It is not a secret that I love (LOVE, LOVE, scream it from the rooftops, LOVE) bubbly. I prefer cava to prosecco and love Champagne and California sparkling too. I am easily pleased by bubbles, but appreciate the nuances they can bring to the table. Our mantra at Bon Lemon, "when life gives you lemons... put on something sparkly (or sparkling)" has a dual meaning now, doesn't it? :)
When my mom invited me to go to a champagne tasting at Fat Cork in Seattle, I didn't hesitate. A tasting focused on bubbly? A shoppe that only sells champagne? Yes, please! We headed up yesterday to meet the folks at Fat Cork. Abigail and Bryan, the partners (and partners in crime) at Fat Cork were so great. They were informative without being pretentious, fun without being flighty, and the perfect hosts for a champagne tasting. Moral of the story: I loved them! I am waiting for them to plan a trip to France. Count me in!
Back to the tasting... Fat Cork is located in the bottom floor of a building in a random, industrial (but not really) area of Seattle. We got buzzed in, and it was clear, we had arrived. Abigail greeted us with a smile and enthusiastically showed us in. The industrial space had been perfectly adapted for the tasting with a table set with snacks (Salumi and Theo to name a few), a cute table runner, flowers, and informative tasting guides. Our first impression was great.
Bryan told us later the reason they picked the space is, because it is partially underground and north facing, which makes it easier to regulate the temperature for Champagne storage. They temperature control their Champagne all the way from France, which greatly improves the quality, which can be a problem with other distributors. Think of your Champagne sitting on a shelf in a 70 degree warehouse somewhere melting to death. Tear. These guys love their Champagne all the way along its journey.
All of the Champagnes Fat Cork offers are previously unavailable in the United States. (Aren't we special?) They are primarily from small, young, innovative growers in the Champagne region in France. We learned a lot about the changing dynamic in the French wine world and the new and exciting things happening with Champagne. We tasted three Champagnes in each of the three distinct Champagne regions. The tasting was diverse and delish and we learned a lot about what we liked, where it came from, and what made it taste the way it did. So fun!
(This is Abigail and Bryan. Cute!)
If you are looking for unique, unknown, grower Champagne, you now know where to go. The admittedly don't sell everyday bubbly (most of their options are over $40) but their mantra: "Celebrate Everyday!" should be taken more seriously by us all. What are you doing tonight?
I am such a fan! You will be too. Can we get them to Montana to Wines By Wednesday or to Olympia at La Petite Maison for a special event? Hope so! Or they could just come hang out at my house. Love them. (They also ship!) These two will make you appreciate Champagne even if you didn't before and love it even more if you already did. Thanks for a great evening Fat Cork.
