I do love a great bottle of champagne and when better to have it than New Year’s Eve (I say any day, but that is just me!). I thought it might be a bit of fun to look at its beginnings and how it is served.  As with any alcohol drink responsibly….

Of course, there are many ways to serve it, I really prefer a coupe but others swear by a flute and there are so many new shapes of glasses that can make your bubbly even more special.  I think when having a large crowd which is what I will be with this year, flutes are the answer unless you have wait staff to pass on gleaming silver trays! I found a great selection today on one of the blog posts I follow Remodelista.

Champagne is both a region and a wine. Only sparkling wine produced in Champagne can be called Champagne. Other sparkling wine produced elsewhere in France or around the world cannot legally be called Champagne. They are sparkling wines.  The Romans planted vines in the region in 57BC according to the World Food and Wine website (a fabulous resource for all things food and wine!)  After the French, the English were one of the first to embrace the wine and are still one of the largest consumers.  We think of the monk Dom Perignon as the first to develop champagne…rather he tried to perfect it in the 1660’s trying to eliminate the bubbles which were, at the time, thought to be a flaw in the production.A photo from Pinterest of some of the top brands…..we are having Veuve at this year’s celebration, and plenty of it I might add!!!!  My favorite of all time is Cristal followed by Krug and Dom Perignon.  A good Preseco is also a great choice. Let me tell you about my first experience with Cristal…I was honored to be one of a small group of the Chicago History Museum Costume Council members (I was acquisition chairman at the time) to be selected to be photographed by the world-famous photographer, Victor Skrebneski, for a spread in Town and Country (many years ago)….that is a story unto itself…another time! After all of us were photographed we were invited to dinner at Les Nomades (one of my all-time favorite restaurants in Chicago) very glamorous and beyond delicious…we were all, of course, dressed to the nines and had a sensational time. A few days later a bottle of champagne arrived at my home.  I put it aside and was having a small dinner party several weeks later, nothing special just a mid-week event for four.  I thought I have this bottle of champagne put it on ice and have it.  At the time I was unaware of the brand and found it quite charming in its packaging and clear bottle.

We all enjoyed it very much and I decided to get a couple of bottles to have on hand.  When I went to my local liquor store I almost fainted at the price…no wonder it was delicious.  The cost, by the way, should never dictate your choice and as with any wine, it can go off.  It is still my favorite and a rare treat.  Another shocker was on a trip to the UK I was asked to pick up a bottle of Krug (I hadn’t had it before) and said not a problem…again being naive I wasn’t thinking price and again was stunned when I made my purchase and upon researching both these brands found them to be two of the most expensive.  Well, I have never questioned my taste in food and wine I do, however, find that the treats are limited to special occasions.  There are, of course, various vintages in champagne as in wine.

I found a couple of books that you might like to add to your library for more detailed information.

I found so many variations on champagne cocktails on so many blog posts that I became mind boggled…..I like mine either “straight” or a classic champagne cocktail which is very simple soak a sugar cube in bitters drop into your glass and fill with champagne….yum, yum, yum!  A sprig of rosemary seems overkill to me but to each his own.

And then there is the tower, it seems to be the fashion this year!I’d like you to meet my escort for New Year’s Eve (we constantly live in hope!!!!!)

 

Enjoy your celebration and let’s all look forward to a New Year of health, happiness, and peace!

 

Saks Fifth Avenue has reason to celebrate the New Year and raise a glass or two of champagne as they welcome their new Vice President/General Manager, Matt Brown.  They have shared his information with me to share with you.  I met Matt yesterday and I know he would love to meet all of you, you will find him charmingly down to earth. Do drop by the store and say hello.