WTN: Bubbles & Bordeaux - Chapel Down & La Grave Bertin

Well, our Sunday roast was again lamb as that seemed to be the only alternative to shelves heaving with turkey, and lamb means claret.

But first, as aperitif
Chapel Down Brut N.V. (United Kingdom, England, Kent)

Reliable large producer of ESW (English Sparkling Wine which means it's made in the traditional method.) A Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier, Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc blend. If one didn't know, one would think they were drinking Champagne. Crisp, dry, good mousse and very refreshing.

With the meal
Château La Grave de Bertin Heritage 2019 (France, Bordeaux, Bordeaux Supérieur)

A minor Chateau in the Entre deux Mers making good wine at a most reasonable price. The Chateau is family owned, the current owners/winemaker are 6th generation. They've been producing since 1895 but only started selling under their own label in 1976.
They make 2 under the La Grave de Bertin label, a Reserve which is unoaked and the Heritage is their 1st label which has had 12 months aging in barrels - 40% new. This is blend of 70% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon and the makers suggest it will age 8-10 years.

This wine was 6 years old, and showing signs of aging. I wouldn't keep it for anther 2-4 years. It's perfect now. Very nice, traditional claret. No rough spots, slides down like silk.

What is the pricing like on ESW for you?
I've enjoyed Nyetimber and Gusborne (sp?), but there are plenty of Champagnes available here for less than their US retail.

What is the pricing like on ESW for you?
I've enjoyed Nyetimber and Gusborne (sp?), but there are plenty of Champagnes available here for less than their US retail.

Prices here are very volatile with frequent 25% off deals at supermarkets.

Champagne prices seem to have risen considerably recently. Most ESW makers are selling the wine they grow and make, so they are very small scall and have high costs, while even big makers - of which there aren't many - buying grapes from growers so not restricted to what they grow, are tiny against the giants of Champagne.

Much ESW is still vintage as few wineries have been going long enough to build up sufficient reserves to blend a consistent NV.

I think the situation in UK is different to USA because here Champagne has a cachet while my understanding is that to the general US public any wine with bubbles in is 'champagne'. And because of that cachet supermarkets press down prices at festive times.

UK ESW makers are generally trying the ape Champagne with the same grapes, but as I've said many times I'm not convinced PN, PM & Chardonnay make the best sparkling wine and those three varieties were chosen in Champagne only for pragmatic reasons. One of the best ESW I've had was made from Seyval Blanc.

Cheapest Champagne at The Wine Society is £24.31 (minus 10% if 6 bought), cheapest ESW is £23.81.own label made by Ridgeview ( a very good family run winery that only make ESW)
Cheapest at Supermarket Tesco is Louis Delaunay Champagne Brut N.V. at £12, cheapest ESW is their own label at £21

There are certainly Americans who use the term "Champagne" for any sparkling wine, but I think that number is vanishingly small in the segment who are going to spend $30+ on a bottle of wine.

[Jenise]

There are certainly Americans who use the term "Champagne" for any sparkling wine, but I think that number is vanishingly small in the segment who are going to spend $30+ on a bottle of wine.

Totally agreed. I suspect I deal with more inexperienced wine drinkers than most people on this board, and you hit it on the head. After a certain price point, people know.

I don't know about pricing of sparkling wines in USA, it's hard enough here. When I've been to the USA I've bought US wines and wouldn't dream of buying Champagne. I'm not up on which is considered the best US sparkling wine and only remember these brands - in no particular order

Domain Chandon - we went there the year it opened, long ago
Gruet - I've bought that in US restaurants.
J Vineyards - Joan liked the bottle which had only a very large 'J' on the front. We visited the winery - they also made a little still Pinotage. Our local Majestic wine store stocked it couple of times and I've bought. I still have 2 bottles I got from Tesco supermarket last year - reduced to £12 to clear but paid £9 with a 25% off 6 offer,.
Korbel - visited then twice. Exception to my rule of avoiding any US wine labelled as champagne.

but Cellartracker shows we've had more. It also shows me I've currently got 94 bottles of fizz, 41 from France of which 26 are Champagne, 20 - South Africa, 14 - England, 12 - Spain, 4 - Italy, 2- California, 1 - New Zealand

I recall a small maker on Long Island NY who told me that he riddled his fizz by putting crates with bottles upended on a pallet on the forks of his tractor and driving it around his fields.