Don't Forget Brimont or What does 700 kg of Champagne look like?

I think I should start with a disclaimer :

First of all, I assure you, it's not all for me (and you can't even see the top). It's not even all for the family. However, this was of no consolation to the poor DHL truck driver who skidded his way down the driveway past the house and into the horse-fields below. It's been raining recently... And he had to drive back up the track... I called SkippY and we briefly thought about getting a tractor to pull him up. After much swearing and huffing saintly patience the truck arrived in front of the garage. Needless to say that on his way out, the driver very politely wished me a bubbly festive season, mentioning on the side that he hoped we would never see each other again - at least not under the same circumstances.

How did all this come about? You may well ask! It all started about 8 year's ago when Beaker, at the time a budding wine buff, happened upon a huge feature article in "Vins de France" magazine in which their expert oenologue got about comparing France's champagne brands. Luckily for us, that year the comparison was not between bottles of the same price range but about quality and taste, regardless of the price. So we found a few champagnes that were rated above such notables as Ruinart, Mumm, Moët & Chandon, Laurent Perrier : the list goes on! As such, we were able to find a selection of some of France's best champagne - at between 10 Euros and 15 Euros per bottle. Needless to say, the same feature article the following year compared brands by price range!  Who got their fingers smacked I wonder?

This of course necessitated a wee drive to Reims, Epernay and throughout the rest of the beautiful champagne region to put the tastebuds to the test! We came back from the first trip with about 100 bottles to last through the festivities of that year... You can make your own decisions as to whether we are party people or not ;-)

Since moving to Toulouse, with three messmonsters, the drive up to Champagne doesn't happen once a year anymore. But we still have our favourites from our initial selection. My personal fave being 'Forget (pronounced "Forjay" not forget) Brimont.'  Whatever you do, don't Forget it!!

I adore extra brut champagne: Those really dry bubbles with very little liqueur. How I got into adoring that is going to be the subject of this Friday's "Paris Episodes," featuring some very zany parisians with a penchant for 18th century antiques and pastels... But I digress. Forget Brimont, if you ask them two months in advance, can even supply 0% liqueur (at least they do for us, I hope I don't have to eat drink my own words later) - which I adore and which is wonderful both for apéritif and certain dinner party dishes.  Sounds dubious I know but (nodding head vigorously) "Trust me!" I've just spent the last 8 years hosting all champagne dinner parties and wine tastings. Anyone want to be invited to the next one - let me know!!

The result of all these parties has been a constantly growing fan club for Forget Brimont (and others who I will introduce you to on Friday) that now prevents us from driving our people mover to Champagne with the kids to pick it up ourselves... if you catch my drift. We nearly had to leave the poor possums in Champagne last time ;-)

And of course, I would take your order for next year... but Monsieur Brimont will have to find a new delivery company !

Well my posts are meant to be about my art, and about inspiring people. But sometimes life nudges its way back in there and there's something about a 700kg package of bubbles that I personally find inspiring anyway.

A votre santé!!