champagne and Cigars

[nick17]

how do you feel about champagne and Cigars?

whats your favorite champagne with cigars?

[Puros Y Vino]

I've had Moet & Chandon many times with cigars but I prefer the Pol Roger. I haven't tried any others on the list. The odd dry prosecco also goes well with cigars. When it comes to champagne and cigars I find that the drier, the better.

[Colt45]

I'm a fan of sparklers from around the globe with cigars. I've found they pretty much all hold their own against cigar smoke. (I didn't vote in the poll as I

really have no preference, and drink less champagne than sparklers from other regions).

On a side note, I've recently tried (not with cigars) and enjoyed a couple of different rosé cavas, and have started experimenting with some extra dry

Italians. So far, I've found the extra dry very enjoyable - not sweet, but I find them a little rounder and a little less stiff on the palate.

[nick17]

ya i would have to say Moet is one of my favorite champagnes with veuve clicquot a close second and pol roger third. I dont think i would ever have veuve clicquot with a cigar its a little to sweet but who knows it might work well with a sweeter cigar. i had a cuaba and pol roger last weekend and it was rely good together. humm ya I have to try a dry prosecco and all the wines Ive listed are brut so they are vary dry

[Rogers72]

I voted Pol but you really can't go wrong with any of them. My favorite combination. I will agree with Colt as well though. Don't limit yourself to the overpriced French stuff. Although it is wonderful, there is so much good out there to be had at much cheaper prices. Champagne proper, even the NV stuff, is typically too expensive for me to be an everyday drinker so i fill in with other Sparklers often.

I will also agree with Colt regarding the sparkling Rose. I actually much prefer them in most cases. I get a ration of **** from my buddies about sitting around and sipping pink champagne but I don't care.

***Also, when thinking France, don't limit yourself to the major houses that you have listed here. There is so much out there that is under the mega-marketing radar and you can often find some real bargains this way. Philliponat, Ruinart, Feuillate, Deutz, Gosset, Brice are a few that come to mind. Bollinger is also conspicuously absent from the poll...

[thechenman]

Krug...Krug...Krug. I too noticed that Bollinger wasy mysteriously absent as well.

[Lotusguy]

Sorry, but the thought of pairing a cigar with champagne just seems wrong to me... I would think the cigar would totally overwhelm all the subtelties of a good champagne.

I guess I need to give it a try but my instincts say no

[nick17]

I voted Pol but you really can't go wrong with any of them. My favorite combination. I will agree with Colt as well though. Don't limit yourself to the overpriced French stuff. Although it is wonderful, there is so much good out there to be had at much cheaper prices. Champagne proper, even the NV stuff, is typically too expensive for me to be an everyday drinker so i fill in with other Sparklers often.

I will also agree with Colt regarding the sparkling Rose. I actually much prefer them in most cases. I get a ration of **** from my buddies about sitting around and sipping pink champagne but I don't care.

***Also, when thinking France, don't limit yourself to the major houses that you have listed here. There is so much out there that is under the mega-marketing radar and you can often find some real bargains this way. Philliponat, Ruinart, Feuillate, Deutz, Gosset, Brice are a few that come to mind. Bollinger is also conspicuously absent from the poll...

I listed these as they are well known I know and love many other grate wines as well I over looked Bollinger :s sorry about that i will add it

[Colt45]

Sorry, but the thought of pairing a cigar with champagne just seems wrong to me... I would think the cigar would totally overwhelm all the subtelties of a good champagne.

I guess I need to give it a try but my instincts say no

Well worth a try. I feel the acidic structure of most sparklers (and crisp still whites) really hold up against cigar smoke.

I'm one who feels smoking cigars with pretty much any still red wine is a waste - I find cigar smoke really brings out

the wine tannin and kills the fruit.

But that's just my opinion.

[docbp87]

Huge fan of this combination myself. The two best cigars I have ever paired with sparkling white of any kind are HdM Des Dieux, and the appropriately named Illusione Epernay (NC). I don't think a big, spicy, full bodied cigar would be great with champagne, but lighter cigars definitely are fantastic with bubbly. Not a drinker of the good stuff very often, as it is usually out of my range, but I have found some great, very dry Cava in the $20-$30 price range that I love opening on a Saturday evening with good company and good smokes.

[maalouly]

Well worth a try. I feel the acidic structure of most sparklers (and crisp still whites) really hold up against cigar smoke.

I'm one who feels smoking cigars with pretty much any still red wine is a waste - I find cigar smoke really brings out

the wine tannin and kills the fruit.

But that's just my opinion.

Ross,

Understand what you are saying, however that's not always the case. I have been experimenting lately wih red wine and cigar matching and i have had 2 out of 3 work well so far. I will post a thread next week, in summary one was a bio Pinot and the other a cool climate shiraz with leathery, white pepper structure.

Cheers,

Elie.

[Colt45]

Ross,

Understand what you are saying, however that's not always the case. I have been experimenting lately wih red wine and cigar matching and i have had 2 out of 3 work well so far. I will post a thread next week, in summary one was a bio Pinot and the other a cool climate shiraz with leathery, white pepper structure.

Cheers,

Elie.

Elie,

I look forward to your notes. I know many members enjoy reds with their cigars, and I don't dismiss it. But to date for me, it just hasn't worked.

But I'm always willing to try

[Strada]

Roederer vintages are great and tasty enough to go with cigars.

I drink a lot of sparkling wines as well and I must say Italian have great bold tasting sparkling wines that can hang with cigars. Champagne is wayyyyy too expensive in Quebec to drink every week. I raid the stores when I go to Usa lol

[Ken Gargett]

i do believe that cigars and champagne are very often a terrific match - almost always better than red wine.

a few years back, i had a morning at the abbey with richard geoffroy, who is a brilliant winemaker and chef de cave for dom. he had opened a 64 dom, which was incredible. i asked him what he would have with it (i was thinking nothing as it was so good).

i nearly fell of my chair when he said a partagas D4. we had not talked about cigars and i had no idea he loved them.

every time i catch up with him, i learn something nerw. he has done comparison tastings of dom and a huge range of ciogars for every vintage (both cuban and non). he'll tell you which specific cigar goes best with each dom.

now that is a job!

[Colt45]

a few years back, i had a morning at the abbey with richard geoffroy, who is a brilliant winemaker and chef de cave for dom.

You are such a name dropper!

[Ken Gargett]

You are such a name dropper!

i did think throwing in the abbey might be just a smidge over the top - so of course went ahead with it!

[fred170]

Some good old RUM (Havana Club Anejo) would suffice for me. Not big on the bubbly

[Colt45]

i did think throwing in the abbey might be just a smidge over the top - so of course went ahead with it!

I'd expect nothing less!

[Ken Gargett]

I'd expect nothing less!

and i, of course, would hate to disappoint you.

[bc8436]

Huge fan of the sparklers and cigars combination. Voted for the Bollinger as I find the NV brut to be very good for the money and it's a personal favorite. I drink cavas and Roederer Estate mostly though as they're more accessible to me price-wise.

For special occasions, I'm a fan of the Perrier-Jouet Fleur de Champagne (flower bottle). The 2000 vintage is spectacular!

[Ken Gargett]

Huge fan of the sparklers and cigars combination. Voted for the Bollinger as I find the NV brut to be very good for the money and it's a personal favorite. I drink cavas and Roederer Estate mostly though as they're more accessible to me price-wise.

For special occasions, I'm a fan of the Perrier-Jouet Fleur de Champagne (flower bottle). The 2000 vintage is spectacular!

if you like the 2000, try the 2002!