Recommendation needed

[powerdesal]

We don't normally buy champagne / sparkling wine so need a few recommendations.

Demi-sec, sparkling champagne-style ( ie not proper champagne ), not expensive, available in Normandy.........any ideas????

[idun]

Clairette de Die, I absolutely love it. Not too expensive and IMO the best of all the sparkingling wines.

I don't like champagne, there are so many things I don't like about it and in my life I have enough opportunities to drink 'good' champagne, give me Clairette any day.

[powerdesal]

Thank you Idun, I will look for some.

[mint]

I'd go along with the Clairette de Die.  Clair recommended it to me a few years ago and I thought that perhaps that could have been her name as in "little Clair", LOL.

[Pierre ZFP]

's funny, I was going to recommend exactly the same. It's around €5 a bottle in Auchan.  Another pleasant one is Blanquette de Limoux,  can't remember who it's made by but has a butterfly on the label, also around €5  [B]  (where's the wineglass smiley when you need it?)

[NickP]

Obviously every one has their personal tastes, we never drank "Sparkle" but since arriving in France our neighbours introduced us to the delights of Vouvray pétillant. We like it as we think it's not as gassy as Champagne, also; to our benefit Vouvray is only a few kilometres away and one of our neighbours has really good contacts so we get a good wine and a good price, although like the others already mentioned only about €5 a bottle in the shops.( Moet etc. eat your heart out!!!) There is a very good offer on Vranken champagne in the SuperU at the moment, comes out at €150 a dozen

[idun]

Clairette comes in 'tradition' and 'brut'. I prefer the 'tradition'.

[powerdesal]

I suspect the 'Tradition' will be more to our taste as we are not really 'dry' lovers.

Many thanks to all who responded.

[just john]

We enjoy an excellent sparkling Saumur, white or rose, I think it may have Gratien & Meyer . . .

 

[Benjamin]

Don't ignore Cava, now readily available in supermarkets. Our choice is Freixenet Cordon Negro. Available as Brut or Semi Seco. Whilst in Spain earlier this year we bought some "on special" at €3.99 but it should retail any way at about €5.00 (except of course in rip off Britain where it's about £10).

As has been said already Vouvray is also a good alternative without costing too much.

[Pommier]

Leclerc have got some good offers at the moment on sparkling wines at all prices (from, as far as I remember €1,69 a bottle, buy 3 get 1 free!)

[Frecossais]

Any of the Cremants, Crement de la Loire, Cremant de Bourgogne, Cremant d'Alsace etc are all regional champagne-type wines. They can give any champagne a run for its money, I think.

[Loiseau]

We had Crémant de Limoux at my birthday party last week. It has a slight rosé blush, and was v good.

Angela

[idun]

As was said, it is all a matter of taste. But, I have to say that I don't think that any of the cremants or other sparklings like Cava come close to Clairette. Wish I had some in for the fetes, but helas we have run out.

[Russethouse]

We've taken to having a cocktail made with whatever fizz we have to hand, Proseco, , Cava, a small preferably brown sugar lump, angustoro (sp?) bitters and either Somerset cider brandy or calvados....very nice it is too......

[woolybanana]

All good, but be careful you don't end up with a not too good white wine with a load of bubbles. You pays for what you gets.

[andyh4]

When I last read this it was 100% for the Clairette de Die, but I see now that others have now tried to turn you to the dark side.

 

So another CdD vote from me.

[powerdesal]

We got two different brands of CdD this morning, haven't tasted it yet but will give my own verdict soon, Ins'Allah.

Many thanks again.

[Rabbie]

I will keep my eyes open for Clairette dD next time I am wine shopping in France.

With Champagne I have found that the niceness etc is not necessarily related to the price. In the interests of research I have found that some more expensive brands have been very disappointing and some cheaper ones have been very nice.  I also like some the cremants.  But we prefer the Brut to demi-sec but each to their own I say[:)]

[Gardengirl]

We also like Clairette de Die, having first tried it in the area, and really took to it. But I'm also keen on champagne; I buy a lovely one when Waitrose have it on offer, but also stop off on the way south/north and buy it from small growers after doing some tastings. We paid around €16 for the current bottles, and like it far more than one we tried at a tasting last week. That cost something like €28; it was OK but no more than that. In fact, out of the 8 or so wines we tasted we wouldn't have bought any. They all cost €20 upwards; normally the tastings are of wines at reasonable prices, but these were to show everyone good wines for the festive season, to be matched with pheasant, beef or whatever. Our daily red is €19 for 5 litres and is very good; it's also bio - the first bio wine I've enjoyed.

[powerdesal]

Just had a glass of the CdD, very very nice.

[idun]

Glad you enjoyed it, hope you served it well chilled. I am feeling so disappointed that we have none in at the moment.

[mint]

I knew that Clair(ette) would know what she was talking about when she recommended it to me.  She's nearly always right, irritating woman![:P]

Hey, Clair, you got shares in Clairette de Die?[:D]

Too cold here for me to feel like a glass of sparkling white wine.  A nice, big glass of whiskey, now that I think would go down much better [:D]

[Gardengirl]

None for me tonight either - 1C! I've just got in from the starting of the Téléthon with a mega-photo, then a small market at 5pm organised by local horticultural students. The vin chaud they were selling at 1€ per cup was just what was needed to keep out the cold, along with the roast chestnuts!

[powerdesal]

Update on CdD, Euro 4.49 in Lidl. Value or what ???