to view the December/January 2015 Glass of Bubbly Magazine

GLASS of BUBBLY
Champagne & Sparkling Wine Magazine
ISSUE 4
CELEBRITY INTERVIEWS
Meet the
SOMMELIERS
A day at
Dom
Pérignon
Jilly Goolden
Neil Phillips
Liv Boeree
& Kim Tiddy
Pink Fizz
English Sparkling
Wine
Top
10
Champagnes
of 2014
also
Casanova
Prosecco
made with passion
The Three
Winemen
and
Win
a bag full of
Prosecco!
tasting event
£3.95 / €5 / $6.50
Editor’s Note
The New Glass of Bubbly Magazine...
Dear Reader,
Welcome to our new style magazine!
The popularity of the Glass of Bubbly
magazine is continually growing and we
are pleased to welcome on board new
writers from around the world and upon
your recommendations we’ve added
some new sections: Meet the Sommeliers
and Champagne and sparkling wine
food pairing.
It’s been a truly marvellous first year
for us here at Glass of Bubbly! Just who
would have thought that from releasing
the first trial issue back in June, the
magazine would now be subscribed to
from around the world and can also be
read whilst enjoying a glass of bubbly at
luxury venues across the UK to include
Selfridges, Hilton Hotels and Searcy’s
Champagne bars.
Inside this issue we bring you all the
usual news and interesting information
on worldwide sparkling wines, famous
industry faces to include Jilly Goolden,
Neil Phillips and Tom Stevenson and
you’ll also find plenty of inspiration
for the festive season and the New Year
ahead.
If you’ve got a news story or you’d like to
be involved in the next issue then please
get in touch with me directly as I love
hearing from other bubbly lovers:
eve@glassofbubbly.com.
Wishing everyone a wonderful
Christmas and all the best for a
successful and happy 2015!
Eve
Editor
@glassofbubbly
/glassofbubbly
@glassofbubbly
All enquiries: +44 (0)1206 700888
General enquiries: info@glassofbubbly.com
Editorial enquiries: eve@glassofbubbly.com
Advertising opportunities: suzy@glassofbubbly.com
Partnership opportunities: christopher@glassofbubbly.com
Glass of Bubbly magazine is published by, operated and owned by Marketme.TV Ltd. All rights reserved. No part of the magazine may be used or reproduced without
the written permission of the publisher. All the information that is contained in this and past issues of Glass of Bubbly magazine is for information purposes only and
is as far as we are aware, correct at the time of going to print. Marketme.TV Ltd nor Glass of Bubbly magazine cannot accept, assume any responsibility for errors or
inaccuracies in information contained within, this includes advertising and competitions that are published. Readers are advised to contact manufacturers, suppliers
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advertisers. All content supplied for publication in Glass of Bubbly magazine is at owner’s risk.
ISSUE 4 DEC / JAN
6
PAGE 50
8
14
19
25
27
35
48
62
64
70
73
76
Top 10 Champagnes of 2014 by Catherine Fallis
Casanova Prosecco
Celebrity Interview: Kim Tiddy
Win a bag full of Prosecco!
Celebrity Interview: Jilly Goolden
Celebrity Interview: Neil Phillips
Pink Fizz by Elisabeth Else
Christmas Canapés by Rosalind West
Meet the Sommeliers
A day at Dom Pérignon by Simon Stockton
Celebrity Interview: Liv Boeree
Three Wine Men by Jennifer Palmer
What’s in your Glass? by Stu Nudelman
13
Bubbles in a new light by Bernard Barbuk
16
Top Bubbly Baubles Gifts by Emily Ellyn
18
Once in a lifetime visit to Laurent-Perrier
by Georgia Thompson
20
Louis Roederer by Lilyane Weston
28
Champagne MUMM Cordon Rouge Club
30
Champagne Tips for Christmas Parties by Jiles Halling
32
“Qui a bu, boira” by Elizabeth Schweltzer
34
Champagne Tips from the Wine Tipster by Neil Phillips
36
Cavatast by Lars Lybæk
37
When is Cava, not Cava - When it’s Clàssic Penedès
by Colin Harkness
38
The Soul is in the Earth by Anna Wallner
39
I Love diversity that’s why I love Cava by Anna Wallner
40
Caps off for Claude Maillard by Jon Catt
42
The Very Best in English Fizz by Oscar Malek
44
Fizz or Flop? by James McLeod
46
You could have knocked me over with a feather
by Tom Stevenson
PAGE 28
PAGE 53
PAGE 56
ON THE
COVER!
PAGE 27
Christopher
Walkey
Company CEO
and co-founder
Anna Wallner
Bernadette
Costello
Bernard Barbuk
Brandon
Stoltenkamp
Catherine Fallis
Eve Walkey
Editor
Colin Harkness
Elisabeth Else
Elizabeth
Schweitzer
Emily Ellyn
Chinn Wine sparkles in Herefordshire by Bernadette Costello
54
Ritz Carlton by Brandon Stoltenkamp
56
Champagne & Sparkling Wine with Food by Roger Jones
60
Daniel Doherty chef at The Duck & Waffle
67
Wine Experts in Ireland by Frankie Cook
68
The Perfect Christmas Treat
72
London Diplomatic Association
74
Virginia Wine by Tanya Mann
77
Taittinger Afternoon Tea at Bonbar by Jennifer Palmer
80
Sparkling Wine Review with Paul Laurie
81
The US gives the UK a run for its money drinking bubbly!
by Kathryn Barnett
Frankie Cook
Suzy Spike
Head of Sales
50
10 Stéphane Lombardi from Champagne Tendil & Lombardi
Jennifer Palmer
Jiles Harding
Jon Catt
Kathryn Barnett
Lilyane Weston
14 Carlo Parodi from Casanova Prosecco
33 Regis Camus from PIPER-HEIDSIECK
53 Walter Pintus Head Bartender at The Ritz 63 Andrea Rinaldi President UK Sommelier Association
79 Francesco Zonin from Casa Vinicola Zonin
Jade Redford
Designer
Oscar Malek
Paul Laurie
Simon Stockton
Stu Nudelman
Tanya Mann
83 Rijk Melck from Muratie Wine Estate
PAGE 33
champagne & sparkling wine
champagne & sparkling wine
Cava Suggestion
Segura Viudas Cava Brut Reserva $10 U.S approx
Champers, Fizz, Bubbly, Sparkler…
what's in your glass?
Written by Stu Nudelman, “Stu the Wine Guru”
Champagne and Sparkling wine
have been around for centuries. So
many different ones to choose from,
and regions that produce them. It’s
staggering how much is consumed
globally, and what is available to the
average consumer, in bars, on retailers
shelves..they are everywhere.
In modern culture, Rappers have made
Champagne popular in song. Science
has some data that would suggest, our
mood is elevated, and changed for the
better after a glass of bubbly.
Think of every New Year’s Eve, or at
major sporting events, the winning team
sprays champagne over, and at each
other, like a broken fire hydrant sprays
water on its over heated intended, on a
sunny day in the city.
The theatre of the cork “pop”, the
immediate smile on onlookers faces,
followed by great gustatory anticipation
of amazing golden fizzes dancing around
your palate.
In this article, I will break down three
of the most popular types: Champagne,
Prosecco and Cava, so you can better
understand them. The result should
be, better choices when you go out to
experience them in the world, and fun
doing so.
I will try to give you the ability to know
which ones to choose that fit your taste,
and either keep some change in your
pocket, or ones for special occasions you
can spend good money on.
One caveat: prices quoted are
approximate costs, and vary greatly from
country to country, and in this case,
from U.S. Dollar to GB Pound. Since I
am based in the U.S., you will see prices
in U.S. dollars.
‘Champagne’:
To get this moniker on your
bottle, the contents must have
been produced in the Champagne
region of France. You have different
sweetness levels, different grapes
used, and different classes of
Champagne.
Champagne grapes:
White grapes: Chardonnay
Red grapes: Pinot Noir and Pinot
Meunier (the skins come in
minimal contact with the juice to
prevent the wine from looking red).
Blanc de Blanc or “white from white”
(typically means that the Champagne
is 100% Chardonnay)
Blanc de Noir” or “white from black”
(usually means it is 100% Pinot Noir)
For the purpose of this article, and
to make it easier to understand,
I will speak about two classes of
Champagne: Premiere Cru and Grand
Cru.
Premiere Cru: $35-$75
Grand Cru: $100- up
Established in 1954, Segura Viudas has earned a
reputation as one of the top producers of cava in
the world.
Varietal blend: Macabeo, Parellada and Xarel-lo
grapes grown in the Penedès region of Spain. The
wine is vinified according to méthode champenoise
technique. Which is the same used to make
Champagne.
Fermentation: 9 months
Aging: up to 2 years in the bottle
On the nose: apple and pear
On the palate: apple, vanilla and walnut
Prosecco: $14-$30
Prosecco is not only a style of sparkling wine but
also a region of Italy
Major Region produced: Italy
Prosecco Suggestion
Mionetto Prosecco $14
Founded in 1887 by Francesco Mionetto in the
small village of Valdobbiadene. The grapes are
grown in the Veneto region of Italy, on the sloping
hills just north of Treviso. It is this writers belief,
that it is one of the best “value to dollar spent ratio”
on the market for Prosecco.
Here are a few Champagne & Sparkling Wine
suggestions for you to try...
Premier Cru
Billecart-Salmon Brut Reserve NV (Non
Vintage) $55
Varietal: Glera
Fermentation: Secondary fermentation (Charmat
method) takes place in temperature-controlled
stainless steel.
On the nose: apple and pear
On the palate: golden apples, apricot, and nectar
Billecart-Salmon is the oldest continuously
family owned and operated house in
Champagne.
Varietal/Blend: 40% Pinot Meunier, 30%
Pinot Noir, 30% Chardonnay
Fermentation: Long and Low temperature
vinification to preserve freshness and aromas
Aging: 3.5 years on the lees
On the nose: fresh fruit and ripe pears
On the palate: lemon curd and white peach
So... now go out and explore some
of these great Champagnes, Cava and
Prosecco in your local wine store,
supermarket, wine bar or restaurant.
This is a way of opening up your palate
to new sparkling wines. Don’t be
afraid to mix it up a bit. Wine is a very
personal and subjective experience.
Grand Cru
Krug Grande Cuvée $180
It takes over 20 years to craft each bottle of
Krug Grande Cuvée, so says the Vintner. This
is my favorite, go to, celebratory champagne.
My wife and I have celebrated all 11 of our
wedding anniversaries with this champagne.
Varietal/Blend: it’s a blend of 120 wines from
10 different vintages some as old as 15 years.
On the nose: floral and mineral scents abound
On the palate: honey, spice, apple pie crust,
marzipan, citrus, just to name a few.
Cava: $10-$45 U.S.
“Stu the Wine Guru”
Wine Writer
@stuthewineguru
www.stuthewineguru.com
champagne
TOP TEN CHAMPAGNES
OF 2014
Written by Catherine Fallis, Master Sommelier, aka grape goddess®
P
lanet Grape sends me out to host
private and corporate wine events,
which often include a Champagne
sabering performance (see picture with
black French silk hand-feathered gown
styled by Material Goods as I saber
Krug Champagne for Sinegal Estate
Winery’s Harvest Party in Napa Valley)
along with a presentation of wines and
Champagnes. Throughout the year I
also attend as many Champagne trade
tastings and luncheons as possible. After
tasting hundreds of Champagnes and
sparkling wines from around the world,
here are my top ten picks of 2014.
Happy sparkling Holidays!
Champagne Jean-Pierre
& Cedric Bouchard In
Florescence La Parcelle Blanc
de Noirs Brut nv $103
From the man who is shaking the very
foundation of Champagne with his
devotion to single plot, single varietal
Champagnes, this naturally made 100%
Pinot Noir is rich and intense with a
deep core of chalky minerality along
with pretty red berry fruits and a soft,
toasty character.
Champagne Francis Boulard
Grand Cru Grande Montagne
Extra Brut nv $80
With only 4.5 cases released to
California and only very little to other
markets around the globe, this is indeed
a rare, exquisite beauty. From la petite
Montagne de Reims, this 30 to 45 yearold vine Pinot Noir based Champagne is
powerful, austere, minerally and intense.
Champagne Collet
Esprit Couture Brut
Ay nv $120
Handcrafted from vineyard
to packaging, this feminine
cuvee has notes of vanilla
bean, peach, rose petal,
and chalk. It is delicate,
ethereal almost on the
palate. This is newly
available in selected
markets in the USA.
Champagne
Jacques
Lassaigne Le
Cotet Blanc de
Blanc Extra Brut
nv $85
The Le Cotet 40-year old-vine
Chardonnay vineyard near the gates of
Troyes shares a vein of limestone soil
with Le Mesnil to the north. Jacques’
son Emmanuel takes a natural approach
and even disgorges his bottles by hand.
This is a powerful, masculine, and very
mineral-driven style of Champagne.
2004 Champagne Bruno Paillard
Blanc de Blancs Reims $90
Rich, bone dry, lemony, minerally and
yeasty, this elegant Champagne from a
classic vintage delivers the Bruno Paillard
signature: “purity, substance, minerality,
and elegance.” Bruno is grooming his
daughter Alice to be the next CEO.
aka grape goddess
The only person in the world to hold
both the Master Sommelier and
Advanced Certified Wine Professional
credentials.
@planetgrape
www.planetgrape.com
2002 Bisol Talento Metodo
Classico Eliseo Cuvée del
Fondatore Veneto $70
this fifth generation family producer in
Rilly-la-Montagne farms naturally and
uses oak barrels for first fermentation.
This 90% Pinot Noir and 10%
Chardonnay blend is softly perfumed
with red berry and rose petal notes – a
very romantic cuvee.
2004 Champagne Delamotte
Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Le
Mesnil-sur-Oger $90
This “Baby Salon,” a 100% Grand Cru
Chardonnay from Le Mesnil, whose
sister winery just happens to be Salon.
For a fraction of the price of Salon, and
without waiting for years
and years for the wine to
soften, this beauty is just
the ticket. It has notes of
lemon curd, rising bread,
chalk and honey and is
delicate and fine on the
palate.
Champagne Vilmart Cuvee
Rubis Premier Cru Rose Brut
nv $75
Another great grower Champagne, or
récoltant-manipulant – RM for short,
Champagne Jacques Lassaigne
This elegant Champagne-method sparkling
wine from Bisol in Valdobbiadene, the
heart of Prosecco country, is named in
honor of the founder, Eliseo Bisol. Talento
refers to high quality Italian
sparkling wines made from
Chardonnay, Pinot Nero, and
Pinot Bianco, which undergo
second fermentation in
bottle and age a minimum
of 15 months on the lees.
2005 Champagne
Taittinger Comtes
de Champagne
Blanc de Blancs
Brut $225
Aged on the lees for 10
years before release, this
100% Chardonnay
from the Cote des
Blancs is as rich and
decadent as they come
– think pumpkin
bread and honeycoated brioche and
fruit cake.
1996 Champagne Moet et
Chandon Dom Perignon
Oenotheque Brut $319
Cellar Master Richard Geoffroy describes
this as a tete du cuvee in its second peak, or
plenitude of development. With extended
aging in the Dom Perignon cellars, this
mature Champagne is rich, complex, and
very feminine in style with notes of honey
and hazelnuts.
Champagne Francis Boulard
9
GLASS of BUBBLY
StEphane
Lombardi
of Tendil & Lombardi
How long have you been making
Champagne?
Laurent Tendil and I had dreamt of
getting into the Champagne business
since we were teenagers! But it wasn’t
until 2006 that we started seriously
talking about this project. I’d been in
contact with several producers in the
Champagne region for a long time
and there was one producer I really
could see us working with. On one
of my visits to his vineyard, I pitched
my idea of renting a few parcels and
a part of his facilities and he agreed…
that is how we began making our own
Champagnes. The first bottles were
finally ready in the spring of 2011,
almost exactly coinciding with the birth
of our first child, Camille.
What are the key values of Tendil
& Lombardi?
Above all, we hold a great respect
for the Champagne appellation, and
despite the fact that we’re the new kids
on the block, we really appreciate and
want to propagate the rich tradition
feeding into that. It is important to us
that our Champagnes reflect the true
character of the noble grapes of the
Champagne region.
Setting trends with
longstanding tradition
With the increasing standards
of international sparkling wines,
how do you see the future of
Champagne?
Every day I see a new wave of young
consumers eager to learn about
Champagne. Champagne’s honored
history has constrained perceptions
such that Champagne is only for
special occasions. However, we are
slowly breaking that perspective and are
always delighted to see young people
enjoying a bottle of Champagne on a
sunny terrace on a weekday afternoon.
We continually see that consumers
appreciate the value of boutique
cuvées. That’s where I think the future
of Champagne is. We all know the
slogan, “Champagne only comes from
Champagne!” However, this birthright
is not enough to secure pole position for
today’s Champagnes among a growing
international market of impressive
sparkling wines. It is up to Champagne
producers like us to focus on quality and
innovation.
Which of your Champagnes would
you recommend for the Christmas
and New Year festivities?
Well, I’m always dreaming of a white
Christmas, so my pick for a Christmas
Champagne would have to be our
“Blanc de Blancs”, which is literally
“white of whites”. As for the New Year
festivities, this is really the time when I
see “la vie en rose”. So while we imagine
the New Year through rose colored
glasses, what better Champagne to drink
than our “Cuvée Rosé”. The beautiful
pink color dances in the glass as we ring
in the New Year.
What is your favourite food pairing
with any of your Champagnes?
We had the honor to see Michelin-star
Chef Romain Corbière at the luxury
5-star hotel “La Reserve de Beaulieu”
on the French Riviera create a special
recipe for our Cuvée Hyménée. The
name means “perfect marriage” in Greek
and with a small production, only
about 10,000 bottles a year. Indeed, the
Cuvée Hyménée is a perfect marriage
for this special dish: The Langoustine
Royal, steamed in lemon grass, seasoned
with grains of caviar, coral crystals and
langoustine broth.
Where’s the most memorable place
you’ve enjoyed a Glass of Bubbly?
One glass that stands out for me is
one (ok, more than one) I had at my
surprise 40th birthday party. Our first
Champagnes were finally ready and
these were among the first bottles to be
shipped from the vineyard. That Glass
of Bubbly that I enjoyed with my 2 week
old daughter on my lap was one that I’ll
never forget… talk about a whole new
world!
@Tendil_Lombardi
www.tendiletlombardi.com
CHAMPAGNE & WINE BARS
Balthazar Royale (pictured)
Champagne Cocktails
CHAMPAGNE COCKTAIL
Jerry Thomas, 1862
Celebrate Christmas and the New Year
with the finest Champagnes from
“The Champagne Collection”
Select from or range of your Favourite Brands and our unique Artisan Champagnes
Plus our fantastic
Gift Champagnes and Champagne Sabres!
