Christmas Champers Options: Drappier

[El Presidente]

Champagne season is almost upon this heathen and he is seeking to expand a touch outside of  the regular Tats/Pol while staying in that price range. 

Drappier is a line I have very limited experience with but see it at very good pricing . 

Thoughts? 

 

 

[JohnS]

El Pres, you may need the expertise of some other members other than myself. I'm thinking of @Ken Gargett, @BrightonCorgi, @Fuzz et al.

I've not tried Drappier (I believe) but I do share your admiration for all things Taittinger and Pol Roger. I know those two champagnes are more Chardonnay (and therefore lighter) than the Pinot Noir heavy Drappier Carte D'Or (which is 80% Pinot Noir in fact).

If you don't mind sampling a heavier champagne (think more 'bready' and/or buttery than a lighter, more citrus or even fruity wine), then I'd say to go for it and give it a try.

[Lamboinee]

I'm not yet qualified to give recommendations on this topic, but you inspire me...my champagne development is very much in the larva or nymph stage and I'm looking for reasons to guide what new champagnes me and my wife try.  Currently, we try new champagnes by going into the store and blindly picking bottles with reckless disregard based mostly on label and price range.  I am curious about what caught your eye about this particular bottle?  With your level of champy experience...why bother with this particular brand/bottle rather than the other ones?  What makes El Pres pick up something different off the shelf? Your answers will guide my own champagne journey.

#true story....we have this thing in the US called "Costco", it's like the Catholic Church but without all the recent "troubles" and with great prices on rotisserie chicken.  They often sell re-badged quality brands as their own in-house "Kirkland" brand.  IMO, they have solid products at solid prices and their buyers do a great job. 

They have a Kirkland brand of Brut Champagne for about $22.00 US that I've been enjoying as a replacement for my usual La Gioiosa Prosecco between the hours of Saturday drunk and Sunday recovering. Google says that the Kirkland champagne is from someone named Manuel Janisson in Verzenay France. The bottle states that it is a "product of France".  It tastes pretty good. But, honestly, I find the La Gioiosa Prosecco I usually drink to be a bit better and more refreshing.

At times like this, I'd love for someone like you to try a blind sample of the Kirkland bargain champagne and give your thoughts. Since that's not doable, I'd appreciate any thoughts you might have on the Kirkland Brand from Manuel Janisson. Do any alarm bells go off?  Does it sound like the perfect "custom roll" un-banded bottle?  Is Manuel Janisson really Ken G's nom de plume? How many cherries do you put in your flute of champagne if you're drinking from a crazy straw? 

To give some perspective, my preference for champ/sparkling wines, when sorted from cheapest to most expensive, looks like this: 1) La Gioiosa Presecco (approx. $12); 2)  some kind of Chandon CA brut sparkling wine ($25-35); and then we jump abruptly in price to 3) some french champagne that costs $60 +++ (Veuve brut comes to mind). 

[Fuzz AI]

1 hour ago, JohnS said:

El Pres, you may need the expertise of some other members other than myself. I'm thinking of @Ken Gargett, @BrightonCorgi, @Fuzz et al.

I've not tried Drappier (I believe) but I do share your admiration for all things Taittinger and Pol Roger. I know those two champagnes are more Chardonnay (and therefore lighter) than the Pinot Noir heavy Drappier Carte D'Or (which is 80% Pinot Noir in fact).

If you don't mind sampling a heavier champagne (think more 'bready' and/or buttery than a lighter, more citrus or even fruity wine), then I'd say to go for it and give it a try.

Actually, yes, you have tried Drappier. It was the Premier Cru NV not the Carte D'Or. Difference is the Premier Cru is about 60% Pinot Noir, where as the the Carte D'Or is more like 80%. It's almost a blanc de noir. @JohnS I might still have some of the Drappier at home if you want to try it again this weekend?

