life as it should be lived
I believe that champagne drunk is a special kind of drunk, like wedding drunk. And it’s such a delicate, effervescent experience that each glass should be a unique pleasure, you know? While I have definitely spent my fair share of time with a bottle of Andre brut, found at CVS for a cool $3.99 & served in a red plastic cup, when time and resources allow, I like to do any of the following things for a most satisfactory glass of champagne:
1. Move beyond the standard mimosa <orange juice + champagne> into exotic territory. Cranberry juice is a great addition. My personal favorites are probably a splash of grapefruit juice, which imparts a nice peachy color, or sparkling blueberry juice (the one from Trader Joe’s is perfect). Besides, “Blue’mosa” just rolls so trippingly off the tongue.
for the discerning drinker on safari
2. Use the proper equipment. A champagne flute is the infinitely preferable choice when it comes to glassware. And that’s not just snobbery talking, it’s science. The relatively narrow diameter of the glass rim is what keeps your bubbly, bubbly. Too much open surface area allows the effervescence to escape quickly, which leaves you feeling flat and sad.
your cup will runneth over
3. Keep the faith. Even if your champagne has gone flat and sad, there can be hope of rejuvenation. I have had varying levels of success with re-carbonating day (or two)-old open bottles of champagne by dropping in a raisin or other small, bumpy fruit. I first read about the raisin trick in a book called Urawaza <tokyomango.com> by Lisa Katayama. Apparently, this can resurrect the life of flat champagne because the highly irregular surface of a raisin gives the carbonation something to bounce off of.
I have attempted this urawaza tip quite a few times, and I think its utility depends on the wine itself, mostly. Sometimes it’s a complete dud and nothing happens. But there have been a few occasions where I used blackberries in a half-full bottle of champagne and it literally bubbled over!
Wolf Blass Yellow Label - surprisingly affordable
4. You don’t have to break the budget. I got a bottle of really great champagne for $5.99 this weekend at the San Diego Wine Company <sandiegowine.net>. I went in looking for a Father’s Day gift, but this Wolf Blass Yellow Label Brut was positioned right near the register and in a testament to impulse shopping, I decided I had to try it.
It didn’t disappoint! It made for an awesome strawberry bellini that comforted me greatly, as I was nursing a cold all weekend. I would definitely recommend this champagne if you need to get a good, inexpensive bottle for a party or just for personal consumption – can’t go wrong!
To Your Satisfaction 