So with less than sixty days to bonus season, it’s time to consider indulging a little. Will it be another piece of limited-edition art? Or a portfolio of rarefied Champagne vintages? Have it all…

From the House of Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin and the award-winning Porsche Design Studio comes VERTICAL LIMIT, a visually-stunning, brushed steel cellar with individual compartments for twelve of Veuve’s most prized vintages. Think of it as the ultimate trophy for your inner Champagne connoisseur.

Standing over six feet tall, the handmade VERTICAL LIMIT combines two of your favorite luxuries: outstanding design and crisp bubbly. Each shelf holds one vintage magnum (the perfect size for Champagne) at exactly 12˚ Celsius (about 54˚ Fahrenheit) in a sound- and vibration-proof environment. You can saber a rare ‘55 or keep it modern with a ‘90 - you decide.

And if all that talk about rich French Champagnes and illustrious German design doesn’t persuade you to take a look, consider this: each one goes for $70,000 and there are only two available in the country.

Cheers.

Learn more about Veuve Clicquot and Porsche Design.


Who would you share a bottle of Veuve Clicquot with, and why? Send us your most creative answer to rsvp-veuve@raredaily.com. The wittiest entry will win a bottle of La Grande Dame, Veuve Clicquot’s Haute Couture 1998 Vintage Champagne wrapped in Emilio Pucci. It’s top-notch vintage meets high-end fashion.

So, when the occasion arrives to celebrate and order that vintage bottle of 1996 Krug Clos du Mesnil Champagne, insist on a temperature check before you uncork.

From the brains behind Prologix International comes the VinTemp Infrared Corkscrew, the only patented infrared thermometer capable of telling you the precise temperature of your fave wine or Champagne without popping the cork.

Simply hold the tip of the VinTemp against the center of the bottle, press the button, and voilà, the temperature revealed. There’s even a recommended serving temperature chart printed on the side with temperature readings in Fahrenheit or Celsius (for your French girlfriend).

Technology 1, Humans 0.


Learn more about the VinTemp Infrared Corkscrew at vintemp.com.

Actually enjoying the taste of your beer is another.

Kill two birds with one stone tomorrow by uncorking Brooklyn Brewery’s newest entry to their all-star lineup, Brooklyn Local 1. This perfect, golden ale is a beer drinker’s dream come true.

Brewmaster Garrett Oliver created this bottle conditioned Belgian style ale using raw sugar imported from the island of Mauritius, Belgian yeast, and German barley malt. He then bottles the juice flat with a secondary fermentation in the bottle, so it’s made a lot like Champagne. The result is a strong (9% alcohol level) ale with the feel of a fine bubbly.

The 750 ml bottle and wire-twisted cork opening also borrow from the French but popping a bottle open for a whiff proves it’s all hops. One sip reveals it’s full body and sweet, slightly spicy taste with notes of green apples and honey.

It’s the perfect way to start the Holiday.

And to end it, too.



Brooklyn Brewery’s Brooklyn Local 1 is available at D’Agostino, Fairway, Whole Foods, and other select retailers.

Some things though, like Champagne, only taste good on the first pop.

Anthony Lemme’s not one to let life’s pleasures go sour. Since 1987, he’s been the man behind the world’s top-selling handheld vacuum wine bottle resealers.

His latest Epicurean Preservation System (EPS) is the most technologically advanced set of pressure seal pump/stoppers to date, with a special 5-patent technology and automated system that can keep leftover bubbly fresh for up to 14 days.

Go with the wine and champagne combo deal. Screw on the right bottle top, move the switch to the correct light indicator, and create a vacuum seal with the rechargeable electronic pump. A light will go on telling you its been properly sealed, and just twist the top off to re-open.

It’s simple. It’s easy. And, of course, it keeps the fizz fresh.



EPS Wine and Champagne Saver
Available at Williams-Sonoma
10 Columbus Circle in the Time Warner Center
Tel: (212) 823-9750
epicurean-int.com

Enter RiotWine Modern Wine Club. Dissatisfied with the wine knowledge they could acquire with their busy schedules and budgets, Josh Duyan and friends started RiotWine.

RiotWine funnels the elitist jargon and educates you about vino Joe Friday-style (“just the facts”). It’s a bit like Netflix but you don’t have to return anything: for $32, $47, or $64 a month, you’ll receive two premier, somewhat esoteric bottles from different varietals and wineries. RiotWine’s experts pick each month’s dynamic duo, but the vintners will send you the juice directly.

You take it from there by drinking up. And, if you’re further intrigued, log onto riotwine.com for more tidbits, concise varietal information, and a highly informative blog.

Or, you can just watch Sideways, again.

Available online at riotwine.com.

That’s exactly why Greggory Hockenberry’s new wine restaurant, Varietal, eschews any sort of distracting décor. The smiles spread across your face by the aforementioned chef/certified sommelier’s wine selections are worth a lot more than the joy that could be brought on by a fourteen foot Buddha. Aside from Hockenberry’s personal photos of vineyards from around the world, wineglass fashioned chandeliers are the only gratuitous visual components dotting the white washed and blush-colored minimalist space.

Chef Ed Witt, formerly of Il Buco and River Café, has composed an ambitious, agri-centric American menu to pair with the impressive yet unintimidating wine list. Sample an abbreviated selection at the angular white lacquer bar, where fellow oenophiles craft their own flights from a list of 75 wines by the glass. With the increasing annoyances of air travel these days, that’s just the type of flight you’ll want to take anytime.



Varietal Restaurant & Wine Bar
138 West 25th Street (between Sixth and Seventh Avenues) | View Google Map
New York, NY
Tel: +1 (212) 633-1800

1. Best Grape
Moscato Rosato (Available at Eli’s Zabar and other fine grocers)
A grape is a grape is a grape. Unless, of course, it’s a Moscato Rosato grape. Put simply, it has the burst of a juicy lemon and the taste of a ripe lychee. It’s also used in wines. Which brings us to…

2. Best Sparkling Wine
Domaine Chandon
With Spring arriving, palettes tend to shift to white wines and the bubblies. They’re light, they’re refreshing, and in the case of Domaine Chandon, they’re perfect. Plus they’re cheap, unlike…

3. Best New Men’s Store (L.A.)
Alpha
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4. Best New Resort
Fiesta Americana Grand AQUA
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5. Best New Gadget
Sony Playstation Portable
Movies, games, music, surfing – what doesn’t the PSP do? Packed in a svelte little package, this handheld wonder is the perfect way to decrease your productivity and kill time commuting.

We meant the packaging.

True, the Niebaum-Coppola Winery (yes, Godfather Coppola) has quietly been collecting awards for their wines. And we especially loved Sofia, the Blanc de Blanc wine that is, even without the fabulous new form factor.

But with that sexy shape coupled with a mini straw on the side, we found ourselves yet another reason to toast!

The Sofia Mini Blanc de Blanc is mostly Pinot Blanc with some Sauvignon and hints of Muscat Cannelli. Which means it’s a nice, light wine that tickles the tongue and goes well with sweet stuff.

And everything else for that matter.



Niebaum-Coppola Winery
www.niebaum-coppola.com