Champagne - Glass Of Bubbly

Published by GlassofBubbly.com
Issue 3 October/November 2014
£3.95 / €5 / $6.50
Glass of Bubbly
Champagne & Sparkling Wine Magazine
Celebrity Interviews
Including Nico Santucci,
Oz Clarke, Carole Matthews and
Michael Duberry
Win
Champagne
Afternoon Tea
at Searcys
Treasures of
English Sparkling
Wine
Champagne:
Fizzing with Fallacy
Illinois
Sparkling Wine Co.
Charles
Heidsieck
The Legendary Champagne
An Italian Glass
of Bubbly
Editor’s Letter
CLOUD 23
MANCHESTER’S TOP LUXURY BAR
Time Flies By...
Our third issue already!
Cloud 23 is more than just a bar, it is a unique and
memorable venue located at the highest point in Manchester,
in the iconic Beetham Tower. Cloud 23 is on the 23rd floor of
the Hilton Hotel, Deansgate.
Sit with a glass of Champagne and look out at the panoramic
views of Manchester through the floor-to-ceiling windows
offering views across Manchester City Centre and Deansgate.
The exclusive zones are named after the Gods of Ancient
Greece seated in their lofty position in the heavens.
Apollo 23, God of music, light and the Sun. Zeus 23, King of
the Gods, God of Sky symbolised by the thunderbolt. Iris 23,
Greek Goddess of the rainbow and messenger to the Gods.
Eros 23, God of Love and one of the fundamental causes in
the formation of the World.
@Cloud23Bar
www.cloud23bar.com
Dear Reader,
Welcome to issue three of the Glass of Bubbly magazine, now
being read globally by a host of industry professionals and
consumers, from Champagne bars to sparkling wine labels
and polo players to authors.We are now being recognised as
the publication to been seen in if you are in the business of
Champagne and sparkling wines.
We’ve attended quite a few industry shows and tasting events
recently, thanks to the many invitations from great names
including Perrier-Jouët, Armit Wines, Thorman Hunt, The
Champagne Collection and Gonzalez Byass. We’ve also been
working hard on building relationships to increase the places
where you can now read a copy of the Glass of Bubbly magazine
whilst enjoying a glass of bubbly! More and more places across
London now display our magazine including hotels, bars,
restaurants and even private executive boxes at Premiership
football clubs.
We’ve competitions for you with Searcys Champagne bars
offering a ‘Champagne Afternoon Tea for Two’ and The
Champagne Collection with a couple of bottles of grower
Champagne to giveaway. Do not forget to send us a photo of
yourself with a copy of the Glass of Bubbly magazine, the best
photo wins a bottle of bubbly!
info@glassofbubbly.com
+44 (0)1206 700888
We are now working on a new website for Glass of Bubbly,
expect a whole new experience soon with some fantastic features
to be added as we continue our growth within the industry to
be the number one place for Champagne and sparkling wine
information. Our magazine will also be changing with a new
design and layout from issue four - It will of course continue to
be packed with all the usual industry news and inspiring stories,
celebrity interviews and places to enjoy bubbly.
We are very thankful to all our readers for continuing to support
us and all your lovely feedback. From just a mere idea a few
months ago, we’ve managed to build a fast growing brand
identity and an internationally read magazine that we hope
entertains and educates those who, like us all, love Champagne
and sparkling wine.
Eve (Editor)
Sparkling Wine
October/November 2014
Contents
Page 52
Perrier-Jouët
Limited Edition
On the Cover
14
An Italian Glass of Bubbly
34
Illinois Sparkling Wine Co.
36
Fizzing with Fallacy
by Alessandra Caroni
by Simon Stockton
46
Features
Treasures of English Sparkling Wine
by Tanya Mann
66
Charles Heidsieck, The Legendary Champagne
82
Searcys - Win Champagne Afternoon Tea
6
Made in Croatia
8
Champagne Through Time
15
Tanore Vineyard
18
Mawby
19
Smith & Evans
22
Gusbourne
28
L’Acadie Vineyards
32
Champagne Varnier-Fanniere
35
Pink Frog
40
Champagne Réné Geoffroy
42
Grant Burge
45
Digby
48
Champagne Vicomte de Ville de Goyet
52
Perrier-Jouët
60
Champagne Brimoncourt
64
Furleigh Estate
65
Josef Chromy
Sabering at Sea
by Catherine Fallis
Celebrity Intervews
13
20
9
Kirsty Henshaw
47
Tom Stevenson
16
Natascha Baecher
57
Michael Duberry
17
Max Charlton
61
Nico Santucci
21
Oz Clarke
71
Michael Norcross
31
Jonathan Antoine
75
Carole Matthews
Oltrepo
2
Cloud 23, Manchester, UK
by Fabrizio Calì
10
Eureka, Melbourne, Australia
Kings of Champagne
26
Corks Out, UK
30
Kettners, London, UK
70
The Bull & The Hide, London, UK
by Brandon Stoltenkamp
71
Sugar Hut, Essex, UK
Virtually Sulphite Free
74
Fortnum’s & Mason, London, UK
74
The Pipe of Port, Essex, UK
by Elizabeth Schweitzer
24
41
Bubbles in the Sky
by Geoff Taylor
51
55
Interview with Jean-Pierre Vazart
Wine of the Tsars
by Laithwaites Wine
59
Fizz Sparkling Wine Show
62
The Scent of the Sea and a Bottle of Louis
by Brandon Stoltenkamp
68
Top 10 Major Champagne House Visits
by Jon Catt
72
Page 75
Carole Matthews
Illinois Sparkling Wine
Where to Enjoy a
Glass of Bubbly
by Jean-Baptiste Prevost
12
Page 34
Immerse yourself in Syn
by Jennifer Palmer
Jonathan Antoine
Page 31
Page 47
Tom Stevenson
Editorial Director
Eve Walkey
email: eve@glassofbubbly.com
Design
Jade Redford
Social Media
Amy Schaller
Advertising & Publishing
email: info@glassofbubbly.com
Tel: +44 (0)1206 700888
Writers
Fabrizio Calì
Alessandra Caroni
Jon Catt
Frankie Cook
Catherine Fallis
Tanya Mann
Jennifer Palmer
Jean-Baptiste Prevost
Elizabeth Schweitzer
Simon Stockton
Brandon Stoltenkamp
Geoff Taylor
Cover Photo of Nico Santucci courtesy of Glenn Brennan/GB Photography
Misal Sparkling Wine
Made In
Croatia
Sisters Ana and Katarina Peršurić certainly
buck the winemaking trend - 1st, they’re
female and young. 2nd, they’re making
their exquisite collection of sparkling wines
in north-west Istria, Croatia, not a region
known for sparkling wine...
Y
et, recipients of a host of
international awards Peršurić
have certainly made an impact on the
sparkling wine market and continue to
do so with a range that they increase
almost annually, always adding
something that complements the other
wines in their portfolio.
The story behind the Misal range of
traditional method sparkling wines
started when Ana was at agricultural
college. As she neared the end of her
winemaking course, she asked her tutor
when she would learn how to make
sparkling wine, something which her
family had been toying with starting.
“There is no point,” retorted her tutor,
“Croatia will never make good sparkling
wine.”
Not content with that answer, and as
a red rag to a bull, the Peršurić sisters
went to Epernay and returned with
experts to teach them and to help set up
a sparkling winery that now produces
around 40,000 bottles annually.
6
The sisters’ great grandfather founded
Vina Peršurić in the 1860s. As a local
landowner he had been awarded a seat
in local government and was therefore
presented with a commemorative biblical
Missal, subsequently handed down
through the generations it now resides
in a national museum. The ‘Misal’
seemed to represent the family and
their wines, and so the name was
born.
Why?
Just to
show that
we can
demanding wine. Misal Millennium
is the timeless classic comprising 80%
Istrian Malvasia (Malvazija Istarska),
10% pinot noir and 10% chardonnay;
the malvazija provides luscious honey
aromas yet despite its golden colour
it is brut, delicate and delicious. For a
sparkling wine it is surprisingly versatile
and so got the attention of Master
Sommelier Laurent Richet at Restaurant
Sat Bains.
Misal Istra is a sparkling brut with much
richer aromas and an almost textured
feel to it, that combines 3 different
vintages of Malvazija, partially aged in
wood.
What is so surprising about Misal is that
all their sparkling wines are very food
friendly, and their matching potential is
extraordinary, especially for a restaurant
looking for interesting and unusual
pairings. Misal Noir with venison
anyone? Or perhaps Istra with white
truffles or asparagus?
www.misal.hr
Pacta Connect
are the exclusive
importers of Misal sparkling wines to
the UK and Ireland
www.pactaconnect.co.uk
@pc_wines
The winery is in the village of
Peršurići, named for their family. It
is off the beaten track so you do really
need to know that you want to go there
rather than just happen to be passing by!
Although Ana and Katarina have a huge
fondness for their native grapes, they also
make wines from international varieties.
When asked why, Ana shrugs with the
perfect answer: “Just to show everyone
that we can.”
Their Blanc de Blancs 100% chardonnay
is precision-made, just 2,000 bottles and,
according to Ana their most technically
Founders of Misal,
Ana (far left) and
Katarina (second
from the right)
7
Kirsty
Jean-Baptiste Prevost
Henshaw
C H A M P A G N E T H R O U G H T I M E...
D
uring the High Middle Ages and
development of Christianity, the
first religious congregations succeeded
the Romans, maintaining the expertise
of winemaking on their properties.
Each new Church was surrounded by
a graveyard and plantation of vines,
essential to their religious offices.
The Bishop of Reims, Saint Rémi, who
baptised Clovis in 496 AD, was himself
the owner of a wine estate. Closely
linked to the Monarchy, Champagne
rapidly became “the wine of the sacred”
and then the wine of Kings. Herein
lies one of the keys to the fame of
Champagne, the proximity of navigable
waterways to the Champenois vineyard
towns (Épernay, Hautvillers, Ay) which
encouraged the production flow which
gradually supplanted that of Burgundy.
Dom Perignon (1638-1715),
the inventor of Champagne?
Dom Perignon, monk of the Benedictine
Abbey of Hautvillers is considered
the first great oenologist. Even if his
paternity of Champagne is disputed, it
is certain that he knew how to transform
the assemblage technique (method of
blending grape varieties from different
vintages and vineyards) in to a veritable
expertise, ensuring constant quality of
the wine. Abbot Pluche was a witness to
this, stating “he is the first to successfully
apply himself to the sorting of the grapes
from different vines”.
A century later, certain négociants
(trader) put aside the trading of cloth in
order to dedicate themselves exclusively
to the business of wine. In 1729 and
1730 respectively, Sir Ruinart and Sir
Chanoine founded the first two Houses
of Champagne in Épernay. Noticeably,
created in their wake, were ForestFourneaux (Taittinger) (1734), Moet
et Chandon (1734), Veuve ClicquotPonsardin (1772), then Henriot (1808),
Perrier-Jouet (1811) and G.H.Mumm
(1827).
Champenoise. It was time for innovation
in the practise of agriculture. The
vineyard was reconstructed using North
American rootstock and the vines were
planted in regular lines as opposed to
planting in disorganized groups.
Champagne is the fruit
of a great story; far
from being only a
terroir of exception,
it is before anything
else the story of
men whose tenacity
and inventiveness
has enabled the
Champagne wine to
gain its status of excellence and
international renown.
Beyond the cellars and impressive
headquarters of the Houses, the
Universal Exhibitions offered prestigious
venues in which to compete and display
their goods. In 1889, Eugène Mercier
shows off his Giant Barrel with a
capacity of 215,000 bottles. The 19th
century saw the rise of Champagne,
which became synonymous with
celebration and a possession of the
world. However with this affirmation
a shadow is cast in the form of a new
curse, Phylloxera (a small insect which
destroyed the vineyards in the south of
France and then appeared in the valley
of the Marne in August 1890).
“CHAMPAGNE CANNOT BE USED
BY ANYONE WHO WOULD LIKE
TO”
Conscious of the existence of their
collective heritage and need for
preservation, the wine makers and
important Houses assembled in 1898
to create The Association Viticole
@Wambassadors
www.wine-ambassadors.com
A law passed on 22nd July 1927 limits
the growing of Champagne (34 000
hectares) according to the criteria
d’Anteriorite Viticole. This law ended
the unauthorized use of the name
Champagne. The statutory law of
1935 finalized this procedure by the
recognition of l’Appelation d’Origine
Controlée Champagne (AOC).
Kirsty Henshaw captivated the British public in July 2010
when she made a perfect pitch on the BBC’s Dragons’ Den. A
single mum in her early 20s, Kirsty had developed a range of
frozen desserts that were suitable for people with intolerance
to dairy products like her son Jacob.
Kirsty came away from Dragons’ Den with a significant
joint investment from Duncan Bannatyne and Peter Jones.
This enabled her to significantly increase the production and
distribution of her frozen desserts which were sold under the
Worthenshaws brand name.
Jean-Baptiste Prevost with help from
Nathalie Thibout
After extensive market research it became clear that whilst
the Worthenshaw brand was popular, people identified more
closely with Kirsty, the busy young entrepreneurial mum,
than they did Worthenshaws. So when Kirsty diversified into
chilled ready meals, the decision was taken to brand them as
Kirsty’s.
On the rare occasions when Kirsty is not working, she loves to
spend time with her son Jacob, going to the gym and chilling
out with close friends and family. Kirsty is also a self-confessed
Twitter addict.
8
Photo Credit: D.ELEY
@Kirsty_Henshaw
8
www.kirstys.co.uk
Interview
Where’s the most memorable place you’ve ever
enjoyed a Glass Of Bubbly?
The most idyllic place I’ve visited - Clearwater
Beach in Florida last year.
Have you ever tried English Sparkling wine?
I don’t think I’ve ever tried it, but I have tried a
lot of wine so I could have!
What does Champagne mean to you?
A: Success
B: Celebration
C: Romance
D: Enjoying great company
Champagne usually means enjoying great
company, as all my friends and my boyfriend
love it too.
9
Eureka!
Eureka Skydeck
The most amazing way to see Melbourne is through
the floor-to-ceiling windows at Eureka Skydeck,
the highest public vantage point in Australia and the
Southern Hemisphere. Located on Level 88 of the
iconic Eureka Tower, the observation deck offers 360
degree views of the stunning Melbourne skyline from
285m above ground.
E
ureka Skydeck is a beautiful place to
enjoy a glass of bubbly while the sun
is setting over the city. The dazzling skyline
is the perfect backdrop for an evening sipping
sparkling wine and relishing in breathtaking views of
iconic Melbourne landmarks such as the Royal Botanic
Gardens, Albert Park Lake, the MCG and the War
Memorial.
Eureka Skydeck serves Jacob’s Creek Chardonnay Pinot Noir,
a fresh and vibrant sparkling wine. The Chardonnay flavours of
cashew and citrus are perfectly combined with the fresh bread
crust notes of Pinot Noir. As Australia’s largest wine brand, Jacob’s
Creek is the perfect choice for one of the country’s most popular
tourist attractions. Jacob’s Creek presents the world’s best known,
trusted and enjoyed Australian wines.
The Sparkling Chardonnay Pinot Noir can be purchased from
Eureka Skydeck’s kiosk before guests either sit back and relax or take
a wander around the observation deck while enjoying their glass of
bubbly at high altitude.
For those after a little bit of adventure, Eureka Skydeck offers
patrons a turn on the world’s only Edge experience. The aweinspiring Edge is a 3m by 3m transparent glass cube, which slides
out from the building, suspending those inside 285m above the city.
