In Spain: Lessons about champagne

I wheedled my way into a Krug Champagne tasting in Barcelona the other day ?my birthday no less! - getting a chance to sip on some pretty fancy stuff.
I can抰 say buying a bottle of their bubbly is the first thing I抎 do with a few extra c-notes, but I liked LVMH (Krug抯 parent company) enologist Xavier Montcl鷖?back-to-basics, grapes-to-glass approach to the tasting, even in a room full of food-industry pros that included sommeliers and Michelin-starred chefs. A few highlights:

THE GRAPES:
Montcl鷖?metaphors to understand part of each grape抯 role in Champagne?br /> Pinot Noir ?揟he backbone and the muscles that hold up the wine??anti-flab, if you will.
Pinot Meunier ?揟he bones which give fruit flavors like pear, peach and quince卹emember that the best taste in meat is closest to the bone.?br /> Chardonnay ?揟he skin.?The skin? Eww. 揕ike on a peach. It contributes smell (honey, for one) and golden color.?Mmm.

PRESENTATION:
The Cork - 揕oosen the cage that holds the cork, but keep it on top of the bottle, with your hand on it at all times,?he says, reminding me of a moment when I was a waiter on a San Francisco Bay dinner cruise (dressed like Gopher from 揟he Love Boat,?no less) and put a quarter-inch dent in a ceiling tile with a cork before beaning a woman on the top of her head. Hoo, dear, I couldn抰 stop laughing. 揌old the cage & cork in one hand and turn the bottle with the other.?

THE BUCKET:
揊ill it three-quarters of the way with ice, then halfway up with water.?A bottle that hasn抰 been cooled should be kept on ice ?hour, but not more. 揗inimum temperature should be five degrees Celsius (41 F) ?lower than that just brings out the defects.?/p>

THE POUR:
揘ever serve more than half a flute.?br /> Bottoms up!