question on etiquette and bubbly

The Mawby winery in Northern Michigan makes a bubbly, I believe a blanc de noir, which costs about the same. The name of the wine: SEX... I know Larry exports it to some states. Not sure about either PA or NJ.

OW,

Haven't ever seen this in Pennsylvania, and it's not currently listed in the on-line catalog. It would be nice if the state brought in some of the Michigan wines, especially the Rieslings!

It's not like you can issue a blind test at the beginning of the night, asking your guests which of two wines they like the taste of.

Why not? I know someone who did precisely that with whiskies. Those that preferred the expensive malts got to drink them. Those that preferred cheaper blends got those.

I know it wouldn't work in all social circumstances. But if you are with good friends it's something to bear in mind!

Also, Lizbeth, two important points:

1. With sparkling wines just as with malt whiskys, once you start selecting good ones you quickly move to rather good quality levels before you move to high price levels. Something like California's Roederer Estate non-vintage sparklers, or a good Cotes de Jura or Blanquette de Limoux [sp.?] or Cremant de Bourgogne from France -- fine Champagne-style sparkling wines that don't command Champagne's prices -- will please everyone, winegeek and civilian alike. Circa $20 price range. (I favor solutions giving the same thing to everyone, by the way.) The geeks will appreciate your acumen and everyone will appreciate the wine.

2. Really good wines can be greatly appreciated by people without trained palates. I've seen dramatic examples. (E.g. case posted elsewhere from late 1970s, senior MIT professor who described his own wine familiarity as "I like a good Manischiewitz" -- moved almost to tears by the experience of a bottle of La Tâche, 1971, given by a departing grad student who was a wine enthusiast.)