Eureka Skydeck’s elevator is the fastest in the Southern
Hemisphere, whisking people up 88 levels in less than 40 seconds.
The absolutely unparalleled views of Melbourne from the
observation deck span the Dandenong Ranges to Port Phillip
Bay and everything in between. Viewfinders and binoculars
are positioned around Eureka Skydeck to help patrons
discover the city below and LED information displays are
projected across the floor pointing to key landmarks.
Open until 10pm, Eureka Skydeck is a lovely place
in Melbourne for a memorable glass of bubbly.
@Eureka_Skydeck
www.eurekaskydeck.com.au
10
11
Catherine Fallis
Sabering
at Sea
A
s guest wine
lecturer on
Holland America’s MS
Maasdam recently, a week
long cruise sailing from Montreal
to Boston, I had the pleasure of presenting
a flight of wine to guests in the Rotterdam
Dining Room with Cellar Master Sasa
Grujicic.
The theme was “France vs America,” in
honor of our departure from Montreal.
I illustrated the differences between the
riper American wines and the lighter,
tarter, and sometimes earthier French
wines in a side-by-side comparison.
Sasa (pronounced “Sasha”) sabers
frequently for the guests. When I found
this out, I suggested we saber in tandem.
He agreed and at the end of this tasting,
we went up to a balcony overlooking
the dining room and opened bottles of
Moet & Chandon Rosé Impérial with our
swords! It was pretty spectacular and a lot
of fun.
Later on in the cruise, I held a more
informal tasting in The Mix, a meeting
space with three specialty venues:
Martinis, Spirits & Ales and Champagne.
From cocktail hour through the wee
hours, all three venues were very popular.
Of course my favorite was Champagne,
1 2 where more than a dozen Champagnes
Catherine Fallis aka
Grape Goddess®
the only person in the
Oltrepò
the secret Italian Bubble
W
ine connoisseurs know that
Oltrepò is the most ancient
wine region in Italy: the oldest fossil
vine found here is more than 3000
years old! Even its geography is in
line with the Oltrepò’s heart and soul,
having a characteristic shape of a
grape bunch, which spreads along the
Po’ valley, 50 km south of Milan, on
the 45th parallel, more precisely the
wine parallel.
Water is not the only element featuring
in this land: it’s also rich in history,
beautiful landscapes, agricultural trade
and unique wines in the country such as
Pinot Noir, Bonarda, Sangue di Giuda
and Chardonnay, to mention a few.
were available by the glass, including
the delicious Moet & Chandon Rosé
Impérial.
The Maasdam offered daily events in
their Culinary Center as well as fine
dining options in both the Pinnacle
Grill, a Pacific Northwest Steak and
Seafood restaurant that features “An
Evening at Le Cirque,” in a partnership
with the famed New York restaurant
founded by Sirio Maccione and in
Canaletto, an Italian restaurant with
special dishes inspired by Sirio’s wife,
Egidiana.
Writing this today, on the 13th
anniversary of 9/11, got me thinking
back to my days as Windows on the
World Cellar Master and Wine
School Coordinator with Kevin
Zraly and to my first kitchen job,
garde manger, with Chef Alain
Sailhac at Le Cirque. You can
tell which side of the restaurant I
ended up on!
@PlanetGrape
www.planetgrape.com
Let’s take, for example, the Pinot Noir.
Oltrepò is the Italian biggest producer
of this grape, supplying many national
spumante metodo classico producers
with the best sparkling wine basis,
and producing its own sparkling wine:
DOCG Metodo Classico Oltrepò Pavese.
Despite all this, Oltrepò is not as
famous as you would expect, this region
is still a hidden gem. It is relatively
unknown to the wider international
public but it is looked up to by the best
wine connoisseurs.
The symbol of the area’s richness is
obviously Oltrepò’s sparkling wine:
Metodo Classico DOCG. For the
first time in Oltrepò’s history, these
wines have been starring at the top of
the most famous world contests: The
Champagne and Sparkling Wine World
Championship – 2014 CSWWC
organized by Tom Stevenson.
Surely, this is the confirmation that, in
an area like this, wines can only be as
excellent as its people are! In such an
ancient land, full of traditions, we are also
assisting to an increasingly international
scenario: groups of wineries are
challenging their big brothers of Prosecco,
Cava, Champagne and Franciacorta,
letting the world know the importance
of Oltrepò’s produce. Thanks to the joint
work of the local start-up Winenot? and
local wineries, Tenuta Scarpa Colombi
with its “Roberto Colombi Blanc de
Blancs” was awarded the Gold Medal at
2014 CSWWC, whilst Cantine Giorgi
and Azienda Agricola Monsupello got
two bronzes.
The excellence doesn’t stop at these
three producers; a special mention
goes to La Travaglina, Vinicola Broni,
Bruno Verdi and Calatroni where
you will always be welcome to taste
the flavour of a nice Pinot Noir, have
a glass of Sangue di Giuda, a sweet
sparkling wine produced exclusively in
Oltrepò, or sip some Moscato, famous
traditional sparkling wine.
As you can see, the richness of Oltrepò
is made by the great variety of its
wines: different micro-climates make
the uniqueness of this land, and the
long lasting wine-making experience of
its people makes the uniqueness of its
sparkling wines.
Just half an hour driving from Milan and
the Lombardy’s Tuscany is at your feet.
Fabrizio Calì
@Winenot_Italy
www.winenotitaly.com
13
Alessandra Caroni
Tanore
An
Italian
G lass
of
Arriving at MASO MARTIS in
Martignano, at the foot of Mount
Calisio. I am welcomed by Tobia and
Benny, two playful dogs! I find myself
in front of a beautiful old farm house,
that in the dialect of the area is called
“Maso”, it now hosts the winery. Maso
Martis was created by Roberta and
Antonio Stelzer who planted vineyards
on the 12 hectares of land, at 450 meters
above sea level.
In this region the most important grape
is Chardonnay but the Stelzer family
decided to change this trend and to
produce Trento DOC with Pinot Noir as
they love the grapes elegance, structure
and finesse. In addition to Chardonnay
and Pinot Noir they also planted Pinot
Meunier and in respecting the naure of
the land became an organic vineyard.
Maso Martis produces beautiful Metodo
Classico (Classic method) Trento Doc,
including a Dosage Zero, Brut and Brut
Rose. There is also a Brut Riserva with
B ubbly
Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, an intense
nose and a pleasant and persistent
mouth. And something gorgeous:
Madame Martis, a vintage aged for 9
years, there are only 1000 bottles of the
present vintage 2004.
Taking some pictures in the vineyard
I was impressed by the majesty of
Mount Calisio, it is important for the
inhabitants and for the Stelzer family as
it protects the place and the vines from
storms.
It is with a smile that I go for a walk in
the vineyard with Roberta and Antonio
and of course Tobia and Benny…..
proud to be in a pure environment,
where grapes grow up healthy and ready
to become bubbles!!
Alessandra Caroni
@AlleCaroni
www.winesoul.it
The
Maso Martis
Family
The Maso Marti
Vineyard, at the foot
of Mount Calisio
14
Tanore Vineyard
in Cartizze, North
East of Italy
The Tanore Vineyard
We are a small italian firm in
Valdobbiadene (Treviso), in the
heartland of Cartizze. Among these
hills we own 10 hectares of vineyards,
called “Rive”, which means steep slopes
cultivated by hand. From our “Rive” we
produce our Valdobbiadene Prosecco
Superiore DOCG wines.
We make a fusion between method
and the high oenological potential of
the area, which is unique of its kind for
the composition of soils and climatic
conditions. This beautiful area repays
for the hard work in the vineyard and
finds its expression in the quality of our
sparkling wines.
Such a limited production allows us to
follow with meticulous attention every
step: from the cultivation of vineyard to
wine-making, and finally getting to the
marketing of our wines.
@Tanorespumanti
www.tanore.it
15
Champagne &
Polo Players
Natascha
Polo
Baecher
Natascha
Baecher
Dutch, brought up in Kent but now mainly based in
Argentina, as it’s the dominating country all round in polo.
I am very lucky to lead a life following my passion; the
harmony with the horses and the amazing places I get to
visit and play at. As Churchill’s over quoted saying goes
when asked which was the best passport in the world to
have and he replied “A polo handicap”.
Polo is a predominantly male sport. It is one of the few
sports where women and men can play together on equal
terms as well as a sport in which often the sponsor is also
a playing part of the team thanks to the handicap system.
Having said that though there is also a flourishing ladies
polo movement and I find participating in both forms gives
a great mix, superb challenges and opportunities. It is a big
family and one finds wherever you land in the world you
will always have mutual connections.
Champagne is a standard feature of most polo events and
is simply part of the lifestyle, not only the prize giving
with several Champagne Houses featuring heavily in the
sport internationally: Veuve Cliquot in particular as well as
Pommery and Laurent-Perrier.
@NataschaBaecher
Interview
Where’s the most memorable place you’ve enjoyed a Glass
of Bubbly?
Charlton
Do you have a favorite Champagne when celebrating
your success in Polo?
Veuve Clicquot would be my first answer as it has been so
synonymous with Cowdray Park Polo Club (the estates colors
are the same as those of the Champagne house) so it is very
much what I’ve been brought up with. However two sparkling
wines which are also special to me are: Gusbourne Estate, as it is
made in Appledore, Kent where I was brought up and which will
always be home as well as Chapel Down which is just up the road
and has the most wonderful restaurant overlooking the vines. To
me it is still a novelty there are vines in that area!
What does Champagne mean to you?
A: Success
B: Celebration
C: Romance
D: Enjoying great company
All of the above! Celebrating a victory with ones team-mates
and a jeroboam at the end of a tournament on a summers
afternoon is always a special moment. Quoting Churchill “In
victory, deserve it. In defeat, need it”.
16
Max
I would say on safari in South Africa for Sundowners. Two good
friends and myself went to play which we followed by a few days
on safari, which was magical.
Interview
Where’s the most memorable place you’ve ever
enjoyed a Glass Of Bubbly?
When winning the World Cup on Snow in Beijing
Professional Polo Player and member of Audi’s England Team.
He has played for England fifteen times at home and abroad,
winning The World Cup on Snow Tianjin when he was team
Captain in January 2014. At the start of this season he was
named the Most Outstanding British Professional at the 2014
Audi Polo Awards.
He owns a string of top ponies which he ensures are always at
optimum fitness and they regularly win Best Playing Ponies
awards in tournament finals. He has played in the Queen’s
Cup at Guards Polo Club and won the Gold Cup in the
Arena.
@maxcharltonpolo
Do you have a favorite Champagne label when
celebrating your success in Polo?
Pommery
What does Champagne mean to you?
A:Success
B: Celebration
C: Romance
D: Enjoying great company
17
Mawby
Smith
&
Evans
In 2008 after a nationwide four year
Mawby
Michigan, usa
We’re located on the Leelanau
Peninsula, which is in northwest lower
Michigan. Our vineyard and winery
are located just south of the 45th
parallel.
Larry Mawby planted our first vines in
1973, and established our vineyards at
the Elm Valley location in 1976. These
vineyards have been increased and the
property is fully planted with about 20
acres of vines. Varieties we grow include
pinot noir, vignoles, pinot gris, regent,
riesling, chardonay, and pinot meunier.
We also purchase significant amounts of
chardonnay and pinot noir from other
growers on the Leelanau Peninsula for
our L. Mawby wines. We source for
our M. Lawrence wines from Leelanau
Peninsual, southwest Michigan, and
California.
Larry has been making our L. Mawby
traditional method sparkling wines
since our first sparkling winemaking in
1984. Since 2010, Mike Laing has been
responsible for the M. Lawrence cuvee
sparkling wines.
search, husband and wife team Guy
Smith and Laura Evans traded in
their suburban semi for a 9 acre farm
dedicated to making the best possible
quality English Sparkling Wine using
Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Meunier.
They are the only vineyard in Somerset
doing this and one of only a very few
in the South West of England.
Guy is a rarity in that he is probably the
only wine trade professional so far to
take this step. As a colleague commented
at the time “with his experience you’d
think he’d know better”.
Smith & Evans
Guy has spent the whole of his working
life in the Drinks Industry including
spells with United Distillers, Remy
Cointreau, Freixenet and currently
working with Brand Phoenix and Castel.
Higher Plot Farms lies on a limestone
ridge with calcerous clay soil in South
Somerset. It is in a rain shadow formed
by the Blackdown Hills, Quantocks and
Exmoor making it one of the warmest
and driest parts of the UK. Their first
release of English sparkling wine is from
the 2010 Vintage.
We must look for new consumers to
discover how good our wines are. Many
look to New Zealand as their model
for how the market may develop but
we could end up looking more like
Switzerland with an ultra-loyal domestic
market but, with the added bonus
of strong exports. We don’t always
appreciate how well England is perceived
in other markets“.
@guythegrape
www.smithandevans.co.uk
“We are tiny compared to the big money
plantings elsewhere in the country but
we are intensely proud of the quality
that Higher Plot has achieved since
planting. The wines show a distinctive
minerality and our aim is to reflect the
particular qualities of each vintage and
not to produce a single homogenous
style.” Guy Smith,“The future for
English and Welsh wine is incredibly
bright although there will be inevitable
growing pains. With a large potential
harvest this year plus big new plantings
coming on stream, it will be important
that producers keep their nerve when all
this hits the shelves.
@mibubbly
www.lmawby.com
The future for
English and Welsh
wine is incredibly
bright
Larry Mawby
18
19
Elizabeth Scweltzer
Kings of Champagne
Wine Expert
Once upon a time....
...In a land far away lived a man of
great worth, King Jeroboam, the biblical
founder of Israel. Of such greatness was
he that 1000 years later winemakers
would name a bottle size after him. Thus
began the convention of Champagne
bottles being named after kings and
patriarchs.
Champagne bottles are special in
themselves. Designed to house the
exuberant bubbles and still look elegant,
the drink of kings pours from bottles of
precise engineering.
The bottle is made with thicker and
heavier glass to withstand the pressure
as the wine carbonates through second
fermentation; a 750 ml bottle contains
the pressure of a bus tire or over 90 psi
and weighs 900 grams.
The bottle has two side seams, gentle
sloping shoulders and a long neck. The
bottom has a punt, or kick-up, for added
strength and the top has a layered rim
to which anchors the muselet. Most are
dark green in color.
The smallest Champagne bottle is a
Split, Quarter or Piccolo and holds 187
ml.
The largest Champagne bottle is a
Melchizedec or Midas and is 30 liters
equivalent of 40 bottles! It weighs
100 pounds and is over four feet
tall. Armand de Brignac Rose’ Midas
recently sold in Las Vegas for $275,000.
Melchizedec is a revered title for a man
who was both a king and a priest in
Genesis 14. King Midas from Greek
mythology turned everything he touched
into gold.
Primat, 27 liters / 36 bottles. Besides the
magnum this bottle is not named after a king
but rather the Goliath that was stoned by
David, 1 Samuel 17.
Sovereign 26.25 liters / 35 bottles and is
named for the King or Sovereign of the day.
Taittinger is the only house to use this size.
Solomon is named after the King of Israel, son
of David. 144 glasses of bubbly / 18 liters / 24
bottles.
The world’s largest bubbly bottle,
certified by The Guinness Book of
Records, was made to ring in the
new millennium in New York’s
Times Square. Korbel Champagne
Cellars produced a five-foot tall,
372-pound bottle, the equivalent
of 160 standard bottles. Regardless
of their size, Champagne bottles
are an invitation to pleasure.
Here’s to millions of bubbles!
Nebuchadnezzar was the great and powerful
King of Babylon, 605-563 BC. Under his rule, Long live the Kings!
