Slow Erotic Sigh
"I drink Champagne when I'm happy and when I'm sad. Sometimes I drink it when I'm alone. When I have company I consider it obligatory. I trifle with it if I'm not hungry and drink it when I am. Otherwise I never touch it - unless I'm thirsty."
- Madame Bollinger
This past December my
fav drinking buddy
childhood friend hit up another class at our local wine store. This time around, BUBBLES.
The $40 admission entails you to the small group setting (think 30 ppl), complete with long tables, sommeliers, notepads for notes, and wine. Lots and lots o' wine. No brainer girls night? Don't mind if we do...
Not a wine snob? Don't fret, we just like any excuse to
drink
learn more about different wines and not pay for the entire bottle, only to loathe the contents, all the while sucking it down - waste not want not folks...
They demonstrate different pairings with each wine, give you enough history to make you sound smart, but not long enough to where you grab the bottle out of the guys hand and chug till he gets the hint and stops talking. Plus we got a cupcake, so really that's all I cared about.
We sampled NINE Champagnes - clearly we got our money's worth. Besides, their "sample" was about 1/3 of a full glass. #winning
Below are each of the Champagnes and my thoughts. Cuz my opinion matters, der.
Veneto, Italy
Notes: Mimosa + Bellini!
Penedes, Spain
Notes: Smelly, dry :(
Columbia Valley, WA
Notes: Smells yummy. After taste, bummer. :(
Champagne, France
Notes: Great smell. Good bubbles. Meh.
This guy was the most expensive ($60 a bottle). So, for our class was the "tete tu cuvee", of our sampling, or in real people talk, the top of the house. Which basically means the most expensive, best quality. Think Cristal...
Carneros, California
Notes: Smooth. No after taste :)
California
Notes: First of all, who serves NON ALCOHOLIC Champagne. I likes my bubbly with hooch thankyouverymuch. Taste bud punishment. Overly sweet grape juice. :(
Deming, New Mexico
Notes: Refreshing. Light :)
Valencia, Spain
Notes: Lightly carbonated. Smells like Jolly Rancher :(
Piedmont, Italy
Notes: :) bought; great paired with chocolate
We also learned the proper way to open a bottle - hold bottle lid AWAY from you, working the top off slowly to emit a "slow, erotic sigh".
Did you also know that there are more than 50 million bubbles per bottle of Champagne? If that's an automatic great time I don't know what is.
