The Auswine Forum

I've borrowed a quote from Mike Hawkins to start

Mike Hawkins wrote:24 x 2008 Frank Bonville Grand Cru BdB (one of my favourite inexpensive Champagnes)

I'm interested in picking up a dozen or so bottles of champagne for drinking over Christmas with various friends and family, none of whom are wine geeks. I'd prefer to keep it under $60 a bottle, for which my usual go to wines at the moment would be Pol NV or Louis Roederer NV. Looks like I can get thie Bonville around the $50 mark. I take it it would stack up well? Is it likely to be too complex for the average punter?

What are people's go to champagne for the festive season? Is there something I am missing out o that I should try?

If you can get the Vintage ones for 50 AUD that is probably pretty good...

A good value Growers Champagne...

I'd personally go with the Franck Bonville....but a Pol Roger NV is probably a "safer" way to go just because you know what to expect, your guests will recognize the name, etc...

Hi maybs,

For christmas fizz this year I've got a mixture of red and white.

I have a bottle each of 1998 Barossa Valley Estates Sparkling E & E and 2012 Disgorged Primo Joseph Sparkling red. I'd THOROUGHLY recommend both (PM me if you want the location of the BVE, they have some in stock still and the price is INSANELY good)

In terms of white bubbles, the Frank Bonville is a great choice, and it depends on what you and your friends enjoy.

For me, I'll go with a mixture of the standard Arras vintage PNCB, Billecart-Salmon NV, Duperry 2005

Hi maybs,

I know you specified champagne but if it is just 'best quality for your price range' that you are looking for perhaps consider the 2004 Arras Grand Vintage as an alternative? Likely a level above any NV champagne you can get for the ~$60 price. I'll be popping one or two of these this Christmas day.

Cheers
Ben

bdellabosca wrote:Hi maybs,

I know you specified champagne but if it is just 'best quality for your price range' that you are looking for perhaps consider the 2004 Arras Grand Vintage as an alternative? Likely a level above any NV champagne you can get for the ~$60 price. I'll be popping one or two of these this Christmas day.

Cheers
Ben

+1. I think you'd be hard pressed to find anything from any country that's better for the price.

I will be taking a bottle of Primo Estate Joseph Sparkling Red and an Arras.
I cant remember if I have a Grand Vintage or the EJ Carr Late Disgorged, will have to look in the cellar.

Cannot go past the Joseph or the Arras Grand Vintage for the price for Xmas. Amazing bubbles for $ 60ish

slightly OT, anyone had the Teusner M.C. Sparkling Shiraz ?

I agree the Arras wines are fantastic... but for non-wine geeks, you will likely lose a bit of "brand recognition" in that people will look at it and think oh an Aussie sparkling that must be $20/bottle whereas if you get Pol Roger or something people will be a bit more like "woo fancy".... that may or may not bother you!

Btw, Rossco, I have had the Teusner MC Sparkling but not for a few years... I remember it being reasonable and for <$30/bottle at the time considered it passable value. Sorry I can't help more but it was a while back!

Great feedback guys, thanks. I have been meanin to try some of the Arras for a while and I see that I now really have no excuse not to. Hopefully I can even convince my champagne snob wife that domestic sparkles can be good

Think what I might do is pick up a few Arras and Bonville for myself and the missus to try maybe with some friends who are a bit more interested in substance than form and then pick up half a dozen Pol for other Christmas functions and lunch at mum and dad's place.

Never got into sparkling reds but it had been quite a while since I tried one. Will keep an eye out for the primo maybe since it gets a double rap above.

There is only 1 fizz that gets a run at our place on Christmas day and that's Rockford Black Shiraz. We may make an exception this year and pop a bottle of the Rockford Pinot Meunier.

Cheers
Ian

ticklenow1 wrote:There is only 1 fizz that gets a run at our place on Christmas day and that's Rockford Black Shiraz. We may make an exception this year and pop a bottle of the Rockford Pinot Meunier.

Cheers
Ian

Speaking of Rockfords, when do they release the new Black Shiraz and BP ?

I wonder if I'm the only one who doesn't think the Arras 04 is worth the money? Maybe I need to try it again, just to be sure... But it's Pol NV money, so given the choice for me, Pol everytime.

Although with a few more years bottle age, I suspect it will show very well indeed, as an 03 did for me a year ago or so. Mind you Pol NV with a few extra years in bottle totally rocks as well.

Arras Late Disgorged - 2000 was OMG awesome, worth it but well over $100.
Arras Blanc de Blancs - 01 was meh, too edgy, would like to try it again though with some more time in bottle.
Arras 03 - as mentioned, with extra bottle age, excellent.
Arras 04 - yet to see the value after 2 bottles at diff events, maybe unevolved?
Arras A and Brut Elite - competent, yet for me quite uninteresting.

Sorry, other than the Arras LD, I struggle to find a local bubbly that makes me want to avoid Champagne. Un-Australian I know, but then again, I'm a Kiwi!

Tim,

Right with you on the Arras...I do think they're pretty good but they're also not cheap.

IMO, if you're going to basically make a Champagne alternative, it needs to be as good or better and cheaper...Maybe awhile back they were there but not so much now.....I suppose that also has to do with the wine that was brought in and the AUD value at that point....A lot of stuff that has come in in the last few years is actually priced nicely (Some Burgs, Chablis, Champagne)...

