Champagne tracker

OK, my back's to the wall. After giving Arnaud no end of grief about the fact that all of his friends (or their girlfriends or live-ins or wives) have a steady supply of champagne in their fridges, to open at whim - or in some cases, perpetually open, drunk, and replaced - Arnaud has assured me that I am getting if not my fill of champagne, then at least a goodly amount, as a general rule.

We were in London when this issue cropped up again. I was laughing over the fact that while waiting for him to finish up a meeting, I went to a wine bar in the City and ordered a glass of champagne. The barman said to me, completely serious, "Are you sure you wouldn't like the whole bottle?"

Yes, I was laughing a little over the excesses of wine and alcohol consumption in England - even I felt out of my depth, which is saying something... but also talking about how it was nice to have champagne, ostensibly "for a change."

Arnaud put me to the challenge. "When we get back to Paris," he said, "You are going to write a little 'C' on the calendar each time you have champagne."

So I held myself to it. We've been back in Paris for nearly a week. And to my shame, I have to admit that the C's are starting to roll in...

A nice bottle of NV A. Margaine Brut 1er Cru, by the way, last night with some friends...