VS Champagne

I'm wondering what people think of the VS champagne (Jacquart Jacquart Brut Mosaique). Personally speaking, I thinking its pretty lousy (though I worked my way through more than a bottle on the last VS11 - that's another story!).

I flew EK a couple of weeks ago - taking a Business then a First Class flight. In First, EK served up Dom Perignon 1996 ... now you're talking. VS's champagen isn't even a vintage!

Oh, if you do happen to like it, you can find it here at Virgin Wines:
Click here

{preiffer - edited to shorten link}

[HighFlyer]

Completely agree [:(]

I love my bubbly and wish they would upgrade it to something a little more palatable, Dom Perignon would be lovely but i would be happy with Taittinger or Laurent Perrier, just something that sounds a little bit more quality on the menu

[fozzyo]

I must admit I've not really drank that much wine or bubbly stuff to develop an understanding. The two times I've had the VS bubbly i can't say that I thought it was lousy, nor did I think it was outstanding.

What did EK serve in Business bostonbrit? You can't unfortunately compare what is served in UC with First on another airline, that's like comparing UC wine with BA's World Traveller - different classes so different standards and budgets.

Foz xxx

[Bazz]

I see VW have it on offer at the moment down from £20.99 to £16.25 plus shipping.

I don't think its bad - it bubbles and if you drink enough you fall over - what more can be asked from what is, by definition, a posy drink. Give me Mount Gay anyday!

9

[buns]

I have to say, recent "tastings" of the VS fizz have left me thinking it was not as good as it used to be[:(]

So much so, in the Clubhouse i asked for a champagne cocktail and the bartender came up with an excellent combination of pimms & champs[y][y]

buns

Ah the subleties of good plonk ... myself I'd prefer a vintage Pol Roger, 1996 ideal or perhaps a 1998. Doesn't need to be Dom Perignon or Comte de Champagne, Winston Churchill or La Grande Dame ... though any would be ace but sadly I do agree that Jacquart is a B lister.

[RichardMannion]

I agree - its okay but DP it is not. I must say that flying on Concorde and in BA First did spoil me in that respect, thats what you call choice and selection.

Thanks,
Richard

I dislike the Jacquart stuff - doesn't stop me drinking it though .

Looking at that price on Virgin Wines, it seems to be priced at "Lanson level", and of the two i'd rather have Lanson and that's saying something.

A few extra quid and we could all enjoy some Veuve Clicquot. Having said that, a few extra quid is probably a lot relative to the budget for UC food+drink (+PE pre-flight drink).

I'm in agreement with most of the comments. I guess the real point I was making goes something like this. UC is an excellent premium product - everything about it says class and quality. The current champagne is a shortcoming in this regard. It's not a premium product or of premium quality (IMHO). I don't think VS needs to offer an ultra-premium champagne, but something from a decent champagne house - and maybe a light vintage - wouldn't be so out of sync with UC.

Originally posted by bostonbrit
I'm in agreement with most of the comments. I guess the real point I was making goes something like this. UC is an excellent premium product - everything about it says class and quality. The current champagne is a shortcoming in this regard. It's not a premium product or of premium quality (IMHO). I don't think VS needs to offer an ultra-premium champagne, but something from a decent champagne house - and maybe a light vintage - wouldn't be so out of sync with UC.

I agree completely, they don't even need a light vintage, Laurent Perrier would be enough, and maybe the Rose as well [8D].

I also think they should do something about the toilets, they aren't very premium.

Cheers
sky

[fozzyo]

Originally posted by sky
I agree completely, they don't even need a light vintage, Laurent Perrier would be enough, and maybe the Rose as well [8D].

I also think they should do something about the toilets, they aren't very premium.

What's the difference between a vintage and light vintage?

Toilets - fraid not much can really be done about those, and after all they are functional and serve the desired purpose.

Foz xxx

[Bazz]

If we are talking decent plonk here my all time fav is Krug, keep your Cristal! ...but at c. £85 for a NV bottle I don't get to sample it too often [:(]

I love my fizz,strongbow has been my pint of choice for many years:D.I can just about drink anything,I find the Jacquart Brut passable and I have no problem drinking quite a lot of it.This must all come down to cost,if you want Dom and krug on the same flight get your wallet out take a deep breath and pay for SQ first.

