Niche Niche!

Bubblyothèque: Origins.

Bringing it back to where it all began….

Flight Night!

Having a great week so far? Feeling exhausted and a little sad after the last 2 weeks of festing are over? Either way, champagne will make you feel (even) better!

Join me tonight, Weds 5/8, at Swirl Wine Bar & Market for a delicious flight of small-production champagne! 

I'm excited to share 3 fantastic wines with you - 2 which we don't see enough of here in town and 1 which is brand new on the shelves!

Chartogne-Taillet's Cuvée Ste Anne is the 'entry level' wine from a house that is at the top of its game, a blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from the sandy soils of Merfy. Alexandre's wines are highly sought after (with very good reason) and while this is the one most easy to find it is hardly an afterthought in the range. And "easy to find" is relative here - grab the opportunity to enjoy this while you can!

The same can be said of the next wine, a superb Blanc de Blancs from Bertrand Lilbert in Cramant. His 'entry level' wine is 100% Grand Cru Chardonnay, hand-riddled, hand-disgorged - something you can do when the entirety of your production is no more than 22k bottles per year!! Doesn't get much better than this - Chardo-yay!!

Lastly, the new kid in town, Francis Orban's Extra Brut 100% Meunier. You know we love this grape, and it's in great hands here from the Vallé de la Marne, which it thrives. This is easy-drinking but not simple, full of all the fruit and herbal notes and savoriness that you get from Meunier. And it's a great price, too. Very happy to have this in town now.

It’s been a while since I’ve been able to share some bubbles with you at Swirl and we’re going to ease back into it with a flight of Champagne. These nights are simple and easy: you come in anytime between 5:30-7:30pm, we pour you the featured champagnes, and I visit your table to talk to you about the wines and why we like them. If you want to add a cheese plate on as well, that’s always an option.

Reservations for these flights are recommended via the link below - walk-ins can be accommodated but only if we still have wine left (so make a reservation and don’t take a chance).

Reserve your spot via THIS LINK!

Join me as I pour a flight of 4 sparklers that will be perfect for your holiday feasts, parties or gifts! We'll feature 2 Champagnes and 2 other deliciously bubbly selections giving you a range of styles and prices. 

If you'd like a little something to snack on with your wine, resident cheesemonger Casey Foote will select and present a pairing plate ($10 with flight, $15 without the flight). No standing in line for our Wednesday flights - you sit at a table, we come to you and pour tableside complete with lots of educational info on what you are drinking. The flight of 4 wines is $20 - reservations are highly recommended as we can only seat walk-ins if space allows. All wines and cheeses are available for purchase to have at Swirl or you can take them to go.

Reserve your spot here: Holiday Sparkling Flight Night w/ Bubblyotheque

Join me for a very special tasting of wines from the Club Tresors! This group was originally founded in 1971 by 12 of the oldest families of the Champagne region. Since then, the club has grown to include 29 producers committed to excellence in all aspects of production. This exclusive membership is only open to Recoltant Manipulants, a French designation for a producer of grower Champagne. Champagnes must be produced, bottled and aged at the member’s estate. The Special Club Champagnes represent the tête de cuvee, a premier bottling often carrying a vintage date, selection for each member and are only made in outstanding vintages from grapes harvested from member’s own vineyards. For this tasting Michael will guide us through 5 different Special Club Champagnes showcasing the terroir and style of individual growers. Reservations are required, only 12 spots available. 

We spent the early part of the summer breaking champagne down into its "building blocks" of component grapes - Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier. And while we certainly love the way blanc de blancs, blanc de noirs, and rosés can showcase each of those components, the fact remains that these styles are the least common. The "classic" champagne - a blend of all 3 grapes, and of wine from multiple years - is the time-honored quintessential style that made the region known around the world. However, as you can imagine, they aren't all created the same. Tonight, we'll sample a variety of wines that are all built on this "classic" style, but will show you how the winemakers can highlight or emphasize different components of the blend to give us delicious variations on a theme. We'll also use this opportunity to try some new wines and revisit an old favorite or two that we haven't shared with you in a while as we pursued other themes. 

Reserve here.

The last of a 3-part series of seated tastings at Swirl.  Link to tickets forthcoming.  

Tonight, the focus will be Pinot Meunier and the other "heritage" grapes of Champagne.

