Domestic bubblies?

JBL = Jason "Brandt" Lewis?

Dang, there's a blast from the past. Didn't he post once or twice a few months back and then vanish again?
 
What I'm touting at the moment for domestic bubbly is Henry of Pelham Cuve Catharine, but that's domestic on this side of the border. You probably won't find it. At $30 (Cdn) it is a decent methode traditionelle based on Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. There are one or two better sparkling wines up here, but next to impossible to find. Closer to home, I would track down the Rkatsitelli, or possibly Clinton Vineyards Seyval Natural, or Thor's suggestion from Westport Rivers.
 
I forgot about the legendary Equinox, probably because I've never tasted it. I do have one bottle of the '97 Blanc de Blancs, though, waiting for the right occasion. I picked it up at Soif, in Santa Cruz.
 
I'm loathe to be the odd man out, but, just to offer an alternate point of view, I disagree with the general sentiment on domestic Roederer brut. We went through a couple of mags of this last year and it was, at worst, meanly acidic, at best, merely acidic. A respected Champagne commentator in another forum said this producer made batches with uncharacteristically under-ripe fruit for a limited period of time in order to keep up with demand. But I'm not willing to trust them now. I also didn't enjoy their brut rose last time I tried it.

My favorite domestic sparkler is the basic Schramsburg vintage, which I think is BdB though it is a chunk more than the Roederer. In the Roederer price range, I prefer Gloria Ferrer BdB. I've read praise of their BdN, but the bottle we tried recently was shallow and short.
 
Amplexus (from Toad Hollow) was good about a decade ago.. no idea if it still is (and the wine maker, Todd Williams is now deceased)
 
originally posted by slaton:
Another voice for Roederer Estate Brut. I've liked the Argyle Extended Tirage, but only on closeout. At full price there are too many alternatives.

For under $25, my favorite sparkler at the moment is probably the 2006 Franois Pinon Vouvray Brut Non Dos.

If you give sparkling vouvray the I'm Feeling Lucky treatment, a funny article comes up.
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Argyle ET too expensive? You have to be kidding. I think it's one of the best values in sparking wine you can buy. It's the real deal, complex with great texture.

Another favorite of mine is Iron Horse Blanc de blancs.
 
originally posted by Craig Camp:
Argyle ET too expensive? You have to be kidding. I think it's one of the best values in sparking wine you can buy. It's the real deal, complex with great texture.
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Craig, it lands at $45 here. I've liked the wine, but there is a pretty long list of sparkling things I'd rather drink for $45.
 
originally posted by Joel Stewart:
anyone tried soter's brut rose....or blanc de blanc? haven't tried either, but mildly curious. the rose is around $45
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I recently tasted Tony Soter's 1997 Blanc de Blanc, and it was one of the more compelling American sparklers I've ever tasted. Lots of mineral and a very leesy component that I miss in many other homebound bubblers. It's been longer since I tasted the brut rose, but that's perennially a standard bearer for quality as well.

BTW, I'm in Chicago, and I'd be hard-pressed to find either of these wines for $45, unfortunately. $55 and slightly up would be more like it. But then, here in the third coast we're... special.
 
originally posted by Aaron:
originally posted by Joel Stewart:
anyone tried soter's brut rose....or blanc de blanc? haven't tried either, but mildly curious. the rose is around $45
Click to expand...

I recently tasted Tony Soter's 1997 Blanc de Blanc, and it was one of the more compelling American sparklers I've ever tasted. Lots of mineral and a very leesy component that I miss in many other homebound bubblers. It's been longer since I tasted the brut rose, but that's perennially a standard bearer for quality as well.

BTW, I'm in Chicago, and I'd be hard-pressed to find either of these wines for $45, unfortunately. $55 and slightly up would be more like it. But then, here in the third coast we're... special.
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by jove the brut rose has gone up..(just checked the website, it's $50 there)....now it's in the same range as the bdb

soter gives a $45 shipping credit on case orders btw.

good to hear about the bdb.
 
originally posted by slaton:
originally posted by Craig Camp:
Argyle ET too expensive? You have to be kidding. I think it's one of the best values in sparking wine you can buy. It's the real deal, complex with great texture.
Click to expand...
Craig, it lands at $45 here. I've liked the wine, but there is a pretty long list of sparkling things I'd rather drink for $45.
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The current vintage is 98, I don't think $45 is much for a wine aged that long.
 
originally posted by Aaron:
originally posted by Joel Stewart:
anyone tried soter's brut rose....or blanc de blanc? haven't tried either, but mildly curious. the rose is around $45
Click to expand...

I recently tasted Tony Soter's 1997 Blanc de Blanc, and it was one of the more compelling American sparklers I've ever tasted. Lots of mineral and a very leesy component that I miss in many other homebound bubblers. It's been longer since I tasted the brut rose, but that's perennially a standard bearer for quality as well.

BTW, I'm in Chicago, and I'd be hard-pressed to find either of these wines for $45, unfortunately. $55 and slightly up would be more like it. But then, here in the third coast we're... special.
Click to expand...

I agree on the 97 Soter Blanc de blancs. It's excellent. Less than 200 cases produced though.
 
If you can get a hold of one of the Gloria Ferrer Royal Cuvees from the Mid 90s (93-96), they will be hard to beat. The 97 and 00 releases (haven't tried the 01) are also both good, but age will only make them better.

The 94 L'Ermitage from Roederer Estate from Magnum is also drinking very well right now.

If you are looking for a concentrated, wild ride of a wine then the 1999 Domaine Carneros Late Disgorged Le Reve could be right up your alley. It is extremely rambunctious right now, but I don't think it will improve. The rowdiness of the flavors gives it a kind of charm. The only bad part is the price which is near $100 and I think it is only available from the winery.
 
Oh, I did the big reveal on that in the election night thread. Schramsberg Blanc de Blancs. It was the only decent one I could find at the last minute. Either that or Andr Cold Duck.
 
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