Champagne

[cruzadict]

I have just purchased the premium package for our cruise in October which is now $ 59.95 per person per day. Does anyone know if champagne is included in this package. Much prefer champagne to sparkling wine. If it is not would we have the option of paying the difference in the cost of the glasses.

[ronrick1943]

Yes it is. I can't recall the name but it is pretty good.

Rick

[LaCroisiereS'amuse]

There is one champagne included on the Prestige Select package.

 

Montaudon from a reputable small champagne house in Reims......

 

http://www.champagnemontaudon.com

[JimandStan]

I have just purchased the premium package for our cruise in October which is now $ 59.95 per person per day. Does anyone know if champagne is included in this package. Much prefer champagne to sparkling wine. If it is not would we have the option of paying the difference in the cost of the glasses.

 

[orchestrapal]

Unfortunately neither of these is Real Champagne!

[terry&mike]

The one from Reims is a true champagne, designated as such as it is produced in the Champagne region of France. The only difference between champagne and sparkling wine is where it is produced - a sparkling wine can only be designated a Champagne if it comes from this region of France. There are excellent, good, and bad champagnes, and excellent, good, and bad sparkling wines, sometimes known as cava (Spain), sometimes known as prosecco (Italy), etc.

[Paulchili]

I am not a wine drinker myself but some of my relatives who are true wine aficionados really like the Schramsberg vintages - give them a try :)

Wine (or "sparkling" wine) does not have to come from France to be good (I am told) :D

[durante]

They all may be made in the same Methode Champagnoise but only the one from Reims can strictly be classified as Champagne....unfortunately.

[ronrick1943]

The Schramsberg Brut was very good, and the Montaudon Brut was really good.

Rick

[cruzadict]

Thank you all very much, if we don't enjoy the house champagne can wepayextra to have Perrier jouet or similar

[deadzone1003]

Korbel still uses the word Champagne on bottles of their sparkling wine, but they call it California Champagne. Don't know how many others are allowed to use that designation, if any.

[cruzadict]

Think Korbel is in a different league to champagne!

[PS Caledonia]

There is one champagne included on the Prestige Select package.

 

Montaudon from a reputable small champagne house in Reims......

 

www.champagnemontaudon.com

 

This champagne is VERY good.

 

Someone has obviously taken the time to select a less expensive name, but from a very reputable house which produces excellent champagne.

 

Its a shame they don't include Mumm Cuvee Napa as the US fizz, it's lovely!

[ShopperfiendTO]

Thank you all very much, if we don't enjoy the house champagne can wepayextra to have Perrier jouet or similar

 

Yes. At the moment for the PJ it's $18 per glass plus 18% tip...

[cruzadict]

I meant can we pay the difference between the PJ and the house champagne, sorry if I wasn't clear.

[S O B]

Korbel still uses the word Champagne on bottles of their sparkling wine, but they call it California Champagne. Don't know how many others are allowed to use that designation, if any.

 

"Champagne," a wine-producing district, is a protected word within the European market. So are other Euro place names such as: Burgundy, Rhine, Cheddar, Brie, etc. These names have no such protection in this country so we have manufacturers shamelessly capitalizing on their fame every day.

 

There is no such thing as "California Champagne," as those are two entirely different places. Don't be fooled. If it's Champagne you want; accept no imitations.

 

I'm reminded of an old TV show:

 

Fred Sanford: "I think we should have a bit o'the bubbly."

 

His ladyfriend: "Oooh, Fred, Champagne?"

 

Fred Sanford: "Naw. Ripple and Club Soda."

[deadzone1003]

At one time, all sparkling wines in California were sold as "Champagne". Some were sold as "California Champagne" and some were sold as "American Champagne". In the 80's the label had to say Sparkling Wine. Korbel somehow still had the right or permission? to call it "California Champagne". Korbel is inexpensive and not very good though better than almost all cheap sparkling wine, but it does have the word "Champagne" on the label, so buyer beware is my point of bringing this up. Many of the California Champagne, especially the French-owned ones, are almost as good as regular French Champagne that one may have difficulty picking which is French and which is California.

[Paulchili]

"Champagne," a wine-producing district, is a protected word within the European market. So are other Euro place names such as: Burgundy, Rhine, Cheddar, Brie, etc. These names have no such protection in this country so we have manufacturers shamelessly capitalizing on their fame every day.

 

There is no such thing as "California Champagne," as those are two entirely different places. Don't be fooled. If it's Champagne you want; accept no imitations.

 

I'm reminded of an old TV show:

 

Fred Sanford: "I think we should have a bit o'the bubbly."

 

His ladyfriend: "Oooh, Fred, Champagne?"

 

Fred Sanford: "Naw. Ripple and Club Soda."

 

Then again - some of you may remember a movie called "Bottle shock", based on true events:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bottle_Shock

Bottom line - just because it's French it doesn't always mean that it's better (it may be but doesn't mean it has to be automatically).

Just ask the wine makers and consumers from Chile, Australia, N.Z. and S. Africa and other wine producing countries (not just California, Oregon and Washington,etc).

[JimandStan]

I meant can we pay the difference between the PJ and the house champagne, sorry if I wasn't clear.

 

If you don't care for the Champagne that is included in the Package, you'd simply be asked to pay for the Wine that you would prefer instead.

 

In other words, when buying Beverages which are outside of the Umbrella of the Package, no discount is applied at all.

[LipBalmAddict]

Montaudon was also served as the standard champagne on the Regent cruise that DH and I sailed in August. It was excellent by our standards. And we have tried a lot of real champagnes during our lifetimes.

 

The only champagne we've had that was noticeably better is Krug, but we certainly couldn't complain about Montaudon even after experiencing that.

[dolphinmar]

The Schramsberg Brut was very good, and the Montaudon Brut was really good.

Rick

 

I've always thought Schramsberg was quite good and am looking forward to trying the Montaudon. And then I can pay for a glass of Perrier-Jouet and decide which I like the best. And then I can do it again... :-)

[cruzadict]

Sounds as though we are going to enjoy the house champagne, just hope it's not tooooo nice !! Thanks for all your help.