Sunday January 02, 2011

Saturday Swirl:
New Year Toast - 1.1.11

Saturday Evening Toast 1/1/11

Perhaps today’s commentary should be dubbed “Sunday morning brunch with toast! Not the most auspicious first entry for 2011 but, alas, I persevere even with the reminder of last night still plaguing me a little bit!
The new year brings along with it so many hopes, wishes and possibilities. I am of the firm belief that one should drink copious amounts of sparkling wine all the time yet we seem to drink it only on special occasions, why? I have no good answer for this as in every sparkling wine making region in the world, Champagne in France, Penedes in Spain, Santa Catarina in Brazil, all over Italy, they drink the “bubbly” all the time. Sparkling wine, especially those that use “method champanoise”, which adds a “dosage” makes people happy, gregarious and quite talkative. A dosage is an addition of either sugar or yeast to cause a second fermentation in the bottle.

When I worked for Perrier-Jouet Champagne in Epernay, France, at the very beginning of my wine career we drank Champagne all the time. I found this strange but, of course, went along with it. The Champanoise, people who come from the Champagne region of France, say: Champagne makes women’s eyes sparkle and men fall in love”. Pour me another glass!!!

This year we ushered in 2011 surrounded by great friends, delicious food, perfect wine and lots of bubbly to keep all of us sparkly and in love. We talked of the events of the year gone by and, privately, about our individual hopes for the coming year. Ever hopeful, I enter into each year with vim and vigor knowing it will be at least as great as the out going year.

I, personally, had a great 2010. I made new friends, met a perfect partner to share my life with and launched my private label wine…I consider myself blessed in many ways. I must drink not only to the new year but to the past year and all the years that came before that have allowed me to get to this point in my life.

So, despite my inauspicious start this year(it is still the first day of the year and Saturday) I toast each one of you with a glass of something bubbly, be it Champagne, Cava, Proseco, Spumante or whatever tickles your fancy, makes your eyes sparkle and allows the love to flow! My first recommendation for 2011 is to drink sparkling wine at least 3 times per week. I am positive that there is something that each one of us can celebrate, at minimum, 3 times per week. Sometimes, I like to have a glass of bubbly because I know that I have completed all of my tasks for that day…that, in itself, is a reason to celebrate! Life is a celebration, make it a “resolution” this year that celebrating life is as important as washing your hands.

CHEERS!!!!

Alex