Try our very own Christmas Bespoke Collections
Everything delivered directly to your door
Free Delivery on orders over £200
ORDER ONLINE AT WWW.CHAMPAGNECOLLECTION.CO.UK
“Special Offer” for Glass of Bubbly Readers
Receive 10% OFF on ALL Case of 6 orders placed before 15th December 2014
Quote Discount Code GOBOFFER2014 at the Checkout
enquiries@champagnecollection.co.uk @champagnecoll 01905 764946
BUBBLES in a
NEW LIGHT
Relearning the classic Champagne cocktail
By Bernard Barbuk
T
he classic Champagne Cocktail
develops in the glass. You don’t,
to quote Harry Craddock, ‘drink
it quickly while it’s still laughing
at you’ like other cocktails. You
sip it slowly because the nuances
change from first to last. But then
the classic Champagne Cocktail isn’t
a mere topping-up with expensive
bubbles, but a cocktail whose base is
Champagne and which first and last
tastes of Champagne… Or of the
sparkling wine? Yes, providing it has
good varietal character and acidity
and goes beyond a single, simple
dimension.
As such it has been around for 150
years and counting. And it has always
been popular – with consumers
if not with mixologists who have
failed to develop it fully, and the
modern Champagne and Cognac
`Establishments` who fear it doesn’t do
enough honour to their products.
The surprising thing about it is that
it exists in two, maybe three, historic
forms. And nobody seems to have
noticed. The two obvious ones are
With Brandy and No Brandy. The latter
was the 20th century standard until the
1950s when With Brandy took over.
Nobody much noticed that either. It
coincided with big movies all being made
in Technicolor, the two developments
probably being connected, because
`With` cocktails looked unappealing in
monochrome. Both forms actually taste
much the same.
What the Brandy was never there to
do was slow the dissolving of the sugar
which, melts very slowly in cold alcohol
anyway. Sweetness wasn’t needed:
until the early 20th century standard
Champagne had 22-66 grams of sugar
per litre, akin to modern demi-sec (3250 gpl) not Brut. So why the Brandy at
all? Simply because a cocktail back then
wouldn`t have been a cocktail without
spirits, but also because Brandy like
Champagne was supposed to be Good
For You. As was sugar.
Back to the future
But what about that `maybe` third basic
model?
Even before Jerry Thomas’s version,
1 Lump of sugar in glass
1-2 Dashes Angostura on sugar
1 Small lump ice
Champagne to fill
Stir. Serve with a lemon or orange twist
CHAMPAGNE FLORIBUNDA
Coat inside of glass with 1 teaspoon of liqueur,
emptyong surplus
1 Sugar cube saturated with liqueur
20 ml Blanche Armagnac
Twist of orange peel
Fill gently with brut or demi sec Champagne.
Stir gently once. Garnish with orange slice
C-CUP SPECIAL
Adapted from Robert Vermeire, 1922
20 ml Brandy
20 ml Apricot Brandy
10 ml Triple Sec/ Curacao
Shake and strain into flute glass. Fill with Brut
Champagne. Stir. Orange twist garnish
Mrs Beeton had published a recipe for a
Champagne Cup. Diluted with soda and
served from a bowl, but a party drink,
where Jerry Thomas`s effort looks decidedly
medicinal. Mrs B. gave makers a choice: an
ounce of ‘Brandy or Curacao’ she says.
Today that`s puzzling. If the Champers
was sweet already and sugar was there too,
why add Curacao? The explanation is that
though the only available colour of modern
Curacao is blue, formerly it came in red,
orange, purple, green – and yes, blue.
Swapping Curacao for Brandy touched your
cocktail with any colour you liked.
We don’t have rainbow Curacaos any more.
But we do have something Mrs B. and Jerrry
Thomas didn`t. Colourless Brandy in the
form of Armagnac Blanche. As it happens,
even most standard Armagnac works better
in cocktails than most Cognac, being less
likely to reveal trace oxidation and caramel in
a mix. But the Blanche potentially opens up
the spectrum to us again.
Blue Moon
The Big Easy
Independent Drinks Journalist
What does Champagne and
Prosecco mean to you?
From the moment you pop open
the cork, sparkling wine in general
represents celebration and success with
family, friends, and close associates. I
love hearing the sound of the cork, it
puts a smile on my face and I know
that it’s time to celebrate and enjoy
the moment. With Casanova, I can
enjoy celebration and success on every
occasion.
Why did you launch in London?
Especially since Prosecco is an
Italian product?
I chose to launch Casanova in London
because I love the city and I think it’s
the most important financial city in
Europe. I also feel that if we can succeed
in the huge wine market in London, we
can find success anywhere else.
CARLO
PARODI
Owner of Casanova Prosecco
What was your main purpose when
creating this brand?
My main purpose was to create something
original, new, and unique which would
catch the attention of the discerning eye.
I like to see the joy and positive responses
from people because my satisfaction
comes from making people happy. Most
importantly, I wanted to create “a made in
Italy” premium quality sparkling wine that
has the power of desire.
How do you see the brand in a
year / five years time?
Launching a new brand requires a lot
of hard work and perseverance. The
success depends on how much is put
into the advertising, marketing and
communication, but I also truly believe
in the quality and difference of my
Prosecco compared with others on the
market. Casanova is in a league of its
own and to be unique and the first in
life should mean something. in one
year I see it well established in different
off trade and on trade places, in five
year distributed and present in the
most important world market. I want
everywhere in the world people enjoy
drinking Casanova.
Which do you prefer Champagne or
Prosecco?
Champagne and Prosecco are two different
products with differing production
processes. I enjoy drinking Champagne
because I like experimenting with the
different brands, however I feel that the
varied flavors of Prosecco are easier to
enjoy on several occasions and they’re less
demanding. Prosecco can be served and
appreciated at lunch, dinner and cocktail
hour.
Are you “a Casanova” in life?
I think every man would like to believe
he has the same characteristics of a
Casanova or try to be like him. I’m sure
he had an amazing life that was full of
unforgettable emotions and experiences,
especially in that period, when life was
full of secrets. I would prefer to leave
my full answer incomplete. (He finished
saying this with a charming smile!)
Do you have a favourite Champagne
or Prosecco brand?
My favorite Champagnes are Krug and
Ruinart Blanc de Blanc and for Prosecco,
of course Casanova because of its elegant
image and appearance when presented and
because of its smooth and flavorful taste. I
also enjoy Gregoletto. www.proseccocasanova.com
Casanova are looking for importers and distributors
Every moment is special with Casanova...
www.proseccocasanova.com
Gifts
Gifts
Emily Ellyn’s
top Bubbly Baubles Gifts
Gift Givers Sparkle as Loved
Ones Drink up the Bubbly
Baubles this Holiday Season
What to buy the Champagne lover for
the holidays? Remember the words of F.
Scott Fitzgerald who said, “…too much
Champagne is just right!” so look no
further, we are toasting to the ease of
shopping for your Champagne Sisters and/
or Champagne Misters this holiday season.
Corkcicle One (£19.99): You will surely
look cool while chilling and aerating
wines with this uniquely crafted metal
cork that chills wine to the optimum
drinking temperature for up to an hour.
The latest offering from Corkcicle and
Root7 is this new sleek and practical
design engineered to stay in the wine
bottle -- even when pouring!
Available at Lovely Body’s Etsy Shop
Handmade Inside Out Champagne
Glasses (£35.99/pair): These sleek
modern insulated glasses couple form with
function. Makes a great gift for special
engagements like winter weddings or even
the New Year’s Eve hosts!
Available at Lazy Bone
Available at John Lewis
Water Great Idea! Quench your plants thirst on
your behalf and with the help of the Plant Nanny ®
(£54.90/set of 4): Cheers to upcycling all of those
bottles. Each ceramic stake is specially designed to
release just the right amount of water into the soil
via recycled wine bottles, making your gardening
endeavors a little bit greener.
Available at Amazon
Cork Planter: ($25 - $60): Hand-turned
cork planters by Melanie Abrantes make
for a sweet gift for loved ones with a green
thumb. Each planter is made of cork treated
with natural beeswax and make ideal vessels
for potted arrangements of succulents and
cacti. Due to the nature of the material each
planter and unique and one-of-a-kind and all
have individual charm.
Available at Brit + Co. Shop
Lovely Body’s Soap Jewels (£4.86/gift pack):
Is there Champagne soap? Yes, because
Champagne contains antioxidants just one of
the many reasons why we drink AND bathe
with it! Toasting the many gifts of pampering
-- Organic Champagne Bubbles Soap Jewels,
Sparkling Guest Soap, Hand Soap, Travel
Soap hand-made by Lovely Body.
Champagne Taste on a Beer
Budget…add humour to the
party when you bring your
hostess gift wrapped in this
insulated, reusable, and super
strong non-woven Tyvek
fabric Wine’O Bottle Bag by
Fred and Friends (£14.95).
Available at Amazon
Revol Froisses Champagne Bucket
(£80.23): Anyone who receives Revol
Porcelain gifts revels in the artistry of
the high quality French culinary ware
(chip, scratch and shatter resistant)
while celebrating the whimsy in design.
This crumpled Champagne bucket
from the Froisses Collection takes the
culinary elite and makes it accessible to
the everyday. Available in a variety of
colours, sizes and patterns at Revol.
Robert Mondavi Private Selection X
Woodzee Sierra Sunglasses ($120):
Whoa! Wine sunglasses are better than
beer goggles. These limited edition
wayfarer-style frames are made out of
recycled oak from Robert Mondavi
Private Selection wine barrels. Request
the lens in your favorite of four polarized
lens colours: bronze, grey, reflective blue
and reflective green.
Available at Woodzee
Available at Woodzee
Wearing Memories (£195 upwards):
cherish your sweet memories forever
with Champagne inspired jewellery!
Wearing Memories is designed to
hold the ‘plaque de muselet’ from the
top of a Champagne bottle that was
popped during the most celebrated
moments. This exquisitely handcrafted
jewellery will cast special memories in
unique settings that can be worn and
remembered - forever. The full line
of jewellery is available in Harrods of
London’s Champagne Bar or shop the
collections, which continues to raise the
bar at Wearing Memories.
Champagne Taste on a Beer
Budget…add humo Tech savvy
sippers are always seeking the
latest and greatest and this is the
hottest wine gadget on the market.
The Coravin 1000 System ($299)
allows you to access, pour, and enjoy
your favorite wines without even
pulling the cork! Joe Bastianich said
it best, “This product is nothing
short of amazing.”
Available at Coravin
Written by
Chef, educator & food writer, best known as
the Retro Rad Chef from Food Network.
www.EmilyEllyn.com
@Emily_Ellyn
GLASS of BUBBLY
champagne
kim tiddy
Kim, an English actress, is
probably best known for her role
in The Bill as PC Honey Harman
and more recently Heidi Costello
in Hollyoaks. She has just finished
two very successful tours of the
classic farce ‘Boeing Boeing’ and
Simon Williams thriller ‘Double
Death.’
LAURENT-
PERRIER
The deep thud of a cork exiting
a bottle, and the fizz of bubbles
climbing a delicate flute are the
sounds of celebration, luxury and
glamour.
Working as a waitress, I had served
Champagne on many occasions and had
witnessed its unique ability to fill guests
with excitement and make a moment
special. However, as with most people, I
am not often the recipient of a glass, and
understood little about the history and
production of champagne.
When the opportunity arose to travel
to the Champagne region, explore
kilometres of winding cellars, and
experience the work of a prestigious and
traditional Champagne house, it was an
opportunity I had to pursue.
The two days I spent surrounded by
the picturesque vineyards of Northern
France perfectly mirrored the core
values of Laurent-Perrier as a company.
I learned about the ‘terroir’ necessary
for optimum production, came to
understand the importance of the rolling
Kim is set to star in a new play by
Jon Conway called ‘Truth, Lies
and Diana’. The play explores the
conspiracy theories surrounding
Diana’s death, but is ultimately
about truth and lies in marriage
and the extremes one goes to, to
conceal a lie. It’s on at The Charing
Cross Theatre 9th January - 14th
February 2015.
hills and permeable chalky landscape
and felt the tangible passion to produce
a consistently perfect product.
A 4x4 guided tour of the vines by local
grower Nicholas allowed me to taste
the three key grape varieties used in
Champagne production, and gave me an
understanding of the vitally important
blending process in the creation of a
balanced product. Nicholas guided
our group to a traditional old stone
wash house with large wooden benches
overlooking the miles of undulating
vines, we sat in the setting golden
sunlight, and sampled a bottle of the
Laurent-Perrier Cuvee Rose Brut. The
combination of light, fruity champagne
and the beautiful French countryside
was idyllic and a memory that will
certainly last.
My visit to the Laurent-Perrier
Champagne house itself was fascinating,
and I was amazed by the traditional
methods employed in production. I
walked through the cool, dark cellars
lined with bottles of dusty, ageing
champagne and learnt about the time
consuming and strenuous task of hand
turning each bottle in order to separate
the lees before its later extraction.
From the dimly lit cellars we made our
way up through the house to an elegant
Georgia received a bursary from Laurent
Perrier to visit their cellars and vineyards.
She will graduate next year from the Edge
Hotel School, where undergraduates
combine academic study with work at
Wivenhoe House to gain their degree in
Hotel Management.
boardroom that had been prepared for
a full range tasting. Bottle after bottle
of exquisite champagne was tasted,
discussed and analysed and it wasn’t long
before we needed something to eat!
My passion for food and restaurants
increased with every mealtime
throughout the trip, as we dined at
traditional French Brasserie’s and
fine dining restaurants. I experienced
delicious duck breast, creamy crème
brulée and traditional snails in garlic
butter, and for the first time I was able
to appreciate champagne when paired
with beautiful food. I will endeavour to
apply this new appreciation as I develop
my career in this industry.
My thanks are due to all involved in
making this once in a lifetime trip
possible, with special thanks to Brigitte
Hennessy and all the lovely people I met
at Champagne Laurent-Perrier in Tourssur-Marne.
Kim is also very excited to be
doing her first Pantomime, Dick
Whittington this Christmas with
Shane Ritchie at The Swan in High
Wycombe.
@kim_tiddy
We asked Kim...
Where’s the most memorable
place you’ve ever enjoyed a
Glass of Bubbly?
Most memorable place I’ve enjoyed a
glass of bubbly was with my little sister,
Lucy on my 30th birthday in Miami.
We were along ocean drive, the sun was
shining and we were looking at the sea
surrounded by very happy people.
Which is your favourite
Champagne/Sparkling wine?
I’m no expert, but my favourite is
Ruinart Blancs de Blancs. It’s from the
Chardonnay grape, which is probably
why I enjoy it so much. I find it quite
crisp and light too.
What does Champagne mean
to you?
A: Success
B: Celebration
C: Romance
D: Enjoying great company
I think all of the above, but that could
get a bit pricy! So let’s say B.
champagne
LOUIS
ROEDERER
By Lilyane Weston
ecently, sparkling wine sales have
R
been a great success story in the UK.
In spite of the recession, the UK remains
the first export market for Champagne
with 30,786,727 million bottles sold in
2013.
Having started on 8th September 2014,
the harvest in Champagne which was
completed in the first week of October
should be of excellent quality.
Champagne Houses are excellent at
communicating their history, heritage
and quality stories, thus maintaining the
interest of their existing and potential
customers.
On 30th September 2014, my favourite
Champagne House, Louis Roederer,
unveiled at The Royal Institute of British
Architects, London, the latest addition
to their range – the Brut Nature 2006.
It is the first addition to this prestigious
Champagne Grande Marque portfolio in
40 years since the launch of Cristal Rosé
in 1974.
For Frederic Rouzaud MD, the initial
tasting was a moving experience because
it was the realisation of Louis Roederer’s
long-standing philosophy and a
constant quest for creativity through
research. Brut Nature 2006 is the perfect
illustration of this effort, it is also the
perfect union between terroir and a
remarkable year.
The unique tastes, aromas and bubbles
combine to create a Champagne with a
modern elegance, without losing sight
of its history and roots and this delicate
equilibrium has been magnificently
attained.
The terroir based Brut Nature 2006,
highlights the concept of authenticity
so central to Roederer’s Champagne
production. Every measure was taken to
ensure optimal maturity on these southfacing parcels of Pinot Noir to obtain
an excellent fruit that would require
very minor corrective measures As it
happened, in 2006, the Cumières Village
Pinot Noir was exceptionally mature
with great depth of flavour and texture.
Because of the fruitiness and richness of
the grapes, Brut Nature 2006 was not
dosé.
To highlight the different characteristics
of the wine, guests at the launch event
were invited to try the wine with a
range of carefully paired canapés, each
of which was designed to complement a
different facet of the wine.
Scottish oak-smoked salmon:
The dry fattiness of the fish added a
voluptuousness to the Brut Nature 2006.
36 month Pata Negra:
Drawing parallels with the power of
texture in the Champagne and the food.
Foie Gras: Accentuating the length
and flinty finish.
Mozzarella Burrata with
assorted Tomatoes and 18
month Comté: Exploring the
creaminess of the two, complementing
the wine with the rich fat of the cheese.
Pears and Chocolate:
A striking pairing where the rough
chunks of pear brought out the fruit,
while the bitterness and texture of the
chocolate heightened the elegance and
slight bitterness in the wine.
Champagne Louis Roederer was
established in 1776 and is still owned
by the Rouzaud family. With over 240
hectares of vineyards located exclusively
in Grands and Premiers Crus villages,
Champagne Louis Roederer is selfsufficient for some 70% of their non
vintage production and 100% of their
vintage Champagnes.
It is only in the best years that
Champagne Louis Roederer makes a
Brut Vintage from a blend of 70% Pinot
Noir mainly from the Grand Cru village
of Verzenay and 30% Chardonnay,
which is then aged for a minimum of
four years.
From the best Grand Cru vineyard in
the Côte des Blancs Champagne Louis
Roederer makes a Blanc de Blancs from
Chardonnay, which is bottled at a lower
pressure (four atmospheres rather than
the usual six) to ensure freshness and
smoother bubbles.
The Rose Vintage is considered an
expression of the Vallée de la Marne
where the Pinot Noir benefits from the
additional warmth of the light reflected
off the Marne river giving the wine
fuller, fruitier flavours.
The ultimate Cuvée de Prestige,
Champagne Louis Roederer’s Cristal was
first created for Tsar Alexander II of Russia
in 1876 with an iconic bottle made from
clear crystal. It is only produced in the
very finest vintages. The blend is usually
55% Pinot Noir and 45% Chardonnay
from only the best rated vineyards. Cristal
is released after six years ageing in the
Reims cellars and is the benchmark for
luxury Champagnes.
A selection of the finest wines from each
vintage is set aside to be matured in
large oak casks. These wines are aged for
several years and contribute the mature
complexity and consistent character
unique to Champagne Louis Roederer.
The use of reserve wines is key to the
development of a house style.
Wine writing today is a very competitive
environment, for the last ten years the
Louis Roederer International Wine
Writers’ Awards has revealed why some
of the best-known wine writers have
earned the reputations they enjoy.
On the other hand, the event has also
brought some exciting new names to the
attention of the judges and the public.
Lilyane
Weston
Judges regularly at wine competitions
in 19 different countries. Consultant
and writer for restaurants. Member
of the Institute of Wines and Spirits,
Circle of Wine Writers and International
Federation of Wine Writers.
CHAMPAGNE
champagne
Champagne
DEUTZ
Fabrice Rosset
Epitomising Refinement
Champagne Deutz was founded in 1838
in Aÿ by William Deutz and PierreHubert Geldermann, both from Aachen,
Germany.