Babylon became the cultural center of the
world; quite worthy of the 120 glasses in the
Elizabeth Schweitzer, Master
bottle / 15 liters / 20 bottles.
Sommelier, Certified Cicerone
Balthazar was King of Saba and one the three and Belle Sabreuse is the eighth
wise men. Capacity: 12 liters / 16 bottles / 96 woman in the world to be a Master
Sommelier.
glasses.
Salmanazar is named after 5 Assyrian kings. It @winewisdomwit
holds 9 liters / 12 bottles.
www.winewisdomandwit.com
Methuselah refers to a Hebrew patriarch,
Genesis 5, as the longest living human. This
bottle holds 6 liters / 8 bottles / 64 glasses.
Rehoboam King of Judah, 4.5 liter /
36 glasses.
Jeroboam was the 1st King
of the northern Kingdom
of Israel. 3 liters / 6
bottles.
Magnum is latin
for ‘great’ 1.5 liters
/ 2 bottles.
Interview
Where’s the favourite place you’ve enjoyed a Glass of Bubbly?
With a girlfriend.
Which girlfriend do you want to choose?
Everyone started off with a glass of bubbly!
Oz Clarke is one of the
world’s leading wine experts,
whose formidable reputation is based
on his extensive wine knowledge and accessible,
no-nonsense approach. His passion for the subject
dates from his student days at Oxford University.
Standard bottle =
750 ml
What’s your thoughts on the future of English sparkling wine?
He has won all the major wine writing awards
both in the UK and the USA.
Demi, Half, Fillette
= 375ml.
Excellent, the quality coming out at the moment is great, it’s
quickly growing in popularity and has so much further to go.
Exciting times!
Oz’s frequent BBC TV and radio appearances are
broadcast around the world.
What does Champagne mean to you / when do you enjoy
Champagne the most?
When my spirits need a lift.
Before wine took over his life in 1984, Oz was a
full-time actor and singer, appearing in West End
hit shows such as ‘Evita.
@ozclarke
20
www.ozclarke.com
21
Gusbourne
Gusbourne
Award-Winning English Wine
In recent years Gusbourne has attracted
a lot of attention and won a raft of
awards for its wines, including last
year’s International Wine and Spirit
Competition Trophy for the top Bottle
Fermented Sparkling Wine from
around the world.
Charlie Holland,
Winemaker
What is behind the secret of its success?
A
s you would expect, perhaps the most critical factor to making
great wine is having superlative
vineyard sites and tucked away in
the South East corner of the country,
Gusbourne certainly has these.
Jon Pollard and Winemaker Charlie
Holland. Each came into wine early
(both are under 40 years old), and are
now regarded as two of England’s leading
lights in the new high-end sparkling
wine movement.
But equally important is the ethos and
passion of the people making the wine.
If you spend any amount of time around
Gusbourne Estate you will inevitably
hear the mantra that ‘quality is king’
– there are no short cuts to achieving
excellence here and all decisions are
made with a firm focus on making the
best wine possible. This raison d’être is
adopted at every stage of production at
Gusbourne.
Jon Pollard, the vineyard manager,
has been in charge of the Gusbourne
vineyards since the initial plantings over
a decade ago which gives him a unique
relationship with the Gusbourne soils
and a good understanding of what each
year will bring. This knowledge allows
him to adjust the viticulture each year in
order to produce the best quality crop.
Once the grapes have been harvested,
turning these grapes into sparkling
wine is down to Charlie Holland,
Gusbourne’s winemaker. With
experience of making wine around the
globe and a strong scientific background,
Charlie brings a wealth of experience
to the team, but chooses a path of
minimal intervention when crafting the
Gusbourne wines. This approach found
him rated as one of the world’s thirty
most important winemakers under 40
years old earlier this year.
Jon’s approach sounds surprisingly
uncomplicated. “My role is really to help
the vines help themselves,” states Jon. “If
we treat our soils with respect by farming
responsibly and don’t ignore what the
When asked about his winemaking
philosophy Charlie says, “Jon works
tirelessly to ensure that only the
healthiest, ripest and most expressive
grapes arrive at the winery door. Fruit
Responsibility lies with two rather
special people –Vineyard Manager
22
vines ‘tell’ us, we can get the very best
from these special sites that we have.”
provenance is of upmost importance
and I see my role as guiding the wines
through the process so they can reflect
the vineyards and the hard work that has
been put in throughout the year.”
The results speak for themselves.
With listings in the UK’s finest wine
merchants, luxury stores and Michelin
two and three star restaurants, it seems
like Jon and Charlie have indeed formed
a partnership to be proud of.
@gusbourne
www.gusbourne.com
Jon Pollard,
Vineyard Manager
23
Brandon Stoltenkamp
With Dubai being a fascination for the rest of the world for quite some time now, Abu Dhabi, the nation’s
capital, has been in the background on so many levels. But in the last two years, especially, the city’s profile
has gone up and up and up. With the addition of some luxe hotels, high profile music concerts and of course
buzz surrounding the opening in the next few years of Louvre Abu Dhabi and Guggenheim Abu Dhabi,
people are taking note.
T
Chardonnay Champagne is crisp, light
and I enjoy the peachy notes. It goes
sublimely with the salmon roll with
coriander and chili paste - a canapé
which confounds my expectations - the
outside is hard and super crunchy.
This dish creates a fuller taste sensation
in the Champagne. I could have
the whole bottle. There is something
classical about this choice, right from
the bottling to the taste.
he hospitality industry has seen
a surge in development. While
Dubai has an established bar scene,
Abu Dhabi has started to make its own
waves. A firm favourite at the modern
and chic Jumeirah Etihad Towers,
Ray’s Bar, continues to bring in the
crowds as they drive up in their
Bentley’s, SUVs and range of German
sedans and make their way up to the
62nd floor, the highest vantage point
from which to enjoy a drink in the city.
This night is all about Champagne for
me. Ray’s is luxurious with gorgeous
cream colored leather sofas and seats
that define ‘lounging’. Animal skin
cushions symbolize luxury and you will
not be out of place here wearing the
latest fashion items, as you talk on your
Vertu mobile.
By the time my first glass is poured,
I notice that the sun has gone down.
There seems to be a cool blue light
effect visible through the windows.
Not completely dark yet. What a view.
There are times when I forget that I
am in Abu Dhabi. I forget that I am
anywhere. Just a moment of delight.
That is how mesmerizing it is. The
lights, meanwhile, have been lowered.
I start off with NV Veuve Clicquot
Brut. My Veuve is poured in the most
elegant of flutes, handcrafted in Poland,
with the ever changing Abu Dhabi
2 4 skyline in the background. I have it
with some canapés courtesy of Quest,
the hotel’s, how shall I describe it, post
modernist Asian Fusion restaurant.
Chicken and anchovies in edible rice
paper. I also have Crispy potato leaf
with chocolate dust and garlic sauce.
It is the latter, moreover, that brings
out the mousse of the Veuve Clicquot.
The lemon notes are not lost with
this pairing. Because the Veuve is not
too acidic, this makes for a perfect
pairing. Definitely one of the best
non vintage Bruts around.
My next Champagne stirs
excitement in me. When was
the last time you did something
significant for the first time?
Well, this is my first sip of this
Blanc de Blancs Brut NV from one
of the oldest Champagne houses,
Ruinart. The bubbles effortlessly
and ceaselessly rise, while its medium
golden colour mesmerizes. This
The service is what you would expect
at this hotel. It is quick, efficient
and knowledgeable, extremely
knowledgeable. It is so refreshing to
meet staff in Abu Dhabi (and this is
rare) who not only taste and appreciate
bubbles, they breathe it and live it.
Next up I have the Veuve Clicquot
Rosé NV - intoxicating beads, lively
bubbles and just a hint of sweetness.
The deep pinkish colour is so pretty.
I can understand why in conservative
quarters it is regarded, erroneously,
as a lady’s drink. It has a very refined
fragrance and as I taste it, a hint
of raspberry is evoked. One of the
canapés it is paired with is wasabi
prawn which has a sweet spicy element,
but it is especially the sweet element
that enhances this glass of Champagne.
The wasabi, which gives a bit of
kick, is balanced just right and does
not overwhelm the Rosé. This looks
particular gorgeous against the now
darkened skyline.
My final Champagne for the night
evokes memories of a stay at The Park
Hyatt in Tokyo in 2008. It was then I
had the pleasure of a Dom Perignon
1996, with the lively streets of
Tokyo 50 floors below.
On this occasion, the scene is
different, but the Champagne
house is the same; albeit a different
vintage. I have a highly respected and
sought after modern day vintage, the
Dom Perignon 2004. As it is poured in
a Dom Perignon glass, the manner of
the bubbles rising from the
base of the glass tells me
I am having something
special.
The bubbles are ever
so delicate and subtle,
which as I sip on the
Champagne, belies the
complexity of it. One of
the canapés it is paired
with is again, just perfect
- Rice and chicken cracker,
but very delicately flavored,
so it does not overwhelm the
Dom. White peaches touch my
palate as I continue to drink. I finish
it. It is elegant, long and a fitting way
to end my evening in this very stylish
bar. A fine Champagne.
It was a surreal evening in many ways.
There were times I felt I could have
been in London, Cape Town or Hong
Kong. Such was the power of Ray’s
Bar. But it was the Champagne, with
its ability to transcend time and space,
that was pivotal in this feeling of being
transported away. It is Champagne,
from the anticipation to the moment
that it is poured, from the dancing
bubbles to the tilting of the glass
towards one’s lips, from the first taste
to the last, that has power on the
palate and mind, that nothing
else comes close to.
Ray’s Bar
Jumeirah Etihad Towers,
Abu Dhabi
Brandon Stoltenkamp
@bmstoltenkamp
www.mitsukiemma.blogspot.com
25
Corks Out
Corks Out
Championing all things Champagne!
C
orks Out has championed the
Champagne region for many
years, winning Champagne retailer of
the year in 2013, beating Sainsbury’s
and Waitrose, the range includes
almost 100 Champagnes, various
different styles and sizes to suit many
budgets and tastes.
Most of all, it’s not just about the retail
side of selling wine but the drink-in
concept that has developed over the last
year with over 10 classy Champagnes
by the glass, encouraging customers
to explore a range that’s out of their
comfort zone, including small growers as
well as some of the big brands.
Most of all they have bucked the trend
by increasing their sales by over 30%
each year for the past 3 years, when
most have seen their sales move to
Prosecco, Corks Out have seen
their Champagne sales increase
and their Prosecco sales stay
static.
Three of the five shops have
Pod Bars, which help to keep
the Champagne fresh and
in perfect condition for each
customer, offering not only the
26
perfect glass of fizz but a variety that most
bars can’t cope with.
We speak to Ruth Yates, founder of Corks Out.
We wanted to provide a point of
difference to the consumer, everyone loves
a glass of fizz, whether it’s Champagne
or sparkling wine, however, by offering a
great quality range at competitive prices
by the glass, who can argue about a glass
of top quality Champagne at between
£7-£12 a glass.
You don’t have to go crazy with margins,
you just have to provide great value for
money as well as choice. There are many
Champagne brands out there but there
have to be a few favourites, I think Pol
Roger and Charles Heidsieck are
great NV Champagnes, Ruinart
is a fab Rose, love the Ultra Brut
Laurent-Perrier, especially if you are
slimming and Joseph Perrier is such an
undiscovered delight. If I’m going for
a top end luxury cuvee then it has to
be Bollinger Grande Annee or LaurentPerrier Grand Siecle.
OK, I may be a little biased as I just
love Fizz, always have done and my
desert island wine would definitely be
Champagne, there are so many different
styles and believe it or not, Champagne
is great with food, however, customers
always consider it as a celebratory drink
or an aperitif, for me any day is a Fizz
day, it just makes you feel great and that
saying, a day without fizz is like a day
without sunshine, we all need cheering
up from time to time.
We intend to keep promoting
Champagne, it’s such a wonderful
wine that deserves recognition for
whatever reason.
@CorksOutWines
www.corksout.com
Ruth Yates
founder of Corks Out
Interview
Corks Out Stores
Alderley Edge
@CorksOutAldEdge
Chester
@CorksOutChester
Which is the most popular Champagne/sparkling
wine at Corks Out?
Laurent-Perrier Rose, we do a trio of LaurentPerrier with an Ultra Brut, a NV and a Rose and
customers love it.
Which country would you tip in having an up and
coming sparkling wine region?
Heswall
@CorksOutHeswall
UK by far, their wines are amazing and great value
for money
Timperley
@CorksOutTimp
Where’s the most memorable place you’ve enjoyed a
Glass of Bubbly?
Stockton Heath
@CorksOutStocky
In Champagne drinking Sous Bois BillecartSalmon overlooking the vineyards
@corksoutruth
27
L’Acadie Vineyards
L’Acadie
There were many compelling reasons
for established British Columbia (BC)
winemaker Bruce Ewert to pull up
roots and start his winery in the new
emerging wine region of Nova Scotia
Vineyards
T
here are two established Canadian wine regions, BC
on the west coast and Ontario by the Great Lakes
and both are decades old and have developed strict quality
standards, called Vintner Quality Alliance (VQA), that
have guided their success. But Bruce and his Nova Scotiaborn wife wanted to raise their children in Nova Scotia
and Bruce saw the region’s potential for sparkling wine.
So with over 25 years experience under his belt in BC,
Ontario, California and Australia, their family established
L’Acadie Vineyards in 2004, the province’s first certified
organic winery and started to produce the province’s first
traditional method sparkling wines.
Prestige Brut Estate has enhanced minerality from the
living organic soil’s microflora and 4-5 years of tirage bottle
conditioning giving layers of toasty brioche characters.
Sparklers are hand riddled and recently disgorged within a
couple of months ensuring freshness and fruit.
Nova Scotia’s cool climate with only 1000 heat units provides
ideal conditions for sparkling wine. Grape varieties are suited
to cold winters and a May-October frost free period tempered
by proximity to the Atlantic Ocean and Bay of Fundy.
L’Acadie Blanc is a grape that was named after the region’s
rich Acadian history, a source for the winery’s name as well,
and ripens with ample acidity.
Canada’s national organic standards, equivalent to European
organic standards, are controlled by the Canadian Food
Inspection Agency. For wine to bear the Canada Organic
logo on bottles the grapes and winemaking must be certified
organic and there are rigorous inspections and record keeping.
Other varieties used in blends are Chardonnay, Seyval blanc
and an early picked red, Marechal Foch. L’Acadie Vineyards
sparklers have been earning awards such as silver for Prestige
Brut at 2011 Effervescent du Monde, a competition in France
of the best sparkling wines of the world, as well as accolades
from UK and across Canada.
L’Acadie Vineyards has been organic from inception
carrying on practices that Bruce learned in BC while head
winemaker for an organic winery, Summerhill Pyramid
Winery. In addition to the benefits of no pesticide residues,
no GMO products, no artificial preservatives, low sulfites
and environmental stewardship, flavours of the wine are more
clearly expressive of their terroir.
L’Acadie Vineyards has been developing the region with
projects such as appassimento red research, teaching at local
colleges and encouraging stricter quality standards such
as VQA so labels indicate to consumers when wines are
artificially carbonated.
Typical soils are clay loam in the region but L’Acadie
Vineyards was founded on a property on the south side of
Gaspereau Valley near the town of Wolfville with rocky, welldrained glacial deposits. Their estate vineyard with a gentle
north- west slope captures similar heat units to the other side
of the valley where the majority of vineyards are planted.
It is a new region still discovering suitable sites, varieties
and styles, and that fits with the pioneering leadership of
L’AcadieVineyards and ensures that their family organic
winery continues to grow deep roots for their children and
future generations.
