82 Responses

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1. August 26, 2006

   Tony

   OMG, Gary! I just watched the video (I was having plugin problems)! That tie!! (sound of hilarious laughing)…

   Sorry, buddy, but that tie just cracked me up. No offense, and please don’t hate me, but I couldn’t contain myself. Tell me when your birthday is, and I’ll buy you a nice-looking silk tie.

   Too bad you didn’t talk about the vlog during the interview, there was a good opportunity when she asked about marketing and attracting sales. Too bad she didn’t ask about it.

   Tony

2. August 25, 2006

   mwf

   GIANTS 13, jets 7

3. August 25, 2006

   mwf

   Andre (aka asr2021):

   “gf’s first birthday” ?? Isn’t that a bit young for champagne?

4. August 25, 2006

   john maki

   Most memorable champagne – Krug Rose in the late 60’s. A friend of my wife’s was getting married and had us over for a very casual event where this was served pretty much by itself. I had never heard of it before, but was it good! It had an immense mouthfeel and dry rich flavors. I don’t remember a year, so it was probably non-vintage, but I’m not sure. Never tasted anything like it since. Now I realize how expensive it probably was. It just snuck up on me and hit me over the head!!!

5. August 25, 2006

   Andre (aka asr2021)

   Hi Gary et al.,
   My first Champagne was the Moet white star. I bought it for my gf’s first birthday. We liked it very much with strawberries; it was a great experience.

   I must say that my best sparkling wine experience was with prosecco. For Valentine’s Day I cooked a great dinner paired with Sauvignon Blanc, picked-up desert, and served the prosecco with chocolates and strawberrries. This was the best celebration I’ve had to date.

   Nice suit Gary gar!

6. August 25, 2006

   Tony G.

   WSJ! Now that’s what I’m talking about!

7. August 25, 2006

   Russ J

   Gary: Well done on the WSJ interview. If only that stiff who interviewed you was half as at ease and comfortable as you were!

   I am not a big Champagne person either but I have had a couple of killer bottles. Most killer: 1996 Taittinger Comtes de Champagne followed closely by a 1995 Bollinger Grande Annee.

8. August 25, 2006

   JohnM

   Big ups on the WSJ! Way to go.

9. August 25, 2006

   Tony

   Gary,

   Congrats on the WSJ! You’re starting to be famous. A year from now, you probably won’t even talk to us “little people” who knew you before you were the rock star “wine guy”.

   I’ve never really gotten into Champagne for a couple of reasons:

   1. The good stuff seems to be hideously expensive.
   2. Aside from a few big names, champagne is very confusing, and I don’t drink enough of it to become familiar with what’s good and what’s not.
   3. I was raised on Cold Duck and Andre Brut, so I never developed an interest in champagne. I just thought it was yucky sweet bubbly stuff.

   As a result, I don’t have a favorite bottle.

   Maybe that will change if you review some good, affordable bottles.

10. August 25, 2006

    Alan H

    The best champagne i’ve had was the 1985 Champagne Charlie by Charles Heidseick, which I had on a special birthday occassion in 2005. The only other bottle that had ever come close was a bottle of N.V Krug which I had kept in a cellar for around 5 years, the development that even this N.V wine went through was well worth the wait. Keeping N.V champagne to age is probley something that slips most peoples minds, but certain cuvee’s I think require and benifit from it.

    And Gary if you do do barbaresco I’d love to see a bottle of Gaja in the line up!

11. August 25, 2006

    Kai

    Gary,

    You were awesome on the WSJ interview. Keep up the good work.

    Kai from Hong Kong

12. August 25, 2006

    Rick E

    Gary –

    Congrats on the WSJ. It’s like seeing a drinking buddy on the front page of a major publication (but without all that extradition talk).

    I also watched the video, and concluded that maybe Vanessa O’Connell could have used a drink or two to help loosen up a bit.

    QOD: I guess I should be a little embarrassed by this but when I worked in NYC we had just signed a hard-fought contract with one of our clients and my partner bought a bottle of Dom Perignon to celebrate. We popped it open in the conference room and drank out of 6oz dixie cups. To your point about atmosphere and environment, it was one of the best champagnes I ever had. Plus I think I remember Big Bird’s picture when I got to the bottom of the cup. Show me a champagne flute that can do that…

13. August 25, 2006

    mwf

    In October 2004 we headed to the Napa Valley. There we had two great champagnes.

    The first was from the Frank Family VIneyard (frankfamilyvineyards.com) and is called Champagne, Rouge. This is a fruity champagne. The bottles we shipped home were wonderful at Thanksgiving!