During the Second French Empire,
Deutz took its place amongst the great
Champagne producers, becoming one of
the founding members of the Syndicat
des Grandes Marques (an association of
major brands) in 1882.
In 1996, the Rouzaud family became the
major shareholders of Deutz and their
right-hand person, Fabrice Rosset took
charge of the firm. Fabrice refocused the
business of the firm on its core activity,
implementing an uncompromising
quality policy, but at the same time
safeguarding the Deutz style.
One day, his eyes settled on the small
angel with tiny wings that looks out on
the stylish facades around the courtyard
of the House of Deutz. The idea that
came to him was to create an exceptional
cuvée inspired by the voluptuous pose of
this cupid, by his harmonious features,
his knowing smile and his deft gesture.
This was the start of what was to become
the emblematic cuvée of the firm’s style:
“Amour de Deutz”, which captures
that instant of both vine and wine and
epitomises refinement. A rare wine
whose joyous spirit engenders those
precious moments that one takes time
to savour.
www.champagne-deutz.com
BRUNO
PAILLARD
The Story Behind the House
Some of Champagne’s wines are
created due to inspirational impulse,
and take form thanks to a mysterious
alchemy between wines that have been
benchmarks for ages. Fabrice
Rosset probably had no idea
that his muse, in this case
Cupid, would be sharing one of
his secrets with him.
Bruno Paillard was born in Reims
in 1953. His ancestors have been
vinegrowers and grape brokers in the
two Grands Crus villages of Bouzy and
Verzenay since 1704. In January 1981,
at 27 years of age, Bruno Paillard has no
vineyards and no money, so he sells his
old Jaguar that had become a collector’s
item to provide his company with a
starting capital of 50 000 francs (15 000
Euros).
In 1994, Bruno Paillard purchases
his first vineyard: 3 hectares in Oger,
a beautiful Grand Cru of the Côte
des Blancs. Now, the vineyards of
the house cover 32 hectares – half of
the production needs – including 12
hectares of Grand Crus : Oger, Le
Mesnil, Bouzy,Verzenay. The remaining
half are today still purchased to the same
independent growers families since the
early 80’s.
In a region that hasn’t seen a new
Champagne house in nearly a century,
the mood is rather conservative. But
nothing can stop the dream of this
pioneer of Champagne.
Champagne Bruno Paillard is a strong
advocate of displaying disgorgement
dates on the label, and was the first
House to pioneer this, back in 1983.
Bruno Paillard creates his Champagnes
in a rented cellar with carefully selected
grapes from independent growers. After
3 years of working like an alchemist,
improving his know how, he finally
reaches the style of his dreams.
Brut Première Cuvée
In 1984, Bruno Paillard invents the first
totally “ground level” cellar. This brand
new concept allows an extremely strict
control of temperatures, lighting and
humidity.
In January 2007 his daughter Alice,
one of four children, decided to join
and continue the BP family adventure.
Starting in the vineyards and then in
the cellar for the first year, following
with export development, Alice is now a
shareholder and co manages the House
with her father. Today Bruno Paillard
Champagne produces 4 to 500 000
bottles a year and export 75% of these
wines through 40 different countries –
mostly to Europe, Asia and Northern
America.
www.champagnebrunopaillard.com
champagne
Champagne
Piot-SEvillano
Win
A bag full of Superiore Furlan Prosecco!
The perfect sparkling experience
The vineyards are located in Vincelles in
the heart of the Marne Valley and cover
almost 8 hectares. The entire production,
from grape to bottle, is handled on site.
The House took the decision to make its
own Champagnes under the direction
of Christine’s grandfather, Alexis Piot in
1954. Alexis crafted his Brut Tradition
Champagne, which remains one of the
family’s most popular wines, and quickly
sold all of the 500 bottles he produced
that year.
In 1975, Nicolas and Isabelle Sévillano
took over the business and renamed the
company Champagne Piot-Sévillano.
Rosé Champagne was added to the
line in 1978, the Millésime in 1982,
and finally our star Champagne, the
Prestige, entered the market in 1984.
In 2007, Nicolas and Isabelle handed
the business to the next generation,
their daughter Christine and her
husband Vincent Scher, making them
the 8th generation of winegrowers.
Rosé
They have already increased
production to 50,000 bottles to meet
ever-growing demand and created
new Champagnes, the Extra-Brut,
the Cuvée Interdite and the Blanc de
Blanc.
@PiotSevillano
www.piot-sevillano.com
Just Perfect Wines has a passion for
discovering quality sparkling wines and is
the exclusive importer for Furlan in the UK.
Furlan is a Superiore Prosecco producer in
the DOCG region of Veneto in Northern
Italy. The family winery, which was founded
in 1930 by Nonno Amado, has vineyards
extending between the renowned areas of
Conegliano Valdobbiadene, Treviso and
Piave. The distinctiveness of these regions,
together with the skilled wine makers makes
it possible to produce a range of exceptional
fines wines with a unique flavour and
diverse aroma.
@justperfectwine
www.justperfectwines.co.uk
Brut Tradition
Including:
2 x Prosecco DOCG Spumante Extra Dry
2 x Prosecco DOCG Frizzante Extra Dry
2 x ‘Rosé Prosecco’ Spumante Brut
1 x Deluxe wine carrier with removable
dividers exclusively from Just Perfect Wines
To Enter:
Follow both @JustPerfectWine and @GlassofBubbly on
Twitter, then tweet us with who you would like to share
your fabulous Furlan Prosecco with if you won, adding
the hashtag #loveFurlanProsecco
Terms & Conditions: There is no cash alternative and prize is non transferable. Usual
competition rules apply. Closing date 31st January 2015. Winner will be chosen at random
from all qualifying entries. Prize will only be posted to a UK address.
25
GLASS of BUBBLY
Smarter
Grower
Champagne
We offer a range of around 75 “niche” Champagnes which best suit the HoReCa market.
All our Champagne Houses produce less than 150,000 bottles a year and are owned or
significantly influenced by “new generation” owners.
Our clients include: The Lanesborough Hotel at Hyde Park and
the Bleeding Heart Restaurant in the City of London.
“In a short space of time, Ken has established Smarter Grower Champagne as one of the most
important providers of and authorities on Grower Champagne. It’s an exciting sector, so very
much a company to follow for all involved with Champagne.” - Richard Bampfield MW
info@smartergrowerchampagne.com
www.smartergrowerchampagne.com
www.facebook.com/SmarterGrowerChampagne
@GrowerChampagne
www.pinterest.com/growerchampagne
Jilly
Goolden
Jilly Goolden is almost single handedly responsible for the
way wine is described today all over the world. On BBC
TV’s iconic Food and Drink programme which launched
her wine career in 1982, and went on to reach audiences of
up to 8 million a week in the UK and a large international
viewership too, she abandoned conventional ‘winespeak’
as being out of touch with her huge and diverse audience.
Instead she started to describe wines in the much more
vivid, accessible way that has become her trademark: ‘a whiff
of hot buttered toast ‘ being much more evocative than
‘pedigree and finesse’. She now shares her legendary wine
expertise with intimate groups of tasters in her own home in
Ashdown Forest, East Sussex, at Jilly Goolden’s Wine Room.
Upcoming are French and Champagne and sparkling wine
dedicated events. Jilly recently took centre stage at a private
Grower Champagne tasting organised by Smarter Grower
Champagne.
www.jillygoolden.com
@JGwineroom
WE ASKED JILLY...
“Grower Champagne is the quintessence
of ‘real’ Champagne!”
Where’s the most memorable place you’ve
enjoyed a Glass of Bubbly?
In the Krug cellars, at the start of my wine career, tasting
one of their last bottles of the 1928 vintage. Amazing story,
amazing wine!
Which country would you tip in having an up
and coming sparkling wine region?
England first choice, but look out for another cool-climate
region: Tasmania. Some thrilling bubbles are coming from
there.
What’s your thoughts on the future of English
sparkling wine?
We have very similar conditions on the South Downs to
those on the Montaign de Reims in Champagne (though
just fractionally warmer, surprisingly). The sky is the limit
with what we can do given the will and the wine-making
talent.
What does Champagne mean to you?
I love Champagne and good sparkling wine and pop a cork
with the smallest excuse.
CHAMPAGNE
Mumm Cordon
Rouge Club
The Champagne MUMM Cordon
Rouge Club has joined forces
with Land Rover and Canada
Goose to create a unique and
inspiring mentorship competition
to support the next generation
of adventurers.
F
ounded in 2008, The Cordon
Rouge Club - an extraordinary
Club for exceptional people,
comprises a growing membership
of some of the world’s leading
adventurers and explorers. Lead by
the Club Chairman, Ben Fogle, the
Club has created a unique expedition
mentorship programme to support
the next generation of adventurers.
Established in 2008 the Cordon
Rouge Club was founded to recognise
outstanding individuals within
the realms of exploration, sailing,
adventure and discovery. Members are
acknowledged for showing immense
courage and dedication in their
particular fields of expertise, whether
it be conquering mountains or singlehandedly traversing oceans. The spirit
of the Club harks back to one of the
original family members, Georges
Hermann Mumm took over the
family business in 1852 and gave the
champagne company his name. Georges’
eclectic interests ranged from hunting
and horse racing to co-founding the
Society for Arts, Zoological Gardens and
the Agricultural Association in Reims.
Fanatical about travel and experiencing
other cultures he always chose to twist
conventions by daring to be different.
The champagne pioneer quickly
identified the global potential for his
wines and began to export his product
worldwide, supporting his extraordinary
friends on their expeditions. One such
friend and adventurer was Captain
Jean-Baptiste Charcot, whom Georges
supported on his epic expedition to
Antarctica in 1904.
What sets this programme apart is that
the winning expedition team will enjoy
unique access to be mentored by all
29 of the highly accomplished Cordon
Bear Grylls sabrages a bottle of
Champagne G.H. Mumm
Club Chairman
Ben Fogle
Rouge Club members. The members
will endorse, provide advice and offer up
their incredible expertise to the chosen
winners. Depending on what adventure
discipline the winning expedition focuses
on, specific Club members will be drawn
upon to offer more in-depth support.
For example if the winning expedition is
mountaineering / climbing focused then
members such as Sir Chris Bonington,
Doug Scott, Leo Houlding and Polly
Murray will be called upon to impart
their decades of experience. Alternatively
if the expedition is more nautical in its
goals members such as Sir Robin Knox
Johnston, Dee Caffari, Brian Thompson
and Mike Golding will be brought in to
support the team.
In addition, the winners also enjoy
practical support from Champagne
MUMM, Land Rover and Canada
Goose, receiving A supply of
Champagne MUMM for their
Polly Murray
expedition launch/ home coming events,
access to a Land Rover vehicle and
supply of Canada Goose product to
ensure the team are properly kitted out.
The winning expedition team will also
be invited to join Ben Fogle on a preexpedition training weekend supported
by Canada Goose. During the weekend
the winning team will be put through
their paces by Ben who will personally
share his expedition skills first hand
with the group. This will be a great
opportunity to prepare the winning
team both mentally and physically for
their expedition.
Club Chairman, Ben Fogle is
particularly passionate about supporting
the next generation of adventurers and
commented; “It has been a dream
of mine for many years to create a
mentorship programme such as this.
Having been privileged enough to
travel the world and embark on some
challenging and personally inspiring
expeditions, I am keen to work with
my fellow Cordon Rouge Club
members to support the next generation
of adventurers. By offering up our
combined support and advice we can
really make an impact on an aspiring
group of adventurers, helping them to
achieve their goals and do something
really incredible.”
Entries are invited to submit their
applications by the 20th January 2015
online at www.CordonRougeClub.com.
A select committee of Cordon Rouge
Club members, Chaired by Ben Fogle,
will then review a shortlist of applicants
and the winner of the Mentorship
Programme will be announced in
February 2015.
Members include, Club Chairman
for 2013/14 Ben Fogle – Adventurer;
Tom Avery - Polar adventurer; Colonel
John Blashford-Snell OBE - Founder of
Operation Raleigh; Sir Chris Bonington
CVO, CBE, DL– Mountaineer; Charley
Boorman - Motorcyclist and adventurer;
Dee Caffari MBE - Round-the-world
yachtswoman and Sir Ranulph Fiennes
OBE – Explorer plus many more.
Champagne MUMM continues to
help exceptional people celebrate their
extraordinary events, including the
highest formal dinner party at 27,000ft
suspended underneath a hot air balloon;
the world’s first flying car voyage; global
support for the Formula 1 circuit; and
most recently, the world’s first wingsuit
jump without the aid of a parachute.
The flagship MUMM Cordon Rouge
recognised by its iconic red sash, embodies
the spirit of excellence of the House and
distinctive signature style of freshness and
intensity that has been passed down to
each generation of Cellar Master.
Dee Caffari
CHAMPAGNE
CHAMPAGNE TIPS FOR
CHRISTMAS PARTIES
Christmas and New Year wouldn’t be the same
without a few bottles of Champagne to share
with your friends and family, but to add that
little bit of extra sparkle and style to your
celebrations here are a few tips taken from
the famous Château de Saran, in the heart of
Champagne, that are really simple and make
you look and feel like a real connoisseur.
Big is better
to seem a little astringent – time for a
change
A classic non-vintage Champagne
contains both white grapes (Chardonnay)
and black grapes ( Pinot Noir and/
or Pinot Meunier) The black grapes
lend more fruitiness and fullness to the
Champagne, leaving a deliciously full and
satisfying flavour in your mouth.
and elegance to your party. The slight
extra cost of magnums is well worth it.
A bottle of Champagne only contains
about 6 glassfuls, so it doesn’t need many
Which glasses?
people to finish the bottle. If you’re
There are two reasons for choosing
throwing a party you’re going to need a
lot more than 1 lonely bottle, so why not Champagne glasses:
buy magnums instead?
A real wine fan might say you that you
should have glasses that are the right size
A magnum is a double bottle and
and shape to enhance the Champagne.
although it’s usually a little bit more
expensive than buying 2 bottles, there are
If that’s you, then go for the tulip-shaped
a couple of very good reasons to go for
Champagne glass called a flute: tall,
magnums:
tapering in at the top, but not too narrow
(if it’s too narrow you can’t move the
First there’s the wine itself.
Part of the ageing process for Champagne Champagne around in the glass to release
involves the interaction between the air in the aromas)
the neck of the bottle and the wine that
The other very good reason to choose
fills most of the bottle.
a Champagne glass is because you like
the look of it, in which case, go for
In a magnum you have twice as much
whatever you want, including perhaps
liquid as in a bottle but only a little bit
the old-fashioned saucer-shaped glass
more air, so the whole ageing process is
called a coupe. They’re not so good
slowed down.
for appreciating the finer points of the
That means magnums spend longer in the Champagne, but for certain occasions
Champagne-maker’s cellar and this means and a bit of fun they’re great. They are
the flavours and aromas are always that bit also just right for Champagne cocktails.
richer, rounder and more complex.
Next, two more simple tips taken from
the best soirées in Champagne:
Second, magnums look so much more
impressive and will really add a bit of fun
Always hold your glass by the stem.
1. That’s what the stem is for
2. It looks more elegant.
3. The warmth of your hand doesn’t
warm the Champagne
4. You don’t cover up the colour and the
bubbles in the Champagne
If you’re throwing a party, try to avoid
pouring a tray of glasses and leaving it for
your guests to take a glass as they arrive.
5. The Champagne will soon warm up
6. The fizz will soon die down
7. Part of the fun of Champagne is seeing
the bubbles rise up in the galls as it is
poured in front of your eyes.
Serving
Last but not least, there’s lots of advice
out there about the best temperature
to serve wine and Champagne is no
exception. To get it just put the bottle in
an ice bucket with ice and half topped
up with water, for about 20 minutes.
This will get your bottle to the perfect
temperature, which incidentally is 80 –
100 C (46-50 F).
Ringing the changes
Champagne is the perfect aperitif but
there are dozens of different styles of
Champagne so why not serve several
different Champagnes as the meal/
evening/party progresses?
Try Blanc de Blancs to start. It’s made
only with Chardonnay grapes, so it’s crisp
and dry, fresh and citrussy, although a
good one will still be smooth and soft
in the mouth. The secret is that a couple
of glasses of Blanc de Blancs will wake
up your taste buds ready for the food to
follow.
As the party, or meal, progresses your
palate will change too and a really dry
wine or Champagne will soon start
After that it might be time for vintage
Champagne. You’ll find that vintage
Champagne is terrific with turkey, game
and lots more besides.
To end the evening try a slightly sweeter
demi-sec Champagne. Many people
immediately say that they don’t like sweet
Champagne, but it’s oh-so-easy to drink
and its soft texture means you can carry
on drinking it until the cows come home.
Written by
An Englishman whose career took him
to live and work in the heart of the
Champagne region. He has a wealth of
knowledge about Champagne and is
particularly interested in the lesser-known,
independent Champagne makers.
www.mymaninchampagne.com
@madaboutbubbly
GLASS of BUBBLY
champagne
REGis
Qui a bu,
boira
cAMUS
(He who has drunk once will drink again)
A
s Jean-Rémy Moët watched the
Russian soldiers plunder his
cellars and quaff 600,000 bottles of
his precious Champagne; he knew
even then that they would become
‘addicted’. He was right and after
the war, most European leaders were
buying as much as they could enjoy.
Chef de Cave at PIPER-HEIDSIECK
Regis Camus, Chef de Cave at PIPER-HEIDSIECK,
is celebrating 20 years at the Champagne House with
‘Le Tour de Piper’. He spent three days in the UK
starting at Middlethorpe Hall in York, then to Searcys
Champagne Bar at St Pancras, Brasserie Gustave in
Chelsea and the finale was a special luncheon at The Ritz.
Czar Alexander of Russia, Prince
William of Orange, England’s Duke of
Wellington, Franz II of Austria to name
a few chose the wine of Champagne
as their libation of choice. That was
1814. Now, in 2014, we still choose to
drink Champagne as much as possible.
Notably, Champagne is the drink for
all special occasions and as we embrace
the coming holiday season we have
absolutely no reason not to give free rein
at all turns. With more than 12,000
brands of Champagne, there is a bottle
for every taste and budget from $20.00 to
$2,000.00 per bottle.
Before the monks in the 17th century
figured out what to do with the carbon
dioxide trapped in the bottles, the bubbly
product was considered inferior and
nicknamed “mad wine”. The fizzy wine
was well received by French royalty and
the rest as we say is history. The soil and
climate of Champagne are particular
to the region and give the wines their
profound distinctness of taste.
Ideally, serve your Champagne between
43F (6.1C) and 48F (8.8 C). Too cold
and you lose the subtleties of taste. Never
chill your Champagne in the freezer!
Be careful opening the bottle’ “The ear’s
gain is the palate’s loss” – ease the cork
off without a big pop to avoid losing any
precious bubbles.
While you write your ‘Resolutions for
2015’, resolve to try some of my favorite
Champagne suggestions worth seeking
out for the coming season, New Year’s
Eve and 2015...
32
Where’s the most memorable place you’ve
enjoyed a Glass of Bubbly?
Tasting and comparing vintages with colleagues and
remembering past times.
