I am retiring in a couple of months, and want to treat myself to an extra
special bottle of wine. We usually drink bottles that are about $20-$25. I
want to splurge and buy a bottle for about $150. Any recommendations? Red
or white does not matter, sparkling or not does not matter, just want to buy
myself a very nice celebration bottle. I am going to stop by my local
liquor store to see what they suggest too.

On Sun, 27 Aug 2006 12:02:05 -0700, "ginmill01" >
wrote:

>I am retiring in a couple of months, and want to treat myself to an extra
>special bottle of wine.

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

--
Steve Slatcher
http://pobox.com/~steve.slatcher

Steve Slatcher > wrote in
:

> On Sun, 27 Aug 2006 12:02:05 -0700, "ginmill01" >
> wrote:
>
>>I am retiring in a couple of months, and want to treat myself to an
>>extra special bottle of wine.
>
> For a celebration, Champagne sounds like a good idea. But tell us
> more about what you like - might prompt more relevent suggestions.
>

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.

--
Joseph Coulter
Cruises and Vacations
http://www.josephcoulter.com/

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


"Joseph Coulter" > wrote in message
. 97.136...
> Steve Slatcher > wrote in
> :
>
>> On Sun, 27 Aug 2006 12:02:05 -0700, "ginmill01" >
>> wrote:
>>
>>>I am retiring in a couple of months, and want to treat myself to an
>>>extra special bottle of wine.
>>
>> For a celebration, Champagne sounds like a good idea. But tell us
>> more about what you like - might prompt more relevent suggestions.
>>
>
> 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.
>
> --
> Joseph Coulter
> Cruises and Vacations
> http://www.josephcoulter.com/
>

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


"Richard Neidich" > wrote in message
k.net...
>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
>
>
> "Joseph Coulter" > wrote in message
> . 97.136...
>> Steve Slatcher > wrote in
>> :
>>
>>> On Sun, 27 Aug 2006 12:02:05 -0700, "ginmill01" >
>>> wrote:
>>>
>>>>I am retiring in a couple of months, and want to treat myself to an
>>>>extra special bottle of wine.
>>>
>>> For a celebration, Champagne sounds like a good idea. But tell us
>>> more about what you like - might prompt more relevent suggestions.
>>>
>>
>> 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.
>>
>> --
>> Joseph Coulter
>> Cruises and Vacations
>> http://www.josephcoulter.com/
>>
>
>

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?

"Richard Neidich" > wrote:

> Etoile Rose from Chandon, Yountville...outstanding. Takes a
> real man to drink this pink Sparkler. (That said its more salmon
> colored.)

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

<http://www.chandon.com/wines/etoile.html>

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.

:-)

"Michael Pronay" > wrote in message
...
> "Richard Neidich" > wrote:
>
>> Etoile Rose from Chandon, Yountville...outstanding. Takes a
>> real man to drink this pink Sparkler. (That said its more salmon
>> colored.)
>
> Excellent recommendation. Furthermore the bottles have crown-cap
> closures, so no chance of cork taint:
>
> <http://www.chandon.com/wines/etoile.html>
>
> M.

Joseph Coulter wrote:

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

Yes, my thinking, too. For that price, one could get Pol Roger Cuveé
Winston Churchill or Billecart-Salmon Blanc de Blancs, too.

Mark Lipton

"Mark Lipton" wrote .....
>>
>> 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 Perignon.
>
> Yes, my thinking, too. For that price, one could get Pol Roger Cuveé
> Winston Churchill or Billecart-Salmon Blanc de Blancs, too.
>

I still regard the 1985 Pol Roger Cuveé Winston Churchill as, perhaps, the
very best I have tasted.

I also rate the Laurent-Perrier Grande Siecle 1982 is the finest Rose
champagne I have tried - for something a little different and special.

If the occasion is truly special, then I endorse what others have said -
go for the best you can find and afford.

--

st.helier

> I want to splurge and buy a bottle for about $150.

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
--
The monkey turns the crank and thinks he's making the music.
for Email, make the obvious change in the address.

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.


"Jose" > wrote in message
et...
>> I want to splurge and buy a bottle for about $150.
>
> 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
> --
> The monkey turns the crank and thinks he's making the music.
> for Email, make the obvious change in the address.

ginmill01 wrote:
> I am retiring in a couple of months, and want to treat myself to an extra
> special bottle of wine. We usually drink bottles that are about $20-$25. I
> want to splurge and buy a bottle for about $150. Any recommendations? Red
> or white does not matter, sparkling or not does not matter, just want to buy
> myself a very nice celebration bottle. I am going to stop by my local
> liquor store to see what they suggest too.

Anything by Angelo Gaja.