One of the defining characteristics of champagne is the blend - a blend of white and red grapes, a blend of multiple different vintages.  Certainly that is a crucial component of what makes champagne such a special wine.  It is also part of the art of production - taking the many different components and blending them together to give a balanced and beautiful final product.  As we have explored, it is not only about the grapes, but also how the vigneron chooses to grow, vinify, and age them before they get blended together into the bottle of champagne.  

In fact, as I type this, I'm sharing a bottle of Egly-Ouriet "Vignes de Vrigny", a 100% Pinot Meunier from a single village.  As my friend and I discussed it, it showed beautifully and clearly the effects of grape, place, and winemaker.  And it is undeniable that this wine could not have been made exactly this way otherwise.  Sounds like another term we use a lot, doesn't it?  Yep, terroir.  But, the more we explore each grape, and each village, and each house, it allows us to identify and appreciate each of those different factors and how they play together in the final product.  

To this end, we are going to re-visit a format we did before, basing a series of 3 tastings around different grapes.  But, beyond that, I will work to find an array of wines each night that will allow us to explore and understand these different components, or building blocks, that go into the more common blends.  Rather than just Chardonnay from different villages, we will put together comparisons between steel vs oak, young vs aged, vintage vs multi-vintage.  And then we'll do the same with Pinot Noir.  The final class will be as much Pinot Meunier as I can find (it's sadly still the least common to find bottled alone) and then some wines that showcase the "other" 4 grapes that are allowed in the appellation.  When we're done, you'll hopefully have a deeper appreciation for the role that each grape plays in a classic blend, as well as the other factors such as place, elevage, and age that make their own imprint on the character of the grape.

Wednesday Night Flights, but better!  All Champagne, presented by Bubblyothèque.

We're starting the party early for Bastille Day this year with an appropriately themed flight night at Swirl - Rebels vs Royals.

Come have a flight of 3 champagnes - 2 from growers who are part of the revolution in Champagne, and 1 from an excellent well-established house that holds a Royal Warrant from Her Majesty the Queen of England.  I'll come around to tell you about the producers and the wines while you sample them alongside a cheese and charcuterie selection chosen to compliment the wines.

Pouring: Waris-Larmandier "Particules Crayeuses" Blanc de Blancs, Bourgeois-Diaz "3C", and Pol Roger "Brut Reserve".

Make sure to reserve a spot so you don't get there and find we ran out!

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/wednesday-flight-champagne-with-bubblyotheque-tickets-47665506814

À bientôt!

The second of a 3-part series of seated tastings at Swirl.  Link to tickets forthcoming.  

Tonight, the focus will be Pinot Noir.

One of the defining characteristics of champagne is the blend - a blend of white and red grapes, a blend of multiple different vintages.  Certainly that is a crucial component of what makes champagne such a special wine.  It is also part of the art of production - taking the many different components and blending them together to give a balanced and beautiful final product.  As we have explored, it is not only about the grapes, but also how the vigneron chooses to grow, vinify, and age them before they get blended together into the bottle of champagne.  

In fact, as I type this, I'm sharing a bottle of Egly-Ouriet "Vignes de Vrigny", a 100% Pinot Meunier from a single village.  As my friend and I discussed it, it showed beautifully and clearly the effects of grape, place, and winemaker.  And it is undeniable that this wine could not have been made exactly this way otherwise.  Sounds like another term we use a lot, doesn't it?  Yep, terroir.  But, the more we explore each grape, and each village, and each house, it allows us to identify and appreciate each of those different factors and how they play together in the final product.  

To this end, we are going to re-visit a format we did before, basing a series of 3 tastings around different grapes.  But, beyond that, I will work to find an array of wines each night that will allow us to explore and understand these different components, or building blocks, that go into the more common blends.  Rather than just Chardonnay from different villages, we will put together comparisons between steel vs oak, young vs aged, vintage vs multi-vintage.  And then we'll do the same with Pinot Noir.  The final class will be as much Pinot Meunier as I can find (it's sadly still the least common to find bottled alone) and then some wines that showcase the "other" 4 grapes that are allowed in the appellation.  When we're done, you'll hopefully have a deeper appreciation for the role that each grape plays in a classic blend, as well as the other factors such as place, elevage, and age that make their own imprint on the character of the grape.  

