When Jim and I were going through our honeymoon period we had a champagne Sunday ritual. We’d purchase different bottles of champagne on our Astor Wines employee discount and lie in bed for the better part of the day drinking bubbles. Some bottles made repeat visits, like Krug (this was almost eleven years ago) and Jacquesson. That was when we could afford the stuff. Over the years, our champagne consumption has gradually diminished but I still love the stuff.

When Alice Feiring told me she was working on a champagne piece for the Wall Street Journal, and said she was thinking of having a tasting at her place, I immediately volunteered participation. Alice’s soirees are always good fun. And to top it all she was pouring Selosse!

It was a fun group tasting. There was Peter who drinks champagne tous le jour IN Champagne, Brooklyn Guy who was getting to taste Selosse Substance twice in a week, Lee Campbell of Louis/Dressner Selections and the famous Honey Sugar, Alice’s long time friend and character in the Battle for Wine and Love.

We tasted the wines blind. The stunner, by far was the Selosse Substance. I LOVE old, oxidized champagne. Substance is made in a solera system (!) from old stocks ranging from ’86 to ’02. It was rich and so beautifully evolved, the oxidative quality was perfect. It was perfection, in an imperfect way. The bottle costs 260 bucks. Will I ever drink this champagne again?

More highlights: Salon Les Mesnil 1997 tasted like crushed oyster shells – loved it. Raymond Boulard NV rose was pretty and graceful. Bollinger NV definitely got me excited. This bottle had a bit of VA, which made me love it even more but it also had gusto and originality. Alice still has my notes but I’ll get them back and report on the other wines. Meanwhile, Alice says it best here.