Brand of Champagne

[MLBFan24]

Does anyone know the brand of champagne used at the Champagne Waterfall event? (I'm assuming they always use the same brand ????)

 

probably some cheapa-- brand, but I kinda liked it..haha

 

Thanks

[rathgael]

We wondered if the stuff they use to pour is really champagne or just coloured fizzy water---------if it is real champagne it is a total waste:mad:

 

I am not a party pooper by any means but I did feel uncomfortable watching this with all the whooping and hollering.This was the first time we had witnessed this excess. It seemed too decadent when the guys and girls who were serving the real ( ?) stuff to the on-lookers come from some countries where the average annual salary would be the same cost as that champagne.

 

I will now put my head under the parapet to escape the flak that will surely come my way ;)

[spongerob]

Actually, calling it a Champagne Waterfall is false advertising. The stuff they use isn't even labeled champagne. It's "Vin Mousseux" and doesn't qualify for the appelation. And, it's pretty nasty stuff.

 

I think it's made at the Samuel L. Jackson vineyard. Motto: "It's cheap and it'll get ya drunk." :)

 

Rathgael - we won a bottle of the stuff once in one of the contests, and ended up giving it to our cabin steward. He laughed and said we wouldn't believe how many bottles of that stuff the crew gets at the end of every cruise. They think it's junk, too.

[MLBFan24]

well, that explains a lot! haha

 

I'm not much of an alcohol drinker, so that explains why I could handle this "champagne"

 

I knew something was odd about it

 

 

thanks for the replies!

[tONYpAL85]

I think it's only considered champagne if it's made in Champagne, France. Otherwise, it's called sparkling wine.

[Tina G]

A close match would be the Andre label, which is fizzy and alcoholic and very, very cheap.

[traveling1969]

We wondered if the stuff they use to pour is really champagne or just coloured fizzy water---------if it is real champagne it is a total waste:mad:

 

I am not a party pooper by any means but I did feel uncomfortable watching this with all the whooping and hollering.This was the first time we had witnessed this excess. It seemed too decadent when the guys and girls who were serving the real ( ?) stuff to the on-lookers come from some countries where the average annual salary would be the same cost as that champagne.

 

I will now put my head under the parapet to escape the flak that will surely come my way ;)

First of all it is real champagne; not very high quality mind you but real nonetheless. The French would like to forbid use of the word champagne throughout the world as they want to reserve it for that sparkling wine produced by specific method in the Champagne district of France but alas they have been unsuccessful. Excess? Too decadent? Come on now it's a cruise. What could be more excessive or decadent than riding around on a $500,000,000.00 vessel for no reason at all other than to dine, imbibe, and tour for no other reason than personal satisfaction. The "guys and girls" as you refer to them are, I feel certain, quite happy to have the opportunity to be gainfully employed. None of the champagne goes to waste. The champagne served (free I might add) is the same as that poured over the stacked glasses. After it is complete, it is dismantled and those glasses are also served to the persons in attendance. Yes, you are a party pooper and yes you should hide your head under the parapet as any flak sent your way is richly deserved.

[Globaliser]

The French would like to forbid use of the word champagne throughout the world as they want to reserve it for that sparkling wine produced by specific method in the Champagne district of France but alas they have been unsuccessful.

France has been more successful than you seem to think. By agreement with France, all of the other major wine-producing countries no longer permit their sparkling wines to be named, marketed or sold as "champagne".

 

Of course, private individuals may still use the word "champagne" to describe these non-Champagne sparkling wines, but there's not much anyone can do about that.

 

Apart from the quality of the stuff used in the "champagne waterfall", the other problem is the glasses used. IIRC, they're saucers, which are death to any sparkling wine. It's pretty much completely flat by the time it gets into the hands of anyone who might drink it. Yuck.

[nycglitter]

IIRC, they're saucers, which are death to any sparkling wine. It's pretty much completely flat by the time it gets into the hands of anyone who might drink it. Yuck.

