From Sigi Hiss
, at 26. October 2012 12:46
© AFP With half of the sparkling wine
sold in the U.S. mislabeled as Champagne, it’s time to get to grips with this most regal of bubbles.
The 24-hour event is now in its third year and encourages consumers to blog, tweet and post their thoughts about the French sparkling wine by using the #ChampagneDay hashtag. You can host or join one of the many retail and restaurant tastings that are being planned in locations across the world, from the Champagne city of Reims to California, Japan and even the Bahamas.
Founded by Napa-based Christian Oggenfuss, the event now has support from high-profile Champagne houses and the Champagne Bureau, which is the American arm of the Comité Interprofessionnel du Vin de Champagne (a trade association which represents the grape growers and houses of Champagne.)
The Bureau claims that 50 percent of the sparkling wine sold in the United States is mislabeled as Champagne. In a bid to raise awareness that Champagne can only be called Champagne if it comes from the delimited area of production, the Bureau ran a competition asking entrants to take a photograph of “an authentic Champagne label.” The winner of an iPad will be drawn at random on Champagne Day.
Interactive live-stream tastings and talks on Champagne will be held from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. Pacific Standard Time on Friday on toutsuite.com. Guest speakers will include Master Sommelier Catherine Fallis and a yet-to-be-announced representative from Champagne house Taittinger. Throughout the live stream there will be discussions on grower Champagnes, tips for holiday entertaining with Champagne, a question and answer session, and a sabrage lesson from Fallis.
On Sunday, October 28, Australia’s Global Champagne Day ambassador, Jayne Powell, will wrap things up with a #GlobalChampagneJam live from London. Powell calls Champagne “a time machine in a glass. When you drink Champagne you’re literally drinking history.”
If you’d rather keep things simple and forgo the online chitchat, grab a few friends after work, pop a cork, and enjoy a glass of the real thing. To find out more about Global Champagne Day, visit the event’s website.
www.wine-business-international.com
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