Have you made your New Year’s resolutions yet? Last year, I resolved to be healthier. Instead, my new exercise bike has been repurposed into a rather inefficient coat rack, and I have essentially donated money to my local gym every month.
I know just as much about the Japanese and French languages as I did on Jan. 1 last year — probably less. On my trip to Tokyo in early December, the server at a ramen shop brought me a fork when I asked, in Japanese, if I could take a picture — much to the delight of my dining companions. Not only is my Japanese atrocious, but I look like the kind of guy who needs a fork to eat ramen? Trust me, I might not go to the gym much, but I certainly know how to lift some noodles.
During this time of reflection and finality, it’s so easy to focus on the things we failed to accomplish this calendar year. We tend to lose sight of the small wins we accumulate.
Maybe, like me, you were able to muster the strength to take the dog out when you were hungover, or you called your mom for no reason other than to say, “I love you.” Perhaps you had the wherewithal to delete that draft of the incendiary email you really wanted to send, or maybe you lent a shoulder (or couch, or car) to a friend in need.
I say, celebrate these types of wins unapologetically and in real time. My fridge is always stocked with a bottle of Champagne for this reason, and I’d invite you to adopt the practice. There are always reasons to celebrate. Once you start looking for them, they become easier to find.
Champagne Aubry, Brut Premier Cru, NV
Aubry is a small grower that produces only about 10,000 cases a year. For reference, the most-sold Champagne in the U.S. produces more than 19 million bottles annually. This bottling is unique in many ways. First, the choice of fruit. The “big three” grapes of Champagne (pinot noir, chardonnay and meunier) are equally represented in this bottling, but the lesser-known arbanne, petit meslier and fromenteau make up a small portion of this wine as well. This contributes to its complexity, as each grape adds something unique. The perpetual reserve technique is also employed here. Half of the blend comes from the newest harvest (2018, in this case) and the other half comes from a reserve stock dating back to 1998. I can honestly say it is unlike any Champagne I have ever tasted.
Cost: Under $50.
Champagne Geoffroy, “Expression,” Brut Premier Cru, NV
Jean-Baptiste Geoffroy, the fifth generation of his family to grow grapes in the region, holds an even smaller amount of land in Champagne than Aubry. Although very similar in style, Geoffroy is a little leaner with more of a yeasty, bready characteristic due to 44 months aging on the lees. This makes it a candidate for immediate enjoyment, but also long-term cellaring, though I wouldn’t wait too long. To further add to the complexity, this bottling also employs the perpetual reserve technique with their reserve dating back to 1970.
Cost: Under $60.
Chris Ramelb is an award-winning master sommelier, and director of education and restaurant sales manager of Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits of Hawaii. Watch him on the “Wine & …” podcast, and follow him on Instagram (@masterisksomm).
