Year of Champagne (Anytime)

I don't think that have mentioned this in my journal yet, but 2008 is the "Year of Champagne (Anytime)" (as 2007 was the "Year of the Sidecar".) I have gotten a number of people to convert to the sidecar (a classic cocktail that should not have been as sorely neglected as it has) last year, and now I am trying to encourage people that champagne should not be reserved purely for special occasions, but can be enjoyed at any time.

This of course requires finding a champagne that you like. For a long time, I was convinced that all champagne tasted like that $10 Korbel Brut (eww!), and I didn't really like the high end Veurve Cliquot either as it was too dry for my taste. However, a lot of tasting later (and a clever friend who was able to help me identify what I liked and disliked in champagne,) and I have been converted to sparkling white wine!! I am now a huge fan of prosecco and have been attempting to find "my" champagne.

One of the sparkling white wines that I have tried and liked is Roederer Estate (Roederer is a French brand, but Estate is grown/made in California.) It is really good and, at $19 a bottle at Trader Joe's, is very reasonably priced for a Roederer. I should think that only a real wine proficient could tell this California wine (a blend of chardonnay and pinot noir) from the real thing. And as a person who doesn't really LIKE champagne (I still prefer prosecco,) I could seriously drink this stuff like water. SO SO SO good. It is bubbly fruity goodness. It is very good served cold, although when it warms up, it is still quite nice. I suggest serving it with some stinky cheese and fruit on a Friday after work.