The DC Traveler

One of my favorite guilty pleasures is enjoying a chilly glass (or two) of champagne. I also love to visit many of the champagne producers in the Napa Valley and Sonoma county when I travel to see my family in California.

But there are so many types and styles of sparkling wines and champagnes. While the wine aficionado may turn their nose up at anything that is not “true” Champagne from the Champagne region in France, one should never ignore all the other interesting sparklers - Méthode Champenoise, prosecco, spumante, sparkling shiraz from Australia, or even a lightly sparkling vinho verde from Portugal. But what’s the difference? What do they go with?

Claude Thibault, the Champagne Master from Janisson Champagne and previously with some great Sonoma and Napa Valley wineries, including Kendall-Jackson, Jordan (a personal favorite) and Iron Horse, will help you learn about the differences and how they compare at Wines of Summer - Champagne and Other Bubbles. He is also adding to the growing list of Virginia wineries with his own in Charlottesville, VA. Late rthis year, he’ll be releasing his own wines to the market.

This champagne tasting and seminar will include samplings of 8 sparklers from France, Italy, Spain and the U.S., each paired with an appropiate hors d’oeuvre.

Folklore is a great part of the history of the creation and refinement of champagne. It’s a common misconception that French monk, Dom Pérignon at the Abbey d’Hautvilliers, was the creator of the now famous sparkling wine. However, the first documented creation of sparkling wine using a secondary fermentation process was written about by English physician and scientist Christopher Merritt, 30 years prior in 1662. Pérignon perfected blending and bottling.

Other myths about Dom Pérignon include that he could also determine the winery by simply tasting one grape; and that he was the first to use corks in sparkling wines.

He did develop techniques still used today to prevent Champagne bottles and corks from exploding by using thicker bottles and tying the corks down with wire or string.

And he was also a proponent of organic farming and did work tirelessly to improve the quality of still and later sparkling wines coming from the Champagne region.

Additionally, the famous Dom quote “Come quickly, I am drinking the stars!” is most probably an effective company marketing campaign used during the late 1800s. Regardless if it’s true or folklore, I think he was right. It is the nectar of the gods.

Wines of Summer: Champagne and Other Bubbles
Whittemore House - The Woman’s National Democratic Club Museum
1526 New Hampshire Ave., NW
Washington, DC 20036

Date and Time - July 25 - 07:00 - 09:00 p.m.

Tickets - $59.00 and are available online. (21+ only)

Nearest Metro Subway Station - Dupont Circle - Red line, then a two block walk.

Parking - Free on-site parking is available, but often fills to capacity.

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