Oceania Champagne by the glass is well below average

[nuevowavo]

...and that's why the Good Lord created the martini.

[pinotlover]

2 hours ago, oskidunker said:

Why dont they just serve a California Sparkling wine half the cost of French and much better than Germaine. 

1. They don’t exist. You really don’t know the cost structures of these wines.

 

2.  Quantities required. CA Mumm is probably the only US producer that could come close to meeting NCL/Oceania quantities requirements. They are no less expensive.

 

3. Logistics. A large majority of O ships do European ports. Germain can get full containers there cheaper than US producers. In fact, they can probably get them to Miami cheaper than CA producers can.

 

I am not a Germaine fan, but I can pretty well tell you the deal Oceania has with them. 

[oskidunker]

DomaineChandon is pretty large, especially considering low yields this year in France. But I see your  point. 
 

$17.99 currently at total wines in California.  

[pinotlover]

54 minutes ago, oskidunker said:

DomaineChandon is pretty large, especially considering low yields this year in France. But I see your  point. 
 

$17.99 currently at total wines in California.  

🤮

 

[PirateShark]

1 hour ago, pinotlover said:

1. They don’t exist. You really don’t know the cost structures of these wines.

 

2.  Quantities required. CA Mumm is probably the only US producer that could come close to meeting NCL/Oceania quantities requirements. They are no less expensive.

 

3. Logistics. A large majority of O ships do European ports. Germain can get full containers there cheaper than US producers. In fact, they can probably get them to Miami cheaper than CA producers can.

 

I am not a Germaine fan, but I can pretty well tell you the deal Oceania has with them. 

Don't know why but CA Mumms gives me heartburn.  That being said, logistics and supply availability are concerns for any cruise line.  All the more reason to bring my own on board or switch to martinis 🍸

[pinotlover]

5 minutes ago, PirateShark said:

Don't know why but CA Mumms gives me heartburn.  That being said, logistics and supply availability are concerns for any cruise line.  All the more reason to bring my own on board or switch to martinis 🍸

The Mumm Rose Brut is primarily Pinot Noir while the regular brut is more Chardonnay. Just guessing but the higher acidity Brut is what causes the problems. Try the Brut Rose and see how it does! 🥂

[LHT28]

4 hours ago, oskidunker said:

Why dont they just serve a California Sparkling wine half the cost of French and much better than Germaine. 

But that would not be Champagne  for those that like real Champagne 🙂

[oskidunker]

1 hour ago, LHT28 said:

But that would not be Champagne  for those that like real Champagne 🙂

Ok if you   prefer Germaine. 

[PirateShark]

2 hours ago, pinotlover said:

The Mumm Rose Brut is primarily Pinot Noir while the regular brut is more Chardonnay. Just guessing but the higher acidity Brut is what causes the problems. Try the Brut Rose and see how it does! 🥂

We just enjoyed a lovely NV Brut Rose from Roederer tonight, which is DHs favorite everyday bubbles.  You're right that high chardonnay bubbles or blends are a little problematic due to the brix level at harvest.  If I have a favorite its a blanc de noir then a brut rose.  Guess it's a function of me liking reds more than whites to begin with.  In any case, I always say drink what you enjoy and I wish you good health🍷

[LHT28]

1 hour ago, oskidunker said:

Ok if you   prefer Germaine. 

 

California sparkling is NOT Champagne  whether it taste good or not

[oskidunker]

18 minutes ago, LHT28 said:

 

California sparkling is NOT Champagne  whether it taste good or not

True.

[Sabbycat]

On 6/17/2023 at 5:12 PM, Clutj said:

Okay, I know only a few are interested in this topic (but I do see references to it on this board every couple weeks), but I had really hoped that when Vista was rolled out that at least that ship would go back to a decent Champagne, like in the olden days.  The Germain is way too sweet and just … yuck.   Regent switched over to it the same time as Oceania, but there was a passenger revolt, and Regent changed back in a few short months.  Unfortunately, I think Regent then solved their problem by dumping all that they had purchased into Oceania!  And also unfortunately, there’s been no corresponding Champagne revolt by Oceania customers.  We’ve suffered long enough.  Who’s with me?

Is Germain not a brut?

[pinotlover]

1 hour ago, Sabbycat said:

Is Germain not a brut?

Yes. But.

 

To be a Brut, the addition of 6-12 g/l of sugar in the dosage is allowed. For Extra Dry, it’s 12-17 g/l. Some people’s Brut can be very near another’s Extra Dry in added sugar. Thus is the case of Germain.

 

Per Champagne regulations, the wine can only be made from three grape varieties:Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunière . Many champagnes use primary one or both of the first two, with sometimes 20% or less of the third. Germain uses only Chardonnay and Pinot Meunière . PM has and adds a very distinct flavor to the bubbly which many don’t particularly like. It’s large presence in Germain is one reason many don’t like it.

 

Add 1 & 2, and you have a very unpopular wine.

[cruisingxpert]

50 minutes ago, pinotlover said:

Yes. But.

 

To be a Brut, the addition of 6-12 g/l of sugar in the dosage is allowed. For Extra Dry, it’s 12-17 g/l. Some people’s Brut can be very near another’s Extra Dry in added sugar. Thus is the case of Germain.

