Bubbles

So, New Year's Eve is fast approaching and you just got invited to a party. You want to bring a bottle of Champagne, but you don't want to shell out for a bottle of  DP, but you also don't wanna look cheap and show up with a bottle of Korbel. So what is one to do? And what exactly is Champagne? How do they put bubbles in the bottles?
Champagne is a wine region in northern France, and only wines from this region can be called Champagne. So, that crappy bottle of Chandon that costs about $6 at your local store is not a Champagne. It's just a cheap, disgusting imitation which few people know is actually made by Moet. There are three different grapes used in the production of Champagne, chardonnay, pinot meuniere and pinot noir. This delicious, sparkly drink is made using a method called Methode Champenoise. In a few words, here is what happens: first they squeeze the grapes, they let the juice fermentate.  Then, they blend the combination of the three juices, they bottle them (with a temporary metal cap) and in the course of a few weeks, slowly, they turn the bottles around until they are completely upside down. Why? Because, in the bottles there are sediments. Then, they sort of freeze the head of the bottle, they open the cap, and they let the gas inside the bottle blow the sediments out. Afterwards they cap it with the cork and wire we all know. Voila!!!
The pressure inside a bottle of Champagne is about 3 times higher than in a car tire. And that is why they use those thick, heavy, special shaped bottles. As you can imagine, the price of the actual bottle, combined with the price of producing the wine  is very high. So, when the price of a bottle of "champagne" is $6, should raise some eye brows.

One of my favorite Champagne I've ever had is Louis de Sacy. It is a medium body Grand Cru, with great fruity after tones. It is not expensive (as Champagne goes), should not run you more than 50 bucks or so. They also have a rose version, which when drank at the right temperature should remind you of the best date you have ever been on.
There are other, much less expensive options out there. The two most important ones are Cava and Prosecco. Not many years ago, these wines were impossible to find, most restaurants didn't carry them and most stores thought you were crazy if you asked about them. Now, they even have restaurants named after them, the Oak Room makes a Prosecco cocktail, and most stuck up sommeliers offer at least 10-15 of them.
Pairing? Never with desserts or cheeses. White fish, like a great, grilled piece of halibut, salt, pepper, nothing else. Or, if you have it, roasted pheasant. I have only had it once and my mouth still waters thinking about it.
And please! DO NOT stick a strawberry in your glass. Do that with Korbel, it won't matter what it tastes like.