POP Champagne and Dessert Bar

Recent Posts

• Religious experiences…

  by Rafael

  Happy 2012!! I have never really been very religious at all but sometimes I wonder… I was lucky enough to get my hands on a few bottles of the 2002 Paul Bara Special Club. I opened a bottle last night and spent some time with it and now I am revisiting it again. I am [...]

• The next level… Geekazoid 5000.

  by Rafael

  What the hell is this guy talking about, you might be asking yourself. Well, for a long time I have been frustrated with the inequity between Champagne and other wine regions of the world such as Burgundy, Barolo, Bordeaux, etc… It seems as though it is very easy to order a champagne at a restaurant [...]

• In the moment between crisis and catastrophe…

  by Rafael

  … we might as well have a glass of champagne. So, last month has been full of ups and downs. At POP we had tons of events planned that required lots of attention, and my life outside of POP also went through some changes. I think now is a good time to catch you up [...]

• I’m not getting lazy, just been busy… More pictures.

  by Rafael

  Some more pictures of the last few days since the last blog post… The ’02 Grande Annee was waaaayyyy to big to be drinking now. Needs ten+ to be ready. Put it away! Bollinger Rose, however, is sexy stuff. So it’s been busy around POP lately. I will get back to the blogging soon enough. [...]

• Sorry for not updating the blog… been out on the town, the pictorial.

  by Rafael

    So I apologize for not updating sooner… I’ve been a bit busy. Rafael Sanchez Sommelier POP Champagne Bar

• 2nd day in the bay. Enter Andre Beaufort and Billecart….

  by Rafael

  So, after a kick ass day in Oakland I stumbled out of bed and my good friend Martin and myself moseyed over to Jardiniere in the city to attend the North Berkeley Imports tasting. This was an added bonus for me, as my intention on going to the bay was the Jacquesson tasting the day [...]

• Tasting Champagne in Oakland…

  by Rafael

  So I am sitting here at Ben & Nicks on College avenue down the street from A Cote, where I just attended an awesome Champagne tasting. It was intimate (no more than 10 people), it was a lively crowd (I only saw one person spit), and it was one of the best focused tastings I [...]

• Fatcork.com visits POP… the recap.

  by Rafael

  Awesome night. Tonight was the perfect mix of new friends, old friends, great Champagne, and even better weather! This morning I drove up from San Diego where it was 60 and raining and got to L.A. and it was 102. Sorry, but I love it when it’s this hot. Anyway, after spending a wonderful day [...]

• Fat Cork pt. 6, Francis Cossy Premier Cru Brut

  by Rafael

  I can’t believe this is the last of the half case we ordered. I wish these moments never ended. This Champagne comes from a village that has some serious street cred, Jouy-les-Reims. This is the home to one of my favorite producers that uses the “other” varietals of Champagne, Aubry. All of their wines show [...]

• Fat Cork pt. 5, Adam-Jaeger 2002 Blanc de Blanc

  by Rafael

  This is the only vintage bottling I got from Fatcork.com and I am excited to try it. This comes from the village of Berru in the Montagne de Reims. Berru is a special village for me. Last year at the Champagne Conference the Jacques Picard “Art de Vigne” 2005, also from Berru, was my favorite [...]

• The Champagne Diet™ 2012

  by robert

  Greetings and best wishes for a healthy, prosperous, joyous New Year!  Some of you know I am turning 65 on January 10, and that milestone is motivating me to get my life in better condition.  Spend more time with family (including, of course, the five adorable grandchildren: Abbie, Sydney, Wolfe, Olivia, and Xochi) is at [...]

• The Champagne Diet™- Week 3

  by robert

  Who ever could imagine losing weight can actually be fun?  The pounds are not falling off overnight, but slowly, steadily, I have lost 6 pounds in three weeks.  With as many as I hope to lose, that actually feels a bit discouraging, but I remind myself that slower weight lose is actually more healthy, and, [...]

• The Champagne Diet ™ Part II

  by robert

  This truly is an exceptional diet! There is no other diet to my knowledge that would allow me to enjoy the Champagnes I have sampled this past week and be guilt-free and one pound lighter (5 pounds in 10 days)! J Lassalle Brut Rose – A somewhat pale rosé that paired very well with my [...]

• Champagne Diet – At Long Last, There is Hope!

  by robert

  Greetings, my name is Bob, one of the owners of POP. In the coming weeks and months, I invite you to follow my progress on what I hope will be a life-changing adventure. For the last ten years, I have struggled with losing weight.  I have tried counting calories, counting points, no-carbs, no meat, you [...]