BIG Champagne Surprises! Grand Marques Blind Tasting
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- Опубликовано: 16 мар 2024
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I use this wine key: Forge de Laguiole Ebony
I have used this glass in this Video: RIEDEL Veritas Champagne
I have tasted the following wines in this Video:
Pol Roger Brut Reserve, Champagne, France
www.wine-searcher.com/find/po...
Taittinger Brut Reserve, Champagne, France
www.wine-searcher.com/find/ta...
Moet & Chandon Brut Imperial, Champagne, France
www.wine-searcher.com/find/mo...
Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin Yellow Label Brut, Champagne, France
wine-searcher.com/find/veuve+...
Louis Roederer Collection 242 Brut, Champagne, France
www.wine-searcher.com/find/lo...
Bollinger Special Cuvee Brut, Champagne, France
www.wine-searcher.com/find/bo...
The 100 Point Scoring System (from www.robertparker.com):
96-100: An extraordinary wine of profound and complex character displaying all the attributes expected of a classic wine of its variety. Wines of this caliber are worth a special effort to find, purchase and consume.
90 - 95: An outstanding wine of exceptional complexity and character. In short, these are terrific wines.
80 - 89: A barely above average to very good wine displaying various degrees of finesse and flavor as well as character with no noticeable flaws.
70 - 79: An average wine with little distinction except that it is soundly made. In essence, a straightforward, innocuous wine.
60 - 69: A below-average wine containing noticeable deficiencies, such as excessive acidity and/or tannin, an absence of flavor or possibly dirty aromas or flavors.
50 - 59: A wine deemed to be unacceptable.
I drink Champagne when I’m happy and when I’m sad. Otherwise, I never touch it―unless I’m thirsty. Goes the abbreviated quote by Lily Bollinger that is probably the most famous Champagne-related statement.
I love to drink Champagne, even though I don’t have the Lily's consumption habits, and I also enjoy exploring the region, looking for new and undiscovered gems.
However, the vast majority of the region's production is commercialized by the Grandes Marques and those are the Champagnes most of you know and will be able to get
The Oxford Companion to Wine defines the term Grandes Marques as "an obsolete, self-imposed term for some of the major houses or brands of champagne. The original Syndicat des Grandes Marques was founded in 1882 but was disbanded in 1997. The term means literally ‘big brand’ in French and is still used informally."
So today I want to taste the Grandes Marques - the big Champagne Houses side by side in a blind-tasting face-off to see which ones have invested in quality and which ones in marketing.
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That Moët was this well rated is crazy. The beauty of blind tasting indeed.
My favorite entry level grand marquee is Billecart Salmon Brut Reserve. This was the first Champagne that I enjoyed as a wine as opposed to being just a fun cork-pop. I still love it!
Agreed! The Bollinger special cuvee is another cracker in that price point 👍
There is quite a wide selection of "supermarket" champagne for 15-20€, that can be bought in Aldi, Hofer, Lidl, Spar.. It would be really interesting to see a blind tasting of theese champagnes, concidering they usually are not bad, due to Champagnes strict regulations.
Absolutely no problem to buy a cheaper supermarket champagne, important to look at the sugar content 😅.
Those are one step below piss water
@@A1steakSo not true. As one comment above said, they can hardly ever be bad due to the strict regulations. I find they often lack the freshness that only champagne shows. So they are on the same level as good German Sekt. To me they are mostly above the average sparkling wine around the world.
@@AnarchoKapital exactly! I actually liked some of those! Less elegant and precise perhaps, but not bad. I would love to see an honest blind tasting and rating of champagnes in that category, by Konstantin.
I believe that Jancis Robinson wrote a piece in the last year or two urging wine buffs to give Moet another look as she had been very impressed with the commitment to quality and investment in aging reserve wine that she had seen on a visit and tasting.
Moet is consistently showing great on blind tasting, people hate it for being too commercial, but it is a very balanced Champagne
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Yes personally i prefer it over a Taittinger for example
Charles Heidsieck Brut Reserve stands out for me.