 

You are so right! Champagne (yes - from the Champagne region in France) is my drink of choice and the glass makes all the difference!:D

 

That said, I will enjoy the waterfall evening for the spectacle of it and the fun of being there with fellow cruisers!

[Nitemare]

Yes, you are a party pooper and yes you should hide your head under the parapet as any flak sent your way is richly deserved.

 

I'm assuming you left out one of these: :D

 

Otherwise, you got alot of nerve.

[Tina G]

Nitemare, to soothe your social conscience, the "champagne" they use probably would retail for about $4 a bottle. Real champagne is expensive, fermented in the bottle and the bubbles occur naturally. The stuff most people drink is vat-processed. It is made in huge quantities, sort of like an alcoholic Pepsi. There is a huge difference in taste, but for the silly waterfall celebrations, they use the cheap stuff. Who cares? I usually get my free glass, down it and leave before they start doing the Macarena. My young adult children enjoyed the party.

[Nitemare]

I know that, Tina. I've drunk the stuff (but not much!). My point was the uncalled for personal attack, not a reference to the "quality" of the bubbly.

[Cruise Junky]

France has been more successful than you seem to think. By agreement with France, all of the other major wine-producing countries no longer permit their sparkling wines to be named, marketed or sold as "champagne".

 

QUOTE]

 

Ah, but, the US never signed that agreement, yet they do it out of respect for France. The treaty that this clause is in was signed during prohibition so the US never even thought it would be an issue as no one was drinking at the time.

[traveling1969]

I know that, Tina. I've drunk the stuff (but not much!). My point was the uncalled for personal attack, not a reference to the "quality" of the bubbly.

I guess calling someone a party pooper does qualify as a personal attack and if anyone was offended by my remarks I am deeply sorry. (there, I feel a lot better already). I guess I was just amazed that someone would attack this bit of light fun as excessive or decadent given what cruising is all about. And that line about a years salary...well that was a beaut. Yes, I'm sure if well all pooled our cruise fares we could raise some third world country out of poverty but I just don't think that is about to happen. To attack this innocent bit of fluff as a waste is just a bit much, don't you think?

[madelinerose]

Ugh! Sounds like a headache waiting to be poured! The crew probably gives it right back to the waterfall pourers. Sort of like that fruitcake during the Holidays. It's an eternal recycle. ;)

 

 

Actually, calling it a Champagne Waterfall is false advertising. The stuff they use isn't even labeled champagne. It's "Vin Mousseux" and doesn't qualify for the appelation. And, it's pretty nasty stuff.

 

I think it's made at the Samuel L. Jackson vineyard. Motto: "It's cheap and it'll get ya drunk." :)

 

Rathgael - we won a bottle of the stuff once in one of the contests, and ended up giving it to our cabin steward. He laughed and said we wouldn't believe how many bottles of that stuff the crew gets at the end of every cruise. They think it's junk, too.

[Globaliser]

Ah, but, the US never signed that agreement, yet they do it out of respect for France. The treaty that this clause is in was signed during prohibition so the US never even thought it would be an issue as no one was drinking at the time.

Hmm. Taxing my general knowledge a bit here, but I could have sworn that there are now GATT or WTO rules about it ...

[Cruise Junky]

Hmm. Taxing my general knowledge a bit here, but I could have sworn that there are now GATT or WTO rules about it ...

 

They may have put something in place at a later date, but I remember touring the champagne regions and them telling us this and then doing some research on my own to see in fact it was true, but like I said, there maybe some new agreements out there. Here's some interesting info..... from the Net.

 

Other sparkling wines not from Champagne sometimes use the term "sparkling wine" on their label. While most countries have labeling laws which prevent the use of the term Champagne on any wine not from the region, some – including the United States – permit wine producers to use the name “Champagne” as a semi-generic name. One reason U.S. wine producers are allowed to use the European names is that the Treaty of Versailles, though signed by President Wilson, was never ratified by the U.S. Senate. The Treaty of Versailles included a clause designed to limit the German wine industry and to allow the use of the term Champagne only on wines from the Champagne region of France (which had been in the middle of numerous WWI battles). As the U.S. Senate never ratified the Treaty, this language never was implemented in the United States.

