selects more than a dozen Champagnes from the 300 he blind-tasted in 2006. He calls the Domaine Chapuy Brut Blanc de Blancs Réserve an excellent value. Of the three vintages that consumers are likely to find in stores, Sanderson prefers '98. The non-vintage Duval-Leroy Brut is a full-bodied wine at a reasonable price. The overall top-scoring wine is the Krug Brut 1995, which Sanderson says has "precision and intensity."
3. Wine Review Online	Sparkling Suggestions for the Holidays Ed McCarthy Nov. 27, 2007		McCarthy, author of Champagne for Dummies and several other titles in the "Dummies" series, suggests non-vintage, reasonably priced brut Champagnes as well as high-end Champagnes. In the non-vintage brut category, McCarthy recommends Henriot, Jacquesson, G.H. Mumm, Nicolas Feuillatte, Bruno Paillard, Piper-Heidsieck and Ruinart for those seeking a light, elegant sparkling wine. For those seeking fuller-bodied wines, he suggests Bollinger, Alfred Gratien or Louis Roederer. He considers the Roederer Estate to be the world's best sparkling wine in its price class. In the vintage or prestige cuvée category, McCarthy recommends Gosset NV Grande Réserve and Charles Heidsieck 1995 Blanc des Millénaires.
4. Wine Spectator >> Details/Subscribe	Holiday Cocktail Buffet Laurie Woolever Dec. 20, 2007		Wine Spectator suggests eight sparkling wines to pair with hors d'oeuvres. Ranging in price from $20 to $50, these wines have all earned scores of 89 or greater on the magazine's 100-point scale. Topping the list is Drappier Brut Blanc de Blancs Champagne Cuvée Signature NV, with a score of 92. This Champagne is said to have honey, coffee and gingerbread flavors and aromas. Janisson et Fils Brut Champagne Tradition NV ties for second place with Roederer Estate Brut Rosé. With its "pronounced graphite aroma," Piper-Heidsieck Brut Champagne NV also earns a high rating.
5. New York Times >> Details/Subscribe	Raise a Glass for the Taste, Not the Toast Eric Asimov Aug. 8, 2007		A panel of experts, including two writers for The New York Times and two leading sommeliers, taste 25 blanc de blancs Champagnes, which are made using exclusively chardonnay grapes. The panel limits its selections to Champagnes under $100. A 1995 Blanc des Millénaires from Charles Heidsieck was the overall winner, followed by the 2002 Vieilles Vignes from José Dhondt. A bottle of Drappier Signature Brut NV earns a "best value" rating. Note that ConsumerSearch is owned by The New York Times Company.
6. New York Times >> Details/Subscribe	Bubbly Enthusiasm, Personified Eric Asimov Dec. 12, 2007		In this installment of the "Wines of the Times" series, Asimov and his fellow panelists taste 25 bottles of rosé Champagne, finding them less complex than ordinary Champagnes, despite the fact that rosés are the fast-growing category in the Champagne region. François Hémart Rosé Grand Cru Brut Rosé NV emerges the winner, while Moët & Chandon Brut Impérial rosé did not make the cut. Had the panelists not considered these wines overpriced, Alain Soutiran Brut Rosé Grand Cru NV would have earned a best value rating. Two well known labels, Roederer and Taittinger, also score well. Note that ConsumerSearch is owned by The New York Times Company.
7. Slate.com >> Details/Subscribe	Something New Mike Steinberger Dec. 26, 2007		In this roundup of non-vintage Champagnes, Steinberger identifies some winners -- including Roederer Brut Premier and Roederer Estate Anderson Valley Brut -- and some losers (like Moët & Chandon White Star, which he says is "execrably sweet"). He calls Billecart-Salmon Brut Réserve "the best-kept secret in Champagne." Henriot Brut Souverain is a "rich, vinous" wine with a "green-apple core" and a reasonable price.

Champagne Reviews above this line are significantly better than reviews below.

