A Toast to Champagne!
December 31st, 2009
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Happy New Year from the crew at Vintage Cellars! We’d like to remind you that tonight, when you’re raising your glass with family and friends, to not forget a small, personal toast for that beverage of celebration: champagne! If you’re looking for a great new bubbly to try, here’s the San Francisco Chronicle’s 100 Top Wines list, headed by seven great champagnes.
In honor of New Year’s Eve, we bring you a few interesting tidbits you might not have known about the world’s most beloved sparkling beverage:
- Champagne was associated from the beginning with the anointment of French kings. Since then, the word “champagne” has been synonymous with luxury and power.
- Contrary to popular belief, Dom Perignon did not invent sparkling wine. It was invented by English scientist and physician Christopher Merret in 1662, when he presented the Royal Society with a paper in which he detailed the “méthode
champenoise,” basically, how to add sugar for a secondary fermentation that produces bubbles. - In France, the first champagne was created by mistake. Accidental secondary fermentation caused bottles to spontaneously explode from the pressure of carbonation. Because of this, the French called champagne “the devil’s wine.”
- Champagne was always sweet until 1876, when Brut was first created.
- Bubbles occur when the liquid contacts small imperfections in the glass. These “nucleation points” are often added to champagne glasses with acid, a laser, or a glass etching tool.
- Bottling champagne in magnum-sized bottles is said to produce a higher quality beverage, as there is less oxygen in the larger bottle, and the volume-to-surface area ratio creates bubbles of a perfect size.
- Champagne corks are originally shaped like cylinders. Pressure forces them into their distinct mushroom shape. The longer champagne has been in the bottle, the more mushroom-shaped the cork.
- Champagne is usually served in a champagne flute. The shape of the other common glass, the Victorian flute, with the wide, short bowl, is said to have been modeled from the breast of Marie Antoinette.
- When opened correctly, a bottle of champagne won’t make a loud popping sound, as this means you might be spilling-and wasting! The sighing sound of a properly opened cork is called “le soupir amoureux” (the loving whisper).
like a white tablecloth or white napkin. Though color isn’t necessarily indicative of quality, it can tell you something about the age of the wine. White wines become darker with time. Red wines tend to become more brownish in color as they age, and can sometimes collect a small amount of harmless sediment. An older red wine will also be more translucent than a younger one. Check for bits of cork floating in the wine–if they are there, they could indicate that the wine is 
people will rate a wine they were told was more expensive as better than the same wine labeled as a cheap bottle. A white wine will be judged as “fresh” and “clean,” while the same wine dyed red will be judged as “bold” and “spicy.” Think you’re immune to this kind of fooling? Test yourself and your friends with a blind taste test!
Mulholland is a maker and purveyor of fine leather products. Their goods only improve with age, and will last for generations. Mulholland’s line of leather wine bags was developed for the true wine connoisseur. They are perfect for carrying wine to a party, a picnic, or even across the country. Mulholland makes wine carrying bags to hold one, two, or six bottles. The six-bottle carriers are also available in a rolling style perfect for transporting your beloved bottles through busy airports. All carriers are made with a semi-rigid insulated nylon liner that maintains the temperature of chilled whites and champagnes, and protects red wines from temperature extremes. Each comes with a handle and shoulder strap, and all are shipped with a free stainless corkscrew.
For the wine lover who also enjoys fine liquor, Mulholland makes flasks from their premium leather. These flasks are stainless steel and wrapped in one of Mulholland’s two leathers: the Lariat or the Latigo. The Lariat is a strong, honey-brown leather that ages beautifully, acquiring a surface etched with marks from daily wear. The Latigo is a rich, dark leather cured with natural vegetable extracts. Its distinctive sheen makes it a beautiful material for all of Mulholland’s crafts. Flasks are available in 4 or 6 oz styles, and include screw caps that are hinged to the flask’s surface, ensuring they will never be lost. Mulholland’s flasks are crafted with the finest workmanship, and make stunning gifts.
It’s no secret that many wine lovers are avid golfers. The ultimate golfing gift? One of Mulholland’s all-leather golf bags. Handcrafted from the signature leather that has made the name “Mulholland” synonymous with “fine leather,” a Mulholland golf bag is a gift that will last a lifetime. Made of only the hardiest, most durable leather, a golf bag by Mulholland will acquire a unique patina of scrapes and scratches that will tell the story of your golfer’s years on the links. These golf bags are divided into three sections and come with several accessory compartments, as well as adjustable shoulder straps, leather trunk handles, water-repellant rain hoods, and umbrella holders. Consider gifting the golf lover in your life with the ultimate in beauty and function: a leather golf bag by Mulholland.
Delia Wine Storage makes unique, artistic wine racks with metal and glass. These racks add a conversation-starting touch to any wine collection. Many are small, and so are ideal for wine lovers in tight spaces. If you know someone whose apartment won’t fit a wine refrigerator, or a wine collector just starting out, a Delia rack might be an ideal choice. But these beautiful wine storage sculptures aren’t limited to those in small spaces. They can also be used to spruce up a kitchen or add an interesting element to an existing wine cellar.
Mulholland makes most of its luxury leather goods in two colors. The first is the “Lariat™,” known for its honeyed surface known for its uniqueness: each product acquires marks and scratches from use that become part of the beauty of the material. The second is the “Latigo™,” a darker stout color cured with vegetable extracts and polished with a high-speed glass cylinder. For the Sommelier Corkscrew and Case, Mulholland makes a third color: a rich, medium “Bridle Tan.”
