We have fond memories of enjoying many bottles of Laurent-Perrier Cuvée Rosé Champagne in the flamboyantly colorful Upstairs at The Square in Cambridge.
We added a bright backdrop to this month's bottle to honor the design of this much-loved and sadly-missed restaurant.
For those who have never seen this space, here's a link to an Eater Boston article with images. As you click through, pause at the photo of the bar where we used to sit alongside the man in the picture. He was almost always there.
Often when we dined, Frank (or "Frank who went to New York," as Ed always calls him) was behind the bar. He was one of those great bartenders who knew the food and the wine and always made you feel welcome.
One day we noticed a bottle of Laurent-Perrier Cuvée Rosé Champagne on the wine menu for less than we had paid in a wine shop. We asked Frank if this was a typo. He consulted the wine buyer and confirmed the price. While that supply or oversupply lasted, we enjoyed great Champagne at sparkling wine prices.
In 2009 we wrote about the food and wine and called this place "a well-rounded favorite." In that article, we also reminisced about the first version of this establishment saying,
"When we first met UpStairs, it was "UpStairs at the Pudding" and was housed in the Hasty Pudding building a few streets over. We adored lunch or brunch on their garden deck. They do have patio seating at the new location, but we must admit we still miss that hidden garden surrounded by Cambridge homes and businesses."
You might have a delightful surprise at either restaurant when the Harvard Krokodiloes streamed into the room and began an a cappella serenade!
Here is what this Champagne house says about this wine:
Grape varietal: Pinot Noir 100% aged an ideal minimum of 5 years.
SENSORY CHARACTERISTICS
"Elegant, with colour changing naturally from a pretty raspberry hue to salmon pink.
A precise nose of extraordinary freshness and a wide range of red fruits: raspberry, redcurrant, strawberry and black cherry. A fresh and sharp attack for this supple and rounded wine. On the palate, it offers the sensation of plunging into a basket of freshly picked red berries."
We purchased our bottle at Gordon's Wine and Spirits for ~$100 with a six-bottle discount.
Trying wines from different places, made with different grapes and produced by various methods, adds spice to our monthly ritual. Since 2007 we have raised a glass of sparkling wine to greet each new month!
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Details:
Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photos: © 2009-2023 Penny Cherubino (Bottle with glass courtesy of Laurent-Perrier)