@lacadiewine
www.lacadievineyards.ca
Nova Scotia’s cool climate
with only 1000 heat units
provides ideal conditions for
sparkling wine
28
29
Jonathan
Kettners, London
Kettners
C
B , L
h a m pa g n e
ar
Antoine
ondon
Originally a series of four Georgian town houses,
Kettner’s was first opened as a restaurant by
Auguste Kettner, chef to Napoleon III in 1867.
Popular with deliciously colourful characters of
the time including Oscar Wilde, Edward VII,
Lillie Langtry, Agatha Christie and Bing Crosby,
Kettner’s was renowned for hosting incredibly
risqué parties.
Kettner’s today boasts an all day Brasserie, Cocktail
and Champagne Bar and eight Private Dining
Rooms. Kettner’s Bar by Champagne LaurentPerrier is one of Soho’s best kept secrets, a stylish
venue that takes you back to the 1920s.
Kettner’s has one of the most extensive Champagne
lists in London with over one hundred varieties,
many from small family growers.
www.kettners.com
@KettnersLondon
Jonathan Antoine shot to fame in 2012 after
his remarkable performance on Britain’s Got
Talent as half of the classical singing sensation
duo Jonathan and Charlotte.
He has had two hugely successful albums with
former singing partner, Charlotte Jaconelli
and a sold-out UK tour. Jonathan, often called
Britain’s teenage Pavarotti has decided that
the time is now right for him to pursue a solo
career and his debut solo album ‘Tenore’ is out
on October 13th on Sony Classical.
@JonAntoine
www.jonathanantoine-official.com
30
Interview
Where’s the most memorable place you’ve
enjoyed a Glass Of Bubbly?
I don’t actually drink alcohol. My most memorable
place, I was given Champagne by Sony Music on the
final date of touring! My Dad was very pleased – he
loves a glass of Champagne!
What does Champagne mean to you?
I hope there will be many times in the future where
Champagne will be used at family celebrations, to
celebrate my (hopeful) future success - and of course
romance when the perfect lady comes along - which
all amounts to Champagne being enjoyed in great
company!
31
Champagne Varnier-Fannière
Varnier
Champagne
Denis Varnier is one of the quietly rising stars of Champagne.
H
e is one of the leading Growers of the Chardonnaydominated Côte des Blancs, the third generation of his
family to make their own Champagne rather than selling grapes
to a big house.
As a Grower he can only buy 5% of the grapes for his wines from
outside, the rest has to be from his own vineyards, so the result is a
real expression of where it’s made. If you’re not sure what type
of Champagne you’re drinking then look for a couple of
letters on the label – Grower Champagne is marked
RM for Recoltant Manipulant (as opposed to
NM (Négociant Manipulant, usually a big
brand) or CM (Coopérative Manipulant).
Based in the Grand Cru village of
Avize, he produces a wide range of
Champagnes all based wholly or
predominantly on Chardonnay. Jean
Fannière Origine is named after his
grandfather who first took the family
into Champagne production while in
his 50s, and is made using his grapes
Fannière
Grand Cru
from the nearby Grand Cru village of Cramant.
Cuvée St Denis is a single vineyard multi-vintage wine
made from the produce of Le Clos du Grand-Père, a walled
vineyard in Avize itself. They both benefit from over five years
ageing on the lees adding rich biscuit notes, but still with the
citrus from Chardonnay running though.
Denis also produces what is sometimes called “Skinny
Champagne” – his Brut Zero NV has no sugar dosage added
after the second fermentation in bottle so it is totally dry.
Acidity is to the fore and this is fantastic with white fish,
seafood or even sushi. A sister bottling of Rosé Zero NV
includes 10% Pinot Noir from the Grand Cru village of
Ambonnay. Strawberry and raspberry are added into the mix
and this would partner well with tuna or even a rare steak.
Varnier-Fannière has a Champagne to match every dish in
your meal!
www.varnier-fanniere.com
Written by Frankie Cook
@frankstero
www.frankstero.com
Vineyard in the
Côte des Blancs
Champagne
32
33
Illinois Sparkling Wine Co.
Laurent Lyothier
And Pink Frog
Illinois
Sparkling Wine Co.
Illinois Sparkling Co. is an independent
craft winery obsessed with making
exceptional sparkling wine using the
traditional method. The grapes used in
our sparkling wines are 100% Illinois
grown, and each wine is handcrafted at
our winery in Peru, Illinois. Our wines
are available in our Tasting Room in
downtown Utica, as well as in many
restaurants and retail locations in
Chicago and other areas of the state.
Years ago Mark & Teri Wenzel,
owners of August Hill Winery, became
fascinated with Champagne. When
Mark, the winemaker for August Hill,
realized that Illinois was a region primed
to produce world-class sparkling wine
grapes, he dove headfirst into sparkling
experimentation. After years of research,
trials, and some great advice from
Champagne producers, he was finally
creating sparkling wines that just might
put Illinois on the winemaking map and
Illinois Sparkling Co. was born.
Our tagline is “Traditional Method.
UN-traditional Wines.” The grape
varieties that we use in our wines are not
the grapes used by most sparkling wine
34
and Champagne producers.
We use French-American
hybrids with names like Frontenac,
La Crescent, Chambourcin,
Frontenac Gris, St. Pepin, and Marechal
Foch.
These grapes grow well in our climate and
they also have the high-acidity needed to
produce amazing sparkling wines.
Review
“Mark has taken an incredibly bold
step, making sparkling wine in the
Midwest is brave in itself, but to invest
in a bottle-fermented operation using
non-traditional and hybrid varietals is a
serious, serious endeavor. The gamble has
paid off for him and his team however,
as the wines are simply exceptional and,
more importantly, ripe with individual
personality. It’s kind of my job to look
for flaws in sparkling wines, and I’ve yet
to find any here. The ‘cool’ factor is way
up there with these, among some of
the most unique and well-crafted
sparklers you’ll find here or
anywhere else.” –
W. Craig Cooper, Beverage Director,
Pops for Champagne, Chicago.
@SparklingCo
www.illinoisSparklingco.com
Laurent Lyothier chose
the French Alps ancient wine
growing region of Savoie as his
second home, where he crafts an
unconventional wine collection under
the Pink Frog brand. At the age of 24, just
graduated from Montpellier, France, with a
Master in Agronomy and a National Diploma of
Enology, Laurent became a winemaker at Domaine
Chandon in Napa, California. Laurent is passionate
about selecting the finest grapes and experimenting with
winemaking, for the finest combination of flavors, aromas and
balance. Laurent is a contemporay winemaker, receptive to those
who have this young, curious, joyful and free spirit, those who are
willing to embrace the unknown.
A UNIQUE SPARKLING ROSÉ
Glamorous and delicate, Cuvée Rosé Initial is the very first wine
crafted by Laurent Lyothier under the Pink Frog brand. It has
a charming Ruby Red colour, lightness of pin-point bubbles
and flavours and aromas of fresh red berries blending delicately
with apple and rhubarb. Cuvée Rosé Initial, from the first sip, is
expressive and elegant. Rosé Initial is a Cuvée d’Exception, made
by the Méthode Ancestrale, the fruit of a thousand-year-old
savoir-faire, secretly nurtured in the foothills of the French Alps,
with its je-ne-sais-quoi that makes it so unique.
@laurentlyothier
www.pinkfrogwines.com
35
Simon Stockton
Champagne:
Fizzing With Fallacy
Simon Stockton of Sugar&Yeast debunks his top 5 Champagne myths
1. Putting a spoon
in the top of an opened
Champagne bottle will
preserve the fizz.
I’m afraid not. Any secondary school science student
(alliteration, anyone?) will tell you that pressure will
travel from the wine to atmosphere, straight past the
teaspoon (or fork/knife/potato peeler..) until pressures
inside and outside the bottle are more or less the
same. Some of my clients are convinced by this wives’
tale, claiming they’ve tried it and the wine remained
a bit fizzy. Well yes, the wine will maintain some fizz
overnight but not because of the teaspoon! I assure you
that if you omit the spoon from your repertoire and
instead, sleep with a buttered crumpet on your head, the
level of fizz will still be the same.
I’m not a fan of saving Champagne once opened and
prefer to finish the bottle to enjoy the wine in optimal
condition. If you can’t find a friend to assist you with
this, a Champagne stopper will work OK on half
a bottle or more, or even better, try a pump action
stopper to keep pressure in the bottle. These gizmos
are available from Bar Amigos (www.baramigos.co.uk)
and are my preferred option if needs must. Also, please
don’t store your opened bottles in the fridge door. Every
time you open and close it you’re agitating that poor
Champagne and by tomorrow night, it’ll be dead flat.
2. The number of twists
it takes to undo a champagne
cage (or ‘muselet’) has some
correlation with the quality of
the wine inside.
I’ve heard this one many times before so I decided to try
it for myself. On every bottle I opened, be it prosecco,
cava or numerous Champagnes, it took around 3
full twists to remove the muselet. Few manufacturers
exist, meaning most winemakers are getting their
muselets from the same place. Naturally, this leads to
36
standardisation of the product. Too few
twists applied to the product might lead
to premature ‘corkus ejectus’, whilst too
many might weaken or snap the wire.
The machines that apply the muselets to
the bottles seem to be very consistent in
the number of twists applied.
3. Champagne
coupes were
modelled on the
breast of Marie
Antoinette/Madame
du Pompadour/Helen
of Troy.
I’ve recently seen an oil painting of
Marie Antoinette and if the coupe story
was true, we’d all be inebriated - her
cups runneth over!
Both Claudia Schiffer and more
recently, Kate Moss, have lent their
bosoms to artists for the moulding
of a Champagne coupe - nice work
if you can get it. At the risk of
destroying the romance of drinking
from this iconic vessel, the truth is
that it was designed in London by an
Englishman in 1663, just a year after
secondary fermentation was documented
there (More on that later). I’ve heard
from other sources that the designer was
Belgian, not English, though I can’t find
any evidence to support that.
Marie Antoinette was born the following
century, further putting pay to this
titillating tale, though reputable historians
have documented that some ceramic
milk bowls were indeed moulded from
her left breast. No osteoporosis in her
neighbourhood then..
The coupe/breast link has gained further traction by the
claim that members of the Folies Bergère dance troupe
were subjected to the ‘Champagne Coupe Test’, where
only the perfect fit was accepted. Just enough to fill the
coupe? You’re hired! Spilling out the sides? You’re
fired! Perhaps Lord Sugar could create a new TV
show?
Whilst we’re on stemware, please don’t
be dictated to by over zealous wine
nerds about which glass you must use
for Champagne. Arm yourself with some
basic information and make your own
choice. The coupe is stylish and fun,
making it the perfect choice for weddings,
parties or seduction. Yes, there will be less
mousse and the bubbles will disappear
quickly, but that’s an acceptable price
to pay for the delightful sensation of
bubbles tickling your entire face and
the feeling of being at one of Gatsby’s
parties.
Flutes are fine and seem to be the the
most popular choice in restaurants and
bars. They have a classic aesthetic and
importantly, maintain the bubbles and
the temperature better than a coupe.
I use all three glass types depending on what I’m
drinking and where I’m drinking it, but as long as you’re
having fun (surely the raîson d’être of Champagne
drinkers?) make your own choice and don’t get too
caught up in the details. Why not drink out of a shoe or
a navel?
4. Moway, Moway, Moway!
I’ve never watched ‘The Only Way is Essex’ (honestly..),
though I can almost hear the cast members ordering
their bottles of Moway. Along with a few others,
Moët et Chandon seems to be the most frequently
mispronounced Champagne House, though not because
of the ‘Chandon’.
If you googled ‘Moët
pronunciation’, you’d be
greeted by a plethora
of sites offering all
manner of dodgy
advice, some with
sound bytes from
‘native French speakers’.
It doesn’t work like this.
For starters the general rules
of
French pronunciation do not necessarily apply to
proper nouns (names). My name is Simon (Sigh-mon),
and this doesn’t change to See-moh, just because I’m
currently in France. If Champagne Lanson wished to
be pronounced Larnsone (they don’t), that’s their
prerogative! The ‘trema’ (dots) above the ‘ë’ in Moët
means that it gets pronounced Mo-wette, though
quite softly.
Much speculation surrounds the pronunciation
of Moët, and Champagne expert, Tom Stevenson,
seems to provide the most interesting explanation.
The shape helps funnel the
aromas towards the opening and shows
off the ascending bubbles well.
For older Champagnes and Prestige
Cuvées, a Riesling or Sauvignon Blanc
glass is better, though you can buy glasses
intended for these special sparklers. The
aim, here, is less about preserving the
bubbles and more about allowing some
aeration in the glass so complex aromas
can develop.
“This house was established in 1743 by Claude Moët,
a courtier en vin since 1716 and the owner of vineyards
in the Marne Valley. According to the late Patrick
Forbes, a director of Moët & Chandon and a respected
historian, some people claim that the first Moët was a
15th Century Dutchman called Le Clerc (which sounds
terribly French), who ran at the head of a crowd at
Rémois shouting, ‘het moet zoo zijn’ (‘it must be so’),
when the English were trying to prevent Charles VII
from entering the city. Apparently, he did this ‘so lustily
that the English vanished’, and he was known forever as
Continues...
37
Simon Stockton
C ontinued : C hampagne : F izzing
‘’M Moët’.
That’s a great story, though the main
reason for pronouncing it Mow-ette,
rather than Mow-ee or Mow-ay, is
because the Champagne House itself
does!
Don’t assume all Champagne names are
French, either. Many houses have names
of Germanic origin (Bollinger, Louis
Roederer, Taittinger), and none of these
are pronounced with -ay on the end.
Cringing about the countless times
you’ve ordered Bollin-jay? Fret not; I’ve
very recently heard Mer-lott and Pee-not
in London restaurants! Sacré Bleu!
5. The English
invented
Champagne, or,
Christopher Merret
invented Champagne.
Just like that?? Champagne has
evolved over many centuries with
several big leaps during that time.
It was not ‘invented’, though
secondary fermentation in vessel was
a huge contribution from anonymous
Englishmen (or women?) back in the
1660’s.
Christopher Merret was an academic,
physician, natural philosopher (scientist)
and an early fellow of the Royal Society
- a group of like-minded brains who
wanted to understand the world through
experiment and observation. Their
collective interests spanned animal
husbandry, medicine, botany and
agriculture, to name just a few.
Merret was interested in reinvigorating
wines that arrived from Europe tired or
soured and the Royal Society’s archives
contain some of his recommendations
38
Sugar & Yeast
with
F allacy
and other top quality sparkling wines
in one evening is a rare and special
thing.”
for doing this - ‘adding
white starch and milk’,
to clean and purify
wines, for example.
And for the non-Champagne
tastings? “Hen parties are always a
great laugh, though I do love the
competitiveness of our Corporate/
Team Building events. These tastings
culminate in a wine quiz linked to a
‘bomb-defusal’ challenge! Also, our James
Bond tasting is a great way to drink several of 007’s
tipples in one evening and is a must for Bond fans like me.”
Vesper, anyone?
In 1662, he
presented a paper
to the Royal Society
which contained the
following:
“Our wine coopers of later
times used vast quantities of
sugar and molasses to all sorts of
wines to make them drink brisk and
sparkling and give them spirit”
His paper wasn’t published at the time,
as routine publishing only started a few
years later, though his paper now sits in
the archives of London’s Royal Society.
The coopers that Merret refers to remain
anonymous, though his paper shows
that wines were undergoing secondary
fermentation in barrel, however no
evidence exists to say that it was
occurring in wine bottles at that time.
