Tag Archives: champagne

Three lovely libations for Valentine’s Day

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ferrari-perle-millesimato-magnum-1185804-s238Valentine’s Day is great for the restaurant business.

Beg. borrow or steal a reservation, wait at the bar and finally descend on your table and hope your romantic evening out won’t be sidetracked by an overpressed wait staff and kitchen.

Why not spend a romantic evening at home?

Find a great card and a thoughtful gift for your sweetheart. Set a lovely table and light the candles. Put on wonderful music. And let the magic begin.

Here are three lovely libations to spark romance:
Build a wood fire and put a bottle of bubbly on ice. Ferrari Perle 2008 is celebratory, with that yeasty pop race car drivers and accomplished hosts expect from this superb producer of sparkling wines from Trento in northern Italy.  It’s creamy, with crisp apple and subtle notes of almond. (SRP: $38)

pinotnoir-B3-2_largeOn to dinner! Loveblock Pinot Noir is a gorgeous red with purple hues from a small vineyard in New Zealand appropriately named Someone’s Darling and brought to us by Terlato Wines. It’s complex, so open the bottle early and let it breathe. Expect perfumed violet, intense dark fruit, and an herbaceous oaky waft layered with savory mushroom and sweet strawberry notes. I suggest pouring this pleasing potable with duck. (SRP: $37)

Select_BottleIt’s a romantic evening. Back to the fireplace. Put another log on the fire, dear, and Indulge in Laphroaig Select Scotch Whisky, with the exquisite peaty notes of Scotland and “the beautiful hollow by the broad bay,” the literal translation of the label. (SRP: $44.99)

Hopefully, you already have set out nice glasses and comfy pillows.

Expect a long, dry finish with spice. Add a heartfelt hug from your sweetheart.

 

On Champagne Day, a toast to Charles Heidsieck

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Oct. 26 is International Champagne Day. Let’s celebrate by raising a glass to Charles-Camille Heidsieck, the visionary businessman known as Champagne Charlie, who traveled from France to America 160 years ago, forever elevating entertaining on this side of the pond.

Charles Heidsieck Brut Reserve NV is blended from equal proportions of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier, including 40 percent reserve wines, and aged for at least 36 months in chalk cellars excavated by the Romans in the 2nd century, a practice Heidsieck established in 1851.

The result is a deep golden champagne with persistent bubbles. It tastes of fresh bread and lush, exotic mangoes, with a frothy finish that is reminiscent of a creamy tart topped with ripe cherries.

I’d serve this as a welcome to guests, a liquid bellwether of a lovely evening to come, or perhaps with raw oysters as a first course. Expect to pay around $50 a pop for this bubbly.

You also should anticipate keeping a bottle chilled at all times in anticipation of having something wonderful to celebrate. After all, isn’t that what champagne is for? Thanks for reminding us, Charlie.