What Are You Drinking?

At the 80th birthday for my father-in-law, Robert Brumder, last week, I brought a methuselah of Tattinger ‘Brut Reserve’ Champagne. That’s the same as eight regular bottles, but it was a milestone birthday, and he loves French Champagne. I’ve thought for a long time that most wine ages better in large-format bottles, but what impressed me most about this one was the very tiny bubbles. There is so little neck space compared to such a huge volume; I don’t think I’ve ever seen such tiny little bubbles in Champagne before.