@PeterLiem

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: Welcome to #SommChat everyone! Tell your friends to join us to learn about #Champagne from author Peter Liem @PeterLiem!

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: We're about ready to dive in w/questions, so shout out to Peter Liem @PeterLiem to say hello & so he knows you're here! #WineWednesday #SommChat

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: As we ask Peter Liem @PeterLiem our Qs, you can ask your Qs as well! He'll do his best to answer all Qs in the order they come #SommChat

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: Don't forget that EVERY tweet during this chat should include the #SommChat hashtag in order for everyone to see it!

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: Let's start talking #Champagne with writer Peter Liem @PeterLiem ! #SommChat

Peter Liem @PeterLiem: Thanks for having me! I’m currently in a remote location in South Africa, so internet is quite dodgy. I’ll try to keep up as I can.

Sandy Wasserman @SandyWasserman: Good morning @PeterLiem How did you get into writing & who are your mentors? Thanks #SommChat

Peter Liem @PeterLiem: I never intended to become a wine writer until @WineandSpirits hired me. I credit my writing ability to a good liberal arts education at @Occidental. #SommChat

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: Thanks for joining in @SandyWasserman today on #SommChat with @PeterLiem

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: @SandyWasserman what are some of your favorite #Champagnes? #SommChat

Sandy Wasserman @SandyWasserman: I prefer grower #champagnes when drinking the bubbles. #SommChat

Douglas Trapasso @demilove: @keepercoll #SommChat - Hope you all had a bubbly Holiday! Did anyone open up #Champagne ?

WineGal @winegalLynne: You know it!!! 2004 Pol Roger Rosé ... beautiful #chanpagne! =) #Sommchat

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: Welcome back @demilove to #SommChat yes we had bubbles what about you?

WineGal @winegalLynne: Good morning all and happy #WineWednesday here at #SommChat!

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: @winegalLynne great to see you today on #SommChat - 04 Roger Rose sounds lovely anything planned for #NYE2017 ?

WineGal @winegalLynne: Not yet, but I'll let you know soon =) #SommChat #WineWednesday

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: @PeterLiem when did you first become interested in learning about #Champagne? Can you remember when you drink your 1st glass of bubbly? #SommChat

Peter Liem @PeterLiem: I was introduced to champagne as a retailer and sommelier in the mid-1990s, when the contemporary movement of champagne was at a nascent stage. #SommChat

WineGal @winegalLynne: Good morning @PeterLiem so nice to meet you here on #SommChat

Peter Liem @PeterLiem: Good morning! Or evening where I am... #SommChat

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: @PeterLiem here is a question sent in for your #SommChat “What magnum of #Champagne should 1 get for brother’s 50th BD that won’t kill the bank account?”

Peter Liem @PeterLiem: Lots of good things—find a good non-vintage or vintage from growers like Chartogne or Bereche, or houses like Charles Heidsieck or Louis Roederer. It depends on how much you want to spend. The best thing is to ask your local retailer. #SommChat

Sandy Wasserman @SandyWasserman: Q @PeterLiem Any #champagnes your fond of recently? #SommChat

Peter Liem @PeterLiem: Obviously there are many. #SommChat

WineGal @winegalLynne: @PeterLiem As u tasted #champagne, did u find u lean toward Pinot Noir-based styles or do u have a preference? #SommChat

Peter Liem @PeterLiem: No, I value the diversity of champagne. I like tasting different styles, varieties and terroirs, and today we have the opportunity to taste a more diverse selection than ever before. #SommChat

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: @PeterLiem can you tell us about your new book, #Champagne? #SommChat

Peter Liem @PeterLiem: It’s a distinctly 21st-century perspective, addressing champagne as a real wine. This means asking the same questions and addressing the same issues as we would with any other wine, particularly when it comes to vineyards and viticulture. #SommChat

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: Q fr #SommChat #Somm can you share your thoughts on the weather challenges that #Champagne growers are facing in 2015 and beyond @PeterLiem how are they adjusting?

Peter Liem @PeterLiem: Champagne is definitely getting warmer, but it’s also getting more complicated. Storms are stormier, hail is more virulent, frost is more vicious. It’s a challenge, and growers are adjusting with every vintage. #SommChat

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: Q fr #SommChat #Somm how long did it take you to write your new book and would it be too heavy reading for a beginner - thought I could give to some non-simm #wine lovers @PeterLiem?