‘traditional method’ would’ve been
documented. Dom Pérignon, for all his
skill and tireless work, took some time
to figure out the principles of secondary
fermentation in bottle, and bubbles
in wine were not initially desirable. It
wasn’t until 1693 when he was said to
have exclaimed, ‘Come quickly, I am
drinking the stars!’
The slight twist in this story, is that
one week before Merret submitted his
paper, Jon Beale, the author, submitted
a paper indicating cider was undergoing
secondary fermentation in bottle! It
contains the following paragraph:
Many other advancements have been
made in Champagne production riddling (Veuve Cliquot), the wire
muselet as we know it (Jacquesson),
brut, rather than sweet Champagne
(Louise Pommery), as well as numerous
modern technical advancements.
“poor quality cider could be opened after a
week or so and into each each bottle, place
a little piece of sugar about the size of a
walnut. This would settle the cider (still)
into a little fermentation giving it briskness
(bubbles)”
It seems that the ‘traditional method’
of making sparkling wines owes a lot
to faceless Londoners, experimenting
with stale wines and ciders to render
them fresh and drinkable. Merret
merely wrote about it, though without
him, who knows how or when the
From still wines stoppered with an oily/
waxy rag to the magnificent, complex
cuvées on today’s shelves, Champagne
has come a long way and we owe thanks
to many
Cheers!
Simon Stockton
Sugar&Yeast
@sugarandyeast
www.sugarandyeast.co.uk
A regular Glass of Bubbly contributor, Simon Stockton hails
from Brisbane, but moved to the UK in 1998 to continue his
vinous love affair in “the wine hub of the world”, London.
Attending many wine tasting events and visiting several wine
regions piqued his interest enough for him to undertake
qualifications with the WSET (Wine and Spirit Education
Trust).
A couple of years (and many tastings) working for another
company was enough for Simon to know that he needed to
run tastings his own way, and so Sugar & Yeast was born.
“I’ve been to so many wine tastings over the years
and it was rare to find one that was fun and
upbeat, as well as educational - a balance we
strive for. So many of them just covered wine
101 delivered in a dull manner, that I knew
there was room in the market for Sugar &
Yeast. Our tastings include wine education,
fun quizzes and physical challenges
guaranteed to get the guests smiling”.
Sugar & Yeast also runs a full-day wine school for those with
an, ahem, thirst for knowledge and includes lunch and 15
wines! Perhaps public transport is advisable for this one…
Simon is a Maître Sabreur with the ‘Confrérie du Sabre d’Or’
and can teach you the art of Sabrage - opening a champagne
bottle with a sword! “We usually do this when there’s a safe
outdoor area, and for a small fee the Hen can have a go and
receive a Certificate from the Confrérie. It’s an impressive
spectacle and a great hen party photo opportunity!”
Whether you prefer Bordeaux,
Marlborough or Champagne,
Christmas party season is not far
off and a wine tasting with
Sugar & Yeast would be a
great idea. Mention this
advertorial for £20 off any
group booking!
@sugarandyeast
www.sugarandyeast.co.uk
Although many different tastings are
available through the Sugar & Yeast
website, Simon has his
favourites.
“As a Champagne lover
myself, I think our
Prestige Cuvée Tasting
is a real luxury. To be
able to drink Krug,
Dom Pérignon,
Bollinger, Cristal
39
Champagne Réné Geoffroy
Virtually sulphite free
Champagne
Réné Geoffroy
Consumers are increasingly becoming aware of what they eat and drink and how it’s been produced.
F
The primary fermentation produces
what is called the base wine.
Wine is no exception.
Once the base wine preparation is
complete, yeast and nutrients are added
and mixed and the resultant base
wine is bottled to begin the secondary
fermentation.
or many, it’s important to know
exactly what additives and
preservatives have been used in the
manufacture of a product.
Although they moved to an elegant maison in Aÿ in 2008,
the Geoffroy family can trace their roots in the Premier Cru
village of Cumières back to the 17th century. 14 out of
their total 17 hectares under vine are in Cumières, in the
heart of the Vallée de la Marne. Production volume is small
at only 9,000 cases per year, of which just 500 are vintage.
Wine is fundamentally a natural
product. The very best wines are
produced with minimum interference.
However there is one additive which
is used almost universally (apart from
a very few natural wines) – sulphite.
On the vast majority of wine labels you
will see the phrase “contains sulphites”
because there is a legal requirement to
label “contains sulphites” if the level
exceeds 10mg/l.
Champagne Réné Geoffroy is now run by Jean-Baptiste
Geoffroy, son of Réné and grandson of Roger who first
expanded from growing grapes to producing his own
Champagne. He has continued to modernise where
appropriate while keeping the best aspects of tradition; he uses
a traditional Coquard press yet has created some unusual and
unique wines.
With an eye for quality, all grapes are hand-picked then sorted
before pressing. Only the, best, first run juice (the cuvée) is
used for the base wines and malolactic fermentation is avoided
to maintain freshness.
If wine is destined for the still wine
market, sulphites are generally added in
order to prevent oxidation. However,
sulphites also inhibit yeast activity.
If they are added above certain levels
then the sulphites inhibit the secondary
fermentation in bottle and the wine
will remain “still” with lots of dead
yeast cells! Bottle fermented sparkling
wines must therefore have low levels of
sulphites otherwise they wouldn’t be
fizzy!
We test the sulphite levels of many
thousands of wines each year and bottle
fermented sparkling wines consistently
have the lowest levels in the market
place.
Written by Geoff Taylor
Head of Campden BRI’s Wines and Spirits
Department
@campdenbri
www.campdenbri.co.uk
But it’s often an overlooked fact that
sparkling wines, especially bottle
fermented sparkling wine - Champagne
being the classic example - have some
of the lowest levels of sulphites
of all wines. There is a very
simple reason for this: bottle
fermented sparkling wine
is produced by a double
fermentation process.
Jean-Baptiste uses all three principal grapes of Champagne and
has created different wines to showcase the characteristics of
each, including:
• Cuvée Volupté Premier Cru Brut is 80% Chardonnay
• Cuvée Expression Premier Cru Brut has 50% Pinot Meunier (A portion of the reserve wines are matured in oak barrels)
• Cuvée Empreinte Premier Cru Brut has 76% Pinot Noir (80% is fermented in oak barrels of different sizes to add texture)
Now the unusual wine: Rosé de Saignée Brut is 100% Pinot
Noir and is made by “bleeding” a little colour out of the grape
skins. In Champagne it is permitted to blend a little red wine
in with white to make rosé – a practice forbidden elsewhere.
However this forceful rosé obtains its colour from maceration
of the grapes, by “punching down the cap” for several hours in
an open oak fermenter.
And the unique wine? Blanc de Rose Premier Cru Extra Brut
is a 50 / 50 blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir where the
two varieties are co-fermented, with delightful texture resulting
from maceration of the skins, just as for the rosé saignée.
www.champagne-geoffroy.com
Written by Frankie Cook
@frankstero
40
www.frankstero.com
Wine
Press
41
Grant Burge
Grant Burge
When Grant Burge founded his eponymously named
business in 1988 with wife Helen, it was agreed that
the business would be based on the traditional values
of family, heritage and quality.
As a fifth-generation Barossa vigneron, Grant spent his
boyhood immersed in the wine industry, watching his father
and grandfather build respected wine businesses and learning
traditional winemaking techniques.
In support of his winemaking expertise, Grant owns a
network of vineyards which includes the famous Filsell
Vineyard.
One of major drivers of wanting to make a premium
Australian sparkling wine was that Grant was highly critical
of the ‘typical’ Australian sparkling of the time. To quote
Grant “They were made from the wrong varieties and lacked
mid-palate flavour and were very acidic. These wines were
very hard to drink”.
This prompted Grant to try his hand making Sparkling wine
using the correct Champagne varieties of Pinot Noir and
Chardonnay from cooler regions to make a wine of elegance,
plenty of flavour and with a crisp but balanced finish.
The objective of this decision was to create a
wine which was easy drinking and, above
all, enjoyable.
Our Pinot Chardonnay Methode Traditionelle is made
from a majority of fruit grown in the elevated cool
climate regions of the Adelaide Hills, Eden Valley and
Alpine Valley. The grapes produced here have delicate,
yet quite intense flavours, as well as the natural acidity
and lean, elegant flavours that are required to make highquality sparkling wine in the traditional method.
Tinged with copper hues, the wine deals out a
delightful biscuitlike nose combined with ripe
strawberry and peach characters. The palate is rich
and generous with a real vitality that’s heightened
by the creamy mouth-feel. This is a sparkling that
adapts to its environment, and as such is just as
enjoyable with food as it is on its own.
The style that I aim for is one of elegance and
finesse, balanced with flavour and, above
all, drinkability. I believe I’ve achieved that
with this wine.
Grant Burge is a fifth-generation Barossa
Vigneron. Throughout his career, Grant
has been one of the most respected and
innovative forces in the Australian wine
industry.
@GrantBurgeWines
www.grantburgewines.com.au
42
43
2014 World Champions
Champagne & Sparkling Wine
World Championships
Wines from Champagne, England, South Africa,
Australia, USA, Cava, Chile, Italy and New Zealand have
been honoured with the ultimate awards in the inaugural
Champagne & Sparkling Wine World Championships
(CSWWC) dubbed the ‘Oscars’ of the sparkling wine
world.
Louis Roederer Cristal Rosé 2002 was awarded the ultimate
title of Supreme World Champion 2014.
The Champagne & Sparkling Wine World Championships
received over 650 entries from 16 different countries in its
first year. Tom Stevenson was joined by Essi Avellan MW and
Dr Tony Jordan for the intensive judging process in May.
All entries were tasted blind, including the finest
and most rare prestige cuvées of Champagne,
some of which are so iconic that they have never entered any
wine competition before.
Founder and chairman of the judges, Tom Stevenson,
comments: “All the wines submitted were initially tasted and
evaluated by origin and style. This ensured that each wine’s
medal potential was evaluated according to its own typicity of
provenance. Within each category of origin, the wines were
assessed strictly by style – that is, all the brut nature together
all the blanc de blancs, rosé, et cetera. Where no gold medals
were awarded, no wine of that style from that provenance
could progress any further in the competition; but where
there were gold-medal winners, we grouped them together
and chose the Best in Class.”
Stevenson continues: “From the Best in Class, there
was a taste-off to decide the World Champion
trophy for each country or appellation. The Best
in Class winners from all over the world were
then grouped together by style to decide those
World Champions. We also rewarded the
best supermarket Champagne and the greatest
value Champagne and greatest value sparkling
wine with World Champion trophies.”
The 2015 Champagne & Sparkling Wine
World Championships will open for entries in
December 2014.
Tom and
Tony
44
Champagne Louis Roederer Cristal Rosé 2002 Supreme World Champion
World Champions by Origin
Blue Pyrenees Estate 2010 Midnight Cuvée World Champion Australia
Bruendlmayer 2008 Brut (magnum)
World Champion Austria
Roederer Estate NV Brut Sparkling Wine World Champion USA
Graham Beck Wines 2009 Blanc de Blancs World Champion Cap Classique
Gramona 2000 Enoteca Brut Nature World Champion Cava
Champagne Louis Roederer Cristal Rosé 2002 World Champion Champagne
Miguel Torres Chile NV Cordillera Brut
World Champion Chile
Digby
World Champion England
Il Mosnel 2008 Rosé Pas Dosé Parosé
World Champion Franciacorta
Akarua 2010 Vintage Brut
World Champion New Zealand
Nino Franco 2013 Valdobbiadene Primo Franco World Champion Prosecco
Ferrari 2007 Perlé
World Champion Trentodoc
One of the newest independent names in English wine,
Digby Fine English has scooped the Trophy for the World
Champion English Sparkling Wine in the inaugural
Champagne & Sparkling Wine World Championships.
England won 11 Gold medals (ranking second only
to Champagne) in the Champagne & Sparkling
Wine World Championships, thus proving the
world class quality of English fizz.
Digby believes that the way to produce
the best sparkling wine in England
is to carefully build a portfolio of
complementary vineyard partners,
then focus on achieving the perfect
blend. CEO and co-founder Trevor
Clough creates the wines with Dermot
Sugrue, winemaker at the boutique
Wiston Estate Winery in West Sussex
with supreme quality Pinot Noir, Pinot
Meunier and Chardonnay grapes and using
the Traditional Method. Trevor adds, “We
would summarise the flavour profile of English
grapes as fresh and classy. Each of our vineyards
then brings its own character of fruit, but it is only
when carefully blended together that we can achieve
the structure, depth and finish of a world-class sparkling
wine that is inimitably English.
@DigbyEnglish
www.digby-fine-english.com
45
Tom
Stevenson
Tanya Mann
Treasures
of
English Sparkling
Wine
Ridgeview Knightsbridge
2010
Jenkyn Place Brut
Ridgeview is a family
company, established
in 1994 in the South
Downs of Sussex.
A boutique, familyowned estate producing
award-winning English
sparkling wines from
Hampshire.
CLASSIC AND
ELEGANT
Fine balance and harmony
CLASSIC AND
ELEGANT
Fine balance and harmony
A
nybody who knows a thing or two
about sparkling wine is getting excited
by the English sparkling wine industry.
Six or seven years ago, nobody could
have anticipated that English vineyards
would be producing such popular
sparkling wines. Two years ago,
the English Wine Producers held a
discussion at a London International
Wine Fair. I asked the head of the
Association whether there was a move
to develop a special brand name to
categorize British bubbly, but she gave a
rather dry response.
46
Today, English sparkling wines have
secured a respected place on the world
stage. Blanc de Blanc by Coates and
Seely is flying of the top wine lists, and
not just anyone’s picking it up -- it’s
Camel Valley – Annie’s
Anniversary Brut
Camel Valley have been
producing awardwinning, world-class
wines in a beautiful corner
of Cornwall since 1989.
LIGHT AROMATIC AND
REFRESHING
Citrusy and flowery harmony
Balfour Brut Rosé 2010
Nyetimber Demi Sec
Hush Heath Estate is the
producer of England’s
most exclusive pink fizz
from a beautiful setting
in Kent.
The largest vineyard in
the UK, with 438 acres
under vine in the heart
of West Sussex.
DEMI SWEET
Delicious, with a tang of
lemon pastry
STUNNING
Plenty of red berry aromas
and astonishing complexity
being sold by some of the most stylish
ones, including Heston Blumenthal’s
restraunt,The Fat Duck. English
Sparkling Wines have even managed to
earn a precious spot on the wine list of
the world-famous Orient Express with
Hush Heath’s Balfour Brut Rose.
It’s worth noting that there are
differences between English
sparkling wines and their continental
counterparts. I asked a Waitrose wine
buyer whether she thought English
sparkling wines could be a prototype
for something like Champagne. After
all, the soil in Southern England has a
great deal in common with that found
in the Champagne region of France. The
key difference, she explained, is that the
climate and soil here lend the English
varieties a tantalizing taste of lime.
Also
Coates & Seely Brut
Coates and Seely is tucked
away in a secluded valley
near Whitchurch in the
Hampshire Downs, their
vineyard lies just eighty miles
north of Champagne.
CLASSIC AND ELEGANT
Fine balance and harmony
After tasting sparkling wines at the
English Wine Producers exhibition,
I found several varieties my list just
couldn’t be without. These breathtaking
bottles represent the bounty and beauty
of England.
Interview
What are your thoughts on the future of English sparkling wine?
Some English sparkling wines are truly world class and as we have seen in the
last couple of years, there are some exciting new ventures in the pipeline, but
there is also a lot of dross that has to be shaken out of the system.
What’s the most memorable Glass of Bubbly you’ve enjoyed?
