Category Archives: Champagne

Wednesday wine recommendations 12/13/2017

Posted on December 13, 2017 by

The holiday season is here, the month in which Americans buy the vast majority of sparkling wine sold in the United States. So throughout December, I will recommend a variety of bubblies from around the world, from good inexpensive fizz … Continue reading →

Posted in Biodynamic, Champagne, France, Holidays, Italy, Natural Wine, Sparkling Wine, Washington Post | 1 Comment

Champagne Pannier Rosé Brut

Posted on December 12, 2017 by

Berries and roses, not whiskers on kittens; bubbles up noses, not warm woolen mittens. These are a few of my favorite things — in my glass! Champagne Pannier Brut Rosé NV, 12% abv, $48.

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Wednesday wine recommendations, 12/6/2017

Posted on December 6, 2017 by

This week’s recommendations include two delicious wines made from Semillon, a grape too often ignored by producers and consumers. Plus, we have an exotic white wine from Italy, an intriguing “natural” wine made of grenache from southern France, and an … Continue reading →

Posted in Bargain Wines, Biodynamic, Champagne, France, Natural Wine, Sparkling Wine, Wine | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Relieve Some Pressure: Pop a Cork!

Posted on December 29, 2014 by

Opening a bottle of Champagne relieves pressure — both on the bottle and on the drinker. Those bubbles that mark life’s celebrations are really mood-altering drugs. Continue reading →

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##WW More Holiday Bubbly and Some Celebratory Reds

Posted on December 17, 2014 by

In the spirit of “Wine Wednesday,” here are recommendations for some fine bubbly and two delicious red wines to help celebrate the holidays. These were published December 10 in The Washington Post, with lists of stores in the DMV that carry … Continue reading →

Posted in Cava, Champagne, Holidays, Wine | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

#TBT: Not All Festive Fizz Comes from You-Know-Where

Posted on December 11, 2014 by

To call other sparkling wines “champagne” is unfair, not only to champagne producers, which try to protect the brand, but also to the wide range of bubblies from around the world that have their own character and identity. Continue reading →

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#WW Five Champagnes for the Holidays, and Beyond

Posted on December 10, 2014 by

Champagne is expensive — usually from $30 a bottle on up. The best values tend to kick in around the $40-$50 range. That’s another reason to treat them like fine wine and savor them out of a decent glass. Here … Continue reading →

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Champagne: What Glass to Choose?

Posted on December 9, 2014 by

A new glass promises to help us enjoy Champagne to the utmost.
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Posted in Champagne, France, Sparkling Wine, Wine | Tagged , , , | 6 Comments

Thibaut-Janisson Xtra Brut – A New Can’t Miss Virginia Sparkler That Most People Will Miss

Posted on March 24, 2014 by

Claude Thibaut, the man who helped legitimize Virginia wine for restaurant sommeliers, today released a new cuvée called Thibaut-Janisson Xtra Brut. Like his popular Blanc de Chardonnay, the Xtra Brut is 100 percent Chardonnay grown in the Monticello AVA near … Continue reading →

Posted in Champagne, Sparkling Wine, Virginia, Wine | Tagged , , | 3 Comments

Shoot-out at the sparkling wine corral

Posted on December 29, 2013 by

Blind tastings can be fun, informative, uplifting, humbling, even humiliating. The ones I enjoy most are those where my involvement is solely as a taster, with no knowledge of what wines are in the mix (I tend to try to … Continue reading →

Posted in California, Champagne, Italy, Pinot Noir, Spain, Sparkling Wine, Wine | 2 Comments