D&M Wines and Liquors - Champagne Society

"Burgundy makes you think of silly things; Bordeaux makes you talk about them, and Champagne makes you do them." - Brillat-Savarin

D&M Wines and Liquors in Pacific Heights specializes in rare Champagne, fine French brandies, single malt scotch whiskies and fine wines. It is a family owned store that has been in the same location since 1935. Some years back, Mark Mitchell, who is the store's manager and whiskey expert, found me a bottle of a special limited edition 25 year old Glenmorangie Single Malt from 1975, which had been finished in Grand Cru Burgundy (Côte de Nuits) casks, for my father's retirement. Since that time, I have been a regular customer of the store.

From the D&M Web site

When it comes to Champagne, D&M has few rivals. The store has around 200 different bottles of Champange in stock on any given day, including a varied selection of magnums, double magnums (or Jeroboams), Methuselahs, Salmanazars, Balthazars, and even a Nebuchadnezzar (15 liters) from Taittinger.

One of D&M's signature offerings is a membership club called the Champagne Society. Every other month, members receive a package shipped directly to their home or office consisting of from one to three bottles of the finest Champagnes on the market today (for extra savings, you can pick up the Champagne directly from the store).

As part of this group purchase, members save anywhere from 20 to 45% off the retail price. The package comes with background information on the producer(s), as well as D&M's own tasting notes. There are no initiation fees or fees of any other sort, just a simple arrangement for obtaining the best possible purchase price on an incredibly diverse selection of Champagne.

For a few years now, I have happily been a member of the Champagne Society myself. This month, I received a bottle of Comte de Noiron Brut and Comte de Noiron Brut Rose. The suggested retail price for these two Champanges is $135.00, but as a member of the club I was only charged $84.98 - a $50 savings. The Champagne House of Comte de Noiron is built above some of the oldest cellers in Reims and dates back to medieval times.

From D&M: The Brut "is bright straw in color with fine beads. Aroma of bread proofing along with limestone notes. lots of fruit on a rich texture with lots of lime flavors. Very juicy, with a light floral, honeysuckle note to the end."

The Rose is a "smoked salmon color with super fine streamers. The nose shows toast and raspberries. In the mouth the mousse is explosive with lots of raspberry fruit, food friendly and big in style."

Give the Champagne Society a try for yourself, you will learn of Champagnes that you have never heard of before and you won't be disappointed.