When Christian Pol-Roger heard that my father drank lots of Pol Roger 1928
before the war, he gave me a bottle of 1921 so I could share an even older
vintage with him. It was a very special moment, even more so since he passed
away.
Multi-award-winning wine writer Tom Stevenson is
the world’s most respected authority on Champagne
and sparkling wine. Author of The World
Encyclopedia of Champagne and Sparkling Wine
and the Annual Champagne and Sparkling Wine
Guide. He also this year launched the Champagne &
Sparkling Wine World Championships (CSWWC).
@mrtomfizz
www.champagnesparklingwwc.co.uk
By Tanya Mann
www.tanyamann.com
47
Vicomte de Ville de Goyet
Champagne
Vicomte de Ville de Goyet
Cuvée Splendeur de Lys :
The Royal Tribute to Champagne
V
A Real Love Story...
icomte de Ville de
Goyet Champagne
house was born of an alliance
between two people sharing the
same love for Champagne, who both
wanted to honour and make a tribute to
their ancestors.
François Bertholet de Ville de Goyet, Chief
Executive Officer of Vicomte de Ville de Goyet
Champagne house, descends from a noble family.
The union of a Vicomte de Ville, who fled the french
revolution of 1789 to Belgium and a Belgian Baroness de
Goyet, gives rise to a line of nobles who were and are still
named de Ville de Goyet.
Melissa-Marie Moore is the General Manager of Vicomte de
Ville de Goyet Champagne house and comes from a family
of winemakers. The family estate consists of twelve hectares
in Mailly-Champagne Grand Cru, Taissy and Rilly-laMontagne Premier Cru.
The first born Cuvée of Champagne Vicomte de Ville de
Goyet, named « Cuvée Splendeur de Lys » is made with
50% Pinot Noir Grand Cru and 50% Chardonnay
Premier Cru, from the 2008 and 2009 harvests. The
grapes used to produce this marvellous wine all come
from their selection of forty years old vineyard plots
which promise an exceptional quality.
48
The Royal Cuvée “Splendeur de Lys” is raised
in Rilly-la-Montagne, in the very heart of the
Champagne area. Authenticity is the watchword of
the development of this cuvée, riddling is done by
hand.
More than a very good Champagne… A true work
of art, blend of tradition and luxury...
François Bertholet de Ville de Goyet and MelissaMarie Moore are both passionate about the
production of very high quality Champagne. They
put a new perspective on this wonderful wine
giving it all the pageantry and magic it deserves.
Cuvée Splendeur de Lys, is a true work of art, it is
distinghuished by its fine brushed gold flower of
lily, symbol of the Kings, princes and nobility and
entirely hand engraved by an artist. Each bottle is
also signed and numbered.
The cap is a real gem, it is gold plated, the
signature of the house is inlaid with blue enamel
and raised by a discrete crystal, it can then be
worn as a bracelet. For a perfect finish, each cuvée
Splendeur de Lys is presented in its individual case.
Available in the UK at
www.champagne-buy-gemeaux.co.uk
www.champagnevicomtedevilledegoyet.com
49
Plus de Bulles
Champagne tasting by subscription!
Here’s what might just be the very best way to discover
Champagne and everything about it.
The online Champagne site Plus-deBulles.co.uk has just launched their
Champagne Box. It couldn’t be easier:
every two months directly delivered to
your home - two bottles of Champagne
that have been specially selected by
Patrick Borras, Chef-Sommelier of
the celebrated chef Pierre Gagnaire (3
Michelin stars in Paris, 2 Michelin stars
in London at Sketch).
The two bottles come with tasting notes
plus a note from the winemaker or the
Cellarmaster himself.
There are two versions of the
Champagne Box: The Grower Box and
the Great Houses Box. In both cases,
as Patrick Borras explains: “you won’t
receive just the Brut Non Vintage entry
level Champagne, but a Terroir Cuvee, a
Brut Nature, a Blanc de Blancs or Blanc
de Noirs or a vintage Champagne....”
Only cuvees that will plunge you right
into the heart of the Champagne terroir,
and offer you a taste of the Champagne
savoir-faire.
“The Champagne Box is the perfect
means of exploring all the nuances and
diversity of Champagne via an exclusive
selection of cuvees” explains Marie
Servagnat, the founder of Plus de Bulles.
The Champagne Box is available from £53
every two months, with no obligation
@PlusdeBullesUK
www.plus-de-bulles.co.uk
Interview with
Vazart-Coquart
Jean-Pierre Vazart
Head of the House of
Vazart-Coquart in Chouilly.
What is the history of theVazartCoquart Champagne House?
What makes Special Club different
from the rest of the range?
The House is celebrating its 60th
anniversary this year. My father
Jacques Vazart, together with my
grandfather, created it in 1954 and
it has developed progressively to a
total of 11 hectares today, exclusively
on the Grand Cru terroir of Chouilly.
95% are Chardonnay and 5% Pinot
Noir.
The Cuvée Spécial Club is the
only Champagne, apart from the
magnums, to be closed with cork
when bottled. This gives is the
extra complexity that makes this a
gastronomic cuvee.
How would you define the VazartCoquart terroir?
It’s a Grand Cru terroir that we work
in reasoned viticulture. We have been
certified ‘High Environmental Value’
since 2012 and are only the third domain
in France to have reached this level. We
practice grassing over between rows which
has a positive influence on grape quality,
since the competition forces the vines to
give of their best.
What is the House style?
After 2002 and 2008, what in
your opinion will be the next great
vintage in Champagne ?
2012 was a superb harvest, and I am
impatient to taste this vintage.
Apart from your own Champagnes,
which cuvees do you like to drink
from time to time ?
I very much like Champagnes de Pierre
Legras in Chouilly, Penet-Chardonnet
inVerzy, Paul Bara in Bouzy and Duménil
in Chigny les Rose. I also enjoy tasting
“La Grande Dame” from Veuve Clicquot.
Our distinguishing mark is the use of
a perpetual reserve for our non-vintage
cuvees. Ours was created in 1982 and
half of it is renewed every year. We use
25% of this in blending our non-vintage
Champagnes. Our Champagnes are rich,
intense and expressive, and age very well.
What is the common feature of all
your cuvees?
Our wines are always extremely fruity
with a touch of minerality, which is the
hallmark of Chardonnay from Chouilly
and the signature of Vazart-Coquart.
50
51
Perrier-Jouët
Champagne Perrier-Jouët
has unveiled the 2005
vintage of its celebrated
Cuvée Belle Epoque
Rosé in a limitededition bottle designed
by acclaimed Brazilian
visual artist Vik Muniz.
C
ellar Master Hervé Deschamps
personally chose the 2005 vintage
of the prestige cuvée Belle Epoque
Rosé, which he describes as “the most
extravagant wine of the Belle Epoque
Collection”, for this limited edition.
Chardonnay, Perrier-Jouët’s nominated
grape of choice, is predominant in the
blend while the cuvée owes its richness
and pure, salmon-pink hue to the Pinot
Noir variety. After nine years ageing in
the House’s cellars, the result is a perfect
balance between the year’s character
and Perrier-Jouët’s stylish, floral and
diamond-cut house style.
Muniz’s design is a fairy-tale fusion of
a brilliant golden hummingbird with
the iconic Perrier-Jouët anemone motif
that has adorned all bottles of Belle
Époque since 1964 and was first created
for the House by leading art nouveau
protagonist Emile Gallé in 1902. When
the lively bird admires the flower’s
natural elegance, the latter’s white petals
turn gently pink.
Originally created from scraps of gold,
the enchanting scene was photographed
by the artist and applied to the Belle
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Launch at
The Gherkin,
London
Epoque bottle via a gold plate on
which the hummingbird seemingly
flies towards the foreground anemones.
Clear glass allows the wine’s salmon pink
shade to offset Muniz’s delicately sensual
depiction.
“Much as Perrier-Jouët has long
embraced Art Nouveau’s love of nature
and enchantment, I took the idea of
captivation in a natural setting as the
inspiration for this motif ” explained Vik
Muniz.
Released in time for the festive season,
the cuvée Belle Epoque Rosé 2005
Limited Edition provides the perfect
match for special year-end celebrations
and is limited to only 200 bottles in the
UK.
Cuvée Perrier-Jouët Belle Epoque Rosé
2005 Limited Edition by Vik Muniz
is available exclusively in the UK at
Searcy’s Club at The Gherkin and from
Harvey Nichols and Selfridges for £248.
@perrierjouet
www.perrier-jouet.com
53
Laithwaites Wine
M
oldova isn’t necessarily the first place that you think of
when you think about sparkling wine, however with
its rich heritage perhaps it should be, and who knows one day
sparkling wines from Moldova might be as common as Prosecco,
Cava and Champagne.
Competition!
The Champagne Collection is offering you the opportunity to win two
bottles of Artisan Champagne, the Brut and Rose from Francois Lavergne.
For your chance to win, simply answer the following question correctly:
How many bubbles are there
in a bottle of Champagne?
a) 10 million
b) 30 million
c) 50 million
Just 15 km’s North of Moldova’s capital
Chișinău you will find Cricova, the jewel
in the Moldovan wine industry crown.
Amongst the 120km’s of tunnels, some
of which date back to the 15th century,
you will find a huge collection of wines.
It’s estimated that some 1.25 million
bottles reside there in total, many
belonging to the worlds rich and
famous including several heads of
state and stars of the silver screen.
Legend has it that in 1966 Yuri
Gagarin, the first man in space,
entered the cellars to emerge
two full days later, slightly
worse for wear and with need
of assistance walking.
Laithwaite’s Wine first
began exporting wines from
Moldova before most people
even realised that Moldova
existed. Just over a decade
ago we welcomed our first
shipment of the delicious
Cuvée Aleksandr from
Moldova, and we instantly
knew that we had a customer
favourite on our hands.
Cuvée Aleksandr has been dubbed the
wine of the Tsar’s, after the regions
expansion was funded by the then Tsar
Aleksandr II. His dream over 200 years
ago was to create a region that could
rival the very best that Bordeaux and
Champagne could offer at the time and
this wine pays homage to his efforts.
Cuvée Aleksandr is 100% Chardonnay
aged in the famous cellars at Cricova,
the plentiful sunshine and biting north
winds create ideal growing conditions
for slow ripening which is key to the
wines ultimate success. Over the years
it’s won numerous awards and glowing
recommendations including awards at
the Decanter World Wine Awards &
International Wine Challenge.
Cuvée Aleksandr follows tradition and is
produced in the ‘Méthode Traditionelle’
giving it a fine mousse to rival many a
great Champagne house. Its light citrus
and yeasty character is refreshing, with
a delicious long finish, and is perfect for
celebrations, light seafood’s including
shellfish and goats cheese.
@laithwaiteswin
www.laithwaites.co.uk
To Enter: Email your answer, name & address to info@glassofbubbly.com.
Terms & Conditions: There is no cash alternative and prize is non transferable.
Usual competition rules apply. Closing date 30th November 2014.
Prize will only be posted to a UK address.
54
55
Michael
Premiur Champagnes
Premiur
Champagnes
Michael Duberry
Duberry
Premiur Champagnes are the
exclusive importers of the award
winning Champagne Chassenay
d’Arce to Australia.... and what
a hit it has been!
Michael Duberry is an English
former professional footballer who
played as a centre-back. He started
his career with Premier League side
Chelsea and also played in the top
flight for Leeds United and Reading.
Gabrijela and I have been together for
approximately 3 years, falling in love
with Champagne as much as we have
with each other. The first moments we
shared together was with a bottle of
(yes you guessed it) Chassenay d’Arce.
Since that day (3 years ago now) we felt
that it was necessary for us to spread the
good news of Champagne Chassenay
d’Arce to the good people of Australia,
not only is the Champagne of a high
quality, it comes at an affordable price in
comparison to general market leaders.
He is the founder
& owner Of
PositiveVibz.
@Original_Dubes
www.positivevibz.co.uk
Our university backgrounds have
allowed us to complement one another.
With management, market research and
a pinch of love this has given us the
perfect mixture for business success.. As
our vows will say one day, through full
glass and empty we stand by one another.
Chassenay d’Arce works with 130
families of vine growers connecting 325
hectares of vines covering 12 villages in
the ‘Cote des Bar’’, the southern most
part of the Champagne appellation.
The past 20 years has seen a dynamic
investment policy take place, enabling
Chassenay d’Arce to build a performing
production facility, whilst still preserving
their traditional values. Thanks to 50
years experience, and a motto: ‘Stronger
Together’ Chassenay d’Arce is proud
to claim to be a rising star in the
Champagne world.
@PremiurChamp
www.premiurchampagnes.com
56
Interview
Where’s the most memorable place you’ve ever enjoyed a
Glass Of Bubbly?
In the comfort of my own home on returning from the hospital
celebrating the birth of all four of my children.
Which is your favourite Champagne / Sparkling wine?
It’s either Laurent-Perrier Rosé or Cristal (Cristal only on very
special occasions!!)
David Dunat
What does Champagne mean to you?
A: Success
B: Celebration
C: Romance
D: Enjoying great company
57
Wine Tasting
Goes Sparkling Wine Tasting
Glass of Bubbly gives you the low
down on the latest Wine Events....
Champagne Collection
Founded by Pete Pedrick, the Champagne Collection hosted their
tasting event at The Troubadour Club in London with a great selection
of grower Champagnes and a host of industry names attending in hope
to find a few more recommendations for their books. Also present was
Jerome Poussin who is Brand Ambassador of Champagne Sanger.
Get ready for the upcom
ing
Fizz
Armit Wines
Fine location on the banks of the River
Thames the Armit Wine tasting event
was held with a fabulous selection
of international wines to taste with a
welcome visit and masterclass from
wine guru Tim Atkins.
Thorman Hunt
The Thorman Hunt tasting event
took place in the stunning Merchant
Taylors’ Hall with an unbelievable
selection of wines to taste and explore
and very well attended.
Gonzalez Byass
It was a busy day of tasting at the Gonzalez
Byass event with a delightful added selection of
sherry and port. The day included a visit from
the ever popular and charming Oz Clarke.
Sitt
58
A great selection of wines on show from a host of
suppliers and owners of labels themselves. An all day
event which we would indeed take you all day to enjoy
the pleasure of the wines that were on show.
Sparkling Wine Show 23rd October 2014
FIZZ returns this year and will be
every bit as exciting with new wines
and new vintages to taste.
Last year’s inaugural show was a first for
the UK and widely applauded for filling
a gap in the market. Held in London
there was a total of 43 exhibitors and
334 wines on show. The largest showing
of Sparkling wines in the UK from all
around the world.
The show was attended by over 350
people from the UK wine trade. Among
the show highlights, Jane Parkinson,
wine writer and broadcaster, presented
a revealing blind tasting seminar on
the regional characteristics of English
Sparkling Wine. Whilst sparkling wine
expert and Master of Wine, Conal
Gregory, presented a fascinating seminar
on the diversity of sparkling wine
production around the world.
Codorníu had a fabulous selection of
Cava Cocktails to enjoy at lunchtime
and attendees were the first to preview
and pre-order Tom Stevenson’s fully
revised Encyclopedia of Champagne and
Sparkling Wine.
This year’s event is a tasting not to be
missed as sparkling wine is the best
performing category in the UK Wine
Trade.
The Wines of Brasil stand returns with a
fantastic, diverse array of sparklers that
are rapidly gaining popularity in the
UK. Hattingley Valley will present their
award winning English Sparkling Rose
2011. Grant Burge will be on the Wine
Australia table, champagne sanger will
be exhibiting, as well as Luc Belaire, the
sparkling rose from the South of France,
famous for being the favourite tipple of
rap-star, Rick Ross.
