5 Great Reasons To Drink Champagne

5 Great Reasons To Drink Champagne

By Ted Demopoulos

People often associate Champagne only with special events like Weddings, Christenings, and more, but it really is a wonderful wine suitable for many occasions. There really needs to be no mystique about it, it is simply wine, although certainly one of the great white wines of the world. And besides Champagne, which is always from Champagne, France, hence its name, there are also many wonderful and often much less expensive sparkling wines from other areas of the world such as Italy, California, Spain, and even England. We will treat all sparkling wines together below, and anywhere we say Champagne realize you can substitute any sparkling wine you enjoy.

1) A special event is the traditional reason to open a bottle or more. The Wedding toast for example, is a classic reason. An anniversary celebration is another. I'm sure you have many other special events that may be appropriate as well.

2) Brunch is a great time to enjoy a glass, hence the term Champagne Brunch. It is not only very food friendly, but it also goes extremely well with eggs, whether a simple dish like fried or scrambled eggs, or something more complicated like Eggs Benedict or a Frittata. Of course it can also be mixed with orange juice to make a classic Mimosa, a common brunch libation. Not surprisingly, most people tend to do this on lazy Sundays as it just doesn't fit into most people's busy weekdays!

3) Dinner! Yes, dinner is an excellent reason to serve Champagne. You can serve it as an aperitif, perhaps with appetizers, or even with the meal itself. If serving the entire evening, you may want to start with a Blanc de blancs, which is made of all Chardonnay and usually quite light and crisp, move onto a traditional Champagne with the main course, and consider serving a demi-sec, a sweet version, with dessert. Although it won't match well with a Prime Rib or other big piece or red meat, it goes well with most other dishes.

4) When friends stop by. I usually keep a bottle in my refrigerator in case friends unexpectedly stop by. There is just something classy and inviting about offering a glass of Champagne, whether the offer is accepted or not. And if it's someone you find attractive, it can be quite romantic too!

5) Any party is a great time to serve Champagne! I'll often serve it first, sometimes only to the people who arrive on time. Do this a few times and people won't be late anymore!

Much more information is available at Champagne and Claude Genet Champagne. We go into the various styles of Champagne, and give some specific recommendations of ones we love at all price points.

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Tips to Organize an Indoor Champagne Picnic

Author: Nathan Hall

There are moments when you feel you just want to go to a picnic and if the weather's against you or it's not even summer you can always host a champagne picnic at home. In the following paragraphs, we're going to write about how to organize an indoor picnic, what champagnes to choose and how to serve it. We're also going to discuss foods that go well with champagne.

Get everything you need if you want a wonderful picnic. For a typical indoor picnic, you'll be needing a large room. Bring some blankets and floor pillows. A fireplace would be a great idea but it's not mandatory. Put an ice bucket for champagne, some flutes and appetizers next to every blanket. Also put some towels next to each ice bucket so guests can wipe the bottles dry before they open champagne. It's a good idea to put all the blankets together so that everybody can join to play different games or any other fun group activity.

You should first choose a good party champagne before inviting everybody. A good choice would be any Blanc de Blanc non-vintage, or any other champagnes prepared of mostly Chardonnay grapes. But don't hesitate to choose Rose, as it's a wonderful party champagne and ladies love it. Usually vintage champagnes are very expensive but if you opt for a non-vintage sparkling wine you can find a good price even with important champagne brands such as Moet and Chandon, Bollinger and Freixenet.

When you're buying champagne remember that a bottle usually equals six glasses, so depending on how many people will be there, choose how many you'll be needing. You'll be needing several ice buckets. Before you prepare the ice buckets make sure you've chilled the sparkling wine in the fridge for at least a couple of hours. Fill the buckets half way with ice and then add some water. Put the bottles inside fifteen minutes before the guests arrive. Prepare the appetizers. You might already know that fish suits white wine and champagne, so bring a plateau with fillet fish, lobsters, oysters and caviar. For the afters, you should try chocolate candy or ice-cream and eat it with a sweet Rose.

These are the basic steps to host an awesome indoor champagne picnic. You don't have to buy the most expensive champagne you can get in order to have a good picnic. You can even find renowned champagne brands for inexpensive prices online.

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Champagne brands.

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Tips and Tricks for an Awesome Champagne Party

Tips and Tricks for an Awesome Champagne Party

By Amy J. Martin

Champagne is that missing piece that every party should have. You don't have to open a champagne bottle only several times per year for New Year's Eve or a wedding. You can drink it every time you throw a party. It's not like you're going to buy the most expensive champagne at your supermarket. There are different sorts of champagne just for smaller occasions, like a simple party. In this article you'll find out how to cherish champagne at every party. First, we'll discuss about champagne brands and which suit best. Secondly, we'll talk about what to eat with champagne and finally, we'll write about making champagne mixtures.