    The second comes from Mumm (mummnapa.com). It is a winery exclusive called Demi Sec. This is a sweeter champagne with about 3% added sugar as I recall. A very interesting and tasty different kind of champagne.

    The bubblies from Domaine Caneros were disappointing.

    Pictures from our trip at:

    4dice.com/napa_web/start.html

14. August 25, 2006

    TimF

    Gary – I hate to be a stickler on pronunciation but the way you pronounced Pinot Meunier sounded more like Pinot Manure. I think it’s supposed to be more like Pinot muh-NYAY.

15. August 25, 2006

    TimF

    Gary – Fantastic episode. I _LOVE_ sparkling wine. I love them all. I haven’t had one I don’t like. My favorite bottle is probably the last one I had (okay, not really Champagne): Domaine Chandon Etoile Rose at Mustards Grill in Yountville earlier this week. I think roses are way underrated in general — would love to see an episode about them.

    This episode raises a great question. You mentioned that you want all producers to go to screw caps. Domaine Chandon went to bottle caps on some of their wines. This is ironic given the advertisement they have when entering Napa (a huge billboard with a regular cork and a sparkler cork side by side, with the caption that says something like “Which is more fun?”). So do you want to give up with “ppft” you get when opening Champagne?

    Along these lines, the subject of screwcaps seemed to be huge in Napa/Sonoma. At Ridge we discussed it and the tasting room manager mentioned that they test screwcaps out and taste the wines blind. She said that they _always_ prefer the wine with a cork. I’m starting to think screwcaps might be good for a young chard or sauv blanc but that’s about it…

16. August 25, 2006

    Ed R

    92 pt. episode, now I need a copy of WSJ.

17. August 25, 2006

    ChrisR

    I love Schramsberg Blanc de Noirs, but the best I ever had was Dom Perignon. I don’t remember the vintage (might have been the 1996) but it was year’s ago at Brennan’s during a New Orleans convention and we drank bottle after bottle with great New Orleans seafood. Luckily, I was the client so I didn’t have to pick up the check!

18. August 25, 2006

    Matty Van

    Link to gary’s WSJ interview on WSJ’s site…

    http://online.wsj.com/public/page/8_0000-qW7GfptE5NzdGNxjPC9y4fwR_HvKPTNf-qW7GfptE5NzdGNxjPC9y4fwR_HvKPTNf.html?mod=ARTICLE_VIDEO

19. August 25, 2006

    LMA

    Gary… really enjoyed the show. Though, I really really can’t wait until you go through some of the grower/producers in Champagne. I have a hard time imagining not being a fan of Champagne. I guess there’s a couple different camps in the wine lovers circle. I’m in yours, evidently. I love the stuff (of course, just the good ones). I,too, am a BIG fan of the smaller grower producers. I got hooked after a New York Times article about them a few years ago and I went searching out for whatever I could find.

    And again you are right about 1990 Champagne. It was a great year. Which leads to the QOD: my favorite Champagne so far has been a 1990 Delamotte Blanc de Blancs. Maybe it was because it was the first “vintage” Champagne, but it was just eye-opening. I also really liked some of the NV wines by Egly-Ouriet and Gimonnet. As far as the bigger houses go, I had a glass of NV Billecart-Salmon as an apperatif at Blackbird not too long ago that really impressed me.
    Needless to say, like the Champagne!

20. August 25, 2006

    Matty Van

    jets in the super bowl I know its friday but no need for crazy talk

    HOW TO SERVE CHAMPAGNE……

    “SERVING CHAMPAGNE with style — removing the cork quietly, cooling the wine to right temperature, and to keep it in the glass and off your guests — is not a natural gift. It requires a little dexterity, concentration, and a good dose of practice.
    Champagne should be served in long-stemmed flutes or tulip shaped glasses. These are designed to enhance the flow of bubbles to the crown and to concentrate the aromas of the wine. Never chill or ice the glass as it would take away from the enjoyment of the wine. Incidentally, since the surface texture of crystal is rougher than ordinary glass, more bubbles form on these glasses.

    Champagne is to be served cold at about 43 to 48°F (7°C). In this range the smell and taste of the wine can be fully appreciated. This temperature can be achieved by placing the unopened bottle in an ice bucket — one-half ice and one-half water — for 20 to 30 minutes. Or, you may refrigerate it for 3 to 4 hours. The refrigerator temperature is too cold for the bottle to be left in there for extended periods. It should never be placed in the freezer.