What is the highlight of the last 20 years
you’ve been with PIPER-HEIDSIECK?
It’s been 20 years of excitement and patience, one
highlight in 1995 was the new winery in Reims.
What is your favourite food pairing with any of
your Champagnes?
Any food associated with Rare 2002, like truffles.
Risotto with truffles and escalopes with truffles.
“It’s a hard job!”
Pierre Giomonnet Special Club Brut
2005 – Yeasty, baked bread, citrus, green
apple. 2025+
Egly-Ouriet Brut Rose – Delicate,
flowery, hints of berry.
Vilmart & Cie Grand Cellier Nonvintage – Powerful, rich. “Poor man’s
Krug”.
Chartogne-Taillet Cuvee St Anne Brut
– Honeyed apple, lees, creamy, touch r.s.
Dom Perignon 2003 - Classic, brioche,
vanilla, ginger, elegant.
Perrier-Jouët Belle Epoque 2004 –
Beautiful floral, lemon zest, white peach.
Lanson Black Label Brut – Bold, cherry
blossom, toast and honey.
Jacquart Brut Rose Mosaique –
Candied & dried fruit, silky texture.
Camille Saves Brut Rose- Blood orange,
bread dough, cinnamon.
Salon Le Mesnil 1999 – Refined, perfect
balance, mineral, brioche, hazelnut,
honey.
We could go on and on but a glass of
bubbly awaits my eager tongue.
The truth remains;
No words can quite explain,
What’s in a glass of Champagne?
Regis also said about Glass of Bubbly:
“I have respect for all growers of Champagne, we
are one big family and what you have created is a
big family of sparkling wines with your magazine,
bringing each country and label closer together.”
www.piper-heidsieck.com
I raise my glass and wish you all a
blessed holiday season with much
health, success and merriment in the
New Year!
Written by
Master Sommelier
@winewisdomwit
www.winewisdomandwit.com
33
GLASS of BUBBLY
champagne
Champagne Tips from
THE WINE TIPSTER
A
s a Champagne Presenter and Horse
Racing Tipster I have presented in
2014 at Royal Ascot, at Cheltenham for
the Jockey Club, Abode Chester and
Newbury racecourse. In pure racing terms
I write for Racing Plus, selecting my tips
for Channel 4’s racing on a Saturday
afternoon. Clearly part of my job with
my tips is to look out for value in the
market and, applying this maxim to the
Champagne business, the Champagne
houses below are definitely worth
noting in the form book as under-rated
producers with quality bubbles that
deserve a wider audience.
I’m a big fan of Canard-Duchêne’s open,
fresh, elegant style of Champagnes, which
are easy drinking and represent really
good value. Their Cuvée Léonie Green
produced from organically grown grapes
and including 50% Chardonnay in the
blend is dry, zingy, creamy and is a great
Champagne to match with quality fish
and chips! Canard-Duchêne’s exclusive
for Waitrose Authentic Reserve Brut
NV is influenced more by Pinot Noir
in the blend, and has attractive richness
on the nose with the trademark CanardDuchêne freshness on the palate.
Canard-Duchêne’s Charles V11 range
represents great value and the Blanc de
Blancs Grande Cuvée des Lys and Blanc
de Noirs Grande Cuvée de Beauté are
wines you need to try this Christmas.
Thierry Gasco, the Chef de
Cave at Pommery makes
delicate, fresh and elegant
Champagnes with his
Pommery Brut Royal
NV Magnum voted
World Champion
NV Brut Blend and
World Champion
Magnum NV at the
2014 Champagne &
Sparkling Wine World
Championship.
You should also mark
your Champagne card
and taste Pommery’s Brut Apanage NV,
beautifully typifying the style of the
house, whilst their 2004 Grand Cru
Vintage is developing very nicely. Cuvée
Louise remains underrated as a prestige
cuvée and the 2002 is exquisite with years
of development ahead. Taste the older
vintages to find out what I mean!
Jacquart, who are celebrating their 50th
Anniversary this year are in exemplary
form, with their energetic, charismatic
and talented Chef de Cave Floriane
Enzack demonstrating at a recent vin
clairs tasting at Champagne Jacquart
earlier this year that she is a winemaker
to watch.
Amongst my favourites, is Jacquart’s Rosé
Mosïaque NV, a beautiful, delicate and
dry rose that is much more of a match
for sushi rather than desserts - look out
for their Champagne Jacquart Rose
Magnums available in Hedonism in
Mayfair. Blanc de Blancs is a champagne
style increasing in awareness and
popularity and Jacquart’s 2006 has the
elegance, style and all the appeal from a
vintage which is a delight to drink now.
Régis Camus, was recently on tour
in England celebrating 20 years with
Piper-Heidsieck and I was lucky
enough to join him for lunch at The
Ritz with a menu created by the great
neil
phillips
Champagne Expert
The Wine Tipster is one of the UK’s leading Champagne Experts,
Neil is a wine presenter, horse racing pundit, writer and presenter on
both television and radio.
chef John Williams (incidentally a big
horse racing fan). Despite winning the
IWC Sparkling Winemaker of the Year
on eight occasions his wines remain
under-rated, as the fruity and accessible
Piper-Heidsieck 2006 Vintage Brut NV
was on cracking form with the dressed
crab cocktail, spiced avocado and radish.
Régis’ refreshing, deep-coloured Rosé
Sauvage NV deserves a much wider
audience and his Cuvée Sublime
Demi-Sec has stunning balance,
finding a willing partner with the
Petit Choux Croguant and Praline
Cream.
Neil Phillips
www.thewinetipster.co.uk
@TheWineTipster
Where’s the most memorable place you’ve enjoyed a
Glass of Bubbly?
At Maison Belle Epoque with Chef de Cave Hervé Deschamps
tasting Perrier-Jouët Belle Epoque Blanc de Blancs 2002 for the first
time before a memorable lunch.
Which country would you tip in having an up and
coming sparkling wine region?
UK: Sussex, Kent and Cornwall.
What’s your thoughts on the future of English sparkling
wine?
Definitely a good bet for continued success and growth with the
premier league of producers increasing. We need to shout more
about the scale of the UK industry as many people believe our
production is well below a 100,000 bottles.
What does Champagne mean to you:
A: Success
B: Celebration
C: Romance
D: Enjoying good company
All of the above!
Sparkling wine
sparkling wine
CAV-
Q. WHEN IS CAVA, NOT CAVA?
A. WHEN IT'S CLÀSSIC PENEDÈS
ding
As exemplified by the outstan
i Noya!
sparkling wines of Albet
It’s not just at Government level
where passions are inflamed in
Cataluña, the wealthy North
Eastern jewel in Spain’s crown. This
autonomous (but not autonomous
enough?) Comunidad is seeking
independence from the rest of Spain.
In this, the area considered to be the
natural home of Cava, there have also
been break-away feelings fermenting
over the last few years.
Cavatast is a mekka of taste - of course, if you are into bubbles!
Thursday evening, arrived in Sant
Sadurni d’anoia, again - this is my
sixth Cavatast. The main street of Sant
sadurni d’anoia is closed for traffic and two long rows of tents are ready
for the 3 days of festival. This year 35
wineries are presenting their cavas
and 9 different stands with food and
chocolate - in total 48 stands.
Friday evening is the opening. The
official opening takes place at the local
Cava museum - La Fassina de Can
Guineu - but several other places in
the center of the town celebrates the
event in different ways, In front of the
bakery Carafi, Cava Mestres introduced
a fundraising for people with Downs
syndrom, in Catalonia - Mestres has
prepared a special Cava for this project,
and Carafi has created a special pastry made with grape flour and chocolate - all
to donate money for the good cause.
delivering the queen - this year a 24 year
old Spanish swimmer, Ona Cabonell entering the balcony, for the coronation,
a little speech - and of course a glass of
Cava!
In the main street we bought a tasting
glass - being able to taste more than
200 different cavas.... here you don’t get
a “tasting sample” but a full glass! and
with 3 days, you are able to enjoy many
different bubbles!
During the festival there are several
events - all around Cava. Different
tastings combining Cava with different
kinds of food. Sunday morning I had
the pleasure of attending a tasting called
“Cava and seaweed” held by the winery
Mascaró - 4 kinds of seaweed and 4
different Cavas - very interesting indeed!
On Saturday evening the town hall is
used for a special event - the coronation
of this years “Cava queen” - a spectacular
event, the town square packed with
people, and an open limousine
The Cavatast is a very popular festival!
Lars Lybæk
www.vildmedcava.dk
Put briefly a number of established and
well respected producers of Cava have
decided to go their own way in recent
times. They still making Sparkling
Wine, but in the way they want to,
rather than according to the rules and
regulations of the DO (Denominación
de Origen). They have their own
reasons for this and, although we will
not be discussing them here, in my
view, there’s room for both – Spanish
Sparkling Wine and Cava.
Bodegas Albet i Noya has been
making Sparkling Wine in Cataluña
since 1903, employing the traditional
and indigenous grapes varieties of
the region: Xarel.lo, Macabeo and
Parellada; as well as nowadays the
international varieties Chardonnay
and Pinot Noir. All grapes are grown
organically with respect for the vine as
well as the environment and it’s this
admirable philosophy which ensures
that Albet i Noya Sparkling and Still
Wines also include a sense of place.
I’m not sure if I’ve ever tasted a better
Spanish Sparkling Wine than Albet
i Noya’s Brut Barrica 21 Reserva 3
Vintage 2007! Unfortunately it’s from
an extremely limited production of
just 690 bottles, but if you can get your
hands on one, I urge you do so!
The Pinot Noir and Chardonnay which
make up the cuvée have been fermented
for three weeks in French (Alliers) oak
which, on opening, gives rise to the
tantalising initial aromas of caramel and
butterscotch which quickly make room
for the traditional panaderia Sparkling
Wine aromas of brioche as well as
Danish pastry notes, with a citrus and
heady floral suggestion too.
On the palate the wine is rich,
voluminous, weighty and yet, elegant
and subtle. You’ll find a tight acidity
which keeps the wine fresh even after its
36 months ageing on its lees, En Rima,
in the depths of the cellars. This ageing,
which in Cava terms would qualify it
as a Gran Reserva (Clàssic Penedès has
different regulations), ensures a depth
and complexity that is not normally
found in many Sparkling Wines.
The oldest vines harvested for this
outstanding Sparkling Wine are not yet
25 years of age so we can expect even
more opulence, complexity and depth
in future vintages. With only 6 grams of
residual sugar it’s one of the drier Bruts,
and all the better for it. Perfectly crafted,
wonderful Spanish Sparkling Wine,
which you can happily pair with many
dishes, including meat!
The Albet i Noya Brut Nature Reserva 3
Vintage 2010 is also the equivalent of a
Gran Reserva (the 3 indicates three years
En Rima). This wine is made from the
three traditional varieties, with Xarel.
lo contributing the lion’s share, but also
with the addition of Chardonnay.
The Macabeo and the Chardonnay
combine perfectly to promote an
endearing ‘green apples cooking in
butter’ first aroma. Personally, I’m
delighted that Albet i Noya also err
towards the drier style of this, the driest
category of Sparkling Wine. At just 1•4
grms per litre, this is steely dry and as
such perfect for aperitifs as well as with
seafood, fish, with and without sauces, as
well as sushi.
You’ll again find a refreshing acidity on
the palate with a savoury edge to the
bready nose and citrus flavour which is
complemented by a faint pineapple skin
tang. This is celebrating in style!
Please also note that all Clàssic Penedès
Sparkling Wines must show the date of
disgorgement on their labels which is a
great help to consumers as it informs us
when the wine is at its best.
Written by
International Wine Judge, Writer,
Broadcaster, TV Presenter and Critic.
Specialises in Spanish Wines.
www.colinharknessonwine.com
@colinonwine
sparkling wine
sparkling wine
The soul is in the earth
Juvé y Camps digs deeper to express their unique terroir in La Capella
Juvé y Camps is a family house founded
by Joan Juvé Baqués and his wife Teresa
Camps Ferrer. They released their first
bottle of cava in 1921 under the name
Juvé and have since then grown into
one of the larger medium sized cava
houses of today and is still run by the
family. Since that first bottle in the early
twenties, the family’s focus has been on
cava and only ten percent of the 3,5
million bottles produced annually, is
wine. They own and farm 258 Ha of
organic vineyards, situated in different
states within the Penedés region. The
cellars are since the start right in the
town center of Sant Sadurní d’Anoia,
but in the nineteen forties the vineyards
and the new winery site at Espiells were
bought.
wanted us to try an unlabeled bottle. It
is actually not until just recently they
have given me the whole story behind the
wonderful bubbles we tasted that day. Now
they go under the name La Capella.
The first time I visited Juvé y Camps
I was taken on a tour around the
vineyards of Espiells by the two
winemakers Toni Cantos and Antonio
Orte. I was there in January to learn
how to prune the vines and I remember
that is was a beautiful clear and sunny
day with 18 degrees Celsius, which was
heaven for a Swede like me.
The first vintage of La Capella to be
released is the 2005 and was harvested on
September 12th that year. The free run juice
was fermented and kept on lees until May
2006 when the triage was made. Since then
there has been much waiting and hoping
that the xarel.lo that had previously done
so well in blends, would this time be able
to stand on its own. And in my opinion it
absolutely can.
Since that day I have taken many trips,
together with my husband, up the hill
to see what is happening at the family
estate and almost every year there is
something new. Last year, just around
harvest time, we were sitting in the
tasting room at Espiells, looking out
at the great view of the Montserrat
Mountain, when Toni and Antonio
In 1982 a 7,2 hectare plot was planted
up at Espiells with the xarel.lo verity. This
particular vineyard has since then shown
remarkable quality through out the years
and has been used in the blends for the
family’s prestige cavas. When the idea to
produce a “single plot” cava came about, the
choice fell on the La Capella site. Not only
did it have a great “track record” when it
came to quality, it was also suitable thanks
to the fact that xarel.lo as a verity has shown
especially good aging potential, which many
cava makers would agree on.
With over eight years on the lees you can
still taste the aromas from the xarel.lo
and together with the aromas that comes
from the ageing, this cava has a wonderful
balance. I’m thrilled that one more great
cava has seen the light and I hope that it
will find its way into a lot of glasses held by
bubble lovers in the future.
Antonio Orte
I love
diversity...
That’s why I love Cava
The diversity within the DO
Cava is both a blessing and
a curse and many people
working with cava would
agree on this. I choose to see
the positive side. So what is
actually so great about it?
Well let me explain…
Toni Cantos
The biggest reason for the great diversity
among cava is the fact that there are nine
grape varieties that can be used. Xarel.
lo, macabeu and parellada are the most
common varieties and make up the
backbone in traditional blends. Many
people would say that this trio is the soul
of cava and what makes it so special. But
you also have chardonnay and malvasia
among the white grapes allowed. When
it comes to the red varieties there are
trepat, garnacha, monastrell and of
course the very popular pinot noir. Since
it is also now allowed to make blanc de
noire in the DO Cava, with trepat as
the only exception, the possibilities are
many. In my opinion all these red grapes
make a great spread of rosé cavas, from
the elegant salmon pink to the fruity
bright raspberry coloured that can be
enjoyed and used in combination with
endless types of food.
There are also three ageing classes, from
the minimum ageing of nine months, to
the reserva, minimum of fifteen months
and the gran reserva at thirty months or
more, this aspect also widens the range
of choice. Unfortunately many people
only know the very young products
and think that this is the only way to
have cava. Numerous times I have met
wine people and even fellow sommeliers
that think that cava cannot be aged and
nothing could be further from the truth.
Some even say that the local grapes
don’t have the structure to age in a
good way and to those I can very much
recommend a trip to the cava houses of
Gramona, Recaredo, Juvé y Camps or
Castell San Antoni, just to mention a
few.
bottles from the discussion, I do think
it is great that you can find a cava that
suits your taste, the occasion and your
wallet. Because to be honest, most of
us are not made of money and can’t
drink 50 Euro bubbles every day, at
least I can’t. And one thing that you
can be sure of is that you very often get
extremely good value for your money,
since the land prices and production
costs are so much lower in Penedès than
say Champagne.
So my dear friends, if you have not
already dived in to the sea of great cavas
out there and enjoyed the diversity. I
highly recommend you to do that as
soon as possible and I’m absolutely
positive you will find some favourites.
Cheers and happy hunting!
Written by
One other aspect that contributes to the
wide spread of choice with in the cava
family is the price range and this is a
much debated subject. Mass produced
or high end, the choice is yours. I’m not
saying that this wide spread is all good.
But if you exclude the very cheapest
www.thecavalady.se
@thecavalady
champagne & Wine bars
for
A great hobby for Champagne lovers everywhere
Whenever I say I’m taking clients to
Champagne houses I’ll always have
people ask me to bring back the caps
on corks. In French these collectors are
called placomusophiles and their hobby
placomuophilie.
People in Vertus, in the Côte des Blancs,
began collecting caps in the 1980s.
During a swap meet Claude Maillard
coined the two terms for the fledgling
hobby. It has now spread all over the
world but Vertus remains the capital for
cap collectors and a swap meet is held
their every November 11th.
The cap and wire cage were patented
in 1844 as an improved way of sealing
Champagne bottles. They only came
into common use in the 1880s. Pol
Roger started putting the dates of
vintage years on their bottles in 1906.
This rare cap sells for around 800 Euros.
The decoration of caps for publicity
gradually took off.
About 3,000 new caps are made every
year and they cost up to 1 Euro each to
produce. These will eventually be added
to the biannual guide for collectors ,
the Lambert. Claude Lambert has now
classified and valued around 40,000
caps.
Recent caps go from 50 cents to 5 Euros.
Capsules from the 60s to the 80s fetch
from 3 Euros to 50 Euros . Some older
caps have been valued at 200 Euros but
it’s possible to find buyers who’ll pay
double the price.
Whilst you will pay dear for a bottle of
Armand de Brignac or Dom Perignon
the caps are only worth a few Euros.
Rarity counts and the higher value caps
were made for a limited number of
bottles. Some have flaws and were never
intended to be used.
Legend has it that Winston Churchill
bought all of Pol Roger’s 1923 vintage
and the very rare caps have been
estimated to be worth 3,500 Euros.
A Moet et Chandon cap in a recent
auction in Epernay went for 7,000
Euros. It’s said caps can reach up to
10,000 Euros in private sales.
If you don’t want to become a collector
and just want to keep the caps as
souvenirs you might like to consider
jewelry made from Champagne caps.
They also make a nice decoration for a
glass topped coffee table.
Written by
Jon Catt
Tour Guide
www.growerchampagnetours.com
@Suivezleguide
COPA DE CAVA
London, UK
Copa de Cava is the UK’s first dedicated
and authentic cava bar and a real labour
of love from the team behind Camino.
Opened in May 2013, it’s nestled
amid the brick vaults below Camino
Blackfriars and is a beautiful nod to the
atmospheric bodegas dotted across the
Catalan region.
They proudly showcase some of the most
exceptional cavas from Spain, perfectly
paired with creative tapas, seafood,
Spanish artisanal cheeses and the finest
hand carved jamón from Executive Chef
Nacho del Campo. Alongside this, they
offer a range of award winning Spanish
wines, beers and gorgeous cava cocktails
to continue the voyage of discovery.