Peter Liem @PeterLiem: I’ve tried to make it accessible to a wide audience—I don’t think you need much previous knowledge to enjoy the book. It was a good two years of dedicated work, but it draws on 20 years of research. #SommChat

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: @PeterLiem what advice would you give for someone just starting to learn about #Champagne in order to pick some bottles to try - any insight on taking notes? #SommChat

Peter Liem @PeterLiem: The best thing is to form a relationship with a good wine retailer. Obviously I would love for you to subscribe to ChapagneGuide.net but really it’s important to have personal interaction. #SommChat

Sandy Wasserman @SandyWasserman: Q @PeterLiem Any travel & or writings planned for other wine regions in 2018? #SommChat

Peter Liem @PeterLiem: Travel, yes. Writing, no. For me, 2018 will be focused on ChampagneGuide.net. #SommChat

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: Q fr #SommChat #Somm can you describe general tasting profiles to help me identify Pinot Meunier in #Champagne? How diff than Pinot Noir in tasting @PeterLiem

Peter Liem @PeterLiem: Meunier is the most varied in profile. It’s generally softer and rounder than pinot noir, but it really depends on the terroir. Its flavors can vary from purple and black fruits to citrus and stone fruit—it’s very chameleon-like. #SommChat

WineGal @winegalLynne: @PeterLiem Does your book deal w/champagne food pairing? It can work with foods, but sometimes it's kind of neutral. Any thoughts? #SommChat

Peter Liem @PeterLiem: Yes, I talk a little about food pairing in my book, although it’s not meant to be a guide to such. I don’t think of it as neutral, unless you have a neutral champagne. In general, champagne is highly versatile, more so than most wines. #SommChat

Peter Liem @PeterLiem: A few time-honored pairings include anything fried, anything umami and anything involving mushrooms. Pay attention to weight—champagne can be wispy and light or surprisingly full-bodied, and this is key to a successful pairing. #SommChat

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: Great question @winegalLynne about #champagne and food pairing - have heard this from many on #SommChat

WineGal @winegalLynne: I've used champagne through a whole thxgiving dinner, for the most part it worked! =)

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: We have done as well especially with #Chef Tasting menus and never let us down #SommChat @winegalLynne

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: Q fr #SommChat #Somm @PeterLiem what was the most challenging part of writing #Champagne? The most rewarding

Peter Liem @PeterLiem: I think any book is challenging. Champagne is a large subject, and distilling it into <350 pages isn’t easy. As with any writing, my book has a focus and a slant, and that’s important as well. #SommChat

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: Q fr #SommChat #Somm why do you think #champagne In general is more versatile that most #wines @PeterLiem so interesting!

Peter Liem @PeterLiem: Champagne is ideal with food because of its high acidity, relatively low alcohol and elegant balance. Its bubbles also help, as they provide a refreshing counterpoint to many elements in a dish. #SommChat

WineGal @winegalLynne: @PeterLiem Thanks you, I just need to seek out some more diverse styles and now I have an excuse to try them all with my dishes! =) #SommChat

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: @PeterLiem Q fr #SommChat #Somm I want to visit #Champagne to learn more for my work, will have abt 1 wk max, what is best route and is it hard to get visits?

Peter Liem @PeterLiem: Champagne is a great wine region to visit. Most producers are receptive to visits—pick your favorite ones and make appointments in advance (and keep them!) A week is fine. Rent a car and plan your visits well geographically. #SommChat

WineGal @winegalLynne: @PeterLiem Congrats to u for taking on a book challenge. R there any wines u like to celebrate with? #champagne or other? #SommChat

Peter Liem @PeterLiem: Thank you! I always drink champagne, but I appreciate well-made, high-quality wines from anywhere in the world. I do have a preference for cooler-climate Europe. #SommChat

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: Q fr #SommChat #Somm for your online work, how do you decide who to taste and who to write about @PeterLiem

Peter Liem @PeterLiem: It’s a challenge—365 days in a year are not nearly enough. I’m always looking for new producers and always seeking to revisit the ones I know. Champagne is a vast and diverse place, and that’s part of what I love about it. #SommChat

Courtney Quinn @Path2Wine: Q. @PeterLiem With what seems to be an increase of grower Champagnes on the market are the houses being impacted significantly in sourcing? #SommChat

Peter Liem @PeterLiem: I don’t think so—in the US the impact of grower champagne is large, but in the worldwide market it represents a very small percentage of overall sales. Houses still have plenty of growers to work with, and ample supply, for the most part. #SommChat

