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t # A B R O W N S T O N E H O L ID A YThe Toast Of The Town: LocalLiquor Store Owners Give TheirBest Bets And Buys On ChampagneB Y T R A C Y G A R R IT YLegend has it that the first bottles of champagne were uncorked centuries ago by a monk who had mistakenly let his wine over-ferment. The monks, who were already rumored to have been some of the finest wine makers had also created a pretty good champagne. And to this day, champagne bears that first monk%u2019s name: Dorn Perignon.While the story of champagne%u2019s beginning may be legend embellished over the years by champagne makers, Dom Perignon is still considered by most to be the oldest and most respected (not to mention priciest) bottle of bubbly on the market today, and thousands of bottles of it will be popped New Year%u2019s Eve to bring luck to 1987. But you don%u2019t have to spend $60 a bottle to have a tasty toast to the new year. In fact many good bottles of champagne cost in the $20 range; and an average champagne will run you often less than $10. Contrary to popular belief, champagne is not made from less favored grapes %u2014 so whatever you buy you are no paying more for an inferior product.%u201cFine champagne comes from fine wine,%u201d says Leon Paley, owner of Leon Paley, Ltd., on Seventh Avenue. %u201cThey don%u2019t use inferior grapes or processing. That%u2019s a fallacy.%u201d Champagne is all made the same way, using the same grapes that go into wine. Champagne, however, is fermented a second time, giving it the bubbles.The process is basically to let wine age for a year or two. After the aging process, the wine is placed in racks that allow it to be %u201criddled%u201d ; that is moved slightly, on a daily basis for 90 days. The wine starts out horizontally and ends up in the vertical position. %u201cAt that point all the sediment from the wine will be near the top of the bottle,%u201d says Paley, %u201cand the necks of the bottles are quickly frozen or cooled very quickly.%u201d This allows the sediment to be removed, and a mixture of sugar and wine to be added to the bottles. It is the sugar mixture or %u201cdosage%u201d that gives champagne its bubbles.%u201cThen the bottles are corked and wired and put to rest for a year or two until the winemaker feels it is ready,%u201d says Paley. %u201cThey usually begin the process of getting the bottles to the retailers about six months before the champagne is ready.%u201dWhile the taste of champagne is what traditionally sells it; the bubbles are important. Paley says to look for tiny, but long bubbles. %u201cThat%u2019s the sign of really fine champagne,%u201d he says. %u201cYounger wines will not have those types of bubbles.%u201dChampagne must be served chilled. And, says Paley, most people just toss it in the refrigerator for two or three days prior to the holiday. %u201cIt%u2019s really best to chill it quickly,%u201d he says. %u201cI%u2019d say put it in a bucket of ice and water about 30 or 40 minutes before it is to be served. Just wrap the neck in a towel to keep it from dripping. I don%u2019t know the technical reason, but it%u2019s better for the champagne.%u201d And, as for the rumor that champagne will maintain its bubbles if stored upright in the refrigerator uncorked, Paley is skeptical. %u201cI don%u2019t imagine that%u2019s true,%u201d he says. But, whatever the truth is, it%u2019s probably better to drink it.What follows are the toasting selections of local liquor store owners as a price guide to shopping for holiday champagne:Bay River Foremost Liquors, 539 Fifth Ave., 768-5402. Best champagne %u2014 Dom Perignon, $50; Best buy %u2014 Italian Asti Spumanti, $3.99; Highly recommends %u2014 Moet & Chandon, $14.99; and Corbel%u2019s Champagne, $6.99.Boro Hall Liquors, 105 Court St. 624-1666.Best champagne %u2014 Dom Perignon, $65;Best buys %u2014 Moet & Chandon, $20.28;Korbel Blanc de Noirs, $12.61.Brennan Wines & Liquors, 455 Atlantic Ave. 875-8877. Best champagne %u2014 MoetChandon, $19.99; Best buy %u2014 Bosca Spumanti, $5.99; Highly recommends %u2014 Korbel, $9.99.Gla8cows Liquor Store, 487 Fifth Ave. 788-6315. Best champagne %u2014 Tattingers, $60;Continued on Page 24u r tfm tM te -pne- catering\and doing it allyourself are twodifferent things\Let us take thework out ofyour holidayparty7 1 6 /(> 2 4 --2 3 + }Looking forLearning?W h e th er you w ant toplay better tennis,learn to cooko i i i n e a e u i u c c u n c ripw ith your Spanish, *you can find it all inThe Phoenix%u2019IN S TR U C TIO NC L A S S IF IE D G U ID EGifts For Every Taste And Every PocketbookTW O FOR THE POTcoffees %u2022 teas %u2022 herbs %u2022 spices %u2022 sundries And last m inute solutions . . .200 Clinton Street at Atlantic Ave.855-8173for The MostFestive Selection ofUnique, Freshly Prepared FoodFor All of YourHoliday Entertaining NeedsM y S i s t e r ' s K i t c h e n382 7th five, (betcu. 11th & 12th Sts.)Call 4 9 3 -6 9 2 8Mon.-frl. 10-7 Sot. 10-5Decem ber 25,1986, THE PHOENIX, Page 23