Some champagne brands are more suitable for parties than other ones. You don't have to buy a pricey Heidsieck or Dom Perignon at each party, unless you have a rather luxurious lifestyle, but you can get a great champagne brand like Moet et Chandon at about $14 per bottle. For a regular party, purchasing 6-7 bottles will be enough. Pick different types of champagne. Choose Blanc de Blanc, which is quite popular; always pick a Rose and a Sec. How many bottles of champagne you're going to get of each sort is up to you to settle.

Get some food that goes well with sparkling wine. Homemade food would be perfect, only make sure to also bring some of the following: a good French cheese, fish (salmon would be perfect), oysters (eat them with Blanc de Blanc), and sweets, especially chocolate, fruits, muffins, cream cake and ice cream. If you want to get creative make some home-baked chocolate and for a touch of sophistication, bring some caviar. Moreover, you can get some Chinese food or turkey and chicken. Meat and pork aren't that great with champagne.

Self-serve bar. Put the foods close to the champagne, which should be inside the ice buckets. Start with seafood and a Medium-dry champagne and keep the Rose for the sweets. In between, you should prepare some cocktails. The bubbly taste of champagne is perfect for cocktails. Mix some juice with champagne and add some fresh fruit pulp for some delicious mixtures. Prepare a Bellini cocktail by mixing peach pulp (or juice) with champagne. If you want the traditional Bellini, use Prosecco. So if you're into traditional cocktails, have a bottle of Prosecco ready.

Throwing a champagne party is quite fun as long as you know what champagne brands are symbols of quality and still not very expensive.. You can have a very cute party with quality champagne without having to buy the most expensive champagne at your supermarket.

Find more about champagne brands and the most expensive champagne.

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Weekend Dessert - Strawberry Champagne Cake and Strawberry Champagne Buttercream Frosting Recipe

Strawberry Champagne Cake and Strawberry Champagne Buttercream Frosting Recipe

By Christan Monin

For Easter I wanted to make a spectacular treat for my guests, and after careful contemplation I decided to make a Strawberry Champagne cake. I thought this was perfect for two reasons. First, it has been a long winter full of no fresh berries. The stores are replenishing their shelves with lush, ripe berries, and I want in! Secondly, I thought the strawberries mixed with champagne would be the perfect celebratory cake to eat when I watched Prince William and Princess Kate marry. Yes, I woke up at 4 am to watch the festivities, and yes, I ate strawberry champagne cake at 8 am! I had planned on having a glass of gorgeous pink strawberry flavored champagne along with my slice of cake, but, alas, I couldn't bring myself to do it so early in the day.

Anyway, I searched online and found a recipe that looked pretty good. And then I made it spectacular by adding my own special touches. I also have a favorite buttercream frosting recipe that I always use, and I used it for this cake, and added extra delicious ingredients. There is much debate when it comes to changing a recipe -- some are for it, and some are against it. I think it is essential to keep your liquid to dry ingredients about the same as it calls for in the recipe. But when it comes to adding fresh fruit, chocolate, nuts, I say knock yourself out! Eyeball it, make sure it looks (smells) right, and go to town. These small touches really make a recipe spectacular.

To make the cake even more special I decided to add fresh strawberries and ganache to the center instead of just the strawberry buttercream frosting. This is a good idea in theory, however, I do not recommend using fresh fruit in a cake. I ended up having little streams pouring out of my cake, and I had a very sticky puddle on my cake platter. The sugar in the frosting brings out the juices in the fresh fruit. If you are intent on using fresh berries (as am I) I would recommend making a strawberry (or any other fruit or berry) sauce. This way you will still have the fresh ingredients without the sticky mess.

The cake was a hit! My family loved it, and my uncle even said that it would have to be his next birthday cake (what a compliment!). I think of all the desserts I have made, this is a fan favorite.

Strawberry Champagne cake:

1 cup (2 sticks) butter

2 cup sugar

2 egg

3 cups cake flour

2 tsp baking powder

½ tsp salt

½ cup champagne

½ cup pureed strawberries

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 ½ cup chopped fresh strawberries

4 egg whites

Cream butter and sugar until light and smooth. Add the egg and mix until completely incorporated.

In a separate bowl combine and sift the flour, baking powder, and salt. In a dish combine the puree and champagne. Alternate adding the flour and strawberry mixtures to the butter mixture. Start and end with flour for a fluffy cake. Add the vanilla. Add the strawberries mixing until just incorporated. Fold in half the egg whites, then fold in the remainder.

I like to put the batter into a piping bag to fill the cupcake tins. Batter should reach just over ¾ of the tin.

Bake at 350 for 35 minutes.

Strawberry Buttercream Frosting

1 cup butter

1 package (2 pounds) powdered sugar

heaping 1/3 cup pureed strawberries

1 tsp vanilla

chocolate shavings for garnish

Cream the butter until light and fluffy. With continuous mixing, add a bit of the powdered sugar (add some of the strawberry puree if it gets too thick). Keep adding the sugar in small increments until completely blended with the butter. Add the remainder of the strawberry puree and the vanilla. If the frosting is still thick, add some champagne! Add chocolate shavings on top of the frosted cupcake for a decadent treat!

Happy baking!