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: Great Q @Path2Wine for @PeterLiem on #SommChat

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: Q fr #SommChat #Somm do you think tasting #champagnes for your work causes more or less palate fatigue than with #wine - why R why not? What do u feel is tasting max @PeterLiem

Peter Liem @PeterLiem: When I was tasting director at @WineandSpirits, I found that we could taste up to 40 reds or whites in one sitting (even tannic things like Barolo), but only about 25 champagnes. I suppose the bubbles wreak some havoc on the palate. #SommChat

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: Q fr #SommChat #Somm are you based in #Champagne to make your tasting/writing easier or just go some times of the year @PeterLiem

Peter Liem @PeterLiem: I travel a lot. Certainly there are specific times of the year that are more profitable to be in Champagne, tasting-wise. Also I own a house in Epernay, and it’s nice to be home sometimes. #SommChat

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: Q fr #SommChat #Somm - any explanation for why some older #champagne hold their bubbles more than others @PeterLiem is it how produced or ?

Peter Liem @PeterLiem: Bubbles are one of the most mysterious topics in Champagne. In general they hold up very well with age. If properly stored, bubbles usually last longer than fruit does. #SommChat

WineGal @winegalLynne: @PeterLiem Glassware has been a discussion of late, do you have a preference? or what have you learned? #SommChat

Peter Liem @PeterLiem: In general, treat champagne as you would white Burgundy. White wine glasses are good, and sometimes (not always) even larger bowls. My favorite glasses are by Riedel, although they didn’t pay me to say that. #SommChat

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: Q fr #SommChat #Somm @PeterLiem is there a best time of year to visit #Champagne and is there a time not to visit ?

Peter Liem @PeterLiem: Champagne is always good to visit. Winter is cold, so March-May is better. August, as anywhere in Europe, is useless. At harvest people might be busy, but the fall is a beautiful time in the region. #SommChat

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: @PeterLiem what would you say are the top 5 countries of importance 4 #Champagne consumption and do you see that changing in the next 5 years - if so why #SommChat

Peter Liem @PeterLiem: It fluctuates a little, but it’s pretty constant. The UK is the largest in terms of volume, but I feel the US is much better in terms of quality (sorry!). Japan and Italy are phenomenal for avant-garde champagne, whether cutting-edge growers or leading houses. #SommChat

Courtney Quinn @Path2Wine: Q. @PeterLiem I am enjoying how you have written the section on people of Champagne. Are there some you could recommend to visit? #SommChat

Peter Liem @PeterLiem: Most producers are amenable to visits. Pick your favorite ones (whether growers or houses) and contact them in advance to make an appointment. #SommChat

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: Q fr #SommChat #Somm do you have any suggestions on best practices for organizing #Champagne on a #wine list to help consumers @PeterLiem

Peter Liem @PeterLiem: Many somms are now arranging lists by terroir, which is fantastic. It can be a little challenging for the uninitiated, though. I’d like to see more people talk about relative weight and body, which has a huge impact on different food pairings. #SommChat

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: @PeterLiem love the #Champagne maps in the new book - what inspired those to be included #SommChat

Peter Liem @PeterLiem: Larmat maps are the best Champagne maps we have. They’ve been invaluable to me in my champagne education, and I wanted to share them with the rest of the world. #SommChat

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: @PeterLiem has been amazing today on #SommChat especially considering he is a remote part of #SouthAfrica trying to answer Qs! #professional

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: Time to wrap up! Hope you enjoyed this hour of #Champagne talk w/ #writer Peter Liem @PeterLiem! #SommChat

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: It was great to have Peter Liem @PeterLiem join us today for #SommChat. We hope everyone learned as much as we did! Get his book Champagne and subscribe to bit.ly/2zDfwrp to learn - our suggestion without his request - we are fans!

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl: Please join us in thanking Peter Liem @PeterLiem for his time #SommChat

Peter Liem @PeterLiem: Thanks! Cheers from South Africa! #SommChat

Peter Liem @PeterLiem: Me, trying to navigate #SommChat on Twitter in a remote part of South Africa. Traveled 15… instagram.com/p/BdOoADPAUIw/

Courtney Quinn @Path2Wine: Thank you @PeterLiem for sharing your unique perspective on Champagne and chatting via #SommChat

WineGal @winegalLynne: @PeterLiem @keepercoll Thank u very much for ur time. I look forward to enjoying ur book w/ a splash (or 2) of #champagne! Wishing all of u a spectacular 2018! =) #SommChat