    The champagne cork is not a toy. There is about 70 pounds-per-square-inch of pressure behind it, thus making it a formidable missile. It helps if the champagne is properly chilled — at 45°F the gas is reduced one atmosphere of pressure — and you avoid shaking it as much as possible before opening it.

    Only remove enough of the foil to be able to loosen or remove the twisted-wire hood. It is wise to keep a finger or thumb over the cork at this point as it could pop out of its own accord. If the cork is loose, remove it carefully with the wire hood. Most often though, the cork has to be eased out. To do this, hold the bottle away from you and anyone else, at a 45 degree angle. It is prudent to place the mouth of the bottle nearest the first champagne glass to be filled in case the removal of the cork is mishandled and the wine begins to gush out of the bottle. Hold the cork and gently turn the bottle in one direction. Turn the bottle and not the cork.
    The cork should not pop. As the saying goes, “The ear’s gain is the palate’s loss.” You waste bubbles when you pop the cork. When properly executed it should come off with a quiet sigh.

    Before pouring, the neck should be wiped with a clean linen.Then begin by pouring a little — an inch or so — into everyone’s glass allowing the froth to settle. Then go around and top up to about two-thirds. This will prevent any frothing over.

    The correct way to pour a bottle of champagne is to hold the base firmly in one hand with the thumb in the punt and the fingers spread out along the barrel of the bottle.

    Champagne has reached its maturity and is ready for immediate consumption as soon as it leaves the champagne house. See Champagne Vintage Chart. However, champagne may be stored in cellar-like conditions for several years. (see Basic Storage Conditions) The important conditions are a constant, cool temperature and no light. The bottles must be stored horizontally to keep the cork moist and thus retain its elasticity. This will keep the gas in and the air out.

    Once opened, a bottle of champagne need not be consumed in one sitting. If properly closed – inexpensive champagne stoppers are made just for this purpose – and it is placed in a refrigerator, it should be good for another “bubbling” for up to several days. More of a popular myth than a solution, placing the handle of a silver spoon dangling into the neck of the bottle, will keep the wine sparkling for a few hours. This may be a quaint “solution” if you run out of stoppers. ”

    courisy of google

    QOD – I dont have a fav. champagne have only had the cheap ones and have yet to find one worth remembering. I look forward to the champage episode and hope it points mt to a good bottle under $20.

    In closing why to they call it champagne when there is really no pain involed shouldent they call it Cham-pleasure???

21. August 25, 2006

    Tony S.

    Hey Gary,

    Nice episode. I was about to ask if you were ever going to do a Champagne show, so I guess that answers my question.

    As for my favorite, although I usually like to save Champagne for a toast, or with appetizers or something, I’m not that big into “drinking” them. BUT, when I worked for a previous wine auction company before the one I’m with now, we had a pre-auction tasting that featured a few Champagnes. Among them was the 1985 Krug, man…that bottle opened my eyes to what a great Champagne is. It was crisp, yet had that rich, buttery thing going on that I never thought could happen with a Champagne.

    The only downside is, that’s way out of my price range, so unless I have it at another tasting or something, it’ll just be the memory and I’ll be stuck with the $20-30 hit or miss bottles.

    See you later, and I’ll be popping some Champagne when Da Bears beat your Jets in the Superbowl!

22. August 25, 2006

    Jim J.

    Gary:

    Fun episode. I’ve never been a fan of the sparklers; it seems like I’m always looking forward to the “real wine” that is served after the Champagne. Most of the ones I’ve had are too acidic, die on the palate, and are simply uninteresting. I think I’ve probably just never been exposed to a really good one (although, if the prices in this episode are indicative, I doubt that I will be searching one out).

    The episode does raise a question related to some of the earlier one’s you’ve addressed — namely, how do you properly serve a Champagne? Specifically, what temperature? should the bottle be opened and left to breath for any period of time? and why the narrow flutes?

    Also, for non-vintage Champagnes, how do you compare a bottle purchased now with a bottle purchased, say, five years ago? Are they supposed to be the same? If so, how does a producer ensure this? If not, how do you know really what you are buying?

    Inquiring minds want to know . . .

23. August 25, 2006

    SeanM

    Prosecco, good taste, good price.

24. August 25, 2006

    Steve

    CONGRATS MY FRIEND! Not everyday that one lands on the front page of the WSJ. Also thanks for answering my question.
    As for my favorite Champagne….Gary, I don’t have one. I was never a big fan of Champagne. Maybe time for a new exploration into it. So much wine and so little time…………

25. August 25, 2006

    garyv

    Doug the 1990 DOM P was AMAZING stuff, 1990 was just an amazing year for Champagne!

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