Mmmm, my taste buds are watering just thinking about Gloria Ferrer champagne.  It’s one of our all time favorite grocery store finds (and occasionally makes an appearance at Costco).  Always under $20 and we’ve snagged it on sale at Vons for under $15.   It’s a delicious sparkling wine which is such a good deal we have no qualms breaking it out for even the most minor celebrations.  Listed below are four of the reasons we’ve used to break out the bubbly:

1.  We’ve survived another day in this insane economy!  Let’s celebrate!

2.  Prohibition has been over since 1933!  Let’s celebrate!

3.  Said to a significant other while serving the champagne and looking deep into his/her eyes:  “What’s the occasion?  The fact that you an I are here together is reason enough for me to celebrate.”  Note: this is most effective the first time it’s used.  I once tried it four days in a row and it seemed to have diminishing returns (although Amy never did turn down the champagne…)

4.  And my all time favorite which you can feel free to use in a pinch:  Hooray!  We have a bottle of champagne chilling in the fridge!  Let’s celebrate!

And just to get this out of the way:  Gloria Ferrer is technically a California “sparkling wine” not champagne.  The good people of the French province of Champagne have waged a serious and expensive effort to make sure everyone is aware champagne can only come from Champagne and who am I to thumb my nose at the French and intentionally call Gloria Ferrer champagne?

(Hey Frenchies:  Gloria Ferrer champagne, champagne champagne! Ha! Ha! Ha!)

Update:  Turns out we’re not the only ones who love this.  Wine Spectator gave this a 90 point rating back in 2006.  The Gloria Ferrer site lists some of their other accolades: www.gloriaferrer.com

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