100 Wine Blogs, 100 Days Blog 27 It is Taste Time! Wine Tasting Challenge Korbel vs. Schramsberg

27. It is Taste Time! Wine Tasting Challenge Korbel vs. Schramsberg

We reviewed the labels, the price and what each Web site had to say about their wine. The two wines we reviewed were Korbel Brut, California Champagne and Schramsberg, Blanc de Blancs, Brut Sparkling Wine, Vintage 2006. You can view the video Part 1 and read along or try your own tasting and tell me what you think.

Korbel vs. Schramsberg. Let’s get started!

Video Part 1:


In one corner we have the famous Korbel, Brut style, which is mass produced and used in America at weddings, New Year’s parties and momentous events. It is a California Champagne using the traditional method, aged 12 months on the lees.

Schramsberg, with small batch nurturing, is a Blanc de Blancs aged 2-3 years on the lees. Not found readily available throughout the United States. Their most affordable budget-minded Brut Sparkling Wine, using the traditional method.

In Spain it is called Cava, in Italy it is Spumante, and of course, Champagne, France is the only place to get Champagne.

The Challenge Begins:
Pop the cork and pour your sparkling wine right before the tasting for the freshest taste. Do not open the bottles and “let them breathe”. They should be served at the right temperature to get the best taste results.

1. Visual Inspection: Color and Bubbles (Look) B & C

When tasting reds or whites, you traditionally swirl your glass to bring up the aroma and to visualize the texture against the glass. With sparklers, you do not swirl your glass. First, look at the color and the bubbles.

For this blind wine tasting we labeled one wine B and one wine C. We started with C for the tasting. (Don’t ask…) We saw more bubbles in glass B from visual inspection. They were both poured at the same time into the glasses. B was a clear green-yellow color. C had a darker slight yellow-amber color.

2. Aroma (Smell) C

C smelled fruity, peachy-type smell, apple-pear, and someone even smelled banana.

3. Flavor and Texture (Taste, Mouthfeel) C

It so happened that once someone mentioned banana, I then tasted banana. Not possible, but hey, I guess it influenced me. The girls felt that it tasted like sparkling apple cider. When I tasted seriously, I tasted a pear-apple taste. In Florida, we have about 30 different types of apples and only one type of pear. We may think of apple a little more than we may think of pear. Although, pears are good for asthma, according to Alma in the video. They did not think that it was bad as far as taste goes. Does that mean that it was not good either? They also felt the aftertaste was not smooth.

What are the results so far?

Both Web sites are informative. There is a tie.

Price goes to Korbel.

Visual inspection including bubbles and color goes to Schramsberg.

Who will take the title?

Tell me your thoughts, make them funny, keep them nice and educate me.
Bon Vin!
Veronica