TICKETS:  Pinot Noir Class @ Swirl

In anticipation of our Pinot Noir based champagne class later this month, we're going to choose an array of Pinot-heavy, full-bodied champagnes that will stand up to bold cheeses and hearty pates. But don't worry, it's champagne - the bubbles and acidity will make you still want to drink them even as NOLA summer gets rolling. Stop by for a flight of 3 champagnes, presented by Michael Knisley, with cheese/pate pairings from Casey Foote.

No standing in line for our Wednesday flights - you sit at a table, we come to you and pour tableside complete with lots of educational info on what you are drinking. The flight of 3 wines is $20 - reservations are highly recommended as we can only seat walk-ins if space allows. All wines and cheeses are available for purchase to have at Swirl or you can take them to go.

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/wednesday-flight-full-bodied-champagnes-for-big-flavored-cheeses-pates-tickets-46264585621?mc_cid=368c9ac72c&mc_eid=5280a75be6

Bubbly Flight Night - Details TBD!  We'll see you there.

Bubblyothèque and Swirl Wines are excited to host an evening of with Jean-Marc Sélèque and his wife Oriane as they introduce you to their range of superb champagne (which many of you already know and love).   

This event will give you an opportunity to meet Jean-Marc and his wife Oriane, as well as taste 5 of his wines in a casual meet and greet format, followed by a Champagne and oyster bar pop up featuring his Champagnes by the glass and Two Girls One Shuck.  The $30 per person fee includes the tasting of 5 wines from 5:30 to 6:30pm, exclusive access to the patio and the oysters from 6:30 to 8pm. The Champagne bar on the patio will feature Jean-Marc's wines available for purchase by the glass or bottle at discounted prices.

Featured Champagnes:

Jean-Marc Sélèque, Champagne Brut Solessence

Jean-Marc Sélèque, Champagne Extra Brut Cuvée Partition (2010)

Jean-Marc Sélèque, Champagne Extra Brut Le Quintette

Jean-Marc Sélèque, Champagne Brut Rosé Solessence

Jean-Marc Sélèque, Champagne 1er Cru Extra Brut Infusion Meunier Pierry Rosé (2013)

See link for details (more to be announced) and tickets.  This event will sell out - don't delay!

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/a-very-special-evening-with-jean-marc-seleque-champagne-jm-seleque-tickets-43838446975?aff=erelexpmlt

We're back at it for 2018!  Coming to you from cozy little Jeannette, the original home of Boucherie, we'll bring you a night of great champagne offered alongside a special menu of perfectly wine-friendly dishes from Chef Nathanial Zimet.

As ever, this is a casual night, essentially a little wine bar for the evening.  No reservations.  The wine and food is all a la carte.  You can have a glass and some frites and meet your friends after, or come do a flight (or a couple of bottles), all the food, and make a night of it.  

We'll have the menu posted for you a few days in advance so you can plan which delicious food and tasty wines you are gonna head for when you hit the door.  

We know it's a busy season right now and all our calendars are packed tight with holiday preparation and parties. But, we still need to take time out to enjoy great wine and friends. We didn't want the season to pass by without another Bubblyotheque champagne night at Swirl so we've come up with a new way for you to treat yourself, and learn about some new wines in the process. It can be a quick little treat, too or you can make an evening of it, whichever suits your schedule. You can do a glass, a flight and/or add some food from 1000 Figs or a specially selected cheese plate!

On Thursday, 12/14, we'll be offering a great deal on a flight of 3 new champagnes which, if you so desire, can be accompanied by a special sampler of delicious bites from 1000 Figs chosen to go with them. Of course, if you want to make a meal of it, we are happy make some pairing suggestions for you based on the menu that day and the wines we have open to share with you that night. Casey Foote will be offering a specially selected cheese plate while Michael Knisley will be there to tell you about your flight and talk about the pairings.

We'll be offering the Waris-Larmandier "Racine de Trois", Sabine Godme Blanc de Blancs, and the Gaston Chiquet Rose in the flight and by the glass as well as other champagnes by Deutz, A. Margaine and Etienne Doue. And, if you like them, you can grab a few bottles to take to the next holiday party or serve at your own table for the holiday feast. If you'd like to be sure you get a table, you can reserve your flight at the link below and join us anytime between 5:30 and 7:30 or we can seat walk-ins as space allows.