Like a smelly wet sock
Agreed! Too bad that wasn't included in the blind tasting.
Same!
It supposedly contains 40% of reserve wine. Not sure about now though. It's also my favorite NV.
@@ihsrosary The bottle shape would've given it away though.
The Louis is my favourite as well 😊
Great timing. We tasted 8 champagnes blind yesterday evening, all the ones in this video included. Moët came out on top. Pol Roger was also well liked.
Also, the Bollinger did not do well.
My theory is that some of these bottles are much better with some bottle aging. I typically age them for 2 years at least. You will see who can age more gracefully and take on more complexity. So, I wouldn't count out Bollinger just yet.
I have a question. Or maybe two. What happens to all the wine you open for each video? Do you have lots of friends you invite around for a drink? Can I be your friend?
Spoiler alert... he isnt alone in the celler
@@red8884 He may well not be but I have seen no evidence to the contrary. Even if he's not alone, do you really think a small RUclips channel has a production team that drinks 6 bottles of wine in a single sitting? I don't think so.
@@bugsygoo i'll drive
That's three questions.
I have a friend that runs a wine shop and I’ve gotten Many late night calls to come over to try left overs from tastings
Good friend to have
I waited sooo long for this tasting!! Love champagne and your unbiased opinions on them! Thanks Konstantin!
The cork catch was amazing. A replay on that would make a great short! Your results did not match my preconceived notions and I’m excited to give some of those a try. Awesome
Thanks for picking these universally available houses. My favorite is still Bollinger based on the levels of complexity. I think you should cellar these for one year and come back and compare them with the current NV offerings of the same houses in a year. Cheers!
That's exactly my sentiment. I'm surprised that Konstantin does not mention that. It's a bit unfair if you think about it.
Konstantin out here doing champagne cork trick shots 🍾
Does it look like it was edited? I find it hard to believe that the falling cork/wire did not break the thin wall of the glass though.
Lol...I would never expect the bolinger was the worse one....one of the most realiable NV cuves.....❤❤
For me personally both their regular nv and the rosé lose against their competition because they are more pricey but don’t taste better
@@matthiasheise8684 wich one would you sugest instead of? Tnx
What a fun video! Really cool comparisons, been looking for this kind of insight as I get more into sparkling 🥂
Quel surprise, one of the best recent videos I’d say. Thanks Constantin 👍🏻🥂
I used to drink Veuve Clicquot for being a clean, straight forward Champagne but seeing your impressions on the Moët & Chandon Imperial brut I think I'm going to try one.
Other then that I'm a big fan of the Raumland wines.
Raumland is just amazing.
Awesome tasting! I always love these videos. Keep it up!
mind blown! THAT was a valuable test.
Excellent tasting! Thank you 🥂
This was a great teaching video. Well done!
Love this, hope to see part 2 😁
Love the format. I would love to see something similar with other types of wine.
Very Enjoyable tasting KB...Thanks
Fantastic! Thank you!
So happy the Louis R came out on top! Incredible producer and great value for an entry level Champagne. As always, very educational tasting.
Great experience once again, thank you for sharing it! I was also very surprised to have a Moët recently and… it was very very good indeed, was expecting something much more commercial.
So fun! Loved it. Ive always enjoyed Gosset
Love this! I’m in your boat, Bollinger is my typical go to as well, so I’m shocked. And I’ll give Möet another shot. No surprise on the Roederer, they’re always solid!
Quiet of a surprise as well!! 😂
Mine would be the Charles Heidsieck Brut Reserve of course 🥂🥂🍾🍾
I’ve had great experiences with most of these. I typically love the Bolli.
Fantastic video, cool as a cucumber popping those corks and that catch on 6 😮
Pol Roger is one of my favourite NV Champagnes, but you really do have cellar it for a couple of years for it to show its full potential.
Great video, very interesting. For sure demonstrated the power of blind tastings. Thanks for sharing. No particular favorite champagne for me. Usually just budget sparkling California wine a few times a year.