Review Ratings	Citation	CS Credibility Rating	Champagne Ratings Comments on Reviews

8. New York Times >> Details/Subscribe	Champagne: How Low Can You Go? Eric Asimov Dec. 14, 2005		The New York Times' expert panel sampled 25 Champagnes with a price ceiling of $30. Eric Asimov considers Nicolas Feuillatte a particularly reliable Champagne and a good value at almost every price level. Lanson Black Label Brut, which earns a rating of three stars, earns praise for its "snappy acidity and mineral and citrus flavors." Piper-Heidsieck, Pol Roger, Perrier-Jouët and Mumm fail to make the list of excellent yet inexpensive Champagnes. Louis de Sacy Brut Grand Cru NV and Paul Goerg Blanc de Blancs NV round out the top three.
9. The New York Times >> Details/Subscribe	The Price Is to Gulp, but the Champagne's to Sip Eric Asimov Dec. 29, 2004		Asimov and his fellow panelists sample 23 Champagnes ranging in price from $70 to $190, finding many to praise. The Billecart-Salmon Cuvée Nicolas François Billecart '96, which "epitomized luxury," cost $95 -- far less than most. The "outsider" of the group, the Jacques Selosse Grand Cru 1995, is a hard-to-find blanc de blancs. While none of the wines showed poorly, the Roederer Cristal '97 needs time to develop, and the Taittinger Comtes de Champagne proved "austere." Moët & Chandon Dom Pérignon Oenothèque 1990 was "rich and full," and should improve with long aging.
10. MSNBC	Cheers! Bubbly basics for the holidays Editors of MSNBC Dec. 23, 2007		Wine Spectator executive editor Thomas Matthews offers tips on buying Champagnes as well as specific recommendations. The top-scoring wine is the Krug Brut Champagne 1988, followed by Bollinger Brut Champagne Grande Année 1995. In the rosé Champagne category, Piper-Heidsieck Brut Rosé Champagne NV is praised for its structure and personality.
11. Consumer Reports >> Details/Subscribe	Sparkling wine ratings Editors of Consumer Reports Oct. 2007		Editors rate 23 sparkling wines, but none receive a rating of "excellent" due to inconsistent quality, slight off-notes or lack of intensity. Some more expensive bottles rate lower on the chart. We're not sure how many testers were involved, and wines get only a short comment.
12. Epicurious	Champagne Uncorked Fiona Beckett Dec. 2007		Fiona Beckett provides an overview of Champagne's history and production and lists six top sparkling wines. The least expensive is Gloria Ferrer Sonoma Brut, and the most expensive is the Dom Pérignon 1996. Gosset Grande Réserve is said to pair well with red meat, while Jacquesson Cuvée 730 is an excellent match for seafood.

Champagne Reviews above this line are significantly better than reviews below.

Review Ratings	Citation	CS Credibility Rating	Champagne Ratings Comments on Reviews