Most cava comes from Penedès in
Catalunya, North Eastern Spain and
is made in the tradicional method,
fermented in deep underground caves
that inspire its name. This long and
laborious process gives an incredible
range and complexity… try for yourself
with their tasting flights of brut, reserva
and gran reserva cavas or join them for
one of their popular masterclasses, where
they’ll talk you through the different
styles. Cava is also a wonderful food
matching wine, and their pairing menu
is a great way to experience the different
cava styles alongside dishes like steamed
Galician mussels and Chacinas – a
selection of some of the best Spanish
charcuterie you will find in London.
Copa de Cava is warm, friendly and
relaxed, with an expert team of staff on
hand to guide you through the menu.
Parties of all sizes are welcome, and
they offer full private hire for up to 200
people on weekends and lunchtimes.
If you’re looking for somewhere special
for the festive season, the twinkling
lights, flickering candles and cosy
atmosphere make Copa de Cava perfect
for Christmas parties. They have a great
selection of party menus including an
incredible whole roasted suckling pig
with all the trimmings.
From after work drinks to romantic
dates, special occasions to corporate
events, discover one of the most unique
bars in London, just a minute’s walk
from Blackfriars station and 3 minutes
from St Pauls.
Copa de Cava 33 Blackfriars Lane, London
EC4V 6EP
www.cava.co.uk
@CopadeCava
Facebook.com/CopadeCava
sparkling wine
sparkling wine
The Very Best in
Nyetimber Demi-Sec, West Sussex NV
English Fizz
I enjoyed a very fulfilling day out earlier this year to Nyetimber’s iconic
main vineyard site, located between Chichester and Brighton in deepestdarkest Sussex. After a guided tour of the vines we enjoyed a sampling
of Nyetimber’s entire range in their tasting room, from the archetypal
Classic Cuvée to the oh-so elegant Blanc de Blancs, as well as their truly
luxurious Tillington single vineyard release. As stunning as the entire
portfolio might be, my favourite product to work with is undoubtedly the
Demi-Sec – literally translated from French to mean half-dry. Of course
this implies that we’re working with a wine that contains more natural
sweetness as well as an effortlessly honeyed profile; portraying flavours of
candied citrus fruits and ripe tangerine.
I returned to the world-renowned
luxury country house hotel Chewton
Glen in Hampshire, all of twenty-four
months ago as Head Sommelier. It
dawned on me that we are producing
a vast number of high quality wines in
our very own vineyards that are grossly
underrepresented on wine lists in
restaurants in the United Kingdom.
We feel very privileged to be pouring Nyetimber’s Demi-Sec by the glass
at Chewton Glen, which is best suited to pairing with our sumptuous
afternoon tea offering and our all-too indulgent dessert menu.
Chewton Glen has always boasted a
world-class wine menu, sporting nearly
fifteen-hundred individual labels.
However what differentiates our catalogue
from that of other hotels around the isles
is that around one hundred of those wines
are sourced from within our very own
borders.
When I was granted carte blanche to
revamp the contents of our cellars, I
began with the thrilling task of tasting
my way through scores of local wines, be
it still, fizzy or sweet. Because England
and Wales are best known in the wine
market for their high quality sparkling
wines, almost fifty percent of our range of
national labels are bottles of fizzy juice.
Along with members of my Sommelier
team I would venture out to vineyards
across the neighbouring counties to visit
their vineyard sites, poke around their
wineries and sample their range. My
expeditions took me to the locations of
Three Choirs in Gloucestershire, Ancre
Hill in Monmouthshire, Hattingley Valley
and Setley Ridge in Hampshire and more
recently Bolney Estate and Nyetimber in
Sussex, among others.
Written by
Director of Wine at
Chewton Glen & Cliveden House
@OscarJMalek
@BigWineBaby
www.bigwinebaby.com
Best paired
with our
afternoon tea
Hattingley Valley Rosé, Hampshire 2011
English Brut Amazing with
local seafood
Furleigh Estate Classic Cuvée, Dorset 2011
Furleigh Estate boasts eighty-five acres of premium vineyard soils,
sporting fifteen-thousand Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier
vines used to produce their quality sparkling wines. The flagship of
the collection is the Classic Cuvée, blended using the three traditional
Champagne varietals after undergoing whole bunch pressing and lees
aging for eighteen months. Furleigh Estate make a zesty, vibrant style
of fizz that is perfectly suited to the amazing seafood served in the
local restaurants in the area.
Earlier this summer I wheeled out the convertible and cruised off to
Hattingley Valley in the Northern realms of the county, an appointment
set up by the lovely Tracy Nash from Hampshire Fare. The winery
itself is super high-tech and the team take handpicked fruit from only
the best sites in the region. I tasted through the various cuvées until
I found my favourite, which is the staggeringly elegant rosé sparkling
wine, meticulously crafted from a blend of Pinot Meunier, Pinot Noir
and Pinot Noir Précoce. A small proportion of this wine was fermented
in barrel before being blended to create the delicate pale pink colour.
Vibrant strawberry flavours complement the gentle yeasty characteristics
developed during its eighteen months on the lees in bottle.
We, the Sommelier team at Chewton Glen, are ever-so
proud to have fashioned what is undoubtedly the most
extensive range of English and Welsh wines in the realm.
We have been blessed with endorsements from English
Wine Producers EWP, Master of Wine Stephen Skelton
and Gerard Basset, the world’s most accomplished
Sommelier. We were recently awarded Best Selection
of English Wines at the Condé Nast Johansens Annual
Awards for Excellence, which just goes to show that our
two years of hard graft have truly paid off.
SPARKLING WINE
English Sparkling Wine. . .
FIZZ OR
FLOP?
E
nglish wine is certainly something the
Romans did for us. East Anglia was
producing a third of the tithe to Rome
in hogsheads of wine during the Middle
Ages, Colchester and Bury St Edmunds
being the most important Roman Towns.
The 1960s/70s produced some brave
pioneers, then the fashion for home vino
subsided, and most of these vineyards,
largely of Muller Thurgau, were pulled
up. Another more determined group of
pioneers established vineyards in the early
1980s with more success, but the wine
produced was more plonk than petit
chateau with very little wholesale.
A great many vineyards were sold or dug
up in the 90s. There are some notable
exceptions here, Three Choirs and New
Hall Vineyards being two established
in the 60s and now at the forefront of
English Wine production. There is
nothing particularly surprising about
the latest wave of discovery of the rather
beautiful cool climate wines produced
by winemakers in the UK and currently
enjoying rising popularity. The Uk is
proportionately one of the fastest growing
wine regions in the world (reputedly, after
Argentina).
Regency Britain was producing wines
compared favourably to those from the
champagne region during the 1750s so
this current rise of English sparkling wine
is nothing new.
What is new over the last 10 years or
so, is the massive sums invested in
this micro- Industry, in the form of
EU, RDPE funds and private investors
converging with advances in state of the
art wine making technology, agricultural
developments to combat the effects
of our somewhat patchy climate, and
climate change itself. English drinkers –
previously known for a love of Gin and
Beer, now quaff 5 million bottles of wine
a year, only 1% of which is English. All of
these factors combined have attracted the
interest of innovative young winemakers
from Europe and the antipodes, resulting
in a new style of quality English Fizz with
a distinctive fruit quality and soft mousse.
But will English Sparkling continue
to fizz? – or will it go flat as it has in
previous decades?
minimum two years in bottle and
the labour and capital costs involved.
Sparkling, is a speciality product, a
slower sale and more expensive to
produce.
Visits to Hong Kong and China, offer
a serious learning curve in taking a
little known product into a hugely over
subscribed market. English wine is still a
novelty act and will be a while, but will
it be a one trick pony or something with
a longer term future. English Sparkling
is expensive compared to the flood of
other well organised and marketed,
(sometimes government assisted),
international brands, so will have to
trade on its rarity, quality and exclusivity.
With the exception of some of the
more established long term and chunky
producers like Nyetimber, Camel Valley,
and Ridgeview and to a lesser extent
Brightwell, Giffords Hall and Denbies
who have been quietly building their
distribution over many years, there is a
paucity of real international trading or
marketing knowledge.
There have been many calls for a generic
term or identity for ‘Britfizz’, not least
the recent comments by the UKVA
President, the Duchess of Cornwall,
on the subject of a cohesive identity
for English Quality Sparking Wine
The English still wine trade has enough
traction now and will continue to
steadily shoulder its way onto the shelves
of wine merchants and multiples as
it is priced well for a quality everyday
product. It is cheaper to make, and still
wine grape varieties crop more heavily,
producing a fresher product that is sold
the following year, without the required
The dangers facing English Fizz are all
too real. Our domestic market will be
frighteningly oversupplied in the next
few years with many new plantings
and brands starting to produce large
amounts of very high quality fizz –a
great result you might think. Rather
hysterical figures like ‘a million bottles’
are being tossed around, without any
real knowledge of where demand, at the
necessary price point, is to be found.
– not, you will agree, a term coined
by a marketing expert - it doesn’t
really have quite have the same ring as
‘Champagne’. ‘I think we should come
up with an idea for English Sparkling
wine,’ said the Duchess, ‘it should have a
special name’.
No doubt there is mileage for new
brands to ride on the coattails of the
grand old men of English fizz, but
there will be many who are not able to
establish their markets quickly enough.
This tiny international distribution
window will be quickly filled leaving
the UK producers to persuade domestic
buyers to leave their Cava and Prosseco
( a lesson in export marketing if ever
there was one) for the more expensive
English brands. The alternative is that
they will have to drop their prices,
thereby losing the margins that make
Sparkling wine production attractive in
the first place. There is polite interest
and a specialist small selection of buyers
to be found, but no volume at present
in Asia. Europe is taking notice in an
avuncular way but has massive supply
of its own. It will take a clever operator
with a very long term view to bring
English Sparkling into mainstream
world markets.
James Mcleod
sparkling wine
Written by Tom Stevenson
You could have
knocked me over
with a feather...
I have been one of the biggest
supporters of English sparkling
wine ever since two crazy
Americans purchased Nyetimber
in the mid-1980s and stubbornly
demonstrated the viticultural
potential of this island to a
bunch of over-cautious English
farmers who were reluctant
to shrug off their all-weather
safety-net of German crosses
and French hybrids.
However, I am also a realist and the
inescapable truth is that the world class
quality of English sparkling wine has
been created by a very small number
of producers. There are perhaps only
eight English vineyards responsible for
the publicity that has been generated,
of which two or three stand out as a
class apart. The good news is that there
are approximately eight more that have
the potential to step up, while there
are another eight or so very interesting
ventures waiting in the wings.
Going into The Champagne &
Sparkling Wine World Championships
2014, I had every confidence that
English sparkling wines would pick
up a few gold and silver medals, but
never in a month of Sundays did I
seriously contemplate that one of them
might actually waltz off with a World
Champion trophy by style.
The English Sparkling Wine
Gold Medal winners
With all the best English sparkling wine
producers entering the competition,
11 Gold (and 14 Silver) medals was
a healthy, but not unexpected, haul.
One of the surprises was Plumpton
Estate. To be brutally honest I thought
their wines were more Bronze level
and perhaps occasionally Silver, but
Gold? Unlikely. And two Golds?
Never! It’s a little embarrassing because
we judged at Plumpton College, but
that was genuinely the result under
blind conditions and it was a great
parting shot for ex-Nyetimber lecturerwinemaker Peter Morgan to retire on.
Multi-award winning wine writer
and most respected authority on
Champagne and sparkling wine.
The Best in Class of English
Sparkling Wine
I was surprised that neither Henners nor
Camel Valley did not win any Best in
Class, but there is no denying the quality
of Digby and Hattingley, which pipped
them at the post. It did not surprise
me, however, that Nyetimber won two
Best in Class awards. Nyetimber sets the
benchmark that others have to live up to.
English Sparkling Wine
World Champion
In fact, one of the two biggest
English sparkling wine surprises of
the competition was that Digby Fine
English picked up the World Champion
English Sparkling Wine trophy. I was
surprised for two reasons. Firstly because
I have followed Dermot Sugrue since he
first appeared at Nyetimber and I was
so pleased when he established Wiston
Estate for Harry & Pip Goring. Last year
I tasted my way through every one of his
wines, including pre-releases that had yet
to hit the shelf.
@mrtomfizz
www.champagnesparklingwwc.co.uk
A year ago I found the entire Wiston Estate
range to be crisp and fresh, but rather
straight-laced and ungiving, but the NV
Blanc de Blancs has evolved into a lovely
purity of fruit, with yeast-complexed fruit
of exceptional freshness and elegance. As for
the Digby, it is an amazingly sleek, seriously
complex sparkling wine of the highest order,
which brings me to the second reason I
was surprised … very few people had heard
of Digby Fine English and nobody would
have tipped it for a medal and certainly
not a Best in Class, let alone the World
Champion English Sparkling Wine trophy.
Digby Fine English is named after Sir
Kenelm Digby, a colourful 17th century
pirate and philosopher, who was also
involved in the elaboration of strong glass
bottles. Owned by Trevor Clough and
Jason Humphries, this is the first English
sparkling wine to achieve such a high level
of critical success using the equivalent
business model of what the champenois
call a négociant-manipulant or, possibly,
négociant-distributeur, depending on your
view-point. Digby sources its grapes from
privately owned vineyard in Kent, Sussex
and Hampshire and they are pressed and
vinified by Dermot Sugrue at Wiston Estate
in Sussex. The success of this venture could
see it copied by others.
World Champion by Style
The second big English sparkling wine
surprise of The Champagne & Sparkling
Wine World Championships 2014
was Hattingley Valley 2011 Rosé who
won through despite some very serious
competition. Its pale peach colour
immediately appealed, while its elegant and
delicate aromas of fresh apricots – unusual
for a rosé – stood out. It is a very seductive
wine, with fresh, zesty fruit floating on a
fine, silky mousse, tapering to a long
with a nicely balanced finish that does
not appear too sweet.
Hattingley’s owner, Simon Robinson,
had always told Emma Rice, his bright,
young, Über-talented winemaker, not
to make a rosé. Then in 2011 a trade
customer asked him why Hattingley
did not have a rosé, pointing out how
popular the style was and the premium
it commanded. In all innocence (we are
told), Simon asked Emma why she had
not made one, conveniently forgetting
that it was his strict instruction. So she
made this rosé, but with most of the 2011
grapes pressed and fermenting away, she
was only able to make a relatively small
amount. The secret of this rosé is the
Pinot Noir Précoce, which, as its name
suggests, ripens earlier than other Pinots.
It was extremely limited, thus only 2,000
bottles were produced.
World Champion by Style
Sparkling Wine
PINK
FIZZ
English Wine with Elisabeth Else
C
ollection of wines followed a
delightfully serendipitous path.
Enjoying a Coates & Seeley at Oxford
Wine Festival was the official start and
I happened to be talking to the guys
at Bluebell not long afterwards, they
have a respected pink too. I thought
it important to include some small
producers and the ever-friendly Elgar
from Worcestershire were happy to
oblige with some less usual grape
varieties and I took notice of a buzz
around Lily Farm from the south west.
My neighbours at award-winning Jenkyn
Place and Greyfriars joined in, too.
What about Wales, I thought? Ancre
Hill was the obvious answer.
Gusbourne are rising through the ranks
of quality at a pace, while a tasting of
pink sparklers didn’t seem quite right
without a bottle of Balfour Brut. Finally,
I was fortunate enough to visit both
Nyetimber and Wiston Estate recently
and managed to pick up a bottle from
“
each. Throughout I was keeping an eye
on other factors, so without being too
geeky, we managed to include a few
big name winemakers, some malolactic
fermentation and some oak to mix it all
up a bit. I reckon I could have found
two or perhaps three times as many
wines of similar quantity, but this was
enough to give a flavour.
Rounding up a group of willing friends
wasn’t too hard and included a couple
of professionals. Vicki is interested in
English wines and has tasted a fair few.
Tamlyn gets to try some amazing wines
from around the world, but has had
relatively few from the UK, so I was
expecting more of a tough audience. A
perfect venue was found in the brand
new English Wine & Spirits Company
near Liverpool Street station in London,
and we were off.
First with the myth-busting was the idea
that pink fizz is an aperitif for summer;
“
With pink fizz accounting for around 9% of the sparkling
wine drunk in the UK and increasing consistently, I
thought it was time for a look around to see what our
shores have to offer in the way of sparkling rosé.
it was clear that the weight of most of
the wines and their complexity lend
them perfectly to festive foods. We tried
hot-smoked salmon from Pia & Gunnar,
Chaource cheese, fresh raspberries and
Himalayan Salt & Toasted Almond
chocolate from Kokoh, all providing
pleasing matches.
Colours were mostly in the salmon pink
spectrum, from the merest hint in the
Ancre Hill building up to almost match
the real salmon. The only “true pink”
was from Nyetimber, who I was recently
interested to learn blend only on flavour,
so the colour is what the colour is and
may vary considerably with each vintage.
Tamlyn was very pleasantly surprised at
both the quality and the range of styles,
having moved on from the roaring
acidity of yesteryear. Vicki was familiar
with many of the big names, but happy
to find several others well worthy of
attention. The “usual suspects” all
performed well, with a hint of tannin in
the Nyetimber making it the best match
for the Chaource, while the surprise star
was the Lily Farm. If you are seeking a
festive aperitif, you won’t go far wrong
with Elgar’s Ysobel and Wiston Estate’s
Rosé was described as “best for drinking
with (wine) lovers”!
More “best for…” and “best with…”
prizes were awarded, not all of which
are likely to be as amusing in the light
of day, but what we certainly can say
is that the production of sparkling
rosé from the UK is alive and fizzing.
Whether you just fancy trying one with
your Christmas fare or hosting your own
tasting, you might be surprised how well
they hold their own.
Written by
Elisabeth
Else
@englishwinelove
www.englishwinelovers.co.uk
www.WineCellarDoor.co.uk
sparkling wine
sparkling wine
Chinn wine
sparkles in
Herefordshire
Ten years ago, the Chinn family picked up where the Romans
left off by planting vines at Castle Brook farm in Herefordshire.
Bernadette Costello talks to the family who are now winning
awards for their traditional sparkling wine.
With its glorious south-facing hills,
unique microclimate and its farmers
now turning to vines, Herefordshire
is fast-becoming the UK’s next most
exciting wine region.
Spread across the green and
mountainous border between England
and Wales, the county is also one of the
most beautiful in the UK.
For decades, Herefordshire has been
better known for cattle and sheep, fruit
farms, cider, hops and potatoes.
However, in 2004, one farming family
said goodbye to its beef cattle and started
planting Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and
Pinot Meunier on 2ha of their land.
And so began the long process of
traditional sparkling wine production at
Castle Brook Vineyard.
“We knew the Romans had planted
vines on the lower terraces here at Castle
Brook and as we love growing things
and love drinking wine, my father said
‘why don’t we grow vines’?” says Chris
Chinn, who runs the wine business with
his father John, mother Gay and brother
Henry.
Wine seemed a natural progression for
the Chinn family, which has farmed at
Castle Brook since 1925 and already had
agricultural resources for trellising and
growing vines.