The Conzorzio de Franciacorta, will
be at the show for the very first time.
Franciacorta is one of the world’s most
exciting sparkling wines right now, and
it’s making some serious in-roads into
the UK market.
Ubifrance, the governmental body for
promoting French wine overseas, also
make their first appearance at the show
and have amassed a large collection
of Cremant, Vin Mousseux and
Champagne all seeking representation in
the UK
FIZZ is the brainchild of Ben CampbellJohnston who has worked in the UK
Wine Trade for 20 years and has gained
a reputation for organising trade shows
for specialist sectors.
When & Where
FIZZ - The Sparkling Wine Show,
Church House Assembly Hall,
Westminster, London
Thursday 23rd October 2014
10:00 - 18:00 hr - TRADE ONLY
www.campbell-johnston.com
@BenCJohnston
59
Nico
Brimoncourt
Nico Santucci is an ItalianAmerican restaurateur, designer
and entrepreneur. He is the founder
of Black Door Global, a Los Angeles
based, real estate development and
lifestyle company.
Champagne
Brimoncourt
Santucci
Nico owns the popular Capo’s Restaurant
in Las Vegas. Capo’s is a trademarked
Speakeasy mob-themed restaurant and bar
which actually serves Al Capone’s family
secret sauces.
Interview with Alexandre Cornot,
CEO of Champagne Brimoncourt
@NicoSantucci
www.BlackDoorGlobal.com
www.CaposRestaurant.com
A Champagne House undergoing vast
expansion, located in Aÿ in the historical
centre of the appellation and in Reims
on the prestigious boulevard Lundy.
Is this a house which you took over?
Yes, in 2008... after starting out in
a career in the legal sector in a large
Parisian law firm, I felt a real need to
manufacture and create by combining
my passion with attention to details.
I am very demanding on myself and
others... Champagne needs this attention
to detail, passion and sophistication...
Without sophistication, it is simply
sparkling wine... the attention to detail
and sophistication make for great
Champagne and this is where the magic
begins, and has done for some three
centuries!
So people did not wait for you... what
makes you stand out?
Admittedly, but our expression is
that of joyous sophistication which is
supported by high-quality and very
fresh wines. Allow me to insist on this
point: Chardonnay forms over 80% of
our Brut Régence. Over 85% of grands
crus in our white of whites. We focus
our product on a client base which
is expectant, who are very serious in
life and who have the intelligence of
knowing how not to take themselves
too seriously. The dialogue adopted by
Brimoncourt is quite simple and rightly
so. Life is short, so we should enjoy it,
albeit in style.
60
What are your objectives?
Brimoncourt is, by its very nature, an
international brand. So, we should
continue our growth in France and
abroad. In this regard, the distribution
agreement we signed with Baron
Philippe de Rothschild in France is
fundamental. The convergence of values
and long-term vision that we share have
laid out the optimum condition for this
strategic and natural partnership. It is
the cornerstone of our development.
What resources do you use?
Interview
Where’s the most memorable place you’ve ever enjoyed a Glass of Bubbly?
Tell us about your best tasting memory?
What are your fundamental values?
I have many fond memories of wine
tastings! However, there is one which
flies high above the rest, if I can put
it like that.... It was during a journey
between New York and Paris on
Concorde at 16,000 metres up and
travelling at Mach 2, whilst enjoying a
Dom Pérignon 1993. Not a noise, not a
vibration, the enjoyment of being above
the clouds, travelling at high speed and
this excellent wine, an unforgettable
moment, the peak of civilisation!
Humility, desire, action, contemplation,
astonishment, and fun… and
Champagne Brimoncourt bien sur!
@brimoncourt
www.brimoncourt.com
Work, work, and more work. A
little money also, of course. We have
reinvested 1.5 million Euros into the
company at the beginning of this
year. This year, we will increase this
investment to 2 to 3 million Euros.
Beyond this, our activities are able to
fund our organic growth.
There are lots of very unique places and people I associate with Champagne....
The most recent one was when I purchased my 100 foot WW2 motoryacht, while watching
the sun go down..... It was magnificent and my mind ran wild envisioning the helipad I would
construct, along with the unique design concept I had in mind....
Which is your favourite Champagne/Sparkling wine?
I change my Champagne to suit my mood. For a big event, perhaps I’ll saber a bottle of
Cristal. With friends, I usually open a bottle of Tendil et Lombardi Hyménée, and you can’t
go wrong with Billecart Salmon Rosé for any occasion. I keep a magnum in the fridge at all
times... Just in case.
What does Champagne mean to you?
A: Success
B: Celebration
C: Romance
D: Enjoying great company
Of course, all of the above
It’s the fastest route to a magic carpet ride.... I’m not much of a drinker, so a few sips and I’m
on my way....
61
Photo of Nico Santucci courtesy of Glenn Brennan/GB Photography
The scent of the
sea and a bottle
of Louis
I
appreciate many simple things here
in Abu Dhabi. There are aspects
that people elsewhere in the world
take for granted, that those of us
living here value to the nth degree:
Winter, when we have an escape from
the 50 degree Summer heat, albeit
brief, is something we treasure. It
is then that we can dine alfresco,
another little activity we value here
because the stifling Summer heat
prevents this.
The final thing is the beach on Saadiyat
Island, the soon to be cultural hub of
the Middle East. It is not the post card/
travel program beach you would find
in Cape Town or Phuket, but here it
is like gold because it is by far the best
beach we have and it is natural.
The beach is home to a growing
number of luxury 5 star resorts, the
gorgeous St. Regis Island Resort being
one of them. It was here that I came to
try some dishes while sampling some
bubbly at the resort’s award winning
Southeast Asian restaurant, Sontaya.
Appropriately, I arrived just before
sunset – Sontaya means setting sun.
It is a perfect setting for some bubbly
as the sun glistens off the Arabian sea.
My drink this evening is the NV Louis
Roederer Brut Premier Champagne.
But rather than have it as is, I ask
the barman if he could make me a
Champagne cocktail that does not run
against the Southeast Asian menu and
ambience. He suggests a Mautika, a
lemon grass inspired bubbly drink. The
way he describes it enthralls me, so I
order it.
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In my glass goes Uluvka Vodka infused
with saffron, The saffron will lend a
bit of stronger yellow to my drink
as well as its characteristic tatse. He
adds a bit of lemongrass and then for
some citrus element, a bit of lemon.
All of this is then topped up with
Louis Roederer. That in itself would
make for a challenging cocktail to
have, notwithstanding the fine virtues
of this non-vintage Champagne, so
for sweetness, he adds a couple of
deseeded litchis on a cocktail stick. I
like the idea, I am able to regulate the
sweetness.
As I sip on it, without biting into the
litchi, I still get a bit of the acidity one
often picks up in this Champagne, but
when I try the litchi, it brings a bit of
sweetness that lingers until the next
sip. Really interesting, with a note I am
unable to pin down, but I enjoy it.
I have it with a tasting platter of South
East Asian favorites - Vietnamese
seafood springroll, Prawn cake, Pandan
fried chicken and Australian Wagyu
beef satay. The satay too gets another
dimension as it is enjoyed with peanut
sauce. Doubly tasty. While not a classic
pairing with this Louis Roederer,
because it has other ingredients giving
that Southeast Asian flavor, it works
quite well with the platter. I particularly
enjoy it with the fried chicken wrapped
in pandan leaf, with a soy sauce
reduction. I have a couple glasses of
Louis in this Mautika.
For the cold seafood platter I go with
the Louis on its own. I think the cold
seafood platter comprising scallops,
Brandon Stoltenkamp
Mautika
Cocktail
Champagne
Louis Roederer
Brut Premier
octopus and prawn on a bed of grilled
aubergine, sweet basil cress, green curry
mousse and basil dust will be matched
better with it rather than the Mautika
cocktail. I am right. Notwithstanding
the low light, I can see the tiny active
bubbles in my glass and as I hold it
up to the moon, I am overwhelmed.
Beautiful. The creamy mousse is
sumptuous in my mouth and I taste
green apple, especially as I try the
scallops and prawns. Stellar stuff. One
Champagne, two memories.
While I sip on my last glass for the
night, I hear the waves and smell the
sea. The location is truly evocative and
as I sit on the terrace of the restaurant,
I can’t help but reflect on this gorgeous
location. With my last sip of NV Loius
Roederer Brut Premier Champagne,
I recall Juliet’s words to Romeo as she
professes her love:
“My bounty is as boundless as the sea,
My love as deep; the more I give to thee,
The more I have, for both are infinite.”
It is an evening made for clichés like
walking on the beach and holding
hands, but sometimes even I succumb
to clichés. Hard to believe, this is my
evening here in Abu Dhabi, a city built
in the dessert of Arabia. Bubbles, again
so integral to a night to savor.
Brandon Stoltenkamp
@bmstoltenkamp
www.mitsukiemma.blogspot.com
63
Josef Chromy
Furleigh Estate
Josef fled his war-torn Czech village
in 1950 as a penniless 19-year-old
after eleven years of Nazi and Soviet
occupation. He escaped across
borders guarded by minefields, dogs
and soldiers, suffering five months
of privation before immigrating to
Australia.
At 76, when most people would be
thinking about easing up, Joe launched
Josef Chromy Wines in December
2007. In just 5 short years Josef Chromy
Wines has amassed over 15 trophies and
260 medals making it one of the most
successful launches in the history of the
Tasmanian Wine Industry.
Furleigh Estate
English vineyard and winery Furleigh
Estate is expecting its best-ever harvest
this autumn, and has estimated that it
will produce approximately 100,000
bottles of award-winning, still and
sparkling wine as a result.
Rebecca Hansford, owner of Furleigh
Estate, said: “We are so excited about
this year’s bumper harvest. It’s come at
a significant time for us as we enter our
10th year as a working vineyard and
winery.
This year’s harvest is anticipated to be
twice as large as the previous record
yield, in 2010. What’s more, in one of
its vineyards the crop is predicted to
be even bigger than the total sum of all
of the previous harvests, as a result of
two consecutive years of great summer
weather.
“A dry Glastonbury festival
and a warm Wimbledon are
usually reliable indicators
that the grape harvest is
going to be good, so
we’ve had high hopes
since the start of the
summer. We are so
fortunate that the
English climate has
been kind to the vines
this season!”
Situated in Salway Ash in West Dorset,
this former dairy farm is owned and
managed by husband and wife team,
Rebecca Hansford and Ian Edwards. The
couple planted their first vine just over
nine years ago in 2005. Today, more
than 22,000 Chardonnay, Pinot Noir
and Pinot Meunier vines grow on the
south-facing slopes of the Estate.
64
@furleighwine
www.furleighestate.co.uk
Based at Relbia, just 10 minutes south of
Launceston, Josef Chromy‘s state-of-theart winery provides a home for some of
the best winemaking equipment available.
Our winemaking style is founded on
producing wines that show a true ‘sense
of place’ and celebrate the individual
characteristics of each unique vintage.
Josef Chromy
Josef Chromy will be hosting the
inaugural “EFFERVESCENCE”
Sparkling Spring Weekend on Friday
31st October and Saturday 1st of
November 2014. With 15 of the top
Tasmanian Sparkling Wine Houses
presenting, tasting, and selling their
wines in the beautiful grounds, it serves
as a celebration to the world class
sparkling wines emanating from the
Island State.
@JosefChromy
www.josefchromy.com.au
Jeremy
Dineen,
winemaker
Josef
Chromy
Harvest takes place over
three weeks from midOctober. Furleigh Estate’s
vineyard and winery will be open
to the public during this time for two
very special harvest lunches.
65
Charles Heidsieck
Charles Heidsieck
The Legendary Champagne
C
harles Heidsieck was founded
in 1851 by the legendary
Champagne Charlie himself. CharlesCamille was a dashing figure in
Champagne, known as a dandy and a
gentleman who travelled extensively
selling his Champagnes to the royal
courts of Europe and American high
society.
He famously purchased the underground
cathedral-like chalk cellars under Reims,
originally dug out by the Romans 2000
years ago. The cellars are a unique
place to age the Champagnes (only five
Champagne houses today own Roman
cellars) as they remain an ideal 10ºC
throughout the year and have a perfect
level of humidity. They are still used
today to house all the Charles Heidsieck
Champagnes as they age.
Today the Champagnes are
recognised by industry experts as
some of the very best to come from
Champagne and win countless awards
and accolades. Winemaker, Thierry
Roset, who won the IWC Sparkling
Winemaker of the Year 2014, claims
that consistency is, as it always has
been, his watchword. An approach and
sense of loyalty forged over more than
25 years spent in this very same House,
first alongside Daniel Thibault, and then
with Régis Camus.
Thierry is intimately familiar with the
secrets that make for great wines and
places great importance on the reserve
wines used in the production of the
non-vintage blends. The Brut Réserve
contains an astonishing 40% reserve
wines with an average age of 10 years,
and is aged a minimum of 36 months
in the Roman cellars. It is a Champagne
with wonderful richness, complexity and
balance.
66
The Brut Réserve and Rosé Réserve
cuvees are presented in a unique bottle,
shaped to recall the curves of Chalk
Cellar number 9 in which the wine was
aged. To allow for a better appreciation
of the quality demanded by Thierry
Roset, Charles Heidsieck specifies on
its Brut Réserve bottles both the year of
cellaring and the year of dégorgement.
The Blanc des Millenaires 1995 vintage,
with it’s 17 years of complexity is a
unique emotion, an impression of
eternity, much like the feeling one has
when standing in the heart of the 200
year old chalk cellars after which the
wine is named.
@CHChampagneUK
www.charlesheidsieck.com
67
Photo Credit: Pol Baril
Top 10 Major Champagne House Visits
I was lucky once to go with clients
for a private visit at Bollinger. This
isn’t for the hoi poloi. There are other
houses who will only invite you if
you’re a client or have references.
I want to speak of my experiences
taking groups to houses that have
regular visits for the general public.
The introductory film seems to be either
flowery language with nice pictures or
something factual about the Champagne
house. In the films and during a tour you’ll
hear so much about the founding families that
you’re lulled into thinking that Veuve Clicquot
is still alive. If there’s still a family member
involved in the running of the house you’d
have to be a VIP to get to meet them.
The best start for a tour is the 100 or more
steps leading down into the cellars. When it’s
a hot day outside and the guide at Pommery
opens the door and the cool air rushes up it’s
so pleasant
Ruinart, Pommery, Veuve Clicquot and
Tattinger have the best cellars to visit. The
old chalk quarries have a special quality.
Tattinger’s cellars are a mix of chalk
quarries and the remains of the
cellars of an old Abbey.
Taittinger
Cellars in the other houses
seem more industrial.
Long corridors lined with
rows of bottles. This isn’t
to say they don’t have
any history. There’s
the Napoleon barrel
at Moet & Chandon.
Was there really a dead
body preserved inside?
On a tour you’ll maybe
hear the whir of a vehicle
and see a driver flash by. You’ll
also maybe hear the distant chink
of bottles. You’ll never see all of the
machines and equipment involved in
making Champagne.
Tours start without a
visit to a vat room and a
presentation of the first
fermentation and blending.
Guides have their first visual
support with the stored
bottles to explain the second
fermentation. They then can
show with the aid of a light how
dead yeast has collected in the
neck of the bottle during riddling. All
the final part up to labelling is explained
without seeing how it’s done.
The little you do see on a cellar visit by train
goes by quickly. The guides can’t keep their
commentary up to the speed the train’s
going and often have to stop and move on
to another topic that will also be only halffinished.
68
By Jon Catt
Many of the houses have lovely tasting rooms.