13. San Francisco Chronicle	Wine Selections Stars of 2007 Editors of the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Selections Dec. 28, 2007		Editors list sparkling wines that earned 2.5 stars or more in 2007 from editors. The following wines earned three stars: NV Bollinger Special Cuvée Brut Champagne, 2000 Roederer Estate L'Ermitage Anderson Valley Brut and NV Roederer Estate Anderson Valley Brut. Unfortunately, this list does not include tasting notes.
14. Food & Wine Magazine >> Details/Subscribe	Best Wines of 2007 Ray Isle Dec. 2007		In his round-up of the year's top wines, Ray Isle includes one Champagne: 1995 Charles Heidsieck Blanc des Millènaires. He says that this aged all-chardonnay wine is "rich, toasty, and refined."
15. Food & Wine Magazine >> Details/Subscribe	The Best of Champagne Editors of Food and Wine Dec. 2007		Editors share their favorite Champagnes, which include three hard-to-find selections: Oudinot Cuvée Brut NV, Gosset Brut Excellence NV and Deutz Brut Classic NV. Bollinger Special Cuvée Brut NV and Taittinger Prelude Brut NV, which also get the nod, are easier to find. Bollinger is said to have a dense, full-bodied character. Oudinot, the cheapest of the lot, is "peachy" and floral.
16. SeriousEats.com	Serious Eats Gift Guide: For the Oenophile Tyler Coleman Dec. 14, 2007		James Beard Award-winning wine blogger Tyler Coleman, who's known as Dr. Vino, recommends Pierre Peters blanc de blancs, a non-vintage Champagne that he considers wonderfully pure and intense. Moreover, he says, it's an excellent value.
17. SeriousEats.com	Seriously Good Affordable Sparkling Wine for New Year's Ed Levine Dec. 31, 2007		In this brief article, Levine asks Joshua Wesson of Best Cellars to recommend a few readily-available sparkling wines. Wesson selects Mumm Napa Brut and Laurent Perrier Brut LP, or Taittinger Brut La Française, but he does not provide tasting notes.
18. The New York Times >> Details/Subscribe	In Champagne's Shadow, the Sun Shines Eric Asimov June 23, 2004		Eric Asimov and company taste 25 American sparkling wines, which are fruitier and more "crowd-pleasing" than true Champagne, they say. Roederer Estate Brut, Asimov's favorite, trumps its more expensive sibling, the Roederer Estate L'Ermitage. J Wine Company Brut earns a rating of three stars for its creamy and yeasty flavors and note of citrus. Argyle Brut, which didn't stand out from the pack, earns a rating of "passable."
19. The New York Times >> Details/Subscribe	In Small Houses, Champagne Finds Its Soul Eric Asimov Nov. 12, 2003		Eric Asimov, Amanda Hesser and two wine experts sample a number of single-vineyard Champagnes, which they deem very enjoyable overall. Egly-Ouriet a Ambonnay Brut has a rich, ripe flavor. Asimov's favorite is the Pierre Gimmonet Fleuron 1996, which he says is powerful yet light.
20. Wine Library TV	Episodes #151 and #267 Gary Vaynerchuk As of Dec. 13, 2007		Gary Vaynerchuk is the Director of Operations at Wine Library in Springfield, NJ. His video blogs have made him a well-known personality, with appearances on The Ellen Degeneres Show, Late Night with Conan O'Brien and NPR. These unscripted videos usually focus on three to eight wines, and a handful of videos cover Champagne. You'll find Baynerchuk's videos either fascinating or annoying (or a bit of both), with a mix of serious evaluation and off-topic banter about the Jets and other topics. But the assessments are insightful and non-snobby. Among luxury Champagnes, Duval Leroy Brut Femme 1996 is highly regarded. Veuve Clicquot Brut is overrated. Pierre Morlet Millesime gets Vaynerchuk's highest rating of 96 (out of 100). Tasting notes are included in addition to videos.
21. Forbes >> Details/Subscribe	Ten Best Pink Champagnes Editors of Forbes.com Dec. 28, 2006		Forbes editors select ten favorite rosé sparklers, which include Charles Heidsieck Rosé 1999, Domaine Carneros Brut Rosé and Roederer Estate Anderson Valley Brut Rosé. They do not explain their testing methodology or list the wines that failed to make the grade.
22. Wine.com >> Details/Subscribe	Champagne and Sparkling Wine Editors of Wine.com As of Jan. 2008		This wine e-tailer lets you sort Champagne and other sparkling wines by combined ratings in such publications as Wine Spectator, Wine and Spirits, Wine Enthusiast and Robert Parker's Wine Advocate. Many wines, however, earn high rankings based on a single expert review. Consumers are invited to post their tasting notes. The top-rated sparkling wine here is a Salon Blanc de Blancs Le Mesnil-sur-Oger 1996, followed by Pol Roger Sir Winston Churchill 1998. Several wines, including Roederer Brut 2000, Henriot Vintage Brut 1998 and Schramsberg J. Schram 2000, earn high ratings and cost less than $100 per bottle. Gloria Ferrer NV Blanc de Noirs is the least expensive wine with a rating of 91 or greater in two publications.

Champagne Reviews above this line are significantly better than reviews below.

Review Ratings	Citation	CS Credibility Rating	Champagne Ratings Comments on Reviews

23. Kenswineguide.com	Champagne and Sparkling Wine Guide Contributors to Kenswineguide.com As of Jan. 2008		At Ken's Wine Guide, consumers are invited to rate sparkling wines on a 100-point scale. Twenty-three wines are rated, and most receive three or four reviews. Most wines receive numerical ratings only, and no consumer reviews are available, which reduces the usefulness of this site significantly.