Flamingo, you can do up a big batch in a pitcher or something and have folks just shake over ice and pour into a glass... Something else I've done that works really well (but isn't at all fancy) is to pre-mix the drinks, pour them into 4-oz jelly jars, lid them and bury them in a tub of crushed ice a couple hours before the party. The idea is that rather than guests spilling all over your kitchen or you being chained to the shaker all night, guests can fish out a drink (color coded for clarity), put the lid on a tray next to the ice bucket, and pour into a fancy glass... though most guests prefer to drink right out of the jelly jars! If it's a drink that requires a bit of carbonated beverage, I leave that out, use a larger jar, and leave room in the jar for the guests to top it off when they serve themselves. I did the jelly jar once on a lark, and now get requests for them when I ask what I can bring. Initially, I was embarrassed because they aren't very posh, but they are practical and efficient, and I fill them with very good ingredients...

First of all you should research to see if it is worth anything. Visit the GW thread below where a 1985 dom is discussed. Then check out places like http://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=14409 I do not quite understand the term "sell it for charity". You mean something like put it in eBay and sell it, giving the money to some charity? Are you talking about a 1985 Dom Perignon Etched Bottle Champagne worth thousands of dollars, or just a 1985 Dom Perignon like that you can get at any restaurant for a few hundred bucks? Do you know what you have? Has it been stored properly? Do you know it's full history? Would it not be better to have an auction with bidders? Or build an event around it. Sell tickets to the auction with dinner and dancing. Have give-a-ways or drawings of other nice wines to entice people to buy the tickets. Have other wines auctioned off. Advertise the event. If you already have a charity in mind to give the money to, they will have a marketing team in place to organize such an event. If you are planning on doing this on your own, you need to have permission to use the charity's name in association with the sale. If that sounds like too much work, find and ongoing event and offer to donate it for bidding. The bottle better be good or you may end up in small claims court. Here is a link that might be useful: GW Dom Thread

I personally disagree with everyone. Let me explain why. In the summer of 1999, I was traveling throughout southern France with my colleague Pierre. We rented a small Geo Metro and decided to pursue our dream of hiking to the top of Melebrea Mountain on the west coast of France, outside of a town called Beaujeau. I'll never forget the wind was blowing just right, a warm breeze to accompany the cool atmosphere. It was atop of this beautiful mountain where I dropped my pants and took the best poop of my life. I owe it to a 1965 bottle of Dom Perignon I drank earlier that day. The point of my story: No matter what age, Champagne is a glorious experience.

Love seeing all the family pieces, and I have always been about vintage. The oldest thing in our kitchen is an antique cake board (baking board) from Germany. On the back, in German, is "Wedding Gift From the Helbig Family, 1894" (Don't judge me on the leggy plants. LOL They are over a year old and need replacing, as they get no direct light on the island.). I needed something large and it is 24" diameter, 30" with the handle. The oldest family piece in the kitchen is the candy jar with hinged tin lid. It was in my paternal grandparents' basement. I have no idea how old it is and have been using for dog treats for the last 14yrs. I enjoy seeing it multiple times a day.