Rare

1998 Piper-Heidsieck "Cuveé Rare", Magnum

Rich, golden color. Woodsmoke, paprika, toasted nuts, cherries, spices, slight skunky/rubber tire notes.  A bold Champagne, with lots of body and a lingering finish.

Available from K & L Wines for a mere $399.00.

K&L Champagne Tasting Tent event, Oct 19 2014

Fluteau Blanc de Noirs Brut N.V.

Fluteau Blanc de Noirs Brut Champagne
100% Pinot Noir.

Pale gold with a very slight pinkish tinge.  Fine, not very agressive bubbles.

Peach, lavender, and Asian pear with just a bit of biscuit and toast. Nicely acidic.  12% A.B.V. Not a standout in any aspect, but fine as an aperitif or something to freshen up the palate before moving on to a more serious wine.

Beer & Bubbles!

Saw this in the Southwest in-flight Spirit magazine.
Sounds intriguing.

Reminded me of the saying 'I have Champagne taste, but Beer money.'

Cuvée Robert Fleury Champagne

Barrel-fermented, biodynamic blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc and Pinot Noir. Crisp, with a dominant flavor of apples. Good body and acidity; medium bubbles.  Overall nice, but not really a standout.  The Fleury Brut Rosé Champagne, at a comparable price, is a more compelling choice from this producer.

Jacob's Creek Brut Cuvée

Via Eric:

Ah, the Aussies! They're a hardy lot, and they can turn out some decent Sparkling wines to boot! One of my favorites from the Land-Down-Under is Jacob's Creek, Chardonnay Pinot Noir Brut Cuvée. Very reasonably priced, and very enjoyable (~$15). It's balanced in all respects: Dry, but not overly so; Flavorful, but not too yeasty; Full of Bubble, but in a relatively refined way.

Domaine J. Laurens Brut NV

Via Eric:

Had dinner at Greens Restaurant in San Fran's Marina district recently. For Aperitif they had the Domaine J. Laurens Brut NV, Cremant de Limoux, France. Found it Lemony/Citrus on the palate, but with a not altogether-pleasant chemical aftertaste. Wouldn't recommend it.