Today, as well as vines they are one
of the largest growers of blueberries,
asparagus, potatoes and rhubarb in
Herefordshire.
On release of Castle Brook Vineyard’s
first vintage of “Chinn-Chinn” sparkling
wine – a name inspired by the family
surname – they picked up silver at the
Decanter World Wine Awards. This year,
Chinn-Chinn was also awarded best
sparkling wine as well as overall wine of
the year at the South West Vineyards
Association.
Chris says that the unique terroir of
Herefordshire provides ideal growing
conditions and points out that if their
“fussy asparagus crops” can thrive on
the soil here then their vines are just as
comfortable.
“The microclimate here in the rain
shadow of the Black Mountains includes
a really sheltered valley with a steep,
south-facing slope rising from 150ft300ft, so we’re not affected badly by
frost,” explains Chris.
“It’s really thin soil over fractured
sandstone rock which makes the vines
work hard, but it’s mineral rich so it’s
something for the vines to pick up and
give the wine depth and quality, which is
really important. But soil is one element
in a complex cocktail of variables,” he
adds.
With 10 years of production now
behind it, Castle Brook Vineyard is
recognised for its high quality sparkling
wine. The Chinn family has worked
with Ridgeview Wine Estate in Sussex
to produce their fizz in the traditional
Chris & Henry Chinn
method ever since their first vintage.
Chris says the reason for working with
award-winning Ridgeview was simple.
“Ridgeview has the same philosophy,
focusing only on traditional Champagne
varieties to produce the best sparkling
wines.”
The Chinn family produces around
7,000 bottles a year and their sparkling
wine currently sells at local shops,
weddings and regional food festivals.
They have recently injected investment
into rebranding, PR and marketing and
the family are now looking for a new
distributor for the UK and possibly
overseas sales.
With traditional Champagne grape
varieties thriving well in their county,
a growing collection of awards and a
new rosé and blanc de blancs to look
forward to in 2017, the Chinns are
hoping it’s chin-up for the future of their
Herefordshire fizz.
Written by
Bernadette Costello is a freelance writer
and founder of regional food and drink
blog Taste The Marches.
www.tastethemarches.com
@bee_costello
@tastethemarches
GLASS of BUBBLY
Walter Pintus
Head Bartender at The Ritz &
Creator of the Tallulah cocktail
How did you come up with the idea of the Tallulah
cocktail/ingredients used?
The idea was inspired by the moment back in 1951 when
Tallulah Bankhead drank Champagne out of her shoe. The
idea of using a perfume bottle to serve it out of, is to represent
what women are most fond of perfume, shoes and flowers. The
cocktail ingredients reflect some of the aroma and characteristics
of perfume, geranium and jasmine are also two of the most used
essences in the perfume industry.
What does PIPER-HEIDSIECK Champagne bring
to the cocktail?
PIPER-HEIDSIECK brings the famous shoe and a premium
category of Champagne which the Ritz always looks for.
What is your favourite Champagne cocktail?
The classic Champagne cocktail, sugar, bitters, cognac and Ritz
Champagne
Who’s the most famous person you’ve served at
the Ritz?
James Bond
www.havelockslondon.co.uk
(+44) (0)1732 866150 • (+44) (0)7541 961 531
havelock@havelockslondon.co.uk
@mrhavelock
www.theritzlondon.com
The Tallulah Cocktail
sparkling wine
a wonderful cocktail. The aftertaste is
that of Henri Abele Brut Rosé, making
it a perfect cocktail. No doubt the usual
nose of strawberry has helped it retain its
essence.
The second to last cocktail of the
night is very interesting and indeed
a daring one. Passion fruit caviar and
syrup are covered in Henri Abelé Brut.
Simple enough. But there is a twist.
Deepesh takes a red chili and slices it
open at one end. He then dips it in the
Champagne and gives it a couple swirls.
The challenge here is to try and get
the right degree of chili because it can
obviously be too hot. As I lift it to my
nose, I get robust chili and when I sip it,
I find that the chili and not the passion
fruit is what stays with me. While I find
the chili too overwhelming, I marvel at
the creativity that went into this, The
Passion Lady.
The Ritz Carlton
An evening at The Ritz
Carlton in Abu Dhabi
R
egardless of the city, there is
something magical about the Ritz
Carlton. The property in Abu Dhabi
is no different. As the third largest
Ritz Carlton in the world, this 57
acre hotel offers those trademark Ritz
Carlton qualities: almost larger than
life, opulent and luxurious. As I arrive
for my Champagne Couture, I have
the pleasure of listening to an aria in
the lobby, performed by its resident
opera singer. Not long after, I am at
the restaurant that will play host to my
evening of bubbly cocktails.
If the entrance to The Ritz Carlton
is dramatic with its imposing ceiling,
pillars and chandeliers, so is that of The
Forge, my venue this evening. But it is
a different dramatic effect – a wagyu
cow hide on the floor greets me at the
entrance. Yes, this is a steakhouse.
I am seated at the bar where I am met
by Deepesh, the barman, and Jonathan,
the sommelier. From my previous
dinner experience, I know that Deepesh
is creative and inventive, while Jonathan
has a wine knowledge that belies his
youthful age: So, I have very high
expectations.
The Champagne for the night is Henri
Abelé Brut and Henri Abelé Brut Rosé.
The Champagne house has a claimed
history of 250 years, making it the third
oldest Champagne house. In Abu Dhabi
it is not that well known, but thanks to
properties like the Ritz, it is becoming a
known brand.
The evening starts in dramatic and
theatrical fashion. On the counter I see
a cinnamon stick. Deepesh tells me this
is about recalling a memory. Clever,
because I have seen him do something
similar with cinnamon on my last visit
to the bar. He pours Caramel liqueur
over it. Out comes a blow torch.
Exciting stuff. Caramel wafts through
the air, but before it is all lost, he covers
it with a Champagne glass. A short while
later, he turns it over and Jonathan tops
it up with Henri Abelé Brut before all
the smokiness is lost. The integrity of the
Champagne is still evident in the colour.
As I lift the glass, I get a smoky aroma.
A taste reveals a bit of sweetness from
the caramel. But it is not overpowering.
A glorious start to the Champagne
Couture!
Next up I watch as the duo create a
so-called Zesty Mimosa - orange pearls
are scooped up and put in the glass. To
this is added orange peel and a bit of
citrus oil. Finally, it is topped up with
Henri Abelé Brut. An interesting thing
happens to the bubbles as the zest,
which has risen to the top, has attracts
all the bubbles and they are concentrated
around the zest. The nose reveals delicate
orange and the taste surprises me as I
expected the orange taste to be more
profound. But it is not. Quite delicate.
Deepesh has an intensity in his eyes that
reflects a passion for what he does. It is
a pleasure observing him work, and as he
prepares the next cocktail, I can see that
intensity reach its pinnacle. Jonathan,
on the other hand, has a coolness about
him that makes them the perfect foils for
each other.
To make Strawberry Perfume, strawberry
caviar and puree greet the glass. A small
amount of rosewater is added, followed
by three slices of strawberry. This is
topped up with Henri Abelé Brut Rosé.
The end result is magnificent. It screams
romance and love. Strawberries and
Champagne! Of all three cocktails so far,
it is the one that best keeps the form of
the Henri Abelé. Notwithstanding the
presence of strawberry, the bubbles are
still fine and persistent. It is the ratio of
the added ingredients that makes this
Finally, my eye catches Blue Curacao
on the specially prepared menu. The
possibilities intrigue me. Blue. The name
of this creation is equally arresting –
Generation Y. Appropriately, it is one of
Deepesh’s signature crafts for the night,
fruit caviar, and in this case it is mango
caviar to which he adds a bit of lemon
juice and of course a bit of blue curacao.
When I notice him adding some Absolut
Raspberry I start wondering how the
taste of the champagne will be affected.
When Jonathan has finished pouring in
the Henri Abele Brut,
I stare at it in awe. The aesthete
in me wants to applaud. It is
breathtaking! I can see why it has been
called Generation Y – it is young,
unpredictable and vibrant. Taste?
The most faithful, of all the creations
tonight, to Henri Abele. Good form
and structure, perfect effervescence.
And as was the case with the Strawberry
Perfume, I feel closest to the original
notes of the Champagne. My favourite
for the night.
The main thing for me when making a
Champagne cocktail is that the essence
of the Champagne must not be altered
too much. Tonight I tried 5 very
different cocktails which did justice to
Henri Abelé Brut and Henri Abelé Brut
Rosé. I also witnessed the possibilities of
having the barman and sommelier work
together to create something memorable.
In a city like Abu Dhabi that is in its
infancy when it comes to a bubbly
culture, this is something unique. There
is a time for Champagne cocktails, and
there is a time for Champagne.
As I made way to the dining area, I was
offered a glass of Henri Abelé Brut. Yes,
there is a time for both. And what better
setting than the Ritz Carlton!
Written by
Food & Beverage Consultant and Food
Writer in Abu Dhabi and Dubai
@bmstoltenkamp
mitsukiemma.blogspot.ae
FOOD PAIRING
food pairing
Demi – Sec Champagne
(note Demi Sec Champagne is much
sweeter than the classic English Nyetimber
Sparkling Demi Sec)
CHAMPAGNE & SPARKLING WINE WITH
FOOD
Champagne is becoming
increasingly popular as a wine to
be matched with food rather than
just a celebration.
At our restaurants (The Harrow at Little
Bedwyn and The Park House Restaurant
in Cardiff) we are now seeing customers
naming specific Champagnes to match
to their food, whilst both establishments
pour a large range by the glass from
Krug to Dom Perignon. The Park House
in Cardiff regularly hosts Prestigious
Champagne Dinners where all 6 courses
are matched to Champagne, they have
also featured a new enterprising idea
where each person is given a whole
bottle of say vintage Krug in a specific
chilled container (never on ice) which
allows the customer see the wine develop
during the evening matched to an array
of mini tasting plates which reflect how
the Champagne evolves.
Multi Vintage and Vintage Champagne
are perfect to go with food, and the
deeper richer they get the more versatile
that they become even standing up to a
classic Indian dish.
Here I have listed an insight on what
works best with different styles of
With English Sparkling:
Sashimi of Langoustines,
fresh crab, asparagus,
basil, extra virgin olive oil,
pea puree
Written by Roger Jones
Champagne. I would also highlight that
it is important that the Champagne is
not chilled too much, to me putting
Champagne on ice is either to kill its
taste or to stop an over fizzy bottle from
flowing too much. The Champagnes
and sparkling wines listed here are full
of finesse and quality and do not need
to be over chilled.
English Sparkling Demi Sec
Nyetimber Demi Sec
Similar in style to the Rich style of
Champagne (e.g. Veuve Clicquot Rich)
more than the classic Demi – Sec
Champagne.
Reverting to Rich Champagne and
in particular to Veuve Clicquot who
were the first house to launch this style,
produced bespoke Veuve Clicquot Chop
Sticks to go with the Champagne. (They
had a silver tip with the logo engraved).
This Champagne was specifically made
to target the Oriental market
to great success. The taste
is of a full rich wine as
opposed to a Demi Sec
which tastes sweet,
besides Oriental food,
especially Dim Sum
it can go well with
Terrines, cold meats
and left over Turkey
or Goose!
Without question one of the finest
sparkling wines available, this slightly
off-dry wine gives a lovely rich mouth
feel. With hints of preserved lemon and
tangerine, this honeyed and mineral
wine has an elegant clean acidity to
its finish. This is sheer indulgence and
needs a spectacular dish to highlight its
attributes.
Great with Demi-Sec:
Raspberries and chocolate
It is a perfect match to oriental
food and even more impressive
with sashimi style dishes. Here I
have matched it with Carpaccio
of Langoustines with a salad of
Asparagus and fresh Crab, Sea
Salt and Extra Virgin Olive
Oil. However it would also
be great with Foie Gras, and
a favourite of mine is Seared
Foie Gras, Grilled Scallop and
Black Pudding.
Great with vintage: Tempura Pembroke
Lobster, Cockles, Halen Mon Sea Salt
A matter of taste and not always in my
estimation a winner but try matching
it with a dessert with some salt, here we
match Demi Sec Champagne with a
Salted Chocolate and Raspberry dessert
where the salty chocolate helps relax the
sweetness of the Demi Sec otherwise you
will have too much sweetness in your
mouth. We also added some Turkish
Spices to the dish as well as adding some
spiced salt to the macaroons.
Vintage Champagne
Vintage Champagne should be treated
like a fine wine and is a perfect match to
rich intense shellfish dishes, such as this
Tempura Pembroke Lobster, Cockles
and Halen Mon Spiced Sea Salt.
Of course not all Vintage Champagnes
are the same, however you will be
surprised at the quality and price of
some Supermarket own brand Vintage
Champagne.
Rosé Champagne
Rosé Champagne often served with
dessert but to many including the Krug
family this is sacramental, they would
always serve Krug Rosé with lamb or
seafood never with dessert.
Good quality Rosé Champagne should
be evocative and full of freshness but it
should not remind you of sugary fruit.
The very best can be served in Pinot
Noir glasses to induce the lovely aromas,
especially Champagnes like Dom
Ruinart.
Classic Non Vintage Rosé
goes especially well
with Sea Bass and
Turbot, fish that
has some texture
and meatiness.
Served with a
very light creamy
truffle sauce,
don’t over do it
with the cream.
Whilst
food pairing
with Roast Leg of New Season lamb
with fresh garden peas there is no better
match than a bottle of Laurent Perrier
Rosé.
Carpaccio of Roe
Venison, Wiltshire Truffles
Here I have matched a Vintage Rosé to
Carpaccio of Roe Venison, Wiltshire
Truffles, 1927 PX Caramel Parsnip
Crisps and a Parsnip and Truffle cream.
The depth of a wine such as Dom
Ruinart Rosé would be perfect for
this sweet delicate venison with earthy
truffles.
Non-Vintage Champagne
with Canapés
Perfect as an appetiser, of course the
term Non-Vintage covers a whole
range of styles, budgets and scenarios.
The style can vary by age, regionality,
grape, richness to just clean fresh
bubbles. However as a general term if
the Champagne is fresh and sparkling
you can pretty much throw most food
at it and would suggest leaning towards
oriental and Indian style canapés and
away from the smoked salmon norm.
The problem with smoked salmon,
especially if it is the highly smoked
farmed version is that it will tarnish not
only your lips but the glass too, so you
will be getting a smoky fishy flavour
every time you have another sip of
Champagne.
I
main course, enthral your friends by
serving a Rosé Champagne with Seafood
or a bottle of Vintage with spicy food the
world is your oyster – ah well that is a
complete new story in itself.
BUBBLY
UNDISCOVERED CHAMPAGNE
wheN was the last time you tried
somethiNg New?
English Sparkling Wine with
Canapés
In general English Sparkling wines are
Vintage and are as such much finer and
elegant than many branded non vintage
Champagnes, therefore I would suggest
more control with the canapés, less chilli
more zest.
Seared Tuna
A Magnum of
urlin
Arnaud de Che
pagne
Réserve Cham
A very good match would be lightly
cooked langoustines with crushed fennel
seeds and vine tomatoes or seared tuna
with pickled watermelon.
In conclusion I would suggest that you
go out and try matching Champagne
with food, ask sommeliers to
recommend a certain glass with your
Exclusive offer
for
Glass of Bubbly
readers
Langoustines with
crushed fennel seeds
and vine tomatoes
Use discount co
de
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eckout on
www.ilovebubb
ly.com
Written by
Roger Jones
Roger Jones, Michelin Star Chef, owner of award wining The Harrow
at Little Bedwyn, Wine Consultant and features writer for The Caterer,
contributor to Decanter, Harpers, Food & Wine and Imbibe Magazine. Also
a Decanter World Wine Awards Judge.
Never be afraid to try somethiNg New, because life gets boriNg wheN
you stay withiN the limits of what you already kNow.
Roger consults for a far reaching group of business, wineries and wine bodies
including Wine Australia, The New Zealand Wine Growers and many
wineries and restaurants on Food & Wine matching.
www.ilovebubbly.com
His career has ranged from working for the British Royalty, Prime Ministers,
Pop Stars to helping run charity events including Chefs Night Out.
• CHAMPAGNE • TASTING SESSIONS • RETAIL • WHOLESALE •
@littlebedwyn
www.rogerjonesconsultancy.com
facebook.com/ilovebubbly
twitter.com/i_love_bubbly
pinterest.com/ilovebubbly
Terms & Conditions: There is no cash alternative and prize is non transferable. Usual competition rules apply. Closing date 31st January 2015. Winner will be chosen at random from all qualifying entries.
59
Prize will only be posted to a UK address.
food pairing
Daniel Doherty
W
e asked Daniel to recommend a
food pairing with Champagne or
sparkling wine. His answer:
Salt-baked Sea Bream with
Market Vegetables and Seaweed
Butter Sauce
“Salt-baking is a great technique, with
both theatre and impressive results.
While the salt bakes it comes together
to form a thick crust, so that as the fish
bakes the steam that’s released, rather
than escaping, is absorbed back into the
fish, keeping it juicy. The aromats
release all their beautiful flavours, so
your kitchen will smell amazing – the
ones we use are just a guideline – you
can use whatever tickles your fancy. Use
whatever vegetables are in season, and
if you can’t find dried seaweed use a
selection of fresh soft herbs instead.”
Preheat your oven to 180ÆC/gas mark 4.
To make the salt crust, mix all the spices
together in a bowl, then add the salt and
the whisked egg white and fold in to
form a paste. Place your sea bream on
a lightly oiled baking sheet lined with
baking paper and spread the salt crust
over the skin, leaving the head and tail
exposed. The crust should be about
2–3cm thick. Bake in the oven for
approximately 25–30 minutes. To tell if
it is ready, insert a flat-edged knife into
the thickest part of the fish – after a few
seconds remove the knife and the blade
should feel hot to touch.
Meanwhile, heat a little olive oil in a
frying pan and cook the shallot gently
until soft. Add the lemon juice and
Salt-baked Sea Bream with
Market Vegetables and
Seaweed Butter Sauce
Serves: 2
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 40 minutes
INGREDIENTS
Seeds from 2 cardamom pods
A pinch of fennel seeds
A pinch of fenugreek seeds
A pinch of coriander seeds
10 juniper berries
2 star anise
2 cloves
200g sea salt
2 egg whites, beaten until stiff
1 whole sea bream, scaled and
gutted, fins and gills removed
Olive oil
1 shallot, finely chopped
Finely grated zest and juice of 2
lemons
100g butter, cubed
Sea salt and freshly ground
Black pepper
A pinch of dried Irish sea dulse,
rehydrated and finely chopped
2 heads of baby fennel, blanched
and refreshed
1 bunch of baby leeks, blanched
and refreshed
1 bunch of baby carrots, blanched and refreshed
cook until reduced by half,
then slowly add the butter,
in small knobs, whisking
as you go so that the sauce
emulsifies. Season with salt
and pepper, then add the
lemon zest and seaweed or herbs and
give it a good stir. Set aside and keep
warm.
When ready to serve, reheat your
vegetables and the sauce and season
with salt and pepper. Remove the fish
from the oven, and allow to rest for 5
minutes. Slide the fish on to a serving
dish and take to the table. Carefully lift
off the salt crust and discard. Remove
and discard the skin from the fish and
serve with the vegetables, and the sauce
in a jug on the side.
