“The Fruit of My Passion.” As the world opens up now that many of us are vaccinated, we can once again gather together. What better way to celebrate the “After Time” but with a glass of Champagne in a toast with loved ones? #ChampagneDay (held annually on the fourth Friday of October with the 12th annual global Champagne DayFriday, October 22) celebrates all things Champagne– the fruit of passion? Check out the Champagne Day website for virtual events or nearby ones.
Vincent Charlot, Caroline Henry, and Sue Hill inspect the vineyard
For Sue and I, Champagne Day is a chance to remember and reflect on our amazing experience there in October of 2019 where we visited several biodynamic wineries, met winemakers, explored the city of Reims, and took drives through the vineyards under sunny skies and rainstorms too, thanks to author Caroline Henry. A highlight of our trip to France was our walk, talk, and tasting with Vincent Charlot (which I wrote about here). And I found a bottle of his 2013 wine in LA for us to feature today! Continue reading →
That’s what FrenchBenedictinemonkDom 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!
This year, here’s a brief primer about Champagne and a history of DomPérignon, 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?
this map of Franciacorta Italy gives a good idea of the diversity of soil types in the region
Did you know that New Year’s Eve is Sparkling Wine Day? What better day to celebrate all that bubbles than on the night when just about everyone all around the world makes a toast with a sparkling wine?
To get us in the mood, I’ve got some ideas for sparkling wines from around the world as well as foods to pair with them starting with Australia where it becomes 2017 first, then traveling west as the day flies by on to Italy, Spain, and France in Europe, then over to Chile in South America, and finally to the Finger Lakes and the Sonoma and Napa areas of North America. Continue reading →
Corks will pop and bubbles spill from California to London to Sydney during the Third Annual Global Champagne Day Friday October 26, 2012.
Join Wine Predator for our second year at the Jolly Oyster located at the Ventura State Beach off Harbor at San Pedro (take the Seaward exit).
Show off (and please share!) your bottle of Champagne and enjoy 2 for 1 oysters between 3pm and 6pm! The event is free and parking plentiful for $5 per car.
While the best party in the world will be at the Jolly Oyster, you can celebrate the 3rd annual #ChampagneDay anywhere!
To participate, get some champagne (which only comes from the Champagne region of France–any other bubbly wine is sparkling and lovely but NOT champagne). Share what’s in your glass October 26th 2012, post photos, tasting notes, experiences or videos on any social media site, and be sure to add the #ChampagneDay hash tag, so your friends from around the globe can check out the fun.
wine predator.............. gwendolyn alley 