Dom Perignon is said to have uttered the statement, “Come quickly, I am tasting stars,” to his fellow monks, upon discovering Champagne. While he did not actually invent Champagne, Dom Perignon’s work in the cellar helped to better understand how to keep the sparkle in sparkling wine and solidified the roots of the Champagne industry. With the holiday season upon us, it is a time for celebration and for tasting stars ourselves, whether enjoying a holiday dinner or toasting the impending New Year.

Here at Grand Cru Classes, we are celebrating the end of another successful year. Tracy’s appearance on the Wine Portfolio television program aired in early November on CNBC World and featured NYC wine shopping excursions to Sherry-Lehmann, Bottle Rocket and Chelsea Wine Vault. If you missed this episode, you can check out Tracy’s segments on their own (Wine Seller and Brave New World).

In addition, this month finds Tracy off to Italy once again to visit the regions of Collio (near Trieste) and Prosecco (just north of Venice) to learn more about these wonderful wines produced in northeastern Italy.

May this season find you happy and healthy!

Drink wisely and well,
Tracy Ellen Kamens, Ed.D., DWS, CWE
CEO: Chief Education Officer

and

Jared Michael Skolnick
COO: Cork Opening Officer 

Starry, Starry Night

Sparkling wines always add a festive air to any occasion given that they harness the carbon dioxide produced through a secondary fermentation to capture the bubbles in the bottle. Wines produced in a very special, delimited area in northern France have taken the top title among sparkling wines as evidenced by the misappropriation of Champagne’s moniker for wines produced elsewhere. The chalky soils, cool climate and high acid retention, all lend themselves to creating a unique and well-regarded sparkler that takes significant time and talent to achieve. As a result, the wines of Champagne are highly sought after, with most other high quality sparkling wines emulating the Méthode Champenoise – referred to as the Traditional Method when used outside of the Champagne region. There are numerous factors that ultimately influence what ends up in the glass, but House style from a given producer is most attributed to six factors: terroir, grape varieties used; percentage of older wines used in the blend (aka reserve wines); aging period on the lees (dead yeast cells); dosage (sweetness level added at the end of the process); and the base wine (which depends upon the growing conditions of a given year). When brought together, these factors make up the style of wine.

Raise your glass this season in celebration and may you taste the stars!

Ayala Brut Majeur NV, Champagne, France, $36.00
Recently re-entered into the U.S. market, Ayala is owned by Bollinger. This wine is 45% Pinot Noir, 20% Pinot Meunier and 35% Chardonnay and spent 2.5 years aging on the dead yeast cells. The nose is full of toast, mushroom and yeast. The light-bodied palate provides high acidity and yeasty and mushroom notes.

Nicholas Feuillatte Brut Rosé NV, Champagne, France, $40.00
Nicholas Feuillatte is a cooperative, owned by the growers who produce the grapes for its wines. Accordingly, these are high quality wines available at a more moderate price point. Notes of berries and toast greet the nose while the rich fruit flavors continue on the palate, culminating in its long length.

Gosset Grande Réserve NV, Champagne, France, $65.00
With a lengthy aging period of 5 years on the lees, this wine is full of brioche, bread and toast on the nose. A super-rich, fuller style of Champagne, the bready, brioche and toast flavors persist on the palate.

Pol Roger Brut 1999, Champagne, France
Reputed to be Winston Churchill’s favorite Champagne, this wine presents very toasted notes on the nose, which give way to lemon/citrus and brioche, which linger on the palate. 

Perrier-Jouet “Fleur de Champagne” Brut Rosé 2002, Champagne, France, $250.00
A splurge, but worth it, this wine is from the outstanding 2002 vintage and is Perrier-Jouet’s tete de cuvée. Pale salmon/onion skin in appearance with aromas of yeast, buttered roll and floral, this wine shows delicate notes of yeast, strawberry, with lively acidity and long length on the palate.