Champagne Report

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 Read more

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. Read more

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.

Read more

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.

Read more

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. Read more

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!). Read more

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). Read more

Here is a great video from about.com on champagne and sparkling wine basics for all of you recent converts, or anyone who has the occasional trouble opening champagne. The information in the video is transcribed below it as well, and is worth a look!

Went out on the Friday after Thanksgiving and ordered the house champagne. I was asked the whole night what I was celebrating, even though my drinks were less expensive than most of the other wine and cocktail selections. Most people still don't get that there are delicious, unexpensive champagnes that can and should be consumed without a special occasion!

Hope everyone had a delicious turkey and champagne-filled Thanksgiving yesterday! Now that it's officially the holiday season, I know many of us are searching for those perfect gifts and this one I ran across on The Gift Corner blog looks like a winner! Called Champagne Savers, this beautiful leaf-shaped utensil helps keep opened, refrigerated bottles of champagne fresh for up to two days. This is an awesome accessory for anyone who wants to keep leftover champagne drinkable (though I must admit, I never usually have any extra!).

These beauties run about $200-350, and can be purchased at Mary's Garden and Neiman Marcus.  

Just came across a new book that looks fascinating: The Widow Clicquot: The Story of a Champagne Empire and the Woman Who Ruled It by Tilar J. Mazzeo. The book tells the story of Barbe-Nicole Clicquot Ponsardin, the woman who made the brand Veuve Clicquot ("veuve" in French, of course, means "widow") a household name and whose vision shaped how the world views champagne today. Defying the traditions of the 18th and 19th centuries, as a young widow Clicquot brought champagne onto the world scene and became a business mogul at a time when women engaging in commerce at any level were scarce indeed. Read more