Help with buying champagne

[Iluvjo]

my dw and I are cruising on the EOS on Dec.15 I would like to buy a bottle of champane from the wine cellar on rccl website for the sail away

 

out of these which would be the more on the sweet and less dry if that makes any sense:o

Champagnes & Sparkling Wines Item# 1200

Mumm's Cordon Rouge, Brut

$60.95 USDItem# 1201

Champagne Moet & Chandon

$70.95 USDItem# 1215

Asti Spumante, Martini & Rossi, Piedmont

$27.95 USDItem# 1216

Korbel Brut, California, USA

$30.95 USDItem# 1218

Domain Chandon,Brut,California

$44.95 USD

thanks Leo

[LovesBeagles]

We are dry wine lovers and always order the Moet. Do you have time to go to your local liquer store and do some research first? They should be able to help you. Besides, that is my kind of research.:)

[BiteMEagain]

Brut's are generally "sweeter" and the previous poster said it all. Find a wine celler near you and have a taste.

[Iluvjo]

thanks for the help i'll go find some brut to try! :D

[mafig]

WAIT!

 

Brut is dry.

 

Extra dry is *sweeter* than Brut.

 

Sounds weird, but it's true.

[shirleygr]

Asti is very sweet. The Domaine Chandon is considered off-dry, or a little sweet. You said you like less dry. If you want very sweet, go with the Asti. If you want a little sweet, go with the Domaine Chandon. Moet is very dry and I just don't think Korbel is very good. I've never tried the Mumm's, so I can't give you an opinion on that. Trying some ahead of time is a good idea.

Also, I suggest you bring a champagne re-corker unless you plan to drink the whole bottle when you open it. Champagne corks are nigh impossible to get back into the bottle. HTH

[cryscruiser]

Of the four listed, only the Moet & Chandon is champagne. The others are sparkling wine. Also, there are more Champagnes on the list onboard. You might want to wait and see that and then order.

[Mydnite]

OK, out of those three the sweetest is Asti, this is a sweet sparkling wine, however, it is not a champagne. (In my opinion Io is better).

 

ALL champagne will be dry, it would not be champagne if it were not dry, so champagne is out if you want a sweet drink. If you really want a champagne that is sweeter most will be marked as Eperney or Eye, Eye tends to be a very little less dry.

 

I do not know US wines as well as old world wines, but from my more limited knowledge they all look rather dry.

[Sugar*Magnolia]

Also, there are more Champagnes on the list onboard. You might want to wait and see that and then order.

 

If we went to the Champagne Bar when we got on board and decided on a bottle of Champagne would they deliver it to our cabin for sail away? Has anyone ever done this?

[horsesandcruises]

take your own.

[Iluvjo]

OK, out of those three the sweetest is Asti, this is a sweet sparkling wine, however, it is not a champagne. (In my opinion Io is better).

 

ALL champagne will be dry, it would not be champagne if it were not dry, so champagne is out if you want a sweet drink. If you really want a champagne that is sweeter most will be marked as Eperney or Eye, Eye tends to be a very little less dry.

 

I do not know US wines as well as old world wines, but from my more limited knowledge they all look rather dry.

 

I think what I should try is a sweet sparkling wine, that being said if someone had a glass of champagne and sweet sparkling wine I would not be able to tell the difference other than the label.

 

sweet, cheap costing bubbly is what I am after. thanks everyone for the help.:)

[EggDropErin]

Asti Spumante for sweet! Stay away from Brut. Brut = dry!

[Lawrence22]

WAIT!

 

Brut is dry.

 

Extra dry is *sweeter* than Brut.

 

Sounds weird, but it's true.

 

Thank god somebody pointed that out!

[Janet524]

my dw and I are cruising on the EOS on Dec.15 I would like to buy a bottle of champane from the wine cellar on rccl website for the sail away

thanks Leo

 

I've got an idea...We're crusing next week so why don't you send a bottle of each to our cabin, we'll test them and when we get back let you know which one to buy for yourself!;)

[Coralc]

Domain Chandon, Brut, California. The markup is about double from purchased directly at Chandon. (The winery $18.95/bottle) The markup is a little more than that if you look at retail price. It's pretty good champagne for sailaway. I don't think Korbel is all that bad either, (DH doesn't like it) but the cruise line markup is huge, like quadruple. :D

[hoyasaxa]

In order of preference...

