Champagne is one of the most complex topics in the wine world, the subject of lengthy books and monographs. It also tends to be expensive, which drops peoples' willingness to experiment with it down to roughly zero. With that in mind, here are some tips on buying the wines intelligently and avoiding the pitfalls of a much-hyped category. Champagne is not always the best bubbly to serve. It's rich and attention-grabbing. Lighter offerings like Prosecco, German Sekt, and Cremant are less expensive and often more appropriate. If you're making mimosas, a nice $10 Cava will do the job. Close to 90% of the U.S. Champagne market is ruled by 20 brands. Not because they're better, but simply because they're wealthier and they can afford to advertise. If you're willing to try some of the other 2,000 brands made in Champagne, you will be vastly rewarded. Most of them are hand-made, carefully crafted, small-production gems from first press juice, 1er cru vineyards and great terroirs. [At Nancy's we work with a handful of American importers to bring in the best of the best "grower" Champagnes at absolutely fair prices.] Click here to see notes on three of our favorites for this holiday season. In miniscule letters at the bottom of almost every Champagne label, you will see a code consisting of two letters and a string of numbers. The letters are the giveaway: NM means 'negociant manipulant', a winery that buys its grapes-most Champagne houses you've heard of are NM. RM means 'recoltant manipulant', a winery that grows its own fruit, makes the wine, bottles it and ships it. RM wines are always more interesting wines than NM, as they are small production, hand-crafted wines that reflect their individual terroirs. RM is the wine to look for. CM means 'cooperative manipulant', a co- op of farmers who band together under one cellarmaster to make and market their wines. Some are good, some ar not. Consult your merchant. MA means 'marque d'acheteur', a wine made specifically for a restaurant or retailer so they can slap their own label on it. Vanity projects, they are often called. Beware. Would you prefer the crisp, refreshing, very dry, minerally style that works best with oysters and caviar? Or would you rather have the rich, full-bodied, malty, toasty style that you can serve throughout a meal? One more choice: how about a rosé? Vintage Champagne is good for about the first ten years of its life. Otherwise, nonvintage Champagne (which is the vast majority of production) is meant to be drunk immediately. Do not store a bottle in your fridge for three years-it will be bad. And life's too short to drink bad Champagne... Our Champagne recommendations... »

It's that time of year again - when the number of parties you're invited to exceeds the number of days of the week. By now the revelry is hitting its annual frenzied peak, and like every other year, you're probably bringing wine with you wherever you go. But which wines? And how much should they cost? With all of the other things to worry about, here are a few tips to ease the holiday wine-buying burden. The numbers $15 and $20 are sacred numbers to many wine consumers. Within this "magic" range, some folks feel certain that they can find a wine that will taste good and won't make them look cheap. Depending on the store, this may or may not be true. There are plenty of $16.99 bottles out there that fall flat at a party, whether it's because they're too structured or too demanding on the palate--or just downright awful! So don't start by asking for your wine by price. First choose a wine that best fits the occasion. Cocktail party? Light to medium bodied, smooth textured, and fun. Dinner party? Something versatile, that can go with fish or meat without a hassle. Celebration? Try bubbles. After you've made this preliminary decision, then get a wine you feel comfortable paying for--whether it's $5, $10, $20, whatever. If you're visiting your in-laws or attending a gathering where the focus is on the wine, perhaps you want to spring for something a little more elegant. But, if the bottle is just going to be plunked down next to seven others on a kitchen counter or living room table, go with fun over formality--it's almost always the better choice. If you're still stuck on spending "between $15 and $20," bring two less expensive bottles. Hey--the more the merrier. If I had a nickel for every out-of-balance, oaky, unappealing Chardonnay, Merlot, or Cabernet I've had at holiday fiestas, we'd all be partying at the Four Seasons like it was 1999, my treat. In the heat and noise of a good party, the human palate is way more responsive to livelier varietals like Zinfandel, Syrah, or Riesling. Also, wines made from these grapes often have a better value/price ratio than the 'big 3'. And by asking for something slightly to the left of mainstream, you reduce the chance of getting a mediocre, mass-produced wine that the store is just trying to push because they got a great deal on 100 cases. Here's a scene from a movie that we've all played the starring role in: It's twenty past ten -- the party officially started at nine, and you've still got to cross the park and head down fifty blocks before you're even in the right neighborhood -- oh yeah, and you still need to pick up the wine. Unless you know your wine store backwards and forwards and can make a beeline to a favorite bottle, it's likely that you will spend a few minutes fumbling around looking for a label you recognize at a price you want to pay. "Hmm, was it the Vintner's Reserve or the Proprietor's Special Select...?" Don't torture yourself. When armed with the right information from you, any staff member who knows their stuff should be able to hand you the right bottle in under thirty seconds. You just have to inform them of three vital details: You're in a rush/running late for a party You want a fun bottle to be consumed at the party itself, without food. You want to spend between $X and $Y Given these keys to your preferences and situation, the salesperson should reach straight for the rack and pull out the perfect bottle for you--and now you're sure that you've got the bottle you think that you do at the right price--all in under a minute. This advice is especially pertinent if you need a white wine, as the staff will know which of the inventory is available cold. Some stores even keep a few extras of popular party favorites in the fridge. If you're still completely flummoxed, don't worry -- head over to Nancy's or give us a call and let us take care of you. Each of us has done our fair share of partying and will be happy to lead you to the perfect bottles for all your celebrations. Happy Holidays!