Reserve your table!

Bubblyothèque is teaming up with Spirit Wine to bring you all you need to know about choosing the right bottle of champagne for your holiday needs.  They've got a great selection on the shelves and this will help you understand it all.

6 great champagnes, delicious wine from St James Cheese Co, and all that Bubblyothèque knowledge - great way to spend a Saturday afternoon.

Link to tix:

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/champagne-seminar-tickets-40750268149?aff=efbeventtix

You've been asking for it, and we finally have a date for you.  Give yourself a night of champagne and delicious food from Chef Zimet of Boucherie and Bourrée.  It's a long season of celebration ahead - start it out right.

Champagne by the glass, flight, or bottle, food à la carte.  

Champagnes from:

Pierre Paillard, JM Sélèque, Moussé Fils, A Margaine, Louis Nicaise, Etienne Doué, Marguet, Nowack, Ayala, Jean Velut, and Jean Vesselle.

And the food menu for tonight!

*Frites

*"Bar Snack": Smoked olives, pickled garlic, fried almonds

*Chargrilled Gulf Oysters w/ preserved lemon butter

*Smoked black turkey crescent tartine w/ rillettes & cranberry

*Scarlet Frill Salad w/ baby root veggies & deviled gribiche

*House-cured wild duck breast "prosciutto" w/ eggplant 

*Brown butter beet tartlet w/ honey sorbet

Tonight, the lucky winner of a silent auction item - a private Bubblyothèque tasting - will enjoy a guided tasting of 5 excellent champagnes with a group of friends.  

Want to arrange a custom tasting, class, or dinner in your house or another venue?  Contact me to discuss the options. 

Many people who pursue a passion for wine have a very memorable experience (or several) that are etched in their memories as important eye-opening milestones, moments that sparked something and set them on their way. I was at Pops in Chicago, where I'd been learning more and more about these "new" grower champagnes, and was regular enough by then that some of the staff knew me. One of them had happened upon a magnum of '85 Lanson and brought it in to share that night. They were pouring tastes for the staff and other familiar faces around the bar. I was offered a taste - never had I ever tasted anything remotely like that wine, not only because of the age but because of the stunning level of complexity that was on display.  It certainly tasted nothing like the small production wines I'd been devotedly trying to learn about.  I was a little perplexed though that they were so pleased with wine from a big house, thinking then that only the growers captured their interest. I would learn with time. 

It's no secret that Bubblyothèque is all about showcasing the small growers who are giving us high-quality, small-production wines that reveal small pieces of the terroir of Champagne. But, if you've been paying attention, you know that I have plenty of respect for the larger champagne houses who rely on many growers to provide them the building blocks of wines that still demonstrate a terroir of Champagne, more broadly defined. Certainly, both are necessary parts of how champagne has attained global renown and captured attention for the dynamic approaches of a new generation of growers. But, with their global marketing reach and sales forces, the big houses don't need little old me to spread the word in the same manner as the relatively unknown growers. 

At this tasting, we will look more broadly than usual, sampling wines from larger houses that take great care in their vineyards and cellars to craft exceptional wines.   Big doesn't equal bad, and not all houses are created equal. They typically don't grow all of their own grapes, an important distinction between the large Houses and the Growers. But, the good ones expect their growers to demonstrate a high level of attention and quality to make sure that what goes into the wine behind their widely-recognized labels provides a consistently top-notch experience. Within the larger houses , there is quite a range of scale - 100s of thousands to many millions of bottles per year. When you think about it, it is a truly amazing thing to accomplish on such a scale with something as variable from year to year as wine. Certainly, the champagne terroir and method are essential parts of what makes this possible. 

For this one, we're going big. But certainly don't stay home!

Reservations required, don't delay:  tickets here.

Bubblyothèque will wrap up all the Champagne Day NOLA festivities with a Backyard Bar takeover at everybody's favorite, Bacchanal.  We'll have a variety of champagnes by the glass, flight, or bottle to help you make the most of a NOLA Friday night.  

Stay here and to champagnedaynola.com for details of events around town to open some bottles and raise glasses in celebration of champagne, with people all around the world.

A blind tasting? With bubbly? Sure thing. Some from Champagne, some from Franciacorta. Can you tell them apart? What's the same? What's different? Do you have a preference?