[Fuzz AI]

41 minutes ago, Lamboinee said:

I'm not yet qualified to give recommendations on this topic, but you inspire me...my champagne development is very much in the larva or nymph stage and I'm looking for reasons to guide what new champagnes me and my wife try.  Currently, we try new champagnes by going into the store and blindly picking bottles with reckless disregard based mostly on label and price range.  I am curious about what caught your eye about this particular bottle?  With your level of champy experience...why bother with this particular brand/bottle rather than the other ones?  What makes El Pres pick up something different off the shelf? Your answers will guide my own champagne journey.

#true story....we have this thing in the US called "Costco", it's like the Catholic Church but without all the recent "troubles" and with great prices on rotisserie chicken.  They often sell re-badged quality brands as their own in-house "Kirkland" brand.  IMO, they have solid products at solid prices and their buyers do a great job. 

They have a Kirkland brand of Brut Champagne for about $22.00 US that I've been enjoying as a replacement for my usual La Gioiosa Presecco between the hours of Saturday drunk and Sunday recovering. Google says that the Kirkland champagne is from someone named Manuel Janisson in Verzenay France. The bottle states that it is a "product of France".  It tastes pretty good. But, honestly, I find the La Gioiosa Presecco I usually drink to be a bit better and more refreshing.

At times like this, I'd love for someone like you to try a blind sample of the Kirkland bargain  champagne and give your thoughts.  Since that's not doable, I'd appreciate any thoughts you might have on the Kirkland Brand from Manuel Janisson.  Do any alarm bells go off?  Does it sound like the perfect "custom roll" un-banded bottle?  Is Manuel Janisson really Ken G's nom de plume? How many cherries do you put in your flute of champagne if you're drinking from a crazy straw? 

To give some perspective, my preference for champ/sparkling wines, when sorted from cheapest to most expensive, looks like this: 1) La Gioiosa Presecco (approx. $12); 2)  some kind of Chandon CA brut sparkling wine ($25-35); and then we jump abruptly in price to 3) some french champagne that costs $60 +++ (Veuve brut comes to mind). 

Oy vey! Not the Kirkland Champagne!!

The Sydney FOH crew tried that last year during our blind tasting and it was universally panned. Maybe it was a bad bottle, but it has scarred me from buying another!

[Lamboinee]

1 hour ago, Fuzz said:

but it has scarred me from buying another

I'm searching for the review now.  

I hate Costco. Their stuff always sucks. Costco is as bad as the Catholic church. 

 

[Ken Gargett]

never heard of Kirkland. manuel jannison is a grower. not heard much either way. so he'd be making a bottom end fizz for certain markets. his own wines may be way better. 

drappier is a well known grower. i have not been there since back in the 90s but they were always a solid producer and i have seen plenty of their wines. they have been around for a couple of hundred years but still in family hands. i remember the 90plus year old father still working in the winery at 7pm when i was there. apparently he did every day. 

i like the Grand Sendree but that is their pointy end fizz. they are seen as making bigger, sometimes heavier styles. some find them a touch clumsy but there are plenty of good wines among them. if they have an offering of something especially cheap, unlikely to be their best stuff. but spare me, it is Christmas and you plan on guzzling it. it is more than acceptable and if cheap, so much the better. or you could wait until Krug goes on sale. 

[BrightonCorgi]

Drappier is well represented at liquor stores for me locally. Also became the Champagne sponsor for Aston Martin Owners Club.  I think they're a good value house.  Their zero dosage Champagne is a good seller along with Carte D'Or. I have a few magnums of the Carte D'Or that I got at song.

I'd put their bread & butter Champagne's as a Veuve competitor. I don't think you'll be disappointed with any Drappier offering.

[RDB]

What Ken said. It’s a decent but not exciting Champagne house. They make  a ton of the basic stuff. You’re not going to be blown away, so it all depends on price, purpose and availability. Fine if there’s a very good deal. Definitely not one to chase though.

[Fuzz AI]

@El Presidente the Sydney FOH boys are doing a blind champagne tasting this weekend at my place. Will post the results here... if I can remember in my potentially drunken state.

