Sovietskoye Champagnskoye

Why not try it in the hotel? And are you sure it is spelled 'Champagnskoye' and not 'Igristoye'? I've had the second one on numerous occasions (before 1989) and it was about the same as the cheap California bubblies. My Russian friends warned me to never drink it, because it was supposedly made by industrial means, but it didn't do me much harm, if any. ;)

Definitely "Shampanskoye"

Try to check whether it's brut/half dry/sweet. If it's on the dryer side, I'd give it a try.

M.

Years ago, while living in Los Angeles I purchased several bottles of a Russian sparkler labeled "Nas Drovia" (sp?) and they were quite good, with a strong resemblance to some French Brut Champagne.

On the other hand, I purchased a bottle of another Russian "Champagnskoye" that came from the Black Sea region that was so sweet that I poured the bulk of the bottle down the drain. This was on a trip returning from Chekoslovakia to Munich.

HTH

Godzilla

Godzilla wrote on Fri, 18 Apr 2008 07:48:32 -0500:

??>> Mike Tommasi wrote: ??>>

??>>> I've been all week in Moscow, and have received the item ??>>> in the title. What do I do with it? Leave it to the maid ??>>> in the hotel? Try to bring it home? What if Francis ??>>> Boulard finds out I have this in my house? ??>>

??>> Try to check whether it's brut/half dry/sweet. If it's on ??>> the dryer side, I'd give it a try. ??>>

??>> M.

G> Years ago, while living in Los Angeles I purchased several G> bottles of a Russian sparkler labeled "Nas Drovia" (sp?) and G> they were quite good, with a strong resemblance to some G> French Brut Champagne.

G> On the other hand, I purchased a bottle of another Russian G> "Champagnskoye" that came from the Black Sea region that was G> so sweet that I poured the bulk of the bottle down the G> drain. This was on a trip returning from Chekoslovakia to G> Munich.

That reminds me, perhaps some wine historian can enlighten me about the truth of this story. It is said that the peculiar Champagne nomenclature: "Dry, Extra Dry, Brut" is a consequence of Russian aristocrats once feeling that "Dry" was sophisticated while really liking sweet Champagne.

James Silverton Potomac, Maryland

E-mail, with obvious alterations: not.jim.silverton.at.verizon.not

| >> I've been all week in Moscow, and have received the item in the | >> title. What do I do with it? Leave it to the maid in the hotel? | >> Try to bring it home? What if Francis Boulard finds out I have | >> this in my house? | >

| > Try to check whether it's brut/half dry/sweet. If it's on the dryer | > side, I'd give it a try. | >

| > M. | | Years ago, while living in Los Angeles I purchased several bottles of a | Russian sparkler labeled "Nas Drovia" (sp?) and they were quite good, with | a strong resemblance to some French Brut Champagne. |

"Na Sdrovia" (or however one spells it) is idiomatic Russian for "to your health," a common toast while drinking. Quite appropriate for the sparkling wine.

pavane

Hugh Johnson relates in his "Story of Wine", that "In mid century (19th) the degree of syrupy liqueuradded to the wine varied from country to country of its destination. Measured in gm of sugar per litre for France it was about 165, for Germany a little more, for Scandinavia as much as 200, while Russians would drink anything from

"The manner of drinking champagne in the 1840s and 50s partly accounts for its overwhelming sweetness. The "coupe" glass with its wide and shallow bowl was invented in about 1840 (although the public relations machine has long since attributed its shape to the bosom of Marie-Antoinette). The wine served in it was "frappé" whose best translation perhaps would be' knocked cold': it was almost as much a sorbet as a drink. It was also frequently tinted with what was euphemistically called "vin de Fismes" our old friend elderberry juice."

You can see from this long quote that it wasn't just the Russians who drank it sweet. Actually this explains a great deal. For example the habit of drinking champagne with a wedding cake. When it had 200g of sugar per litre, it would have probably been sweeter than the cake.