Great Video! 🍾
Great tasting! I love Champagne and used to drink it A LOT back in the day. Not just for the taste but I love the 'effect' of Champagne. I haven't drank any in the last few years but am now inspired to get back into it a little. Thanks for the video and be careful with those corks. Would hate to hear that you ended up in an ER due to cork-related, blunt force, trauma to the head.
Very fun, my favorite grand marques has historically been Laurent Perrier
Another wonderful concept, well executed. Except for the 2. Seriously, you and Leon have really hit a stride, wonderfully conceived and executed content. Keep it up!
Gosset Grand Reserve Brut is one of those ones that definitely deserve a try, maybe in another blind test , especially considering the price point
That catch was awesome, my Man.
Love this, great video again. My favourite is probably Mailly and Bruno Paillard (if they can be considered hallmark I dont know) but they are perfect every-day champagne according to me
Great content! Roederer is indeed a nice one!
Thank you ! Where did you get your velvet bags Sir ?
Love this presenation! We drink as much champagne as we can and 'Charles Heidsieck Brut Reserve' is a 'go to' favorite.
This presentation was very interesting and worthwhile. Thank you!
Fascinating! My house Champagne is Billecart Salmon Brut Reserve. I find it precise and chiseled and consistently great. Cheers 🥂
Fascinating and honest ... very nice
That wineglass cork catch was amazing!!!!
Fascinating! You should repeat this in a year to see how they compare from another NV vintage (you know what I mean) and how consistent they are.
With champagne being a higher price point than most consumer wine I also feel some bottles sit around on shelves a long time, which will inevitably affect the flavour. Think some days also our own tastebuds simple act differently - one day I want only want Pinot, another I want Cabernet!
Veuve always used to be my go to Champagne but lately have also found it a little one note and sharp. Pol Roger is my new textbook NV. Had a bottle of the Roederer 241 fairly recently and enjoyed it, but less than Pol Roger - more fresh green fruit and less buttery/rich.
Edit - interesting comparing back with your champagne bottle sizes review, where you found a clear different in the flavour of Moet based on bottle size. Again makes me wonder how consistent ‘non-vintage’ champagne really is year-by-year, and how one can really compare side by side wines of a same age given none of the champagnes have age statements on them.
Great video! You saved me a lot of money! And congratulations with that "hole in one" !
My 'go to' Champagnes are the Pol Roger (and Billecart-Salmon), the only issues I have had in over 40 years has been with Bollinger when 3 out of 6 bottles of their Grand-Annee I bought were corked. Very surprised at the Moet, I tend to find it quite 'green' in comparison to the Pol, maybe they have upped their game so will have to try a couple of bottles. Thanks for a great tasting.
Its fun seeing you be surprised by the results! 🍷🍷🍷
Perfect timing, Costco in US currently selling Piper Heidsieck for 19.97. Glad to be drinking along
Splendid tasting and presentation Konstantin.
It has become very fashionable in my opinion to be down on Moët in recent years - possibly because of its huge production levels and maybe due to snobbiness that many of us are guilty of on occasion.
From your description of No.7, I was sure it was going to be unveiled as Lanson! The fact it was Bollinger was music to my ears! I have always felt I was missing out by 'not getting it'.
I don't really have a favourite Grand Marque although six bottles of Deutz did turn up on my doorstep today!
Bollinger has always been my favorite NV. I will have to recreate this tasting for myself.
Would love to see a video either blind comparing the base or tete de cuvée from California houses (la reve from Domaine Carneros, J Schram from Schramsberg) vs comparable champagne
Really enjoyed this tasting and really surpricing results! For me the R de Ruinart Brut tops all of these, would have loved to see that in this line up!
Great tasting, my fave is Charles Heidsieck and I will give Moet another try.
great video, Konstantin 🙃 My favorite 'cheap' champagne is 'Pommery', but obviously there are better ones out there. Did you ever make a video about Amarone della Valpolicella ?
I'm just waiting patiently for the day Konstantin opens a wine that's corked
Due to modern technology, the chance of a wine being corked is much lower than the previous decades.