For a modified cupcake variation of this recipe see my website: http://bodhibaker.blogspot.com/2011/04/strawberry-champagne-cupcakes.html

See my website for other recipes: http://www.squidoo.com/bodhi-baker

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Valentine's Day Wines

Author: Jessica Fialkovich

Lucky for all of us, Valentine's Day only comes but once a year and for this weekend alone we are expected to come up with the most romantic gift for our significant others. What better way to say you care that a great bottle of wine (which you can also enjoy yourself!) We've compiled a list of the most romantic wines in celebration of the day of love. These wines are sure to please as well as provide a great, romantic story.
Soave: The Wine of Romeo & Juliet
Pra Soave Classico 2008
You can't get much more romantic the drinking the grapes of Verona, Italy. The name of Soave is rumored to have stemmed from two sources: the first gives credit to the great Italian poet of the 13th century, Dante Alighieri, author of the Divine Comedy and friend of the lord of Verona, Cangrande della Scala. The second credits Romeo (as in Romeo & Juliet), tasting the wine after a tryst with Juliet Romeo says to a servant, "Soave" after receiving a goblet of wine. Whatever the source of the name, Soave now holds the place as Italy's most romantic wine and the official wine of "Verona in Love," Italy's celebration of love and romance every Valentine's Day weekend.
Tasting notes: Fresh, flowery and lightly yeasty nose witha touch of wood smoke. The palate is attractively textured and juicy, showing zesty ‘leesy' intensity and a hint of almonds. Crisp, incisive and mineral on the finish.

Rose: The Color of Love
Van Duzer Pinot Noir Rose 2008
What's not to love about a pink wine on Valentine's Day? This rose is NOT white zinfandel style. Made from 100% pinot noir, this rose is fermented with the skins for one hour to give the wine the pink hue. Held in stainless steel tanks, it exudes a crisp, dry and clean style.
Tasting notes: Dry strawberries and spice reminsicent of a traditional pinot noir. Crisp acidity on the finish leaves a clean mouth feel.
Bordeaux Blends: Deep, dark, and luscious
Jarvis Lake William Blend 2002
Lake William is the Cabernet Sauvignon blend which started out as a cellar mistake but is now a most sought after blend. It is named after the lake which borders and cools the Jarvis estate vineyards that makes up the blend. Each vintage's varietal composition varies dependent on the blending of Winemaker Consultant, Dimitri Tchelistcheff.
Tasting notes: This 2002 Lake William combines 31% Cabernet Sauvignon, 37% Cabernet Franc, 21% Merlot, 6% Petit Verdot and 5% Malbec. Twenty months of barrel aging in 100% new French Nevers oak adds a note of toasty vanilla to the rich violet aromas and elegant blackberry flavors of this wine.
Champagne: Add a little sparkle to your night
Graham Beck Rose Brut NV
Champagne has been linked to love and romance for centuries. In the18th century a French cardinal, of all used the imagery of a champagne bottle popping open to make very thinly-veiled erotic suggestions in a poem to his would-be mistress the Marquise de Pompadour. By the late 1700s in France the connection between seduction and champagne was established. Legend has it that the saucer-shaped champagne glasses called coupes were modelled on the the breasts of famous French royal Marie-Antoinette, wife of king Louis XVI.
Tasting Notes: Pale silver-pink. Aromas of raspberries, cherries and a few secondary whiffs of minerality. A lively mousse but fine in the mouth, with subtle red berry flavours enlivened by bright acids. Brisk on the palate, showing hints of oyster shell and fresh lavender. Flirtatious and fun, yet elegant and structured, it's perfect for all seasons and settings.

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LWC - New Year Champagne Cocktails

Lisa's Weekly Coffee: New Year Champagne Cocktails

Happy New Year and Happy New Style Champagne to all!! Instead of the classic glass of champagne why not cheer on the New Year by adding a twist by trying a Champagne Cocktail. I've chosen three of my favorite cocktail recipes to share with my readers, not only are they perfect for New Years they easily compliment any celebration year round!

Happy New Year!
Lisa






Campari Champagne


1 - 1 1/4 oz Campari® bitters
4 oz Champagne
1 twist lemon peel

Pour campari into a champagne flute, and fill with champagne. Twist the lemon peel over the drink, and serve.










Blue Champagne

1 oz vodka
1/4 oz lemon juice
2 - 3 dashes triple sec
2 - 3 dashes Blue Curacao liqueur
Champagne



Pour all ingredients (except champagne) over ice cubes in a shaker. Strain into a champagne flute, fill with champagne, and serve







Champagne Passion

1 1/2 oz passion-fruit puree
simple syrup
Champagne
1/2 oz Alize® liqueur



Pour passion fruit puree into a champagne saucer and stir in the simple syrup (to taste). Slowly add the champagne whilst stirring gently. Float the alize on top, and serve.





Disclosure: the above publication is for entertainment purposes only. The above recipes have been adapted by drinkmixer.com. Images have been adapted by google and may or may not reflect the actual recipe.