Champagne Dreams Are Not Restricted To December

If you're going to drink Champagne, December is the time you're most likely to do it. Three times more bubbly is sold this month than any other throughout the year. While we cannot all be like Winston Churchill, I for one, enjoy Champagne year-round. However, I have regular conversations with those who do not care for the wine, or who have the impression that finer Champagne is only for an elite class.

I often attempt to persuade someone that expresses dislike for Champagne that they have not experienced good Champagne. Take time to learn the basics to help you choose the right bubbles for you, like the different styles of Champagne. I enjoyed the advice in this interview with famed Sommelier Aldo Sohm. There is great diversity in sparkling flavor and feel.

Regarding the air of upper class, it's just another wine, people. Like any, there are numerous big names and three-figure price tags, and better bottles will cost fifty-dollars-plus. If you can afford the Doms and Cristals, they're an elevated experience. But the volume of choices in wine, including cost, is not to the exclusion of bubbles. There is a generous supply of sparking wine in all styles for under twenty dollars, and excellent non vintage Champagnes can be found in the thirty-dollar price range. 

With the selection of good wine available today, there should be a Champagne or sparking wine for you, maybe even one you will enjoy on a regular basis. You just might have to try several different styles and labels before you find it. Wait, is that a problem? 

Here are some personal picks:

 

Do you drink Champagne outside of events and special occasions?

WineVan WebbWine Tasting, Wine Drinking, Sommeliers, ChampagneComment