Thanks for this excellent Blind Tasting. We really enjoy the Roederer series - 242, 243 and now 244. Not a bad value in the US for around $50usd. Seems like I should cellar some as I'm now into the 244's (based on the 2019 vintage). Have really enjoyed the Bollinger in the past but now at almost $70usd in the US we stick with the Roederer for our non vintage bubbles of choice.
I'm not a Champagne drinker but love watching Konstantin doing his superb blind tastings 👌
Very interesting video, Konstantin 👌🥂. I've tasted just a few, but my favorite champagne is "Un jour de 1911" from A.Clouet
Again a wonderful journey. Only a blind tasting will force us to drink without preference or prejudice.
I still believe all these grand marques produce serious entry level champagne since these are the main profit of the company.
Although they are all multi-vintage, different batches acts differently. For example, Louis Roederer collection 242 (2017 base) is better than 243 (2018). The cellar masters' work is to make every classic champagne stationary in every year.
The date of disgorgement also matters. The batch numbers sometimes gives us clues if this bottle is an "old" one or not. If it is not "too" old, preserved and shipped properly, it may not be as fresh as those recently disgorged one, but gives more complexity due to maturation.
(I wonder if the Master of Wine recognized the unique thin neck of wine No.7 while popping and guessing Bollinger or Charles Heidsieck with higher expectation?😉)
Fascinating tasting. We skew toward Pol Roger and Bollinger. I never really thought of it, but I buy the Bollinger prestige cuvées, and shy away from the NV brut.
If possible, please follow this video up with a Presitge cuvée tasting. I would love to see the results. Cheers!
Konstantin, superb blind tasting, I enjoy the challenge of this premise. I have over time found some of my favorites this way. Most enjoyable segment, the Bolly was a surprise having been to their house on visits while I was living in Europe.I particularly like Reims and Champagne as places to visit. Drinking Champagne in the shadow of the cathedral on a nice afternoon. A voíla.
In fact Bolly is flanked by a street bearing my nom de famille. Pretty fancy for a Texan n'est pas?
I really like the Bolly but I think it needs 5-8 years on its side. No surprise in the Veuve but I hear they are producing better wine with that bottle but, the results are the results. I haven't had the Roederer 242 but will look for it. Thanks for a nice overview of Grand Marques.
I've arranged two blind tastings of champagne. In both, Veuve Cliquot has finished last, losing even to "black horse" sparkling wines below 20€. Even their La Grand Dame lost out to bottles in the 50-60€ range despite costing nearly 200€ here in Finland.
I really like Louis Roederer NV as well, my top 3 NV entry level champagne from the Grand Marques are probably Louis Roederer, Taittinger, Nicolas Feuillatte
I think you nailed it. I knew most from your impressions (Taittinger, grapefruit and zingy…Moet lemon and frothy/creamy…Veuve dull and peachy). Moët is always underrated. A crowd pleaser for a reason. Hard for the Bollinger to go last. It’s so different.
Konstantin, thanks for a very enjoyable tasting to observe. I’m a fan of champagne, both grower and grand marque, and you easily could do this same tasting with another 5-7 different grand marques. Charles Heidsieck, Pierre Peters, and Bruno Paillard NV’s are personal faves in the $50-$60 price point, though the CH has had a meaningful price increase of late. I didn’t hear anything about dosage…..at what level do you generally prefer?
Not sure if Laurent-Perrier is considered grande marques but has generally done well for me in the past. Outside of the big houses, I quite enjoy Egly-Ouriet, Krug, Vilmart, Varnier-Fanniere & Delamotte
Hey. Whatever happened to Moet White Star? I don’t see it anymore. It was priced below the Moet Brut
wow, I've been wanting to splurge on Bollinger for a while now (it's significantly more than the other NV's here in my state (Mississippi), but you have save me a bit of money! though I'm sure I'll fall prey, the bottle is just so lovely, and there is a bit of a gotta catch them all thing with the grand marques
moments of opening champagnes are my fav 😂
Bollinger is my favorite one among these. Any chance the specific bottle might have been "faulty"?
