“Come quickly, I am tasting the stars!”

That’s what French Benedictine monk Dom Pierre Pérignon reportedly said when he tasted the first sparkling wine he made in Champagne, France, commonly known now as simply “Champagne.” (Sparkling wine made elsewhere is NOT Champagne BTW!)

However, according to Wikipedia, this quote first appeared as part of an advertising campaign in the late 19th century!

Regardless of the truth of the source of this quote, drinking Champagne is like drinking stars — there’s no denying how delightful the experience is of drinking real, quality bubbles  from Champagne.

Even if Dom Pérignon spent most of his career trying to get the bubbles OUT of Champagne!

The third Friday of the month of October is Champagne Day, and I’ve made a point of celebrating it every year in one way or another: Champagne Day 2011  and Champagne Day 2012 and Champagne Day 2013  and Champagne Day 2014 and Champagne Day 2015  and Champagne Day 2016 when I shared these fun facts.

This year, here’s a brief primer about Champagne and a history of Dom Pérignon, the granddaddy of them all, plus some notes on a few prestige cuvees I had the opportunity to taste as well as two that are a bit more down to earth and easy to find wines: Veuve Clique and Jacques Bardelot – Brut which we paired with appetizers including the French triple cream brie cheese St Angel, oysters, and caviar as well as a meal of caesar salad, pesto pasta, and chicken.

And what, if anything, have all the fires, floods, and hurricanes taught us? That our special occasion is now. Don’t wait.

If someone gives you a bottle of champagne, don’t keep it in the cellar, the closet or on or in the refridgerator for the next five years. Drink it! And what better day than today?

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