One strange New Year’s Eve ended up creating one of the best wine memories in my family.
In 1999, my dad was getting ready for a major Y2K celebration at La Bussola. His Champagne of choice? 1990 Perrier-Jouët Belle Epoque, a serious vintage for a serious party night.
But when fear of the millennium bug kept people home, the big celebration never really happened. Restaurants were quiet, stores were overstocked, and expensive bottles sat unsold after the clock struck midnight.
That unexpected crash in demand created a rare opportunity. My dad went back and picked up cases of the 1990 vintage at a huge discount, then stored them away in the cellar for more than twenty years.
At a recent family dinner, we finally opened one.
The wine had evolved beautifully, showing a deep golden colour and rich notes of toasted brioche, honey, and almond. That’s one of the remarkable things about well-aged vintage Champagne: time can completely reshape the experience.
What’s the most memorable bottle you’ve ever opened?
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