Korbel Champagne (and Wines)

By colormejosh on 8/13/10 4:41pm
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What big event is complete without a bottle of champagne? Well, aside from AA meetings, of course.

I recently had the opportunity to visit Korbel - the makers of the relatively inexpensive champagne of the same name and the tasting I had was a lot more wonderful than I had anticipated. This very large Sonoma institution packs a really powerful punch in regards to the tastings offered, the beauty of the compound, and overall customer service.

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Champagne: Not Just for Drinking

By Eviaa on 12/16/09 9:26pm
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With the holidays in full swing and everyone getting into holiday party mode, it's no doubt the lists for food and drinks to serve are growing rapidly. Champagne is one of those tried and true drinks, especially popular for toasting at the start of the new year. And while adding ingredients to this bubbly beverage can turn it various champagne cocktails, it may also be used in food recipes perfect for entertaining. Thanks to websites like epicurious.com (one of my favorite websites for recipes) you can find more uses for bubbly than just drinking. This tasty shrimp appetizer is surprisingly easy to make, delicious and beautiful when plated.

Marinated Shrimp with Champagne Beurre Blanc

Sauce Base:

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Champagne Drinks for the Perfect Holiday Brunch

By sarajean on 12/15/09 2:20am
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You’ve got the quiche, the ambrosia, the eggs in a basket. You’ve even got the fancy tableware out. You may have even decorated the table with a dash of glitter or sparkling stars. Everything’s ready for your big holiday brunch—but what about the drinks?

Sure, you can serve orange juice and iced tea if you like (add a bit of Sprite in the former for a fancy drink to give the kiddos), but if you’re aiming for a classy adult drink, why not add some champagne to the table? Here are a few tasty champagne treats you can use for your holiday feast. All of these drinks are meant to be served immediately.

Mimosa

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Washington State "Sparkling Wine"

By lisala on 6/15/09 10:50pm
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It's summer. Why not celebrate with North American "sparkling wine" (yeah, I know, it's made using the same methods, and the same pinot noir and Chardonnay grapes as the "legal" Champagne wines from France)?

I'm rather partial to Washington winery Domaine Ste. Michelle. All they make is sparkling wines. They produce a number of different kinds of champagne, and are distributed widely enough that you can find their wines fairly reliably—and extremely affordably. Domaine Ste. Michelle lists their sparkling wines in terms of their styles, ranging from dry to sweet. I want to make something very clear; this is not the "cold duck" sort of wine your parents might have served; these are sparkling wines made using the traditional Méthode Champenoise. In fact, according to this article, New York Times Columnist Steven D. Levitt says that

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A Perfect Champagne Picnic for Two

By sarajean on 6/15/09 7:28pm
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Now that it’s summertime, it’s the perfect time for a romantic picnic for you and your partner. A clear sky, a comfy (and pretty) blanket, and a basket of goodies for two should set the scene.

Be sure to have some delectable delights in your basket. Some brie and grapes or strawberries is always romantic, as well as nuts and caviar, if you have a taste for it. Sushi works well for fish lovers (fish is said to be an aphrodisiac!), and anything dipped in chocolate is sure to please. If nothing else, stick with simple sandwiches—either homemade or store-bought.

For a little ambiance, you may want to bring candles or an iPod with speakers, but why ruin what nature already provides? Chances are the natural scenery and auditory magic will be more than enough for your date.

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Real men play champong

By mous on 2/8/09 2:45pm
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In a departure from our usual classier fair, today's article focuses on a topic near and dear to the college student heart: champong. For the uninitiated, Urbandictionary.com defines champong thus:

champong

To play beer pong with Champagne. What many sororities do, but it's stupid because it's too bubbly and you throw up after.

Lisa: Wanna play champong? Jared: No, sorry, I'm a man.



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Champagne in the States, a Sacrilege in France

By dubayns on 1/21/09 5:59pm
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Ask an average American what makes champagne so unique and the likely response will follow the lines of "it's sparking wine" or "it's used only on special occasions". Ask an average French citizen the same question and you will undoubtedly get a different answer. The reason for this comes from a common lack of understanding about the origins of the drink and the special efforts that go into creating a bottle of the bubbly white wine. While it is difficult and expensive to import, most champagnes found in the US are not true champagnes.



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Champagne in the news: protests, inaugurations, and thefts

By mous on 1/14/09 1:03pm
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Our libation-of-choice has been making headlines recently! First off, protestors trying to prevent the building of a third runway at London's Heathrow Airport took a very civilized approach to their act of civil disobediance. In an alleged allusion to the peaceful Suffragette movement of decades past, the protestors wore Edwardian-era dress, and dined on cake and champagne. Puts a whole new spin on the phrase "let them eat cake!"

All of the world's eyes are of course on Barack Obama, soon to be sworn in as the United States' 44th president. And on the menu for his Inaugural Luncheon? California sparkling wines! While Champagne of course is the go-to beverage for celebrations, we applaud the choice of a U.S.-made wine for this important occasion. The full menu of the luncheon can be found here.

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Champagne bloopers and cocktail recipes

By mous on 1/11/09 2:07pm
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Ever had an embarrassing experience with champagne? Hopefully it was not as bad as this one. In March 2008, a woman in Kobe, Japan ordered 10 bottles of champagne (totalling 180,000 yen, over 2,000 American dollars), despite the fact that she had no money with her. The bar pressed charges, but the case was dismissed because due to the woman's serious inebriation at the time, it was impossible to prove that she had ordered the wine with the intention to steal it. Also, a warning to always open champagne carefully from the Daily Buzz! This looks more like a blooper that we've ALL done...

Still have leftover bottles of champagne from New Years? Check out this video from Common Man Cocktails to learn how to make a Flirtini, a very simple Champagne or sparkling wine-based cocktail (with a very fun name!).

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Blind Champagne taste-off

By mous on 1/9/09 4:31pm
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I recently stumbled across this post on the Thief Wine Blog about a blind champagne tasting the author did with customers, and I thought it was an interesting experiment.

They tasted Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin, Bollinger Special Cuvee, Pierre Gimonnet 1er Cru Blanc de Blancs, and Philipponnat Royale Reserve, all bottles within the same price range. Obviously, Veuve Clicquot is the most recognizable name of the bunch, but in the blind taste test it finished fourth (Philipponat was the winner).

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