The Champagne and Sparkling Wine Conference: April 16-17, New Orleans

Chances are, you don't drink nearly enough Champagne. I don't either, and I try to make an effort. Chances are you don't know as much about Champagne and other sparkling wines as you do about red, white and rosé. Most people don't. And if you're like most people, you haven't been to New Orleans lately.

There's a simple fix to all of the above, and it's called the Independent Champagne and Sparkling Wine Invitational. And just like it sounds, it's a conference (and more importantly, a tasting event) dedicated solely to bubbles.

I don't know about you, but to me, that sounds like a hell of a good time.

The event starts on Friday April 16th, with a seminar on the sparkling wines of the world. Then around mid-day, the Grand Tasting hall opens to the public, and you have the opportunity to taste hundreds of sparkling wines and Champagnes. In the evening, winemaker dinners are followed by an after-party on Bourbon Street. The next day offers more of the same, with a grand bash on Saturday night on Rue street.

Unfortunately the event web site isn't great, so its quite difficult to tell, for instance, what the winemaker dinners are, which winemakers will be attending, or where they will be held.

However, the one thing that is quite clear is the list of producers that will be attending and pouring, and I've started salivating just reading it.

Independent Champagne and Sparkling Wine Invitational 2010
Friday April 16 - Saturday, April 17, 2010
Ernest N. Morial Convention Center
900 Convention Center Boulevard
New Orleans, Louisiana

Tickets for the event start at $200 (or $150 if you just want to attend a winemaker dinner), and go up to $400 for a Grand Cru VIP ticket. Tickets can be purchased online. Of course you gotta get yourself to New Orleans (assuming you aren't lucky enough to live there) but tickets look to be pretty cheap this time of year. If any of you folks go, let me know how it is !