You can get the Arras Grand 2004 in the UK for 20 pounds..to put it in perspective of where it needs to be priced to sell...although to be fair, that is not based on quality but a combination of quality and reputation...

Clover hill 2008 tassie is my choice
Or Janz b d blanc

Thanks for throwing some doubt into the mix guys

Gonna get an Arras and try it and see instead of committing to 3-6. I think it is a good point you make Polymer, some pretty good champagne is very well priced these days which changes equation a bit.

maybs wrote:Thanks for throwing some doubt into the mix guys

Gonna get an Arras and try it and see instead of committing to 3-6. I think it is a good point you make Polymer, some pretty good champagne is very well priced these days which changes equation a bit.

I used to have the lower end French gear but now with fresh high quality Tassie wines I buy local
Fwiw

We've been enjoying a French champagne Janisson & Fils for the last year. Very enjoyable and a nice departure from the usual French offerings. Try your independent retailers, our local orders it in for us. Around $50 bottle.

On the sparkling Shiraz front, I'll be opening some beautiful 2004 bottles from Dukes in the Porongorups.

Cheers
Simon

The 08 Bonville at $50 is infinitely superior to any of the other wines mentioned in this thread IMO. An excellent wine, albeit it needs time.

ads_11 wrote:

ticklenow1 wrote:There is only 1 fizz that gets a run at our place on Christmas day and that's Rockford Black Shiraz. We may make an exception this year and pop a bottle of the Rockford Pinot Meunier.

Cheers
Ian

Speaking of Rockfords, when do they release the new Black Shiraz and BP ?

Ads,

The mailer should be out shortly.

Mike Hawkins wrote:The 08 Bonville at $50 is infinitely superior to any of the other wines mentioned in this thread IMO. An excellent wine, albeit it needs time.

Is this worth chucking a 6 pack in the cellar Mike?

Cheers
Ian

ticklenow1 wrote:

ads_11 wrote:

ticklenow1 wrote:There is only 1 fizz that gets a run at our place on Christmas day and that's Rockford Black Shiraz. We may make an exception this year and pop a bottle of the Rockford Pinot Meunier.

Cheers
Ian

Speaking of Rockfords, when do they release the new Black Shiraz and BP ?

Ads,

The mailer should be out shortly.

Mike Hawkins wrote:The 08 Bonville at $50 is infinitely superior to any of the other wines mentioned in this thread IMO. An excellent wine, albeit it needs time.

Is this worth chucking a 6 pack in the cellar Mike?

Cheers
Ian

I have 4 of them sleeping !

6 Bonville and 6 Pol Roger on the way, and if my colleagues at work are lucky I have a couple 2004 Gosset Grand Millesime floating around here that might get popped on the last day of the law term. Am also going to grab a 2004 Arras Grand Vintage just to satisfy my curiosity.

If I could find a Rockford Sparkling Black Shiraz to try I would but they are not exactly easy to come by!

Thanks again for the input guys

dan_smee wrote:I have a bottle each of 1998 Barossa Valley Estates Sparkling E & E

When I was adding a few of these to an online tracking site - I came across the E&E "Black Pepper" with the picture with "Black Pepper" on the front label in large text. I noticed these have reference to the black pepper parcels on the back label. Did they brand it later in life?

That said - good call on my part sending the wife in to collect some, ended up with 6 bottles (one promised to another), and cracked one tonight. Yummo!

Popped the cork on one of the Bonville last night to check it out. Very impressive power, balance and length I thought. My work colleagues were similarly impressed. Very happy with this and a steal at the price I reckon.

maybs wrote:Popped the cork on one of the Bonville last night to check it out. Very impressive power, balance and length I thought. My work colleagues were similarly impressed. Very happy with this and a steal at the price I reckon.

Nice...I figure for the vintage one, that price is really good..especially at current exchange rates...Not too often I'd see myself saying I'd buy Champagne in Australia...

Polymer wrote:

maybs wrote:Popped the cork on one of the Bonville last night to check it out. Very impressive power, balance and length I thought. My work colleagues were similarly impressed. Very happy with this and a steal at the price I reckon.

Nice...I figure for the vintage one, that price is really good..especially at current exchange rates...Not too often I'd see myself saying I'd buy Champagne in Australia...

Yeah and the thing I've found is the one thing that impesses people more than super prestige labels is finding really good wine that is lesser known and more affordable. They think i know what I'm doing now, when in reality I'm just copying Mike

I would be interested in thoughts on the Bonville Les Belles Voyes as well.

cheers

Carl

p.s. my intention is NYE - family not that interested in wine apart from moscato

Excellent wine Carl, especially the latest release... Not sure if its in Oz yet

Polymer wrote:

maybs wrote:Popped the cork on one of the Bonville last night to check it out. Very impressive power, balance and length I thought. My work colleagues were similarly impressed. Very happy with this and a steal at the price I reckon.

Nice...I figure for the vintage one, that price is really good..especially at current exchange rates...Not too often I'd see myself saying I'd buy Champagne in Australia...

I paid EUR 22 at CD, and GBP 30 at retail. As such, the Aussie price is really good.

Lashed out and bought a 6 pack of the '08 Franck Bonville Grand Cru.

A couple on NYE and a few in the cellar for the next couple of years.

Thanks for the advice Mike.

Cheers
Ian

Thanks Ian. No rush to drink them. I plan to keep them at least 7 more years

Mike Hawkins wrote:Excellent wine Carl, especially the latest release... Not sure if its in Oz yet

Thanks Mike!

cheers

Carl