I can't help from quoting one more tiny snippet about champagne from the same book. Talking of "La Veuve", HJ says"It is fitting to leave Champagne once more to the tramp of marching feet that has always been the refrain to its story. In 1866 the widow died at the age of

Hope you found that as fascinating as I did when I first read it.

-- All the best Fatty from Forges

IanH wrote on Fri, 18 Apr 2008 23:57:23 +0200:

??>> That reminds me, perhaps some wine historian can enlighten ??>> me about the truth of this story. It is said that the ??>> peculiar Champagne nomenclature: "Dry, Extra Dry, Brut" is a ??>> consequence of Russian aristocrats once feeling that "Dry" ??>> was sophisticated while really liking sweet Champagne.

I> Hugh Johnson relates in his "Story of Wine", that "In mid I> century (19th) the degree of syrupy liqueuradded to the wine I> varied from country to country of its destination. Measured I> in gm of sugar per litre for France it was about 165, for I> Germany a little more, for Scandinavia as much as 200, while I> Russians would drink anything from 250 to 350, which would I> have made an acress' slipper very sticky indeed. The USA had I> a rather drier taste than France (from 110-165g), while I> England, eccentrically, required only 22-66gm, that is 2-6% I> liqueur d'expedition. For comparison the figures today for I> sweet champagne may rise as high as 50 grams, for "dry" as I> high as 35. Brut has up to 15 gms while true or "ultra" brut I> has no liqueur at all.

I> "The manner of drinking champagne in the 1840s and 50s I> partly accounts for its overwhelming sweetness. The "coupe" I> glass with its wide and shallow bowl was invented in about I> 1840 (although the public relations machine has long since I> attributed its shape to the bosom of Marie-Antoinette). The I> wine served in it was "frappé" whose best translation I> perhaps would be' knocked cold': it was almost as much a I> sorbet as a drink. It was also frequently tinted with what I> was euphemistically called "vin de Fismes" our old friend I> elderberry juice."

I> You can see from this long quote that it wasn't just the I> Russians who drank it sweet. Actually this explains a great I> deal. For example the habit of drinking champagne with a I> wedding cake. When it had 200g of sugar per litre, it would I> have probably been sweeter than the cake.

I> I can't help from quoting one more tiny snippet about I> champagne from the same book. Talking of "La Veuve", HJ I> says"It is fitting to leave Champagne once more to the I> tramp of marching feet that has always been the refrain to I> its story. In 1866 the widow died at the age of 89, having I> lived her later years in a state of superfluous pomp which I> expressed only to well the self satisfaction of the I> Champenois". Her Chateau de Bourseault, overlooking the I> valley of the Marne, might have been the place Byron had in I> mind when he wrote "Wealth had done wonders; taste not I> much."

Thanks very much! It is indeed fascinating. I *once* tried Extra Dry but since then I've stuck to Brut if I had a choice. I've never tasted "Ultra Brut" and don't remember ever seeing it.

James Silverton Potomac, Maryland

E-mail, with obvious alterations: not.jim.silverton.at.verizon.not

Dosage, in fact, may be added for "ultra brut", and Hugh is not quite up to date for "sweet". The figures (RS in grams per litre) according to EU wine law:

Any sparkling wine produced and commercialised within the EU has to carry one of these sweetness indicators.

M.

A couple of years ago I brought some Eastern European sparkling wine to my brother's house for Thanksgiving. I didn't think anybody would like it but some of the guests really did and were disappointed that I'd brought only one bottle. So if you have room in your suitcase, why not bring it home and at least give it a shot? Especially if you plan to entertain people who might not be wine experts...

Shaun Eli

Or, possibly even more interesting, get a group of winos together to taste it -- and have something decent as a backup, just in case ... ;-)

M.

Thanks for giving the figures.

To be fair to Hugh (gnashing of teeth 'cos I don't particularly WANT to be), the book I was quoting from was published in 1989, and later editions will possibly/probably have been updated.

-- All the best Fatty from Forges

You're welcome.

To the best of my knowledge, most of the figures I gave predate

M.

I tried the bottle, it was fairly ordinary slightly off-dry, no better no worse than your average Prosecco or Cava...