 

Per Champagne regulations, the wine can only be made from three grape varieties:Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunière . Many champagnes use primary one or both of the first two, with sometimes 20% or less of the third. Germain uses only Chardonnay and Pinot Meunière . PM has and adds a very distinct flavor to the bubbly which many don’t particularly like. It’s large presence in Germain is one reason many don’t like it.

 

Add 1 & 2, and you have a very unpopular wine.

Thank you for that explanation.  That probably explains what I couldn't quite describe except to say I really don't like the taste.  What is in Monopole that they put in your cabin?  I don't mind it.

When the Regent crowd mutinied over Germain, I understand that they replaced it with Monopole 

[pinotlover]

1 hour ago, cruisingxpert said:

Thank you for that explanation.  That probably explains what I couldn't quite describe except to say I really don't like the taste.  What is in Monopole that they put in your cabin?  I don't mind it.

When the Regent crowd mutinied over Germain, I understand that they replaced it with Monopole 

The blue top Monopole has all three of the grapes, but is primarily Pinot Noir. This gives it a nice fruity flavor and texture. The Pinot Meunière is present but in a far lower percentage than Germain. 

[PinonNoir]

On 6/20/2023 at 3:25 PM, pinotlover said:

Heidseck Monopole

This was what we received in our suite this past July.  It was decent.  The Ruinart I brought onboard blew it away though.

[Hambagahle]

On 8/1/2023 at 8:48 PM, oskidunker said:

Why dont they just serve a California Sparkling wine half the cost of French and much better than Germaine. 

Because they want to be able to say that champagne is served.  Sparkling wine is not champagne.  (Though some sparkling wines are better than champage!). The AOC law in the EU is vigourously enforced.  (and here is a story:  In Switzerland not far from Lausanne there is a small village called Champagne.  Has been called that since sometime in the 9th century or so, way before the monk "discovered" champagne near Reims in France.   They make wine.  And their local wine was - understandably - called "Champagne".   The French government brought all its force to bear to get the wine called something else.  (It wasn't even a sparkling wine so no mistakes could be made!). And they won.   The villagers had to re-name a wine that had existed for far longer than the French fizzy stuff!!   So if you want to say it is champagne - it has to be Appelation Contrôlée Champagne!

[pinotlover]

6 hours ago, Hambagahle said:

Because they want to be able to say that champagne is served.  Sparkling wine is not champagne.  (Though some sparkling wines are better than champage!). The AOC law in the EU is vigourously enforced.  (and here is a story:  In Switzerland not far from Lausanne there is a small village called Champagne.  Has been called that since sometime in the 9th century or so, way before the monk "discovered" champagne near Reims in France.   They make wine.  And their local wine was - understandably - called "Champagne".   The French government brought all its force to bear to get the wine called something else.  (It wasn't even a sparkling wine so no mistakes could be made!). And they won.   The villagers had to re-name a wine that had existed for far longer than the French fizzy stuff!!   So if you want to say it is champagne - it has to be Appelation Contrôlée Champagne!

True on the Swiss village. You otherwise give Champagnes too much credit. Sparkling wine was first developed by the monks in Limouix at St. Hilaire monastery in SW France in 1531. A Century and a half later, the Brits were buying rot gut still wine, with sugar added, from Champagne. In the heart of the “mini Ice Age” the French couldn’t get their grapes ripe, thus sugar was allowed to be added. The Brits decided to try something, almost anything, to get those wines to taste better, so they opted for the methods from Limouix . It was a decade after that the monks in Champagne started doing the process themselves. Dom Perignon by no way invented the sparkling wine of the Champagne area, but he did work feverishly at improving the production techniques and quality of the wine. Lots of funny stories after that of exploding bottles and dead yeasts.

[Hambagahle]

Personally I rather like the story about the Dom "seeing stars" !!  And I love a good Brut champagne.  My favourite is Vincent Joudart but you won't get that in any shops.  You have to buy it from Vincent directly.  And sadly now 6 hours drive is too much for me.  So I settle for Veuve Clicquot.  (At twice the price).

[pinotlover]

7 minutes ago, Hambagahle said:

Personally I rather like the story about the Dom "seeing stars" !!  And I love a good Brut champagne.  My favourite is Vincent Joudart but you won't get that in any shops.  You have to buy it from Vincent directly.  And sadly now 6 hours drive is too much for me.  So I settle for Veuve Clicquot.  (At twice the price).

You can likewise thank the Brits for Brut Champagne. The early champagnes including Limouix were all very sweet. The favorite of the Russians was sticky sweet at 330 g/l sugar after dosage. The Brits wanted something different and more food friendly and pushed the dryness to Brut. Now we have extra Brut and Natural with between 0-6 g/l of added sugar dosage.

[shepherd really]

2 hours ago, pinotlover said:

. A Century and a half later, the Brits were buying rot gut still wine, with sugar added, from Champagne.

 

The Brits changed the Brix.  They added too much and said "Hey, wait, a sec"

Edited August 7, 2023 by shepherd really

[pinotlover]

3 minutes ago, shepherd really said:

The Brits changed the Brix.  They added too much and said "Hey, wait, a sec"

Cute play on words! 👍. Actually they only changed the dosage. The Brix at picking remained the same mostly.

[shepherd really]

Just now, pinotlover said:

Cute play on words! 👍. Actually they only changed the dosage. The Brix at picking remained the same mostly.

As French Homer Simpson would say "Doux"