[Fuzz AI]

Here's the selection of champers that the Sydney FOH boys tried on Saturday. Everyone had a to bring one bottle (8 in total for the official tasting), limited to $50-150, which gave us a good range to choose from. Not a single dud in the bunch. Favourites on the day were the Bollinger Special Cuvee, Laurent-Perrier Demi Sec, Pommery Apanage, Pommery Brut Royal, and the Taittinger Nocturne Sec. It was interesting to try two 100% Pinot Noir champagnes (Philipponnat Blanc de Noirs 2015, Phillip Brugnon Rose) and see how you can get 2 different styles from the same grape.

At last year's blind tasting we had the Lanson Demi Sec, this year we had the Laurent-Perrier Demi Sec and the Taittinger Nocturne Sec. Quite uncommon to find sec or demi sec champers in Aus, and whilst definitely sweeter than brut, the sweetness was not cloyingly so. Well controlled and made for a nice change in the line up. Ended the day with 2 extra champagnes and a cremant; Heidsieck & Co Monopole Blue Top, Besserat de Bellefon Rose and Bouvet Saphir Saumur Brut 2021.

[El Presidente]

Fuzz/JohnS

If you could only buy one of those selections......which would it be based on your tasting? 

[westg]

5 hours ago, Fuzz said:

Here's the selection of champers that the Sydney FOH boys tried on Saturday. Everyone had a to bring one bottle (8 in total for the official tasting), limited to $50-150, which gave us a good range to choose from. Not a single dud in the bunch. Favourites on the day were the Bollinger Special Cuvee, Laurent-Perrier Demi Sec, Pommery Apanage, Pommery Brut Royal, and the Taittinger Nocturne Sec. It was interesting to try two 100% Pinot Noir champagnes (Philipponnat Blanc de Noirs 2015, Phillip Brugnon Rose) and see how you can get 2 different styles from the same grape.

At last year's blind tasting we had the Lanson Demi Sec, this year we had the Laurent-Perrier Demi Sec and the Taittinger Nocturne Sec. Quite uncommon to find sec or demi sec champers in Aus, and whilst definitely sweeter than brut, the sweetness was not cloyingly so. Well controlled and made for a nice change in the line up. Ended the day with 3 extra champagnes; Heidsieck & Co Monopole Blue Top, Besserat de Bellefon Rose and Bouvet Saphir Saumur Brut 2021.

Wow ! That would have been fun !

[Ken Gargett]

bit dodgy someone sneaking through a Saumur!

the Philipponnat should have been a bit exciting - 15 a great year for pinot. the Taitt Nocturne and the Pommery Apanage should have been stars.

by chance, a friend had a champagne cocktail event Saturday as well. i can't recall everything and did not take any pics but they had - 

a dozen Bolly Special Cuvee (which was a bit deflating seeing as i brought a magnum of the same thing).

a dozen PJ - so some great minds and crossover. (in fairness, there were about two dozen people). 

i also brought a Pommery apanage. 

Laurent Perrier Grand Siècle No 22 magnum (my wine of the event)

Lanson 2002

Veuve Clicquot la grand dame 2008 magnum (which i had the previous weekend as well - some days really are diamonds). 

about another twenty different wines but sadly i might not be as capable of remembering things as i once was. 

we did a champers tasting two weekends ago and i think i have photos. and a sherry tasting the week before. if i have already posted these, forgive me. i will do separate threads so i don't hijack this one. 

 

[Fuzz AI]

Hmm.... if I had to choose just one? It would really depend on whether if it was just for me, or if I was serving it at a party.

If it was for just me, I'd pick the Pommery Apanage. The Brut Royal is no sleeper, but the Apanage is that little extra, smoother and creamier. The flavours are more pronouonced and with a fuller mouth feeling. I also liked the Bollinger, Taittinger and the Laurent-Perrier. If I had to pick a 2nd and third for myself, it would be the Bollinger and Taittinger. The Laurent-Perrier was just a tad too sweet in comparison to the Taittinger. The Bollinger is just a solid performer.

If I had to pick something for a party, it would be the Pommery Brut Royal or Bollinger Special Cuvee. Hard to pick between the 2 as they are equally as good. But if I was forced to choose, it would be the Pommery Brut Royal. I think that one would appeal to more people's tastes. They are about the same price too.

