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It was this that got me thinking about what are my best 5 Vintage champagnes for Christmas and the new year.
This is a great time to reflect on how we have behaved to our friends and neighbor. It is also a time to make wonderful gifts to those that have been there for us.
To me, champagne is one of those gifts that really say exactly what you feel and mean to that special person in your life.
By finding some of the best bottles with the best years that are available for the celebrations, and hoping that the pandemic could be a thing of the past, this would be a great boost for our collective morale.
This is where I'm going to find out which years were good and which if anywhere great.
It seems as if the late 1990s saw some very good results with 1996 showing as the best year of the decade. But what is there in the last twenty to thirty years that may still be worth looking at?
One that is looking very good, coming from the Decanter magazine is 2008, one to keep. Something special: powerful fruit and scintillating acidity. 5/5
If you are thinking of saving a good bottle of bubbly for a really special occasion.
Then your best bet is to make sure that you store it properly, if it's non-vintage and it’s left unopened then it could last three to four years but if it’s vintage then anywhere from five to ten years.
As you leave your bottle over time it is likely that the colour will deepen, and if you leave it for too long then the bubbly will not have so much pop when you open it, as the cork will have shrunk allowing the pressure to drop in the bottle.
But you will still have a drinkable wine. To give it the very best chance leave it on its side in a quiet cool place, It’s that simple.
Taittinger Brut Epernay 2009 Champagne
Veuve Clicquot Royal Celebration Cuvee Champagne 1975 in a silk lined wooden box