Enough About Champagne To Make Your Head Spin. And That's Before You Drink It.

The Forbes List of the Best Bubbly with which to ring in the New Year:Krug don't like their Grand Cuvée being referred to as non-vintage, and you can see their point. The term usually describes inexpensive fizz made from a blend of wines from recent vintages that were not considered good enough to quality for the vintage or prestige cuvées, and that are released shortly after being produced.The Grand Cuvée couldn't be more different. Yes, it is made from different vintages, but the similarity ends there. More accurately described as a multi-vintage tête du cuvée, it contains wines from six to 10 different years, and it's this high proportion of older, reserve wines, along with an additional six years of aging after the blending, that gives all Krug champagne, and especially their GC, their hallmark deep, rich complexity.For more information, visit www.krug.com.Forget the wave of currently trendy Prosecos that are flooding into the U.S. For an inexpensive fizz from Italy, try this wonderful Franciacorta from Lombardy, the impressive result of a project undertaken by Italian wine legend Piero Antinori's three talented daughters. Light in both color and body, it's quite charming and is the ideal inexpensive party fizz.Even though this is not technically a Champagne, we are including it here because it is a true stand-out among the increasingly excellent California sparkling wines. This Roederer Estates production is pale yellow in color, but boasts a surprising amount of mouth-filling flavor for a light, fruity sparkler. Floral notes can be sensed on the palate and are complemented by a long, lemony-citrus finish.For more information, visit www.mmdusa.com.During a recent visit, the waiter at the Pierre Hotel was wearing an impeccable, starched-white jacket and proffering a tray reassuringly well stocked with champagne flutes. Not thinking much about it, I took one expecting some sort of dreary, everyday fizz. What I got, however, was a delicious mouthful of nutty, woody, flavorful champagne.Anxious to discover the origin of this delightful glass of bubbles, I edged over to the corner, pulled a bottle from the cooler and was not entirely surprised to see the Pol Roger label. This champagne house was almost unknown in the U.S. 25 years ago, but, thanks to the combination of a consistently superior product and the charm and relentless marketing energy of the Director Christian Pol-Roger, it is receiving some much deserved recognition. The 1996 Brut, with its round, open flavor, is one of the few current vintage champagnes that tastes like it's ready to drink today.For more information, visit www.frederickwildman.com.A lovely, non-vintage brut, La Française is as light as air--delicate and refined with just a hint of toast at the finish. A fine expression of Taittinger's soft, elegant style, the La Française is the perfect aperitif fizz for when you don't want to break the bank.For more information, visit www.taittinger.com.Œnothique is a kind of super Dom Perignon--a prestige prestige cuvée, if you like. It's aged for 14 years sur lees, which is twice as long as regular DP. It's this extended aging process that takes the marquee's trademark creamy-rich complexity of flavors to a whole new level.

And now, a few bottles and gift editions that are so beautiful, you may not even care what's inside.

The Palmes d'Or Grand Cuvée is a work of love for Feuillatte winemakers, as they have selected the best from the vintage. Only truly exceptional years qualify to produce it. A blend of 50% Chardonnay for elegance and finesse and 50% Pinot Noir for body and power. A pale yellow hue with fine delicate bubbles, its complex aromas are dominated by notes of pastry and caramel lifted by subtle touches of fennel, star anise and lemon peel. This smooth and balanced Champagne is beautifully packaged in a matte gold container and black velvet wrap."Mixed aromas of toasted grains, caramel and beer. Sweet and doughy with vanilla, malt and tart citrus. Lengthy finish with a mix of brioche, citrus and baked apple."-Wine NewsBuy it here.Pinel et Pinel for KrugAbove: Krug's Escape Artist in Pinet et Pinel trunkThe Krug Escape Artist Collection is a limited edition of thirty handmade trunks in three styles that celebrate luxury and the partnership of the champagne-maker with bespoke trunk-maker Pinel & Pinel. The blue trunk (left) is "the trunk of the hedonist," and includes a pair of cigar holders, XCAR cigar cutter and a lighter, along with two bottles of Krug 1995. The red trunk (center) has poker cards, casino dice and 200 pro chips, as well as two bottles of Krug Grand Cuvée. The silver trunk (right) represents "style and glamour" and holds a Samsung T9 MP3 video player with Bluetooth, a JBL "On Tour Plus" sound system and two bottles of Krug Rosé. Each trunk costs approximately $17,000.And a specialty Picnic Trunk for Krug, also by Pinel et Pinel:The picnic trunk for Krug, an ultimate, eccentric, contemporary and enormous luxury moment. Trunk in wood and, for the first time, in brown leather colt type. Inside red leather. It gets 10 drawers, one is hidden behind the Krug champagne bottles. The drawers contain every accessories you need for an exceptional picnic. Nothing has been forgotten from the unforgettable Thermos bottle to the improbable truffle slicer.The door hangs and 4 feet appear to install a table.Size :Height : 37.4 in. – Width : 23.6 in – Depth : 15 in.Weight : around 88 lbsBuy it here.

