It was a fabulous New Year’s Eve. We kicked back with a select number of cool friends around (not too many, not too few), it was raucous at times, chill at times, and so fun we almost forgot to count down to midnight. I think a few people were actually a little annoyed that we interrupted the dance party for such a mundane event.

So yeah. Awesome.

AND I continued my streak of totally forgetting to take photographs of things, and while there were lots of people taking photos, none of them has volunteered any of them to go on the internet, which should also confirm that yes, it was a good party.

I’ve decided I need to designate an official photographer (who is not me) at any events I want to go on BB&B, because I’m clearly just never going to do it on my own. Too much rushing around, answering doors, making sure food is properly finished and presented, refilling drinks, changing playlists, introducing people – you know the drill of throwing a party. Maybe one day I’ll remember to take photos…

So what won the champagne tasting? It’s so predictable that’s shocking.

The widow herself: Veuve Clicquot.

The Veuve and Perrier-Jouet were probably the most expensive champagnes there – no one was going to go nuts on a really nice bottle on a night when our taste buds probably weren’t in top form – and the Veuve won hands-down. The Perrier-Jouet actually was almost in last place. To test the results, I opened a bottle the other night and um, YUM, it’s tasty. My theory is that because it’s a drier champagne, all the sweet ones we tried blew out the subtler flavors of the Perrier, making it taste kind of not so nice compared to all the others.

So eh, it’s not an exact science. But it’s a fun one.

Don’t you love that POP rush of air when the cork finally releases from the bottle?

I’m giving a champagne tasting party for New Year’s Eve, and I’m so excited about it!

Each guest will bring a bottle of champagne, and I’ll set up a blind tasting using about half of each bottle – the other half will be reserved for the person who brought it. Each taster will score each champagne 1-5 with their names next to their score, and then I’ll average the scores and find out which champagne is the winner! Very democratic.

Almost a little too democratic, which is why we have tasters put their names next to their scores, so they can go back and find out which one(s) they scored highest. That way everyone will know which one they liked best, and which one was most popular overall. Very useful for future champers buying.