 

Current U.S regulations require that what is defined as a semi-generic name (such as Champagne) shall be used on a wine label only if there appears next to that name the appellation of "the actual place of origin" in order to prevent any possible consumer confusion. Because the quality of their wines are now widely recognized, many US producers of quality sparkling wine no longer find the term "Champagne" useful in marketing. In addition, some key US wine growing areas such as Napa, Oregon and Washington now view semi-generic labeling as harmful to their reputations (see Napa Declaration on Place).

[captainron]

Rob,

You old devil.

 

Contrary to what people may think it is all "fizzy wine." I lived across the Rhine (10 mins) from Strasbourg, France and 3 hrs from Epernay in the champagne region.

 

A bottle of the stuff you buy in Strasbourg is the same you buy in Epernay, albeit a different name and perhaps not as tasty or for that matter expensive. The only "fizzy stuff" that can be called champagne is that which comes from the region in and around Epernay (such as Dom Perignon, Moet & Chandon etc) otherwise most fizzy stuff is as Rob says commonly known as Vin Mousseaux.

 

Ciao for now!!!

[UltimateDevotion]

The "sparkling wine" they used for the waterfall on the Diamond Princess was "Pol Clement Brut" and was produced in France. It also says "Blanc de Blancs Vin Mousseux" but I don't know what that means.

I don't know if it's a cheap brand or not but I thought it tasted great and it got me drunk every night on my cruise :)

[nycglitter]

Lmao

[tvaud]

I think it's nasty stuff...bitter...yuck! It is fun to participate in the pouring and it's a great spectacle not to be missed. Just don't drink the stuff... Now pass me the limoncello...:D

[traveling1969]

The "sparkling wine" they used for the waterfall on the Diamond Princess was "Pol Clement Brut" and was produced in France. It also says "Blanc de Blancs Vin Mousseux" but I don't know what that means.

I don't know if it's a cheap brand or not but I thought it tasted great and it got me drunk every night on my cruise :)

I'm not sure what brand was used on the Crown when we did our B2B but like Ultimate Devotion it twernt bad and the buzz was nice. Of course I have yet to educate my palate. It doesn't know that it's not supposed to enjoy something that's not top shelf. Let's just say this, I've had worse after paying a lot more.

[nycglitter]

I'm not sure what brand was used on the Crown when we did our B2B but like Ultimate Devotion it twernt bad and the buzz was nice. Of course I have yet to educate my palate. It doesn't know that it's not supposed to enjoy something that's not top shelf. Let's just say this, I've had worse after paying a lot more.

 

 

It makes no difference what the brand is.... If you like how it tastes, THEN it's good. If you don't like how it tastes, then it's bad. Who cares how much something costs. Last time I checked, the bill had nothing to do with the flavor of any meal of drink.

 

So enjoy!:o

[traveling1969]

It makes no difference what the brand is.... If you like how it tastes, THEN it's good. If you don't like how it tastes, then it's bad. Who cares how much something costs. Last time I checked, the bill had nothing to do with the flavor of any meal of drink.

 

So enjoy!:o

My sentiments exactly! I was poking a bit of fun at the champagne/wine snobs who presume to tell others what is good or bad. The proper comment is "I didn't like it" not "it's swill". As they say, one person's swill....:D

[MLBFan24]

whoa, this thread sparked another topic I didn't intend...haha

 

anyways, yea...the champagne waterfall is one of my favorite cruise events ever. It was just fun all around. :D

 

Though I'll never forget what one of the cruise staff guys said to me. I showed him my ID to get the champagne and he said: "hmmm..I like fake IDs too" :mad: (I don't look 21, but c'mon, don't call me a liar)