Fantastic video ,.. always so entertaining to watch , thank you
The Louis R 242 is delicious especially out of a magnum.
Let’s see a video of the big boy champagnes , the Premiere Cru’s , blind taste , Cristal / Krug / Dom P / Le Grande Dame 👍
Hello Konstantin,
just a general question: do you wash or rinse your Wine glasses in a special way? After getting mine out of the dish washer they often have some weird notes like egg white e.g.
Maybe you have some general tipps & tricks for the perfect wine tasting setting ?
Thx
"Popping Corks" LOL love your show especially Zgerman accent
I haven't really been a fan of Veuve recently, Roger and Roederer are my go to for big brand Champagne. Palmer & co is a steal though at a similar price point
My favorite is Lanson Black label.
nice video You need to try Kompassus Espumante from Portugal 2018 or older
May I ask what glasses you used to taste? Those look like tulip flutes ; is there a brand you would recommend?
Ive always found Veuve ticks the boxes for biscuity slurpy fizz
I am surprised KB was disappointed by Bollinger hearing he likes their Champagne. I guess this tasting shows how good Moët & Chandon does with their blending.
The most enjoyable Champagne i had was Louis Roederer as well, i had their Carte blanche
Totally agree with Pol Roger and Taittinger, my stablemates. Yes, the Moet is a surprise but I also read they have worked a lot to improve it, and it would appear that they have since you liked it. Veuve Cliquot, an offence to the pallete as usual 🙂. The Bolly is a shocker omg....
👍👍
P.S.: what happend with bag #2 ?))
Is it possible for you to do the equivalent video/tasting with Growers around a similar price point? I believe they would ‘smash’ the GMs on points!
I’m a little surprised by the Bollinger too. Veuve? No surprise. Big marketing for sure. I toured Taittinger about 15 years ago, but to be honest I really don’t see it on shelves here in States and so forget it exists. Nice to see the Imperial have a good showing since it is not outrageously expensive.
My favorite so far is : yours #1 Pol Roger Reserve, then G.H. Martel - Prestige Brut, then Piper-Heidsieck Cuvee 1785 Brut
@7:48 ah the miracles of fermentation
Harsher scoring than expected. Not blind I put veuve at the lowest at maybe an 88.
And my poor bollinger!😢 l enjoy the special cuvée. Sadge.
All good. Love the content as always.
are you talking to Shauron? What is with the Palantir on the background?
Just an idea for an episode...how about a tour of your cellar? I've been watching hundreds of your videos in this cellar and I am curious : ) What is that marble sphere? The farmed artwork? And how about those bottles on the racks, what could they be? I can't be the only curious fan. : )
Excellent topic - I love champagne and good fizzy in general but there’s too much to select from…generally choosing millésime seems to work, with many entry level fizzes being similar…favorite ok-priced is Pol Winston and quite like Heidsieck as a cheaper option…have never had crystale as it seems a bit wanky / xs marketing? Some great fizz coming out of the U.S., Schramsberg and Caraccioli are 2 good examples
Haha....I swear by Veuve Cliquot YL. I do need to try some Tattinger though.🍾🥂
Bollinger is my favorite among those ones 😅
We only drink champagne on special occasions and when we do we like those with bread / yeast notes. For everyday drinking give me a French cremant, Spanish cava, Italian prosecco or our local Tasmanian sparklings made in the champagne style and Victorian King Valley Prosecco. So much choice!
Could you do a roederer vs Bollinger tasting? 🙏🙏🙏🙏
Especially their rosè!
Gonet-Medeville Brut Tradition is a wonderful wine at a very reasonable price.
😍 Love! Really impressive and super helpful! Think I will try a more pricy Pol Roger and definitely look into the Roedere - Moet is excellent to impress normie friends at a party - I like Mumm best at this level - I prefer pinot noir to chardonnay, crystal crisp clean cut over buttery toffee notes for me - will watch again, thanks! Enjoy!!😋