i'm retiring

For a celebration, Champagne sounds like a good idea. But tell us more about what you like - might prompt more relevent suggestions.

Steve Slatcher wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@4ax.com:

I would agree, champagne is the thing, go for something excellent but without airs such as Taittinger Comte De Champagne or Cliquot's Grande Dame, avoid the excess freight charges for Kristal and Dom P.

I disagree...if you have a good retirement plan...go for Dom or Cristal. They are both EXCELLENT. Dom is very ageable as well. I had some over 30 year old RD (Recent Disgorged) that was the MOST complex wine of any kind I have ever had.

Other fine examples in USA are Schramberg from Napa...they have a J Schram for about $90 that is killer stuff., Etoile Rose from Chandon, Yountville...outstanding. Takes a real man to drink this pink Sparkler. (That said its more salmon colored.)

My other favorite is much less expensive...it is Roederer-L'Hermitage from Anderson Vally. Same producer as Cristal from France. Outstanding. I do like the L'Hermitage perhaps more than the French Cristal. But the Cristal is most special.

Good luck on your choice. Wishing you a GREAT retirement.

Dick

I was sort of thinking champagne also. Right now for special occasions, I ususally buy Chandon White Star, which I like a lot.

As others noted, knowing tastes makes a big difference. Lots of good Champagne options, but if you prefer Extra Dry, Brut options like most tete de tetes might not be best choices.

Also, do you have a plan for serving? If with a group, maybe consider a dessert wine, where smaller pours are plenty. But if just you and your SO, maybe a table wine to savor over dinner. Lots of great wines (for my tastes) for $150, but a glimpse at what you like might enable folks to make better suggestions. What have your favorite wines been?

You might consider buying three $50 bottles. That's what I would do. Depending on how far your palate has developed, you may not appreciate the difference between a wine "worth" $50 and one worth $150, but you'd probably appreciate the difference between the $50 and the $20 bottle. If you like the $50 one, three of them is triple the pleasure, spread out over more time. Get three different ones, and set up three special dates to open them.

Post the results. :)

Jose

Excellent recommendation. Furthermore the bottles have crown-cap closures, so no chance of cork taint:

M.

Yes they do. For Sparklers...it is acceptable to me.

I am only concerned with the long-term ageable red wines with regards to the crown or stelvin seals.

:-)

I am surprised that no one mentioned Krug. As the saying goes Krug is Krug, for my palate concisely the best Champagne.

Anything by Angelo Gaja.

I would absolutely agree with you about KRUG. It is the BEST!!!!

I found if I take a cheaper Chandon of Carneros and add a drop or two of Cognac or brandy to a glass...its tastes Krug like. I always wondered if the final dosage for Krug is Cognac!!!

I don't think so, but I guess it would be legal. These concoctions were called "bonificateurs" in the old days, and, yes, brandy was amongst the list of approved substances.

M.

When I was in Napa 2 weeks ago there is a new restaurant called REDD.

People are comparing the food quality to the French laundry which I have never been able to get into. However the building does not look as interesting as French laundry.

While walking up to the restaurant alone for dinner (wife not on trip) I see J. Laube of the Wine Spectator outside. He is the guy that claims he trained his pallate to notice cork taint in levels that even a lab could not notice........he had about 25 glasses of wine in front of him.

I could not imagine with that much wine....that anyone could tell the difference of wine made with Thompson Grapes or pinot noir.

I felt like saying....I smell cork taint from 2 miles away in a sealed bottle...I won....But I said nothing...went in and ate a GREAT meal. Nice dining experience.

I highly recommend REDD in Yountville for those going that way.

To each his own. I didn't feel Redd lived up to the hype. We had a very average meal at a high price in July. This had such a big buildup lately I expected more and this is in French Laundry country. But then I have seen one of my favorites in the area Brix go down the tubes with totally unimaginative food at a high price. Such is the way with Napa.

What a great idea, triple the pleasure. I do like a drier Champagne. Like i had mentioned before, when we want a birthday or anniversary, we usually go with Chandon White Star. I'll keep you posted. Thanks for all the great suggestions.

Brix used to be great!!! I had a very good meal at REDD and it was expensive.

The best meal I have ever had was Chez Panisse in Berkely. Outstanding...not pretensious.

I have tried for 5 year to get into the French Laundry with no success so I really don't know what I am missing. But when I walk by their building...it looks great. The ambiance can be a very important part of a meal. REDD was very sterile.

What I love is Bistro Jeanty. Country french food. That is really my absolute favortite place in Napa. My other favorite place was the Pinot Blanc...but apparantly others did not like as it closed since last year. Honestly...it was not that good last year either.

Dick

I really like Bistro Jeanty as well and I have never had a bad meal at Mustards or Domaine Chandon. Redd was sterile looking and that was some influence. Just wasn't impressed for the price. I have been trying for about 5 years as well and have never gotten into French Laundry either. I have a narrow window in time I can go and I can never get a reservation when I try for the times I want.