My merchant did find a parcel of Canard-Duchene Grande CuvŽe Charles VII Brut,this is the closest thing to Krug I have ever come across and at £25 a bottle was very good value,down to the last 7 bottles,and he has no stock left[V]




http://www.canard-duchene.fr/cuvees/cuv ... gueSite=en

I find the Jacquart stuff just plain nasty, particularly at altitude. PJ would be a much better substitute, or even a decent Oz sparkling wine.

My memory is hazy, but I do vaguely recall 5 bottles of Krug between two of us on SQ LHR-SIN-AKL. Now that's decent champagne.

BC

Originally posted by BlackCat

My memory is hazy, but I do vaguely recall 5 bottles of Krug between two of us on SQ LHR-SIN-AKL. Now that's decent champagne.

I'm amazed you even remember that you drank 2 & 1/2 bottles each on a flight - deep respect[8D];)

99

Two flights: LHR-SIN and SIN-AKL. Three bottles on the first, two on the second. Plus various cocktails (Silver Kris Slings) and G&Ts. Plus vodka with the caviar. Twice. And I did have 5 Tiger beers in the SIN lounge between the two flights.

Surprisingly enough I was fine in Auckland the day after we arrived: SQ First Class is the only way to travel.

BC

VS champagne bad SQ champagne good

You cant beat a good Gordons and Tonic the CH is particulary good at bringing them along without being asked whne mine is empty ![:o)]

[fozzyo]

Originally posted by timsdm
VS champagne bad SQ champagne good

You cant beat a good Gordons and Tonic the CH is particulary good at bringing them along without being asked whne mine is empty ![:o)]

Oh noooo, Tanqueray or if your on-board Number 10 is even better (four times distilled)! Though must say my personal fave is Blackwood's Nordic Dry Gin, made in the Shetlands or for something a little different Hendrick's Gin (made with Cucumbers).

Originally posted by fozzyo

Originally posted by timsdm
VS champagne bad SQ champagne good

You cant beat a good Gordons and Tonic the CH is particulary good at bringing them along without being asked whne mine is empty ![:o)]

Oh noooo, Tanqueray or if your on-board Number 10 is even better (four times distilled)! Though must say my personal fave is Blackwood's Nordic Dry Gin, made in the Shetlands or for something a little different Hendrick's Gin (made with Cucumbers).

Oi! Let's stick to champagne.

[Decker]

Well on SAA next week we're allegedly getting

Champagne Chapuy Carteverte Brut Resere N/V
Champagne Leclaire Gaspard Cuvee 1998
Champagne Nicolas Feuilatte Grand Cru Ambonnay 1996

We'll see...

My Champagne has to be John Smiths or Tetleys how it sparkles in the glass, it's paradise:D:D:D

Regards

Paul

Originally posted by fozzyo

Originally posted by sky
I agree completely, they don't even need a light vintage, Laurent Perrier would be enough, and maybe the Rose as well [8D].

I also think they should do something about the toilets, they aren't very premium.

What's the difference between a vintage and light vintage?

Toilets - fraid not much can really be done about those, and after all they are functional and serve the desired purpose.

Foz xxx

Ok. Ok. Enough already! "light" vintage - what I meant was ... it doesn't have to be some grand old wonderful vintage, just some improvement over the current Non-Vintage would be a good thing.

[buns]

originally posted by Bazz
If we are talking decent plonk here my all time fav is Krug, keep your Cristal! ...but at c. £85 for a NV bottle I don't get to sample it too often

Not if LROM has his way in SFO when he takes partners out shopping;)[}:)];)

buns

[RichardMannion]

Well put Buns!

I am quite partial to Laurent Perrier Rose on the NV front. As for vintage, well I have bottles of various vintages at home from my travels, and its always a fun game to play spot the wrong price tag on vintage bottles across the world, managed to nab a bottle of 90 DP for $90 in BOS a few years ago, and a lovely Bollinger 90 RD for Û35 last year in AGP.

Thanks,
Richard