 

1. Moet is considered generally best of those presented on the list. It is bitter and bubbly.

2. Mumm has done a fantastic job over the past year of rebranding and increasing their exposure. It's still a good champagne, and is a bit on the fruitier side (but still bitter!)

3. Domain Chandon is a decent sparkling wine. Nothing great, no complaints.

4. Korbel is relatively same as Domain Chandon.

Asti is different than the champagnes listed above. As several posters have indicated, it is very sweet, and is often considered an after-dinner champagne instead. I would steer clear from Asti unless you know the recipient's preferences - many people don't like it, and many people do.

 

Good luck with your Champagne choice. If it were me, I'd bring a bottle of Veuve - surprised RCCL doesn't offer it.

[Babie]

I love Asti. In fact it's what I preferred when drinking any wine or sparkling wine (it's only called Champagne if it's made in France)

 

Asti has a great sweet flavor. If you want to try it before paying $30 on the ship, you can get Martini & Rossi at any place that sells wine and beer. It's about $10-12 USD for a bottle. So if you don't like it, you won't be out too much.

 

Asti or Spumante (or an Asti Spumante) is the only non dry champagne or sparkling wine that I know of.

 

If you don't want sparkling wine or champagne, you could go with a nice white wine or even a dessert wine. My favorite whites are Sauvignon Blanc (prefer the Nobilo brand, or any other brand from New Zealand) That's about $10 in the US. Riesling, also about $10 for the same brands you'd get onboard. I like Chardonnay. Although it's a white and chilled, it's slightly drier than other whites. Try White Zinf, I prefer Sutter Home, which is what you'd probably get onboard.

 

Basically, any of the sparkling wines and whites you'll find on the ship can be bought for $5-15 at home so you can give them a try without spending much.

 

If you have enough time before you cruise, you may want to find a wine bar that has tastings so you can try several different types for a small price (usually $10-20 for several different samples)

 

 

Have fun!

 

 

[Merion_Mom]

I think what I should try is a sweet sparkling wine, that being said if someone had a glass of champagne and sweet sparkling wine I would not be able to tell the difference other than the label.

 

sweet, cheap costing bubbly is what I am after. thanks everyone for the help.:)

 

Trust me. From what you have posted, it's a simple choice.

 

Get the Asti Spumante.

 

Toast your beloved, and enjoy your cruise!

 

;) :)

[Coralc]

People actually drink Asti Spumante? I always thought that was like a Rowan & Martin gig. Good idea to try a pre-purchase and see what you like. Enjoy your sailaway and whatever you decide. :D

 

And Babie, that font is really annoying and glaring. I think many RCCL cruisers are into the IKEA thing instead of the neon. It was like burned on to my eyeballs. Thanks though. :)

[Babie]

 

And Babie, that font is really annoying and glaring. I think many RCCL cruisers are into the IKEA thing instead of the neon. It was like burned on to my eyeballs. Thanks though. :)

 

 

*blush*

 

Pink is sort of a signature color of mine. I started coloring my hair fun colors earlier this year for a Gwen Stefani concert. Pink has stuck (notice my avatar picture)

 

You're actually the first person to ever mention it *giggle*

 

Regardless, you're welcome :D ;)

 

 

[OceanLiner]

I do not pay much attention to wine, but I really like champagne. An old trick that you will somtimes see in vintage movies is to drop a sugar cube into the champagne flute to sweeten the drink. Another trick with average champagne is to mix it with orange juice and create a mimosa. Asti would be your sweetest choice, but most of the list would be suitable for mixing with orange juice.

[Iluvjo]

I've got an idea...We're crusing next week so why don't you send a bottle of each to our cabin, we'll test them and when we get back let you know which one to buy for yourself!;)

 

lol :D

[shirleygr]

. . . Good luck with your Champagne choice. If it were me, I'd bring a bottle of Veuve - surprised RCCL doesn't offer it.

Veuve is offered in the champagne lounge as well as Chops and the dining room. It is not offered through the gift department, unfortunately. It is my favorite and I called to see if they could substitute it. They could not. I ended up ordering the Moet but I didn't think it was as nice as the Veuve.

Thanks for an informative post. I will have to give Mumm a try sometime, just for research purposes, of course. ;)

[cruznut1111]

I love the bubblies, so had to chime in on this.

 

Start with the Asti = good price for what you want.

 

Then one night, just for fun - try the Korbel. If you find you like the drier taste, good. You are on the way to growing in knowledge. If you don't, add a little sugar to your glass and enjoy. You have still learned a little more about bubblies - and you have saved yourself a pile of money.