Happy Champagne Day!


As far as I am concerned, every day is champagne day, but today is actually the official day of celebration for this bubbly from France.

I’ve spent a lot of time with one of my favorite beverages in the past year. Last fall, I left my home in Champaign, Illinois, and took a trip with the French tourism board to Champagne, France. I spent four days there learning all about the beverage and the region. During that trip I was able to spend a wonderful night at the Veuve Clicquot estate, Manoir de Verzy. I also had a tour of the winery and went through my first champagne cave.

My trip to Champagne also included a chance to sit down with the Krug winemaker Julie Cavill and learn about the process of making champagne. I came home with a bottle of their Grand Cuvee and opened it up on my birthday (it’s wonderful). Krug Master Sommelier Roger Dagorn had his own celebration in New York a few weeks ago when he was honored for his lifetime achievements.

In March, I had the pleasure of being invited to Paris for the 200th Anniversary Celebration of Perrier Jouet. It was a black tie affair, full of celebrities and a dedicated piece of art by Daniel Arsham to the champagne. It was then I got to taste what has become one of my favorites, the Belle Epoque 2004.

Champagne should be savored whether or not there is a special occasion. It will certainly be a part of mine.  I actually enjoyed a glass of the 2002 Laurent-Perrier Brut with my dinner at Bernardus Lodge in Carmel. My first Wine and Spirits Travel Guide will actually be about champagne (the drink and the region) and I hope to have it available in the next few weeks. In the meantime, pop the cork and celebrate the day!
Location: Champagné, France

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Cheers to the Holidays

Image
The holidays are often a time for me to try some interesting spirits, new and old. This year is no different. Rumchata options… Rumchata has been a favorite of mine since it first hit the market. I love cordials that you don’t have to get too creative with if you aren’t in the mood. I love it straight over ice, but you can mix it with just about anything. They even sell a gift box that includes shot glasses so you can measure perfectly. One of the options for Rumchata is to put it in your coffee and the company has no made that even easier with Rumchata Creamer. This is not a flavored creamer, it has the real liquor in it and it will make your coffee into a major treat. Another cordial to enjoy… I wasn’t sure what to expect from Tippy Cow Peppermint Bark , but it was a perfect mix of sweet, creamy and minty, without too much of any of those.  My friends devoured the mini bottles (great for picnics) chilled. I managed to put one aside to have with my
Read more

An Assortment of Goodies for your Inside and Out

Image
A lot of products have come in the last month or two. I’m catching up as fast as I can, but I always want to try something before I promote. When it comes to health and beauty products, that means trying a few times. As always, my policy that is I write about the good things I want to pass along. Anyone who sends products for sampling knows that it will only be written about if I like it. That goes the same for my Amazon Influencer page .  Hello, Miss Spa… I love finding good skin care that I can buy (for a reasonable price) in my local drugstore. Miss Spa sent me two products that are going to continue to be part of my beauty routine. Hydration Hookup is a “skin quenching serum.” It contains Hydraulic Acid and CoQ10. I used it on my face for two weeks and I really like the results. Though I didn’t feel it hydrating enough for my face, a serum should be followed by a moisturizer and I just made it a richer one for my dry skin. What I did see was that my skin was a
Read more

Wine, Spirits and Coffee (Together)

Image
I have never received as much coffee before as I have in the past two months. The interesting thing is that there is a spirited theme to all of it. I also had a bit of wine in the mix, as well as a few tasty surprises. Fruity deliciousness… Maison Ferrand makes Mathilde fruit liqueurs that are handcrafted with ripe fruit and French spirits. I received two bottles to try out and they were exceptional. The Mathilde Raspberry reminded me of Chambord, but it’s not quite as thick and is even more filled with raspberry flavor. I enjoyed sipping it over ice. It would be a wonderful addition to any cocktail (definitely a martini), hot chocolate, or coffee. The Mathilde Peach is delicious and reminded me more of a summer day with a lighter cocktail or mixed with club soda . I’d also love this in a frozen drink, such as a daiquiri or margarita. French wine launch… I wasn’t able to make the official tasting, but I still got to sample the launch of LGV wines . These French wines are
Read more