Happy Holidays Operatives!

Whatever your holiday season has in store, we can guarantee one thing today - a veritable cornucopia of life-enriching bubbles at head spinning prices await you. After all, as Madame Bollinger once said “I drink Champagne when I’m happy and when I’m sad. Sometimes I drink it when I’m alone. When I have company I consider it obligatory. I trifle with it if I’m not hungry and drink it when I am. Otherwise, I never touch it – unless I’m thirsty…”

And we say YES MAM, thirsty we are, bring it on! Not just with TONS of great Champagne here in the Store but ALL kinds of bubbles from Bordeaux to California. Ultra QPR Cremant for $23 a pop? Got it. A 97-point, vintage Rosé from Henriot? Yours for the taking. Or impress your most dignified guests this holiday season with a once $460, now $199 selection fit for the most discriminating palate. And everything in between.

Today is especially a celebration for those who like their bubbles Pink - which are the rarer, and the oh-so-much-more decadent kind. Speaking of, while it was hard, that’s what helped us pick our Feature, the great Henriot 2012 vintage Brut Rosé. It’s simply magnificent. And with so few final bottles in the nation it’s as rare as hen’s teeth. Especially at a price that turns our faces a similar shade of pink.

Henriot is another Champagne house for the insiders. As Wine Spectator wrote “Joseph Henriot was president of Veuve Clicquot for nine years, from 1985 until 1994… made the kind of Champagnes they like over the years, building on consistency and quality, ensured by a constant source of grapes from some of the best Crus. The style expresses elegance and finesse, by relying on a high percentage of Chardonnay in the blend. In most years, it’s close to half Chardonnay and half Pinot Noir.”

This one leans to the Pinot side at 6% with the balance Chardonnay, hence the color and style. It’s a barrel-select blend of four Premiers and Grands Crus that spend seven years on the lees. Finished with a dosage less than 7g per liter, balances it with a lithely decadence.

It’s exotic, high-pitched, and racy on the nose. Vibrant and floral on the palate, showcasing fresh strawberry and cherry scents tinged with salty, mineral tones. Bright, firm, and refreshing, loaded with tangy red berries, and a kiss of blood orange, finely etched and striking in purity. Suave like a silk robe for your palate!

The winemaking behind this masterpiece? VinePair testifies, “Born and raised in Champagne, at just 32 years old, Alice Tétienne has already worked at some of the top Champagne houses. Her resume includes names like Krug, Nicolas Feuillatte and Champagne Henriot, where she is currently the cellar master - a title obtained in 2020.”

Normally, this would cost you $110 or more. But there’s nothing normal about today, so claim yours while it lasts.

97 Points – Decanter World Wine Awards “Aromas of smoke and raspberry cede to a delightful mousse on the palate, with brisk acidity propelling complex notes of pear, melon and brioche. Impressively long, this never wavers in its elegance.”

95 Points – Decanter “A sophisticated nose shows the elegance and dimensional depth that long lees aging can bring. On the palate, textural richness and energy. This is delicious now but will increase in character and complexity. Pinot Noir leads with ripe red cherry and blueberry mixed with licorice, dried red petals, and subtle ripe quince. Expressive with all-round appeal. Lees aging brings savoriness and power here. This is still on the young side and has a long life ahead.”

94 Points – Falstaff “Confit lemon holds notes of fresh strawberry on the nose. The palate is taut, slender, chiseled, and precise with exuberant citrus. A grown-up rosé with a beautiful structure that will allow this to evolve.”