 

[Ken Gargett]

1 minute ago, Fuzz said:

Hmm.... if I had to choose just one? It would really depend on whether if it was just for me, or if I was serving it at a party.

If it was for just me, I'd pick the Pommery Apanage. The Brut Royal is no sleeper, but the Apanage is that little extra, smoother and creamier. The flavours are more pronouonced and with a fuller mouth feeling. I also liked the Bollinger, Taittinger and the Laurent-Perrier. If I had to pick a 2nd and third for myself, it would be the Bollinger and Taittinger. The Laurent-Perrier was just a tad too sweet in comparison to the Taittinger. The Bollinger is just a solid performer.

If I had to pick something for a party, it would be the Pommery Brut Royal or Bollinger Special Cuvee. Hard to pick between the 2 as they are equally as good. But if I was forced to choose, it would be the Pommery Brut Royal. I think that one would appeal to more people's tastes. They are about the same price too.

 

for anyone interested, the Apanage is a brand new addition to the Pommery line and definitely worth trying. it has been released as a tribute to Madame Pommery who redefined the style of champagne with their 1874 which was made in a much drier style and the poms loved it. it still would have been quite sweet for us, but it was a fraction of what champagne usually was back then. the 1874 Pommery was so famous that there was a song written about it. 

[Fuzz AI]

14 minutes ago, Ken Gargett said:

bit dodgy someone sneaking through a Saumur!

the Philipponnat should have been a bit exciting - 15 a great year for pinot. the Taitt Nocturne and the Pommery Apanage should have been stars.

by chance, a friend had a champagne cocktail event Saturday as well. i can't recall everything and did not take any pics but they had - 

a dozen Bolly Special Cuvee (which was a bit deflating seeing as i brought a magnum of the same thing).

a dozen PJ - so some great minds and crossover. (in fairness, there were about two dozen people). 

i also brought a Pommery apanage. 

Laurent Perrier Grand Siècle No 22 magnum (my wine of the event)

Lanson 2002

Veuve Clicquot la grand dame 2008 magnum (which i had the previous weekend as well - some days really are diamonds). 

about another twenty different wines but sadly i might not be as capable of remembering things as i once was. 

we did a champers tasting two weekends ago and i think i have photos. and a sherry tasting the week before. if i have already posted these, forgive me. i will do separate threads so i don't hijack this one. 

 

Oh, I knew the Bouvet was not a champers (contributor told me he wanted to try it). It wasn't part of the blind tasting, just something brought along to drink after the event as were the Heidsieck & Co and Besserat de Bellefon. I should have mentioned that in my post above. The 8 bottles in the first pic were the official blind tasting.

The Philipponnat Blanc de Noir 2015 was quite interesting, I enjoyed it very much. Quite dry being an extra brut, but it did kick start my taste buds again. I think I finished off the remains of the bottle later in the evening.

[JohnS]

5 hours ago, El Presidente said:

Fuzz/JohnS

If you could only buy one of those selections......which would it be based on your tasting? 

Overall, the consensus was that the Bollinger was the most preferred on the day, followed by the Pommery. You'd be fine trying either one. As for me, my palate gravitated towards the Perrier-Jouet.

[BrightonCorgi]

The Sec Champagne's are what Champagne would've tasted like 50+ years ago. I would like to try that Philipponnat! 

[chasy]

I’m trying to explore the world of Grower’s Champagne. It’s pretty fun. Some really good stuff and always fun to find a relative bargain.

[BrightonCorgi]

54 minutes ago, chasy said:

I’m trying to explore the world of Grower’s Champagne. It’s pretty fun. Some really good stuff and always fun to find a relative bargain.

Make sure to sign up at Last Bubbles if you are US based.

[HuffnPuffff]

I’m a bit slow to the party here, but for what it’s worth Drappier is one of our fave not-silly-money champagnes. Really likeable and great value. I met the granddaughter recently at a Hong Kong wine fair and tasted through their whole range. Their vintage Rose is currently the fizz in the Cathay First Class Lounge. They also make a saignée rosé - somewhat unusual nowadays and a style I like. We had a bottle of the 2018 the other day - really nice stuff. Go wild!


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