Pommery has one but most visitors are parked
in a corner of the vast reception room. I was
surprised by Moët & Chandon’s choice of
doing their tastings in an underground room.
It’s hot, humid and claustrophobic. I’ve been
served Champagne that tasted like something
you’d find in a glass on the morning after
a party. I’ve had Champagne like wedding
Champagne. You’ll maybe get a cursory
description of what you’re tasting or have to
ask it if the server is busy.
If you take the top priced tour there really
is no special treatment because of what you
pay. You’re on the same tour with everyone
else. The only difference is in the quality and
quantity of what you’re served at the tasting.
Ruinart are limiting the size of groups to 10
people and charging 70€ a head. I’ve not tried
this formula but I imagine it will still be to
their always high standards.
Written by Jon Catt
69
Sugar Hut
The Bull and The Hide
It’s all about location, location and
the stunning interior design,
Why stay anywhere else?
The Bull and the Hide
You can see the inspiration from the Hush Heath Estate Winery,
the people behind this concept, with copper playing a prominent part
in the interior design, this theme creates a lovely relaxed atmosphere.
The downstairs bar area serves a host of craft beers and ales, spirits
and wines. Upstairs is The Hide, a dining area serving both lunch
and dinners and beyond are a selection of seven individually designed
stunning bedrooms with generously stocked pantries offering anyone
the complete stay when visiting or working in London.
“The warm welcome and caring of the staff enhances your experience”.
Breakfast is a delight with a selection to suit all and the best of all is
that once you leave the premises you are straight back in to the vibrancy
that is the City of London with transport to your next destination just
seconds away...
Join the Hush Heath Estate team at The Hide for an
exclusive wine pairing dinner including the flagship,
international award winning English sparkling wine
Balfour Brut Rosé 2010, next dates October 29th
& November 26th.
SSuuggarr H Huutt
Sugar Hut
t
ut
#H
&
e
co
Email your nam bbly. pl
u
p
f
a
Eve@glasso itions
o
“Enjoy a glass of bubbly at The Bull and Hide and do try the Balfour Brut
Rosé 2010”.
Win
a bottle of Bubbly at
the Sugar Hut
y m
Merely a minute’s walk from Liverpool Street station at the heart of the
City of London and quietly located down a cobbled street is the The
Bull and The Hide, a traditional pub and boutique hotel serving some
of the best sparkling wines and food in the area.
Terms & Cond
Formerly The White Hart Inn, the venue is believed
to have been built in 1480. However, there is
evidence that there was a hostelry on the site perhaps
a hundred years earlier
It is said that King Richard II stayed at the hostelry
when he passed through Brentwood in 1392. As
Richard’s heraldic device was a white hart it may well
be that his visit gave rise to the name of the hostelry.
Sugar Hut includes a fine dining restaurant, bars, a night
club, private members area and a courtyard.
@micky_norcross
@sugarhut
www.sugarhutworld.com
Michael Norcross
Owner of the Sugar Hut in Brentwood, Essex.
Interview
@TheBullLondon
www.thebullandthehide.com
Where’s the most memorable place you’ve
ever enjoyed a Glass of Bubbly?
Sitting by the pond in my garden
Which is your favourite Champagne?
Laurent-Perrier Rosé
What does Champagne mean to you?:
70
A: Success
B: Celebration
C: Romance
D: Enjoying Great Company
71
Jennifer Palmer
Immerse yourself in
B
Syn
e seduced! Gently remove her stylish
red gown to experience this fiery
redhead in all her glory, but be careful…
she is known to explode in throes of
passion! With her captivating perfume
of freshly picked plums, dark chocolate
and exotic spices; every mouthful this
temptress offers is pure enjoyment.
Immerse yourself in Syn.
I have served this as an aperitif and also,
on a different occasion with a rather
delightfully chewy Cappuccino Pavlova.
I would have this with Cheese on an
evening, watching the latest episode
of The Following or serve it at book
club whilst we discuss our thoughts on
the Bill Bryson novel we have recently
enjoyed.
You would be forgiven for thinking this
is a new Fifty Shades of Grey novel, but it
is in fact the label on this rather splendid
Sparkling Shiraz. I have immersed myself
several times and I am surprised at how
versatile this wine is. Blended with 2%
Vintage Port, it has lashings of dark fruit
flavours and is mouth-wateringly moreish.
I have worked with many wines from
the Aussie Rules portfolio in my wine
tasting parties and they are always
well received and the highlight of the
evening.
the owner is always extremely helpful
and a little bit charming! I have tasted
some extraordinary wines that he has
recommended and I was keen to learn
more about this company. I managed
to lure Lee down to North Yorkshire to
host a much anticipated launch of Aussie
rules wines in Lewis & Cooper, and find
out more about his fabulous company.
I feel incredibly lucky to have found
this relatively new company, which
specialises in Australian Wines. Lee,
@rules_aussie
What attracts you to Australian Wine?
I have always had a love affair with all things Australian…..the
people, the culture, their can-do attitude and of course their
wine! The first winery I ever visited was in the Margaret River
region in 2003 and from then I was hooked. I am a down
to earth guy and it is important for me to work with wines
that I personally enjoy and am enthusiastic about. To work
with people that I can relate to and enjoy doing business with
makes it all the more pleasurable. The perfect storm!
What is the concept behind Aussie Rules?
72
Essentially, Aussie Rules is all about great wine! I wanted
to showcase what I call “new wave” Aussie Wines. These
are elegant wines from cooler parts of Australia; with more
restrained use of oak…dare I say more consumer friendly.
But the most important aspect is the people behind the wine.
Being an independent importer, it is important for me to
work with smaller producers and to help them punch above
their weight in the UK.
What has been your most memorable
experience in your search for great
Australian Wines?
There are literally loads of memorable experiences in my
search for great Aussie Wines. One that will last with me for
the rest of my days (for a number of reasons) was my first trip
to Coonawarra to visit Leconfield in 2010. This region is a
4½ hour drive south of Adelaide and my itinerary couldn’t
spare a full day for the return trip. So the export manager
Mark Dimberline (who is originally from Leeds) organised to
fly me down in a 4 seat, twin prop plane. I had jetlag, Mark
doesn’t like flying, but the 45 minute flight was breath taking
and cemented a relationship with Leconfield that keeps going
from strength to strength
Written by Jennifer Palmer
@vinenights
73
Carole
Enjoy a Glass of Bubbly
Matthews
Fortnum’s began in 1707, when royal footman William
Fortnum set up shop in St James’s with his landlord, Hugh
Mason. Since then Fortnum & Mason has been an
intrinsic part of the nation’s history and has a fascinating
story to tell.
Enjoy a glass of bubbly at the 1707 Wine Bar, one of
London’s best-kept secrets. Named in honour of their
foundation year, the intimate Wine Bar is nestled
within the famous Food Hall. Alongside an extensive
wine list, 1707 offers a delicious range of snacks
including freshly shucked oysters and a superlative
cheese board.
Of the many simple pleasures in life, a glass of
Champagne must be one of the finest – the pop of the
cork and the rush of bubbles always feels like a celebration.
Fortnum’s wine cellar contains some of the finest examples of
Champagne and sparkling wine that anyone could want.
Interview
@Fortnums
www.fortnumandmason.com
Where’s the most memorable place you’ve ever enjoyed a
Glass Of Bubbly?
Restaurant & Wine Merchant in the heart of Southendon-Sea are pleased to announce the opening of their new
Champagne room sponsored by Charles Heidsieck.
The crusty old Dickensian candle-lit dining rooms with
mahogany tables and sawdust covered floors is one of the
most atmospheric venues in town.
Martin & Paul both feel that sparkling wine should be
available by the glass or bottle all day everyday 7 days a week.
At The Pipe of Port, they have at least 4 sparkling wines
by the glass and many more by the bottle. Customers love
drinking Prosecco, Champagne, English sparkling wine and
Cava every day of the week not just for celebrations.
www.pipeofport.com
@ThePipeofPort
@Martiday
@Essexwineman
Carole Matthews is a bestselling author of twentyfive hugely successful romantic comedy
novels. As well as appearing on the
Sunday Times and USA Today bestseller
lists, Carole is published in 31 different
countries and has sold over 4 million
books. Her books Welcome To The
Real World and Wrapped up in You
have both been short-listed for the
Romantic Novel of the Year.
Her latest book is The Christmas
Party.
Paperback published on 23 October
2014.
‘Romance is in the air and secrets
are about to be uncovered. It’s
going to be a night to remember
at The Christmas Party.’
74
@carolematthews
www.carolematthews.com
A few years ago we went on safari in Kenya and, one morning at dawn,
took a balloon flight over the Maasai Mara. As the sun was rising we
floated serenely above the treetops watching zebra, wilderbeest, elephants
and giraffe. When we landed, we were then served a full English breakfast
on the open plains and a couple of very welcome glasses of Champagne. A
truly unforgettable experience.
Which is your favourite Champagne
/ Sparkling wine?
We live near to Waddesdon Manor - one of the many
homes of the Rothschilds. It’s now a National Trust
property, but they have a very good wine shop selling
Rothschild wines. We recently discovered their Crémant
de Limoux which they have bottled for them. It’s delicious.
Light and very creamy.
What does Champagne mean to you?
A: Success
B: Celebration – but it can simply be a celebration of it
being Friday!
C: Romance
D: Enjoying great company
75
Property For Sale with Vineyards
Panzano in Chianti
Menorca, Spain
Guide Price: € 9m
Montebernardi is a beautiful historic estate dating back to 1085
and situated in the hilly southern-most region of Panzano, an
area widely acknowledged as one of the Grand Cru of Chianti
Classico. Recently renovated, this 6 bedroom Tuscan farmhouse
is surrounded by 53 hectares (130 acres) of land, of which 9.5
hectares (23.5 acres) are private vineyards.
The house has its own fully air-conditioned wine cellar and wine
tasting room with the necessary facilities.
The grapes are Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet
Franc and Malvisia Bianco and Trebbiano. In the past an average of
40.000 bottles have been produced. When the vineyard is working
at full capacity a yield over approximately 60.000 bottles per year
can be expected.
Gaiole In Chianti, Siena
Guide Price: € 3.9m
This recently restored farmhouse, surrounded by vineyards,
meadows and woods, comes with 197 acres of land (with about 13
acres Chianti Classico D.O.C.G.) situated in the charming hills
76
33 Margaret Street, London, W1G 0JD
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7016 3740
of Chianti Classico. The property includes a lake, large wine cellar
with equipment for wine production, swimming pool, landscaped
garden and a separate house for guests.
@SavillsUK
www.savills.co.uk
13 bedroom property for sale with its own private winery.
This spectacular property is set within a plot of circa 8 hectares
of Menorcan landscape. Surrounded by manicured gardens,
sculptures, vineyards and pastures is this exquisite country house
hotel, this former palace has undergone an exquisite top-to-bottom
renovation which is reflected in every square meter of the property.
Also included a 2 storey house, a guest annex, a modern winery,
fully functioning dairy factory, sampling room, offices and
stables. The morphology of the garden has enabled the creation of
different environments, a large natural pool surrounded by ample
sunbathing terraces, a sculpture garden, a pond full of aquatic life
of fish and water lilies, vineyards and lush gardens.
The contrast between its traditional façade and modern and
spacious interior, where the luminous whiteness of the decoration
merges with the intense green of the gardens, is magnificent.
Price: £2.5million
Hamptons international
32 Grosvenor Square
London
W1K 2HJ
020 3151 6841
@Hamptons_PR
hamptons.co.uk
77
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14
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Issue 3 October/November 2014
Publ
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Welcome to the bespoke world of
champagnebyyou.com
Step-by-step, we introduce you to the best-kept secret in France…
Grower Champagnes. These third and fourth generation
producers, use their own grapes to produce their own artisan
Champagne; bursting with flavour and finesse and made with
passion and patience.
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We work with a range of corporates, individuals, retailers and trade
who want their own Champagne label, on the style of Champagne
they love. This is how it works …
1. Tantalise your tastebuds
You receive the ‘Champagne by You’ tasting pack. The pack contains six classic
Champagne styles - Grand Cru, Blanc de Noirs, Rosé, House Grand Cuvée, Blanc
de Blancs and Vintage. Sourced from family producers, your case also contains
comprehensive tasting notes and family background information - giving you a real
sense of their values and expertise.
Once you have enjoyed the tasting pack, you need to decide which style has your
name on it and therefore which style you want for your bespoke label.
2. From doodle to polished design
Our designer will collaborate with you to produce the
artwork for your unique label design. Whether you choose
a favourite photo; a line of poetry; a significant date - the
choice is completely yours. Once you are happy, you sign
off the artwork.
Why Advertise with Glass of Bubbly?
• A fast growing international readership both online and print.
• Available to read in quality venues across the UK including Searcys Champagne
bars, 4 star hotels and premiership football executive boxes.
• 11,000 strong social media following.
• Frequently visited website and increasing subscription database to our newsletter.
3. The devil is in the detail
The image gallery page on our website demonstrates the care
and attention to detail that goes into producing your labels.
Each aluminium label is hand-finished, by our specialist UK
printers.
4. We deliver
Your work is done. So sit back, relax and wait for your
beautifully bespoke Champagne bottles to be delivered to your
door. Then let the celebrations begin.
Submission deadline 14th November 2014.
Contact us to find out more about advertising with Glass of Bubbly and how we can promote you to our growing target
audience within Champagne and sparkling wine.
For enquiries, please contact: bespoke@champagnebyyou.com
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@ChampagnebyYou
info@glassofbubbly.com
facebook.com/ChampagneByYou
www.champagnebyyou.com
78
We are now accepting editorials/advertorials/adverts for our next issue due out December 2014.
Please note – minimum order 24 bottles
+44 (0)1206 700888
@glassofbubbly
/glassofbubbly
/sparklingwineandchampagne
79
0
Dear Readers
Star Photo
Many thanks for sending in all your photos
of yourselves enjoying our magazine. Each
issue we’ll pick our favourite photo to win a
bottle of bubbly, so start sharing your Glass of
Bubbly magazine photos with us via email or
social media.
Win!
Send in your photo for
your chance to win a
bottle of bubbly!
80
81
Win
Champagne Afternoon Tea
for Two at Searcys,One New Change
T
he Searcys
story began
in 1847, with the Duke
of Northumberland’s pastry
chef. Their plan was to provide
an outsourced catering service for
large, private houses in London and
the home counties that lacked full-time
domestic staff.
To Enter: Share a photo enjoying a glass of bubbly
via Twitter or Instagram using both the hashtags
#GlassofBubbly and #Searcys
Terms & Conditions: There is no cash alternative and prize is non transferable.
Usual competition rules apply. Closing date 30th November 2014.
Prize cannot be claimed in December and has to be taken by March 2015.
Over the next 120 years, we were awarded a
royal warrant and became the contract caterer
of choice not just to royalty, but also to many of
London’s stately homes. In the 1970s, we opened
a series of bars and small restaurants in London as
our first permanent sites. Then, in 1990, we were
appointed as catering partner to the Barbican – a
relationship that we still cherish over 20 years later.
Whilst we have always remained a small, focused
company, over the last 166 years, we’ve built a
strong reputation for absolute dedication to
excellence – and have continued this through
our Champagne Bars. Searcys currently owns 6
Champagne bars throughout London, these
include, our St Pancras, One New Change,
Westfield London, Westfield Stratford,
Paddington and Sixty One all of which
we are extremely proud of.
www.searcys.co.uk
@SearcysBars
@SearcyStPancras
82
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G R A N D E
s o I T L A v I E
*
L E T
L I F E
B E
G R A N D
*