Tag: dosage

Bollinger Special Cuvée Champagne Wraps Up Our Year of Monthly Toasts with Favorite Sparkling Wines

As our year of monthly toasts with old favorites comes to an end, we will enjoy a bottle of Bollinger Special Cuvée Champagne. It ticks all the boxes for what we love in a Champagne.

We often will compare Pinot-forward sparkling wines to Bollinger when judging what we like or don't like about them. This outstanding cuvée is the perfect choice to complete our goal of toasting each month in 2018 with an old favorite instead of auditioning twelve new contenders. Besides, enjoying time with old friends is always a good idea.

Trying wines from different places, made with different grapes, and produced by different methods adds spice to our monthly ritual. Since 2007 we've raised a glass of sparkling wine to greet each new month. We invite you to join our Sparkling Resolution and raise a glass of something sparkling on the first of each month in 2019!

Here's what the winemakers tell us about Bollinger Special Cuvée Champagne.

For people like us who just buy a bottle of wine and enjoy it because we know we love it, taking a fresh look at the official notes can actually give us different nuances to look for and enjoy.

Details

"Blend: 60% Pinot Noir, 25% Chardonnay, 15% Meunier. Over 85% Grands and Premiers crus.

Maturation: cellar aged for more than twice the time required by the appellation.

Dosage: moderate, 8 to 9 grams per liter."

Tasting Notes

"To the eye: a golden colour, distinctive of black grape varieties; very fine bubbles.

To the nose: a beautiful aromatic complexity ; ripe fruit and spicy aromas ; hints of roasted apples, apple compote and peaches.

On the palate: a subtle combination of structure, length and vivacity ; bubbles like velvet ; pear, brioche and spicy aromas, notes of fresh walnut."

Bollinger is a Champagne to share with special friends to celebrate life's special moments or to pop open when the wine itself is to be the occasion.

We purchased our bottle at Federal Wine and Spirits, but it is widely available and can occasionally be found at bargain prices. Expect to see it in the $60 to $70 range.

Here's to 2019. Cheers!

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Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photos: ©2018 Penny & Ed Cherubino

December 31, 2018
Toasting August with Billecart-Salmon: A Tale of Two Bruts

We can’t think of a better way to ring-in a new month than by toasting with two glasses of bubbly from one of our favorite Champagne houses, Billecart-Salmon! No, wait. Actually, that would be four glasses and two bottles.

In this post, we explore two Champagne styles: ours and that of some of our wine-loving friends. The right wine is the wine you like! Besides, anytime you’re able to justify opening multiple bottles of these French jewels, the happier the occasion becomes.

However, in the interest of full disclosure, we actually opened our Champagne Billecart-Salmon Extra-Brut at the beach, last summer. Extra Brut is the driest designation of Champagne styles containing less than 0.6% sugar per liter. While this Billecart-Salmon contains the big three: Pinot Meunier, Pinot Noir, and Chardonnay, they point out that, “No sugar has been added to the dosage.”

Billecart-Salmon says, “A Champagne full of brightness and purity … harmonious minerality … balanced finish” Download More about Billecart-Salmon Etra Brut.

We say, “tight … a bit stern … but, focused”

As for the Champagne Billecart-Salmon Brut Réserve, we lifted our glasses to welcome August 2013, took our first sips, and couldn’t stop grinning!

We say, “round … mellow … friendly … magical … drink slowly through the temperatures” (allow to warm in your glass)

Billecart-Salmon says, “harmony … balance … persistent and abounding mousse … freshness … rich bouquet Download More about Billecart-Salomn BRUT RESERVE.

We began our love affair with Billecart-Salmon many years ago by falling for their Brut Rosé. Since then, we’ve come to appreciate the depth of this outstanding Champagne house and continue to try their many other offerings.

Whatever your taste in sparkling wine, we hope you’ll join us in a toast to month number eight, à votre santé!

Here’s More About

Our Sparkling Resolution

Our Sparkling Resolution Winner’s List

Do you have an Amazon Gift Certificate to use? Or do you need to buy one for a gift? Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site!