We learn a lot when we rely only on our own senses to assess a wine, without the benefit and bias of seeing the label beforehand. You may be surprised, and you'll definitely learn a thing or two. 

Wines TBD, but we'll be pouring a variety of styles from the two regions. It's not a contest - the only winners are those who sign up to come. Link to tix below!

More events in the works - stay tuned here for updated info!

Let's start at the very beginning.....

So, you've heard about the Bubblyothèque champagne classes at Swirl.  Maybe you've read some of the class descriptions and thought "that sounds a little over my head - I just want the basics!"  Well, that's just what we have in store in June.  

I love having a very dedicated group of people who come to my tastings month after month.  It's a true pleasure to share new bottles with people who have been on the whole journey and now have a shared tasting experience.  But, these champagne experts all started at the very first class with me, now 2 years ago.  As you know, I want to help as many people as possible learn about champagne and how to enjoy it and what makes it so special.  I know that wine in general, and champagne in particular, can be a little intimidating if you're just getting into it.  Trust me - I was a total newbie when I got into it, and I definitely remember feeling like I was out of my league.  Some of my favorite moments sharing these wines with people are when it really "clicks" for the first time.

To that end, we're going to re-visit the "Champagne 101" format of the very first class at Swirl.  We'll cover all of the basics you need to know about champagne, through the story and the wines of 5 different champagne houses.  Afterwards, you'll be ready to jump into any of the upcoming classes and feel like an expert yourself.  

Of course, even if you've come to classes before, you are more than welcome to come back.  It is still a goal to continue to open new bottles.  We have been fortunate over the past couple of years to get access to more and more champagne, and that allows us to keep all of these classes novel and interesting, even for the dedicated tasters.  

So, if you've been waiting to jump on the Bubblyothèque train, or it's been a while and you want a refresher (we miss you!), or you just want the champagne and don't even mind hearing me talk about the champagne process for the 25th time - this is the class for you!  

Reserve you spot HERE!

We're dusting off the passport again and planning to gather some friends for a tasting to celebrate London's Grower Champagne Month.  (And, it being England, we'll work some Brit Bubbles into the mix while we're there.)

Did you miss us? We sure have missed you! And, we've heard the repeated "When is the next pop-up?" Not for lack of desire but for very busy schedules between the Boucherie team and Bubblyothèque, we had a bit of an extended break. We know you're thirsting after the bubbles by now, and we're thrilled to pop open some great bottles to share. 

As before, this is a night for you to choose your own adventure. Food is à la carte. Wine is by the glass, flight, or bottle(s). And you know we love to make pairings for you if you want to explore a bit. No need to reserve, no need for tickets. Come early, come late - pre-dinner, for dinner, liquid dessert, make a whole night of it - it's up to you! 

Hope to see you there - bring a friend or two and start your weekend off right! 

Friday's Menu and wine line-up! Food is à la carte and wine is by the glass, flight, or bottle.

From Chef Zimet:

- Charcuterie selections from Bourrée: Speck, salchichon, duck rilettes, pickles, grilled bread and mustard

- Duck bacon, biscuits and gravy, strawberry jam

- Beef and preserved beet tartare, circulated egg yolk, smoked olives, and bliss potato fritters

- Crawfish and carrot terrine with Indian corn grit crackers

- Beef fat french fries with smoked tomato aioli (you knew we wouldn't leave you without any frîtes!)

All of which will go great with champagnes from:

A. Margaine | Nicolas Maillart | Jacquesson | Jean Velut | Paul Clouet | Tarlant

JM Sélèque | Jean Vesselle | Moussé Fils | Bollinger | Pierre Paillard | Dhondt-Grellet

See you there!

You love bubbly, right? And you probably love oysters, fried chicken, or both, right? Then come on over to Swirl Wine Bar & Market on Thurs 4/13 for all of the above!

Bubblyothèque will be working with James Moises to bring you a selection of Champagne and sparkling wines from Bizou Wine Buzz that will pair perfectly with fresh oysters from Two Girls One Shuck and McHardy's Chicken & Fixin'. 

$55 gets you the delicious food and a whole lot of wine (20+). Try them all to figure out which ones go best with which food. 

Tickets required - see link below. Don't miss this one!

Reserve your spot on Eventbrite.