Recipe image photo credit: Anders Schønnemann
FOOD PAIRING
food pairing
Christmas
CanapEs
sommeliers
The UK Sommelier Association
A non-profit
organisation based
in London, founded
in 2009.
Primary activity is providing a full
Sommelier course, however they also
organise and manage masterclasses,
wine tastings, staff training and
consultancy services.
The Course is constructed around an
international version of the Italian
Sommelier Association (AIS) didactic
method, reputed as the best Sommelier
programme in the world, thanks to
over 50 years of professional experience
and development.
Gibson’s Organic Liqueur
For an evening of festive splendour or a
pre dinner drinks party, a glass of bubbly
is an absolute must. What better way
to enhance the colour and flavour of
the bubbles than with a dash of organic
raspberry or blackcurrant liqueur, the
liqueur marries perfectly with fizz and
the beautiful jewelled hue enhances any
gathering, especially at this time of year.
The Cotswold Kir, our take on a classic
Kir Royale, or the Cotswold Christmas
Blush is the centrepiece around which
your guests will revolve. Choosing a
selection of canapés, amuse bouches
or petit fours should cause the least
possible bother, though as Debrett’s
warns ‘Canapes require a tactical
approach as there are many things to
consider- namely size, quantity, timing
and method’ It may seem a slightly
daunting statement,but this military
approach will stand you in good stead.
A few sweet nibbles to enhance the
taste of your drink, or a savoury bite to
provide a contrast can be easily prepared
beforehand.
Our Cotswold Christmas Blush
lends itself to a variety of treats, little
chocolates or bright and colourful
biscuits (I love the fanciness of
macaroons) set off the liqueur perfectly,
choose two or three per person. The
flavours will linger so you don’t need to
overdo it.
With savoury canapés, the delectable
saltiness of quail’s eggs is perfect to
get the juices flowing and always
looks beautiful. For a more substantial
alternative, smoked salmon on crusty
brown bread or wrapped in puff pastry
makes an easy instant classic, popular
with almost every palate. Of course
a vegetarian option is essential, fresh
cherry tomatoes sandwiching a mix of
pesto and mozzarella is a burst of flavour
easy to consume between sips and
snippets of chat.
Easy drinks and bites really make your
party go with a fizz and a bang and with
a drop of organic liqueur you really can
have the most organically colourful party
in town.
Ros Atkinson
@gibsonsorganic
www.gibsonsorganic.co.uk
They are, without doubt, very proud
of their 5 month-long Certified
Sommelier course; its unique strength
and objective is sensory analysis, wine
tasting technique and wine and food
pairing. Matching food and wine is
essentially a part of the Italian heritage,
and so they are able to pass this ‘art’ on
very successfully to eager students, be it
wine enthusiasts or workers in the wine
trade and dining industries.
The professionalism acquired during
the course, has allowed some of the
most talented students, soon after
graduating, to successfully pass the
somewhat gruelling and highly
demanding selection process of some
of the most eminent restaurants in
London, including The Ritz, Aqua
Shard, The Savoy, Shangri La, The
Dorchester, Bulgari, Gordon Ramsey,
Novikov, Locanda Locatelli and
Texture.
Lecturers include Peter McCombie
MW, David Bird MW, Christopher
Cooper, the Vice President of the
Italian Sommelier Association, Roberto
Bellini and the Best Sommelier in the
World 2013, Luca Martini.
www.uksommelierassociation.com
Mr. Andrea Rinaldi, President of the UK Sommelier
Miss Federica Zanghirella, Course Director & General Manager
Mr. Armando Pereira, Public Relations & Marketing Manager
ANDREA
RINALDI
UK Sommelier Association
President, Club AIS UK President
Which is your favourite
Champagne/Sparkling wine?
My favourite Champagne is Pol Roger,
which also happened to be the favourite
of Winston Churchill.
What in your opinion is the best
food pairing with sparkling wine?
Sparkling wine can be a whole meal
accompaniment. Starting with a
refreshing sparkling aperitif such as Ca’
Del Bosco N/V
Cuvée Prestige Franciacorta, with fish
canapés, followed by a Champagne
with structure and complex but delicate
aromas such as Deutz
Brut Vintage 2006 with a light salmon
tartare, seasoned with olive oil and
aromatic herbs.
With a main course of creamed
mushroom fillet and seasonal vegetables,
would be perfect a Krug Clos d’
Ambonnay Champagne Blanc de Noir
1996, 100% pinot noir, great structure
and complexity, with toasted and nutty
aromas.
To finish, a delicate dessert such as a
fresh red fruits custard tart, with a rich
and fruity André Beaufort Champagne
Rosé Grand Cru Doux 2004.
interviews
sommeliers
Francesco Gabriele
Harley Carbery
USA
Photo credit: MGM Resorts International
UK
sommeliers
meet the
Interviewed by Glass of Bubbly
Sara Bachiorri
Lionel Lachasseigne
UK
sommeliers
UK
Works at Chez Bruce Restaurant, London
Head Sommelier at Chewton Glen Hotel SPA, Hampshire
Works at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino & Delano Las Vegas
Works at Wivenhoe House Hotel, Essex
Which is your favourite Champagne/sparkling wine?
Champagne Jacques Selosse / Sparkling wine Ca’ del Bosco Cuvee
Annamaria Clementi
Which is your favourite Champagne/sparkling wine?
Krug Grande Cuvee: Rich, powerful and always memorable.
Which is your favourite Champagne/sparkling wine?
Laurent-Perrier Grand Siecle
Which is your favourite Champagne/sparkling wine?
I am a purist, Blanc de Blancs or Blanc de Noirs, depending on the
occasion and the mood.
Which sparkling wines or regions do you think are the most
underrated?
Franciacorta , Italy
Which sparkling wines or regions do you think are the most
underrated?
Cava from Spain. There are very well made examples at all price
points and it is generally delicious.
Which sparkling wines or regions do you think are the most
underrated?
English sparkling wine
Which sparkling wines or regions do you think are the most
underrated?
Vouvray petillant is a good example.
Do you have a particular favourite sparkling wine food pairing?
Kobe Beef Sirloin with Creamy Ewe-Cheese Sauce, Red Chicory,
Tonka Bean and Lemon
Do you have a particular favourite sparkling wine food pairing?
Champagne and salt and vinegar chips! A bright, fresh Champagne
goes great with the salty, sour notes of the chips.
Do you have a particular favourite sparkling wine food pairing?
Clairette de Die with peach and apricot parfait
Do you have a particular favourite sparkling wine food pairing?
Champagne goes with many things, I love it with fish and chips,
it’s fun and tastes good.
Ludovic Anacleto
Emily Harman
MEXICO
UK
Owner of Cru, The Little Wine Bistro in Monterrey, Mexico.
Works at VinaLupa
Which is your favourite Champagne/sparkling wine?
Philipponnat Clois des Goisses Champagne´and Agusti Torello Mata´s
Kripta Cava.
Which is your favourite Champagne/sparkling wine?
At the moment - 2006 Mineral from Agrapart
Which sparkling wines or regions do you think are the most
underrated?
Cava without a doubt
Do you have a particular favourite sparkling wine food pairing?
Roasted Alaskan Halibut, bourbon vanilla “beurre blanc”, chile ancho
Sriracha and Clos des Goisses 96
Which sparkling wines or regions do you think are the most
underrated?
I think that Limoux is often underrated, there are several cremant
de Limoux that are really special and offer great value for money.
Secondly Lambrusco - is something I really believe will come back in
fashion!
Do you have a particular favourite sparkling wine food pairing?
Champagne and hard cheeses, such as mature Comte, aged parmesan.
It’s such a refreshing way to finish a meal!
Cristina Francescon
Arnaud Bardary
UK
ITALY
Head Sommelier at Maze by Gordon Ramsay London
Freelance Sommelier, Italy
Which is your favourite Champagne/sparkling wine?
Hard to say. I think any sparkling has its own time.
La Closerie les Beguine, Prevost
Bollinger La Grande Annee
Larmandier Bernier Cramant VV​
Which is your favourite Champagne/sparkling wine?
I have plenty. However, my absolute favourite is Gran Cuvèe Pinot
Nero by Travaglino
Which sparkling wines or regions do you think are the most
underrated?
Franciacorta and the English market
Which sparkling wines or regions do you think are the most
underrated?
Oltrepo Pavese in Lombardy region where you can find the finest
expression of Pinot Noir in Italy. Either sparkling or still. Besides other
quality wine.
Do you have a particular favourite sparkling wine food pairing?
Besserat de Bellefon extra brut NV to match with a dumpling of
lobster tiger prawns, salmon and lemon grass broth.The freshness and
elegance of the Champagne cut through perfectly with this dish.
Do you have a particular favourite sparkling wine food pairing?
To keep it simple (and delicious!), San Daniele raw ham and Prosecco
(either DOC or DOCG); with its top category Cartizze too from glera
/ prosecco grape!
meet the sommeliers
Milena Di Francisco
Interviewed by Glass of Bubbly
Aristoteles Protopapas
INTERVIEWS
WINE EXPERTS
of IRELAND
Interviewed by
Wine Writer
www.frankstero.com
@frankstero
UK
Head Sommelier at The Glasshouse Restaurant in Kew, London
UK
Which is your favourite Champagne/sparkling wine?
One of my favourite Champagne’s is the Vouette et Sorbee, Bertrand
Gautherot. This Champagne comes from a tiny 17hh yield of
chardonnay, it’s oak barrel aged and is richer and more complex than
many other blanc de blancs that I have tasted. Its feels like a good
burgundy wine without bubbles.
Head Sommelier at Kaspar’s Seafood Bar and Grill at The Savoy
Hotel, London.
Which sparkling wines or regions do you think are the most
underrated?
I think the Lambrusco sparkling wines from Emilia-Romagna are
underrated and worth seeking out. It such a lovely sparkling wine to
drink as aperitif and they are made in a dry style not sweet as many
people would think. The one I am enjoying drinking at the moment
is NV Lambrusco di Modena DOC, Radice Paltrinieri the It is made
by Metodo Ancestrale where they leave it to finish fermentation in the
bottle.
Do you have a particular favourite sparkling wine food pairing?
One of my favourite pairing’s is Rose Champagne with seafood
specially lobster, langoustine in a rich creamy sauce.
Jonathan Cellier
Which is your favourite Champagne/sparkling wine?
My favorite Champagne/sparkling wine at the moment is the new line
of Louis Roederer Brut Nature 2006, the product of a collaboration
of Frédéric Rouzaud and Philippe Starck, which I think is the most
exciting Champagne. The low sugar character, freshness and delicacy
are strongly present, but as it passes through your palate, reveals an
outstandingly balanced wine packed with complexity, yeasty and
smoky notes surrounded by white fruits and citrus zests that develop
into a long nutty finish.
Which sparkling wines or regions do you think are the most
underrated?
Cremant de Loire in my opinion. Featuring some outstanding
value sparkling wines. Best example is Chateau Gaudrelle NV from
Vouvray. Outstanding!! Also try some made with Methode Ancestrale.
Do you have a particular favourite sparkling wine food pairing?
Oysters Rocafella or Rockefeller with a very dry, light and delicate
style and Lobster Thermidor with a big vintage Blanc de Blancs!
Also I do love Vintage Champagne and sticky cheeses as it clears
beautifully the palate and leaves just the remaining flavors.
Which is your favourite Champagne/sparkling wine?
As I was born and grew up in Epernay, heart of the Champagne region,
I have to admit that I much prefer having a glass of Champagne rather
than anything else. So far I have developed a certain interest in the
“cepages oublies”. 100% arbanne by Moutard Pere & Fils or a 100%
petit meslier by Duval-Leroy are the few I would chose first from a list.
Otherwise I like the ‘pure’ terroir Champagnes such as Eric Rodez,,
Boude-Baudin or Leclerc-Briand and, of course, Jacques Selosse.
Which sparkling wines or regions do you think are the most
underrated?
Having tasted the NV Chandon made from pinot noir and chardonnay
Wine Manager for the Ely Group, Dublin
The Ely Group consists of three wine focused restaurants in the centre
of Dublin. Ian is responsible for selecting and buying the wine for each
venue.
Which Champagne or Sparkling Wines do you particularly rate on
your wine list?
Also from the more exclusive and high-end, I am a big fan of the
Bollinger Vieilles Vigne Francaise 2002 Blanc de Noir which I refer to
as “a must try at least once in your life” Champagne.
Additionally, I would encourage all every-day Champagne drinkers to
be introduced to Italy’s Franciacorta (Lombardy). Producers to watch
are: Ca’ del Bosco, Bellavista and Berlucchi.
UK
Works at White’s Club, private members club situated on St James
Street, London.
Ian Brosnan
grown in Argentina, I have to admit that I was impressed. Now
I really look forward to trying the Indian version (chenin blanc)
and see what is going through the mind of the Moet & Chandon’s
team… Surely a new category is born!
I wish Franciacorta could be more regular, quality wise, thereby more
accessible in the UK.
Do you have a particular favourite sparkling wine food pairing?
I just love Thai food: the spiciness and the incredible concentration
of different flavours always transport be in a culinary journey that I
wish would never end! Recently I tried a Moscato do Brazil, called
I love Brazil and found at Tesco. On its own it was a fairly good
aperitif but when the food has been served it became a dream!
Awarded best Sommelier in Ireland 2009-2012
Our house Champagne is Domaine Dravigny’s Cuvée Ambre which we
sell by the bottle and the glass at all three Ely venues. As a small Grower
the name isn’t well known, but if customers ask we might compare it
to Bollinger in terms of style (biscuit, yeasty) and blend (Pinot Noir
dominated). Of course we also list Bollinger itself!
Which Champagnes and sparkling wines have you chosen to
list in the restaurants where you have worked and why?
Champagne Pierre Moncuit 100% Chardonnay from the
Grand Cru village of Le Mesnil sur Oger in the Côte des
Blancs. It is mineral, elegant, has racy acidity and makes a
fantastic aperitif.
There’s one more unusual Champagne we list – Taittinger’s Nocturne
which is a “Sec” style, sweeter than Brut and Demi-Sec. It’s rarely seen
on a wine list in Ireland, even more rarely by the glass. It’s rich but not
really sweet – the acidity balances out the sugar. It partners well with light
desserts and is lovely to drink on its own. In fact the name Nocturne
alludes to the fact that you can keep on drinking it into the night…
Col di Manza Perlage Prosecco is a less expensive alternative –
very fruity, off dry with lovely creamy bubbles.
Which sparkling wines from outside Champagne do you enjoy?
Franciacorta and from the New World I’ve been impressed by sparkling
wine from California such as Scharffenberger and Roederer’s Quartet.
The Yarra Valley and Tasmania are also producing some great traditional
method fizz.
Julie Dupouy
Louis Picamelot Terroir de Chazot Crémant de Bourgogne Brut
is a Blanc de Noirs - 100% Pinot Noir – and so has more fruit
& weight, and could partner well with food.
Finally, a Moscato d’Asti to go with dessert. It is light in
alcohol and lots of fun – amazing with peach melba!
Which sparkling wines do you enjoy yourself?
I recently has Dom Ruinart Blanc de Blancs 1998 and really
loved it. I have a bottle of Bollinger Grande Année 2002 which
I am saving for a special occasion.
What would be your money-no-object bottle of bubbly?
Either Dom Pérignon Oenotèque 1996 or Krug’s Clos du
Mesnil. Dom Pérignon produces a large volume each year but
their Oenotèque releases are very special – on yet another level.
www.down2wine.ie
Which Sparkling Wine would you open at home for a special
occasion?
I adore Champagne above all other wines. Charles Heidsieck non-vintage
is fantastically well made – possibly the best normal (not a prestige cuvee)
non-vintage on the market. Another would be Billecart-Salmon NV – it’s
such a beautiful style, great for drinking by itself
What would be your Money-no-object bottle of fizz?
I’ve been lucky enough to taste a couple of amazing bottles from the
1998 vintage which really stuck in my mind - Bollinger Vieilles Vignes
Francaises and Taittinger Comte de Champagne. Either of those would
make me a very happy man!
@elywinebars
www.elywinebar.ie
Champagne & Sparkling Wine
Champagne & Sparkling Wine
The perfect
Christmas
treat
In time for the coming holiday
season, Champagne Collet presents
its prestige cuvée ‘Esprit Couture’ in a
couture gift box.
A composition of only Premier and Grand
Crus 100% hand harvested and sorted,
thus permitting only the highest quality
fruit to make the final cut.
Celebrate the end of year festivities this
Christmas with Champagne BillecartSalmon...
Meticulously, Chef de Cave
Sébastian Walasiak crafts Esprit
Couture from only Chardonnay
and Pinot Noir.
Exclusively designed for the end of year
celebrations, the originality and refinement
of the latest Billecart-Salmon gift set makes it
the perfect present to slip under the tree this
Christmas.
A bottle unique in shape and
style and created in the essence
of a well tailored garment; the
nectar inside is aged on lees
for seven years and undergoes
hand riddling as per ancestral
tradition. All finishing touches
are also hand elaborated, from
the application of the leather
closure and labels to the hand
tied lace and trinket being
proudly affixed.
The gift set will feature a bottle of Brut Rosé
Champagne, the iconic cuvée of the house of
Billecart-Salmon, and two “Absolus” Lehmann
tasting glasses. These glasses are designed
through the finest expert glass-making
traditions to delicately marry the red berries
and citrus fruit flavours of the Champagne.
Furleigh Estate’s signature bottle is the
award-winning sparkling Classic Cuvee 2011,
which is made from a combination of Pinot
Noir, Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay. This
traditional quality sparkling wine is made from
the three classic French varieties, Chardonnay,
Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier which gives
this wine a creamy mousse, a fruity and
harmonious taste and good length focussed on
freshness.
Clairette de Die & Bûche de Noël
Bûche de Noël is a Christmas Yule Log
from France. It is an elaborate creation
consisting of a rolled, filled sponge cake and
frosted with chocolate buttercream to look
like tree bark. Try pairing with Bacchantes
Désirée Clairette de Die.
Prosecco & Panettone
Panettone is Italy’s Christmas
cake, it is bright saffron yellow
inside, extremely light, fluffy
and rich and pairs beautifully
with Prosecco. Try pairing
with Nino Franco Rustico or
Cartizze.
Sparkling Riesling & Stollen
Stollen is a traditional cake eaten at
Christmas in Germany. It is a fruit cake
containing dried fruit and marzipan and
covered with icing sugar. Try pairing
with Rotkäppchen Riesling.
CHAMPAGNE
champagne
Pinot Noir Grapes
A day at
Dom Perignon
The launch of 1998 P2 Plenitude
T
he French don’t drink coffee. Not
before 7am they don’t. For me, a
morning coffee is up there with ‘air’,
on level of importance, but this seemed
not to matter to the cafés of the 10th
Arondissement. Then finally, that green
and white beacon we love to hate: my
day of privilege and fine wines at Dom
Pérignon commences, incongruously,
with a tall, skinny Starbucks. Pierre
Pérignon surely rolls in his grave.