Marc Newson For Dom

Above: Marc Newsom's design for Dom PerignonThis cooler is the first creation of the newly established Dom Pérignon Designers' Studio; Marc Newson reinterpreted the iconic Dom Pérignon bottle.The monolithic, neon green cooler is more than just a receptacle for champagne, it was made from a special material designed to insulate ice and keep it frozen better than the conventional ice bucket.This cooler is produced in a numbered, limited edition of 1000 pieces.price: $1,000.00Buy it here.It also comes in brushed aluminum here.Dom Pérignon's Rosé Guitar Case By Karl Lagerfeld.

The case contains six bottles of some of the rarest Dom Pérignon Rosé Vintages: one bottle Dom Pérignon Rosé Vintage 1966, two bottles of Dom Pérignon Rosé Vintage 1986, and three bottles of Dom Pérignon Rosé Vintage 1996. Each bottle is nestled in lambskin moulded to the iconic shape of the Dom Pérignon bottle.These exclusive cuvées were cellared for between 11 and 41 years before being released. Neither the Dom Pérignon Rosé Vintage 1966 nor the Dom Pérignon Rosé Vintage 1986 is available on the market, creating a combination that represents the ultimate in excellence and rarity. The Dom Pérignon Rosé Guitar Case is available by special order only and delivered personally.For More information, call: +33 (0) 3 26 51 20 00The Upside Down Champagne from Piper Heiseck in honor of the Viktor Rolf Boutique In Milan which I blogged about last week.

From their surrealist clothes to their rule-breaking runway shows, nothing about Viktor & Rolf designers Viktor Horsting and Rolf Snoeren is remotely conventional. Now the Dutch duo has partnered with French Champagne house Piper-Heidsieck to turn the traditional champagne bottle on its head. Literally.

VIKTOR & ROLF ROSÉ SAUVAGE is a mini marvel of engineering – not to mention the chicest hostess gift ever and guaranteed attention-getter at the holiday office party.Piper-Heidsieck Rosé Sauvage by Viktor & Rolf is available from Wine Shops in Knightsbridge, Dublin, Manchester, Edinburgh, Birmingham and Leeds as well as Grand tastings in dallas and several other exclusive wine merchants.More info about it here.Or buy it online here.

And of course, Veuve Clicquot and Porsche Design Studio's CollaborationAbove: the Vertical Limit, a special temperature contolled chest with 12 individual vintages of Veuve Clicquot. Read the previous blog post about that here.Also for Veuve Clicquot:

Andree Putnam's La Grande Dame Coffret

Buy it here.And new this year from Veuve Clicquot:Each one of the 3,200 limited edition Yellowboam bottles was hand made as a luxurious and artistic tribute to the world renowned Veuve Cliquot Yellow Label. However, a new twist comes in place of its famous label – the classic wording may have disappeared, but in its place is an exquisite Yellow leather demonstrating how Veuve Cliquot is recognized by the color of its label alone.

Above: detail of Ostrich and Galuchat labelsEach Yellowboam features one of three exotic leathers of Ostrich, Alligator or Galuchat (fish skin: skate/ray). Each bottle is sealed with foil covered in real 22.4 carat gold and topped with a collectible 24-carat gold-plated muzzle cap engraved with Madam Cliquot's signature as a hallmark of the finest quality.The luxurious Yellow lacquered wooden box is a tribute to Yellow with a discreet red Signature laser print on the bottom right of the cover. Inside the wooden box is a modern and ingenuous block that keeps the Yellowboam chilled for two hours.The Yellowboam features Veuve Cliquot's signature House Style with a blend of 50 to 60 different crus. The 3 liter bottle plays a key role in the wine's development as larger format bottles allow the wine to be conserved for a longer period of time.Blend: 50 to 55% Pinot Noir, 28 to 33%Chardonnay, 15 to 20% Pinot Meunier

Price: $1,999.00Buy it here.Rauschenberg's Champagne bottle design for TaittingerWorld renowned champagne producer, Champagne Taittinger, has commissioned the internationally acclaimed contemporary artist, Robert Rauschenberg to produce a limited edition design for their latest collectors bottle.The 2000 vintage, which is produced using a blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, will feature Rauschenberg’s design on both the bottle and display case and is being offered to collectors and connoisseurs.Commenting on the new Raushenberg masterpiece, Lynn Murray of Hatch Mansfield – UK distributor of Taittinger Champagne, said: “The Taittinger Collection continues to be one of the most eagerly awaited releases from the Taittinger house. Produced in limited quantities they are aimed at collectors, but also make unusual and prestigious gifts’.

Buy it here.

Cheers! And best wishes for a fabulous 2008!Many of these unusual bottles and gift sets can be purchased here.

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