Monsigny Premier Cru Champagne- ONLY $25 at ALDI!!!!
Excellent value for money iff not literally a “half price steal!”
I was quite excited about tasting this Champagne,..which I first heard about from my “Insider” wine connections at the French Trade Commission,..and I was well aware of ALDIS’ reputation for making a big impact on the UK market,.. where they are reputed to have 10 % of the Champagne market ,..simply by offering “low margin, virtually cost price champagne”.This has caused a lot of consternation in the Wine Trade in Europe,..where the big Champagne Houses maintain high margins and practically 30 % of the price of a bottle of branded champagne goes on their spectacular, lavish and expensive marketing and brand building!
I elected to treat this champagne as wine,.. and used a RIEDEL TASTING GLASS rather then a narrow flute ,…which in my opinion is not the best way to show champagne as it restricts OR LIMITS THE EXPOSURE to the wine and reduces the olfactory experience. It also stops you swirling the wine,.. and a flute projects the wine onto the palate at a different angle ,….all very limiting.
So that is my first recommendation,…throw out the champagne flutes unless you actually have a wide rimmed Riedel Champagne flute .,..but even then I would prefer to swirl my champagne around ,…even with ice cubes in it,.. to “tease and excite the bead and the yeasty and fruit aromas ” like a vinous cocktail!!
Little wonder that Moet&Chandon Ice Imperial style in the white bottle ,,created the “Intense, fruity and fresh style”,…which was “the first and only refreshing champagne specially created to be enjoyed over ice.” ,..designed to offer a champagne experience “combining free, fresh and fun sensations while remaining true to the Moët & Chandon style!”
,….Over the Festive season and on New Year Eve ,..we are not drinking serious stuff like KRUG or Bollinger Grande Annee,…and the champagne is more of a a social lubricant than a serious wine requiring analysis of the flavour profile!
My first impressions of this wine was that its is quite a Classy champagne with the requisite style and finesse. It is a blend of 60% Pinot Noir, 20% Chardonnay and 20% Pinot Meunier and is a champagne of sufficient charm and elegance ..
“It has all the yeasty,..biscuity or brioche chartacteristics (both on the nose and the palate) that the consumer associates with quality,…together with excellent balance and intensity and I was completely satisfied in this regard.”
I am convinced that it iff you put it in a Blind Tasting amongst the big commercial brands like Veuve Cliquot ,Moet&Chandon or Piper Heidsieck,,,,it would acquit itself very well…..especially considering it is only half the price!!! !
OK,.. is it not up to the standard of my normal favourites like Bollinger Special Cuvee or Gosset ,…but for the price and iff treated in the manner of the Moet&Chandon Imperial Ice ,…with ice ,…in a wine glass,… for your typical New years Eve bash or in any happy social setting it is ABSOLUTELY PERFECT!
In fact to use the local vernacular ,…I reckon its a “Cracker of a French Bubbly” for this price !
Incidentally,.. the wine has won quite a few awards and recognition from other wine judges or journos ,.including an award at the Sydney International Wine Challenge 2014 – and was commended at the Decanter World Wine Awards 2014
Excellent value for money iff not half price,..so you can stock up your Fridge and share this delicious stuff with friends!
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