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: © 2013 Penny & Ed Cherubino

August 1, 2013
Toasting August with Billecart-Salmon: A Tale of Two Bruts

We can’t think of a better way to ring-in a new month than by toasting with two glasses of bubbly from one of our favorite Champagne houses, Billecart-Salmon! No, wait. Actually, that would be four glasses and two bottles.

In this post, we explore two Champagne styles: ours and that of some of our wine-loving friends. The right wine is the wine you like! Besides, anytime you’re able to justify opening multiple bottles of these French jewels, the happier the occasion becomes.

However, in the interest of full disclosure, we actually opened our Champagne Billecart-Salmon Extra-Brut at the beach, last summer. Extra Brut is the driest designation of Champagne styles containing less than 0.6% sugar per liter. While this Billecart-Salmon contains the big three: Pinot Meunier, Pinot Noir, and Chardonnay, they point out that, “No sugar has been added to the dosage.”

Billecart-Salmon says, “A Champagne full of brightness and purity … harmonious minerality … balanced finish” Download More about Billecart-Salmon Etra Brut.

We say, “tight … a bit stern … but, focused”

As for the Champagne Billecart-Salmon Brut Réserve, we lifted our glasses to welcome August 2013, took our first sips, and couldn’t stop grinning!

We say, “round … mellow … friendly … magical … drink slowly through the temperatures” (allow to warm in your glass)

Billecart-Salmon says, “harmony … balance … persistent and abounding mousse … freshness … rich bouquet Download More about Billecart-Salomn BRUT RESERVE.

We began our love affair with Billecart-Salmon many years ago by falling for their Brut Rosé. Since then, we’ve come to appreciate the depth of this outstanding Champagne house and continue to try their many other offerings.

Whatever your taste in sparkling wine, we hope you’ll join us in a toast to month number eight, à votre santé!

Here’s More About

Our Sparkling Resolution

Our Sparkling Resolution Winner’s List

Do you have an Amazon Gift Certificate to use? Or do you need to buy one for a gift? Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site!

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: © 2013 Penny & Ed Cherubino

August 1, 2013
Toasting August with Billecart-Salmon: A Tale of Two Bruts

We can’t think of a better way to ring-in a new month than by toasting with two glasses of bubbly from one of our favorite Champagne houses, Billecart-Salmon! No, wait. Actually, that would be four glasses and two bottles.

In this post, we explore two Champagne styles: ours and that of some of our wine-loving friends. The right wine is the wine you like! Besides, anytime you’re able to justify opening multiple bottles of these French jewels, the happier the occasion becomes.

However, in the interest of full disclosure, we actually opened our Champagne Billecart-Salmon Extra-Brut at the beach, last summer. Extra Brut is the driest designation of Champagne styles containing less than 0.6% sugar per liter. While this Billecart-Salmon contains the big three: Pinot Meunier, Pinot Noir, and Chardonnay, they point out that, “No sugar has been added to the dosage.”

Billecart-Salmon says, “A Champagne full of brightness and purity … harmonious minerality … balanced finish” Download More about Billecart-Salmon Etra Brut.

We say, “tight … a bit stern … but, focused”

As for the Champagne Billecart-Salmon Brut Réserve, we lifted our glasses to welcome August 2013, took our first sips, and couldn’t stop grinning!

We say, “round … mellow … friendly … magical … drink slowly through the temperatures” (allow to warm in your glass)

Billecart-Salmon says, “harmony … balance … persistent and abounding mousse … freshness … rich bouquet Download More about Billecart-Salomn BRUT RESERVE.

We began our love affair with Billecart-Salmon many years ago by falling for their Brut Rosé. Since then, we’ve come to appreciate the depth of this outstanding Champagne house and continue to try their many other offerings.

Whatever your taste in sparkling wine, we hope you’ll join us in a toast to month number eight, à votre santé!

Here’s More About

Our Sparkling Resolution

Our Sparkling Resolution Winner’s List

Do you have an Amazon Gift Certificate to use? Or do you need to buy one for a gift? Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site!

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: © 2013 Penny & Ed Cherubino

August 1, 2013