WTN: NV Thierry Triolet Grande Reserve Champagne

[Jenise]

Let me say off the top that I know nothing of this wine except that, for $22, it's very good. It's not a wine you'd mistake for Krug, but it has that essential French Champagne character that's so unmistakeable and unduplicatable outside of France. Delicious yeasty nose and on the palate, rich golden delicious apple and fresh baked bread. A case buy from Pete's Market, Seattle.

[James Roscoe]

Champagne for $22 is better than an American sparkler for $15. Take that Gruet! You just can't get the essence of Champagne from anything else. I'm glad you found a source. I am headed back to Calvert-Woodley in DC to pick up some more Henri Abele at the same price. Thanks for the note Jenise!

[Bob Henrick]

Champagne for $22 is better than an American sparkler for $15. Take that Gruet!

James, it is easy to forget that not everyone lives in a place that he/she can just run down to the corner grocery and get $22 champagne. I have the Gruet at $15, and am not ashamed to say so.

[James Roscoe]

James, it is easy to forget that not everyone lives in a place that he/she can just run down to the corner grocery and get $22 champagne. I have the Gruet at $15, and am not ashamed to say so.

Bob, my apologies. You are correct. It's so nice living near DC where we are allocated some of the best qpr from overseas. As I live in the "Capital of the Free World" it's not surprising I can find the good stuff at a good price. What is amazing is that Jenise found some good stuff out in the provinces.

[Jenise]

Champagne for $22 is better than an American sparkler for $15. Take that Gruet!

James, it is easy to forget that not everyone lives in a place that he/she can just run down to the corner grocery and get $22 champagne. I have the Gruet at $15, and am not ashamed to say so.

Bob, we served this Triolet and the Gruet side by side last Friday night and I'm sorry, but no contest. And I don't think anyone needs to remonstrated for worrying about who can get what where when they make the observation James did, and which I agree with. Furthermore, I remember having Gruet on all-Champagne evenings and finding that the wine held it's own for QPR, but Friday's experience and several tries of various Gruets over the last three years have been unsuccessful at impressing me as much as they used to. The wines just don't have the verve and character they used to; in fact, they taste simple and dilute.

[Bob Henrick]

Bob, we served this Triolet and the Gruet side by side last Friday night and I'm sorry, but no contest. And I don't think anyone needs to remonstrated for worrying about who can get what where when they make the observation James did, and which I agree with. Furthermore, I remember having Gruet on all-Champagne evenings and finding that the wine held it's own for QPR, but Friday's experience and several tries of various Gruets over the last three years have been unsuccessful at impressing me as much as they used to. The wines just don't have the verve and character they used to; in fact, they taste simple and dilute.

Bob, we served this Triolet and the Gruet side by side last Friday night and I'm sorry, but no contest. And I don't think anyone needs to remonstrated for worrying about who can get what where when they make the observation James did, and which I agree with. Furthermore, I remember having Gruet on all-Champagne evenings and finding that the wine held it's own for QPR, but Friday's experience and several tries of various Gruets over the last three years have been unsuccessful at impressing me as much as they used to. The wines just don't have the verve and character they used to; in fact, they taste simple and dilute.

Jenise, I could but won't go to my BAWS and make a list of prices and names of sparklers available, but I won't as that would be an exercise in futility. It is a fact though that I made a 150 mile round trip to get the Gruet (among other wines) just this past Saturday. I know it is hard to believe that there are wine deprived places in these United States, but believe.

[James Roscoe]

Jenise, I could but won't go to my BAWS and make a list of prices and names of sparklers available, but I won't as that would be an exercise in futility. It is a fact though that I made a 150 mile round trip to get the Gruet (among other wines) just this past Saturday. I know it is hard to believe that there are wine deprived places in these United States, but believe.

Bob, It's amazing that there are places in this land of opportunity where you can't find a decent sparkler for under $20 or even $15. My "go-to" for qpr is always a French cremant whether from Alsace (the Albrecht rose is great) or Burgundy (they use the same grapes as Champagne) I can usually steal on for under $15 even in Maryland! Your point is well-taken. Congratulations to Jenise for finding such a great qpr in the Seattle-Vancouver area. Maybe you are getting the leftovers from the last Microsoft party?

[Jenise]

James, wine finds it way to wherever there's money, and there's plenty of money in Seattle! Plus, we have to entertain ourselves during these long winter nights, no?

I'm actually 120 miles north of Seattle though in an area Bucko considers a backward hippie haven, though it's been a long time since that was actually true. I'm continually impressed by what's available here--not many of the big big names (as you'd find in Seattle), but far more of the esoteric, small boutique local and international curiosities of the intellectual kind. And anything else, I can order from out of state. And I do. Hence the cases of Gosset, Heidsieck, Deutz etc I recently bought for $16-$21.

That's where Bob suffers. Can't get it locally AND can't order from out of state. Bob, I feel for you, but please don't take it personally when I gloat over my good fortune.