Champagne & Thanksgiving: Pops’ Guide to a Sparkling Holiday
From Pops: Why the Little Wins Matter Most people wait for the big moments like birthdays, anniversaries, or promotions, to pop a cork or raise a glass. But let me tell you something I’ve learned: the small stuff counts too. A quiet Tuesday night with someone you love. Finishing that email you’ve been dreading. Remembering to water the plant before it droops. These are the real wins. And they deserve a little celebration. This wonderful piece in the New York Times puts a name to it— micro-celebrations —and reminds us that joy doesn’t have to be earned in bulk. It can show up in the margins of the day, if we make space for it. Give it a read. Then go celebrate something tiny. I’ll raise a glass with you. 🔗 Little Victories – New York Times, July 26, 2025
When you think of champagne, you probably picture elegance. Crystal glasses. Golden bubbles. Maybe a celebration. What you might not picture is a vineyard worker checking soil cover crops, solar panels on a press house roof, or a grower tracking carbon emissions from each tractor pass. But that’s champagne too. Or at least, it is now.
Champagne is often a blend, and not just of vintages, vineyards, or producers. It’s usually a blend of grapes. Chardonnay , pinot noir , and meunier are the three primary varieties behind nearly every bottle. Not always, though. Some champagnes, called blanc de blancs or blanc de noirs, rely on just one or two. These single-varietal wines reveal the unique personality of each grape, unblended and uncompromised. But whether solo or in harmony, these three grapes are the building blocks of champagne’s character.