Since I had sinus surgery last week and have only taken sips of wine (I even had to forgo attending a portfolio tasting for Michael Skurnik wines today), I had to rely on outside counsel for this edition of Wine Blogging Wednesday. Lovely Jubbly Bubbly is how our friends at Becks & Posh in San Francisco who picked this month theme call it, Champagne in more prosaic words. I always get irritated when someone calls even the worst sparkling wine house champagne. Relying as I said on outside counsel, especially from my friend Jean Pierre David who runs a private club in New York, I selected Domaine Ruinart ‘Blanc de Blancs’. 
Considered the oldest Champagne house, Ruinart was founded in 1729 by Nicholas Ruinart. Only Premier Cru Chardonnay grapes are used. The champagne is aged in chalk quarries found under the city of Reims (the capital of the Champagne region). These crayeres were dug by the Romans when they invaded La Gaule (remember Asterix and Obelix). The Ruinart Blanc de Blancs offers balance and elegance. You will find hints of honey and almonds. A good food suggestion would be Seared Foie Gras with caramelized vidalia onions.
My friend Jean-Pierre also mentioned to me DeSouza Brut Reserve as a good choice to start the evening.
My best memory of a dinner with Champagne was a New Year’s Eve, twenty some years ago, where only the finest bubbly was served. Our hostess roots were in the french nobility and the table was set with cutlery given to her ancestors by King Louis Philippe so it added to the atmosphere. She served Champagne only because she considered that no matter how much of it you would drink, you would not wake up with a headache the next day.
By next month edition of Wine Blogging Wednesday, I will have recovered my taste buds and will surely have a better nose.
thanks for your entry! I love your fancy dinner story. But I am not sure where your host got the no headache idea. I know plenty of people who claim the opposite.
I am working on the round up and currently aiming for monday.
sam