And so I got to drink some incredible wines, several Champagnes among them. In light of my last post on a blind Grand Marque tasting, I thought it would be especially fitting to share a bit about these Champagnes. 2007) Jérôme Prévost La Closerie Les Béguines Champagne Rosé Extra Brut , $105, Polaner Selections. Perhaps fewer. MORE >>

“[Simon] Staples has remortgaged his home three times in the last 10 years (in 2000, 2005 and 2009) to buy Bordeaux. SIPPED and SPIT: journalists at sommelier competitions. Alan Richman participated in several events of the Best Sommelier in America contest. SIPPED: Royal Wedding champage. If so, hit the comments. SPIT: corks. MORE >>

Top three include 2006 Domaine de Cassagnoles Vin de Pays des Côte de Gascogne Reserve Cuvée Gros Manseng, 2005 Domaine de la Pepiere Muscadet Sur Lie Clos des Briords, and 2005 Le Bourcier Mâcon Cuv é e Elena. Industry tasting : Terry Theise Grower Champagnes at the Michael Skurnik tasting. Kind of hard to believe. So good. MORE >>

In 2005, the EU and US reached a bilateral accord to end a round of negotiations that had lasted twenty years. One of the significant parts of the agreement was that American wines could no longer use place names such as Champagne, Chianti, or Port on new wine labels (for the complete list, see the press release ). MORE >>

Many Champagnes too. For example, Sherry and Champagne both come from very chalky soils. And in the case of Champagne, the chalk combined with extended contact with lees? We were drinking 2005 Domaine de Montbourgeau Savagnin, $35, Imported by Neal Rosenthal Wine Merchant. And most Sherries aged under flor. MORE >>