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Champagne

Saturday, December 29, 2012

Toast the 2013 New Year with a Bottle of Champagne

Choosing the appropriate sparkling wine for New Year's Eve can make you dizzy before the first sip. Here's a handy guide to the intoxicating world of bubbles on a budget.

The pop of the Champagne cork is as much a part of the New Year’s Eve soundtrack as "Auld Lang Syne" and fireworks. The tiny, tickling bubbles evoke celebratory moods. With so many sparkling wines to choose from, picking the best bottle can be daunting. Prices for sparkling wine range from less than $10 to more than $500 per bottle. Keep in mind that while you usually get what you pay for, there are some great options for those of us on a budget.  Large “negociant” champagne houses that purchase much of their fruit, such as Veuve Clicquot, Bollinger, Roederer, Taittinger, Perrier Jouet and Nicolas Feuillatte, dominate the market. However, in the last decade or so, Champagne from small growers has gained some traction with Champagne …

Monday, December 19, 2011

Wine Recommendations for a Spirited Holiday Season

Damon O'Gara of Cool Vines shared his selections for celebrating the holidays in style.

There's nothing better than warm, rustic comfort food around the holidays except, perhaps, when its accompanied by a lush, full-bodied wine. If you've been wondering what to serve alongside your holiday roast or what to pour as you're ringing in the new year, Damon O'Gara, wine buyer at Cool Vines, has some suggestions. "We're celebrating and it's fun to keep that in mind," he said. "This whole season is about rejoicing. As much as it is stressful and as much of a media circus as this has become, on the last day or however many days you celebrate, it's about family." To truly get in the celebratory spirit, O'Gara recommends a sparkling wine. "The trend in the wine world right now, especially in champagne, is grower champagne," O'Gara …

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