An uneventful coach ride with six
other Champagne lovers leads us to
Hautvilliers, the spiritual home of
Champagne, where ‘proper’ coffee awaits.
A hazy but cloudless sky clears just in
time for us to look around the Abbey
and grounds, before we’re onto the main
event - the harvest. Row after row of
South-facing Pinot Noir vines bursting
with fruit from the deep, chalk soils await
their destiny.
I’m embarrassed to say this was my first
harvest anywhere. Still, if you’re going
to get involved in one, it might as well
be at Dom Pérignon. The bunches were
tightly packed and more blue than red,
with higher sweetness than expected (well
I had to taste!). There was little mildew
evident and by all accounts, 2014 looks
positive for the making of a DP - as
early as this may be. We harvested a few
baskets full before being summoned back
to base, where our host was waiting.
Arguably the most recognisable man in
Champagne, Richard Geoffroy (DP’s
Chef de Cave since 1990), joins us
outside for coffee and small talk before
escorting us into the private tasting room
for a tutored tasting of DP Plenitude.
The current Dom Pérignon 2004 release
is poured and Richard discusses the
notion of ‘Plenitudes’ - 1, 2 and 3. (The
word ‘Oenotheque’ has been replaced
with ‘Plenitude’ from 2014). These are
the ‘RD’ (recently disgorged) versions
of Dom Pérignon, whose flavour profile
comes from lees contact, rather than
conventional (oxidative) ageing.
Richard believes that the qualities
imparted on wine through lees ageing
are not linear, but in steps, peaks or
‘Plenitudes’. The term, as used by DP,
seems to encompass more than its literal
translation of: abundance, the condition
of being full or complete, adequacy.
Dom Pérignon, when first released, can
be assumed to be P1 (the first Plenitude),
which occurs after approximately 9
years on lees. Wines at this stage are still
very fresh, with fairly typical vintage
Champagne flavours. The 2004 DP
is medium weight and intensity, with
candied lemon, toast and tarte tartin
aromas. Some savoury notes are evident,
but not at the level of the P2 and P3
wines. The wine’s long finish is carried
on a wave of youthful acidity. 2004, says
Richard, has been the most effortless in
his tenure and this wine has a great future
ahead of it.
P2, the second Plenitude, occurs after
15-18 years on lees and the 1998 P2
Plenitude was released this summer. This
is a phenomenal wine with a broad, soft
attack, round and concentrated, with
time-softened acidity and a long finish.
Intense aromas of truffle and gun smoke
mix with marzipan and candied fruits.
The wine evolves significantly in the glass
as it warms and breathes, revealing layers
of flavour.
P3, the third Plenitude occurs after a
staggering 35-40 years on the lees. We
tasted the 1970 P3 Plenitude (though this
bottle was still labelled as ‘Oenotheque’)
which is the current release. Made with
grapes harvested before I was born, this
is a very special tasting. A wine of great
intensity, the P3’s viscosity is a testament
to many years of lees contact. A delicate,
creamy mousse delivers powerful, savoury
aromas of coffee, truffle, mocha and
smoke. Remnants of primary fruit aromas
are of the dried/candied variety, still
supported by a backbone of acidity. The
1970 P3 is drinking so well now I would
see no need to keep it any longer, though
if you can afford a case, by all means
drink one now and watch its siblings
grow up.
High acid wines increase saliva
production, and in me at least, appetite,
so the call to lunch was not unwelcome.
A short bus ride from Hautvilliers to
Epernay and we arrived at Château de
Trianon, Möet’s private residence and
gardens. The interior was a fine balance
of Gallic class and decadence, which we
stopped to take in before being seated.
The 1998 P2 Plenitude was poured
generously throughout the meal and it
paired wonderfully with ‘chorizo-topped
oysters’ and ‘pot eau feu’, due to its
savoury complexity and weight. The ripe
and open 2003 DP Rosé was poured
Richard Geoffroy
alongside our strawberry dessert, though
I’ve never been a fan of Brut Champagnes
paired with sweeter foods.
Following coffee and macarons, Richard
said his goodbyes, whilst the rest of
our party crossed the road to Moët et
Chandon for a cellar tour, before the
journey home.
The entire day was a ‘bucket list’ type
event, which will be forever etched in my
memory. Considering Dom Pérignon’s
huge (though unknown) annual
production, I’m always impressed at the
quality of their entire range of wines.
It’s exciting to think that should Richard
release a 2014 Dom Pérignon, some of
‘my’ fruit will make up the blend! Of
course I’ll have to return in 10 years to
taste it...
Merry Christmas!
Written by
Founder of Sugar & Yeast
@SugarandYeast
www.sugarandyeast.co.uk
events
Liv
50th ANNIVERSARY
YEAR OF THE LDA
The London Diplomatic Association
(LDA) established in 1964 is run
by diplomats for diplomats. To be
a business partner of the LDA is by
invitation only. The Mayfair Hotel
hosted one of the many high profile
diplomatic receptions this year. Guests
enjoyed a fabulous Champagne
reception and luncheon in the
Penthouse.
His Excellency Eldred E.
Bethel of the Bahamas High
Commission & Peter Bryant
Liv Boeree is one of the most successful female
poker players of all time and a European Poker
Tour Champion. She achieved a first-class degree in
Astrophysics, before going on to find fame as a model
and TV presenter on a range of different shows. She
is a Team PokerstarsPro and plays in major poker
tournaments around the world.
Where’s the most memorable place you’ve
ever enjoyed a Glass Of Bubbly?
I’d say it was at my step-brother’s wedding last year.
It was the perfect day with my family and exactly the
situation where the Champagne complimented our joy.
What does Champagne mean to you?
Christopher Walkey from Glass
of Bubbly with Wesley Pestano,
President of LDA
LAUNCH OF ONE TOWER BRIDGE
The LDA along with the Berkeley Group
hosted a quintessentially English High
Tea and Champagne reception for the
pre-official launch of One Tower Bridge,
one the most exclusive developments in
London, facing the historic and iconic
Tower of London. Guests were served
the LDA`s own branded house Champagne by top London caterers Inn or
Out.
www.londondiplomaticassoc.com
Professional Poker Player
Which is your favourite Champagne/Sparkling
wine?
I can’t say I have one! I reserve Champagne only
for special occasions, and am generally too busy
celebrating to pay attention to the bottle!
Victor Lanson, a seasoned raconteur and
entrepreneur was recently appointed to
the LDA board. Victor gave a historical
education on the origins of Champagne
and what is was like growing up in one
of the most famous Champagne houses
and brands in the world.
Douglas Acton Development Manager for the Berkeley Group officially
launched One Tower Bridge performing
the Art of Sabrage. An old tradition
performed by The French Cavalry in
the Napoleonic wars. Douglas was then
knighted into the order of The Confrérie
du Sabre d’Or. Supervised and taught
by Julian White a Grand Master of the
Order of The Confrérie du Sabre d’Or.
Bilal Al-Hasirahchi from the
Embassy of Iraq & Douglas
Acton from Berkeley Group
Photo credit: Dianna Bonner, World Vision Photos
Victor Lanson
boeree
Guests were invited
to try sabering
A: Success
B: Celebration
C: Romance
D: Enjoying great company
@Liv_Boeree
livboeree.com
GLASS of BUBBLY
SPARKLING WINE
VIRGINIA WINE REGION
FROM PROMISE TO REALITY
SPARKLING WINE
Virginia Sparkling Wines Facts
17 of Virginia’s 255 wineries
produce sparkling wines
Total case production of
Virginia sparkling wines: 18,000
cases (216,000 bottles) are
produced annually.
Largest producer: Trump
Vineyards at 13,000 cases
Second largest producer:
Thibaut-Janisson Winery at
3,000 cases
Richard Leahy - author of
Beyond Jefferson’s Vines asks
Tanya Mann her thoughts on
the Virginia Wine region
Richard: What is your overall
impression of Virginia as a wine
region?
Virginia is not just a country of horses,
apples and the third president of the
United States. Virginia has created its
own way and I would say Virginia could
be a prototype for the Integrated Wine
World with a huge variety of grapes
for different wines. Winemakers from
around the world, bring a piece of their
culture in the development of Virginia,
where there were mostly agriculture
fields and forests only 10 years ago. With
not such stringent government wine
regulation, generally it is much easier to
receive AVA in the USA than AOC in
France or DOCG in Italy.
There are many Virginia wineries
surrounded by the incredible force of
nature – the Blue Ridge Mountains. So I
can understand why the region is seen as
‘Virginia is for lovers’ as I can confirm, it
is impossible not to fall in love with this
region!
Richard: What specific things stood
out for you as memorable?
How popular it is for people to come
and visit wineries and try the wines.
In Afton Mountain winery we had an
amazing view from the window where
we had our tasting. One couple bought
their 2 glasses of wine in the winery
shop, sat down, opened up their bags
full of snacks and happily had lunch, I
truly admire them!
Trump Winery
Veritas Winery
Another was the young generation of
winemakers from around the world and
freshly graduated from Virginia Tech
who with support of local winemakers
such as Gabriele Rausse and Luca
Paschina have created a good base for
the development of the region.
Richard: Can you give me a quote
that I can use both in the book
and for my own blog post.
Virginia is rapidly evolving and building
the right business model of selling wines
in their wineries in the first few months
after release, this is probably the dream
of many wine regions of the world who
produce boutique quality wines.
Give Virginia 5 years and it will take
pride of place on the global wine scene
and undoubtedly win in international
competitions.
All that Virginia needs is to pray for
Virginia good weather!
A Stunning looking winery, Trump
Winery is the largest vineyard in
Virginia. Trump Winery follows
Jefferson’s footsteps in making new
world wines inspired by the French wine
regions of Bordeaux and Champagne.
Tanya says: Talented winemaker
Jonathan Wheeler who worked with
Michel Rollan previously, shows a
good example of Blanc de Blanc 2008
(attractive brioche complexity) and
stylish Blanc de Noir 2009.
Veritas Winery
A family business owned by Andrew
and Patricia Hodson, opened for
business in June 2002. With the help of
their daughter Emily Pelton they have
succeeded in consistently producing a
range of complex and elegant wines.
Tanya says: Bollicine (ital.“tiny bubbly”)
is a classy school of Champagne style
wines with delicate notes of almond,
green apple and pear. An Incredible view
around boutique winery.
Kings Family Vineyards
A family owned and operated boutique
winery. The winery specializes in small
productions of ultra-premium wine that
showcase the remarkable qualities of
nearly 100% estate grown fruit.
Tanya says: French winemaker Matthieu
Finot is one the greatest winemakers
in Virginia. The Brut (2011 vintage)
is refreshing with a crisp bite of green
apple and great complexity.
Tanya says: You just need to meet
Emily, she is an incredible beautiful and
enthusiastic winemaker. Elegant style
sparkling from 100% Chardonnay.
To find Virginia wines in the UK:
Contact Christopher Parker:
christopher@newhorizonwines.com
With thanks to Vivienne Franks (Circle
of Wine Writers), Amy E. Ciarametaro
(Virginia Wine Board Marketing Office)
and Christi Braginton (Virginia Tourism
Corporation).
Circle of Wine Writers
& Diploma level
student WSET
Afton Mountain Vineyards
One of Virginia’s first farm wineries with
some vines dating from the late 1970’s.
Owners Tony and Elizabeth Smith focus
on making wines of unrivaled quality
from their own estate-grown grapes.
Richard Leahy is a wine author and
wine industry consultant specializing
in regional wines east of the Rockies.
This interview will appear in part in the
second edition of his book on Virginia
wine, Beyond Jefferson’s Vines, which
will be available on amazon.com on
December 2014.
www.tanyamann.com
@TanyaMannP
Kings Family Vineyards
champagne & Wine bars
events
Three Wine Men
TOP FIVE
Hunters Miru Miru NV £16.95
Just brilliant! A classic style of bubbly made
from Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot
Meunier from New Zealand. This really
impressed me with fine, well balanced
structure and fantastic length. It oozes
quality and grace, with flavours of biscuit
and toasty nuances. I will be buying this
again, soon and I will not share!
Stockists: Field and Fawcett
Torres Santa Digna Estelado
Rose NV £14.99
York – Sept 2014
I went to my first Three Wine Men
tasting event in Harrogate last year
with Mr Vine Night and two friends.
We sipped our way through so many
amazing wines and thoroughly enjoyed
every minute. This meant York had a lot
to live up to!
For those of you that don’t know, The
Three Wine Men are Oz Clarke, Olly
Smith and Tim Aitken MW. All great
personalities in their own right, but the
three of them together make a winning
combination of expertise and lots of
fun. They bring the wine to life with
their animated tales and enthusiasm.
The Three Wine Men tasting events are
simply fabulous.
A great opportunity to taste a wide range
of wine from lots of different suppliers
such as Negociants, Berry Bros & Rudd
and The Wine Society, to name a few.
Basically, you turn up, get given a glass
and a brochure and off you go to explore.
The guys are dotted around to point you
in the right direction and are happy to
answer any questions. The stall holders
are also very helpful and informative
and some stalls have wine that you can
purchase on the day.
Masterclass
Another great feature of the Three Wine
Men events is the master classes that
run throughout the tasting session. You
can pre-book these for £5 per person
and I would recommend attending at
least one. In Harrogate we attended the
Cheese and Wine Matching, so this year
we opted for the Iconic Winemakers –
An Antipodean Adventure. Five modern
winemakers from Australia and New
Zealand took us through their wines
and gave us some background on what
makes these wines special, and they
really were special. Virginia Wilcock of
Vasse Felix was particularly engaging and
her passion for the wines really shone
through. You could not help but be
inspired.
The Fizz
Now on to the most important part,
the fizz! I managed to taste my way
around all the fizz, apart from one. By
the time I reached the Brown Brothers
stall they had ran out of the Patricia
Sparkling 2006, a blend of Pinot Noir
and Chardonnay. Priced at £30.99 I was
intrigued to see if the wine lived up to
the price tag and I have it on my (rather
long) list of sparkling wines I must taste,
so I will get back to you on that one! I
digress, here are my top five:
A gorgeous pale rose colour with fine and
persistent bubbles. This fizz is fresh and
lively and a great one to celebrate with.
Made with 100% Pais grape, this is a great
wine from Miguel Torres and is a Chilean
gem.
Stockists: Roberts & Speight, Lewis &
Cooper
Berry’s Cremant de Limoux NV
£11.95
A great value Cremant de Limoux. A blend
of 70% Chardonnay and 15% each of
Chenin Blanc and Mauzac, this has been
traditionally aged on the lees. Aromas of
Apples with a hint of spice, this wine is
refreshing and what I would call a weekday
fizz. Not too complex and easy to drink. A
fabulous summer tipple.
Stockists: Berry Bros & Rudd
Avery’s Cava NV £9.99
I do love a good Cava and this blend of
Parellada, Macabeo and Xarello really hits
the spot. Light, dry and fresh this is a fine
example of a good value Cava. Lush citrus
aromas and then a surprising, creamy
texture with bold bubbles.
Stockists: Avery’s
Adami Bosco di Gica Prosecco
£12.49
It would be rude not to include a Prosecco
and this was the best example at the event.
A blend of Glera and Chardonnay this fizz
really sings. A clean mouth feel that leads
to subtle apple and pear flavours with fine
bubbles. I also had a nice surprise a few
days later when I discovered one in the rack
at home!
Stockists: Bon Coeur Fine Wines
Taittinger Afternoon Tea at
BONBAR
I had heard great things about Bonbar
at the Assembly Rooms in Newcastle,
following a recent £1 million
transformation. My friend Suzanna and I
thought it would be a good opportunity
to try the Taittinger Afternoon Tea there.
I have enjoyed many an afternoon tea,
usually at a country house somewhere
with open fires, china tea cups and
antimacassars. Bonbar looked to offer
something different and less traditional,
with a fabulous Champagne and
sparkling wine menu.
The Assembly Rooms house Bonbar and
are a stones throw from Central Station.
The building is one of grandeur and
opulence with a welcoming terrace at the
entrance. Inside did not disappoint with
a large reception area and staff ready and
waiting to greet you. We were shown to a
lovely large table facing the immense bar.
It’s quite possibly the longest bar I have
ever seen, that housed an eclectic mix of
just about everything. Immediately it
struck me as the type of bar you could
spend all afternoon and also well into
the evening. A glass of Taittinger Brut
Reserve quickly appeared and a glorious
stand of delectable delights soon followed.
The Brut Reserve was excellent with the
salmon and cucumber wraps and Suzanna
Newcastle, UK
happily paired hers with a mini cheese
and pickle sandwich. The Champagne
was suitably refreshing with biscuit notes
with a creamy mousse which made you
go back for more.
I decided to sample the Taittinger
Nocturne, as I felt this would match
the selection of cakes from scones to
meringues to red velvet cake and many
more. The Taittinger Nocturne is a
Sec Champagne and therefore slightly
sweeter in style. It matched the cakes
beautifully with its subtle, mellow
flavours and rich, full mouth feel.
The Nocturne is a gorgeous, seductive
Champagne and a booth at Bonbar is a
great place to enjoy it.
The staff could not have been more
helpful and attentive and are a credit to
the hospitality industry, the service was
faultless without being overly fussy.
Bonbar is most definitely a premier bar in
Newcastle and has so much to offer.
Written by
A Vine Night In
@vinenights
GLASS of BUBBLY
sparkling wine
J
Judy Jordan
VINEYARDS
& WINERY
Melissa Stackhouse
The story of J Vineyards & Winery
begins in 1986, when Judy Jordan
followed her dream of starting a winery
specializing in sparkling wine.
Her belief that soil enriches the flavors
of the fruit of the vine influenced her
pursuit of unique terroir and “a sense
of place” for growing wine grapes. This
journey led her to Sonoma County’s
Russian River Valley, known for cool
climate grape growing and a great
diversity of soils - perfect for tradional
method sparkling wines.
Winemaker Melissa Stackhouse has
an in-depth knowledge of the Russian
River Valley and its unique terroir. As a
certified sustainable winery, everything
that happens in the vineyards affects
winemaking. “Each one of our vineyards
has a unique personality,” she says.
“We are digging deep into the soil to
better understand and encourage the
right expression of flavor for each estate
vineyard.
The unique Russian River Valley terroir
contributes a distinctly American
character with bright fruit, full
mouthfeel and balanced finish to the
sparkling wines.
@JWinery
www.jwine.com
Francesco Zonin
Vice-President of Casa Vinicola Zonin
How long has the Zonin family been making Sparkling wine?
We have been making wines and sparkling wines since 1821. Being from the Veneto
region, it’s actually the first type of wine that my family started making.
What are the key values of Zonin?
Our key values lie in our heritage, commitment, and innovation. We have seven
generations of wine making tradition. The company is managed by my father, Gianni
Zonin and the rest of our family. The Zonin family owns their own vineyards, grows
their own grapes, and bottles their own wines at each estate. We are commited to keep
on the tradition. Innovation is also very important to us as well, to study indigenous
grapes and innovative wines in order to meet the needs of emerging costumers to catch
the attention of both consumers and buyers all over the world.
Which of your sparkling wines would you recommend for the Christmas
and New Year festivities?
Zonin Prosecco of course, it’s light bubbles, freshness, and playfullness makes it the
perfect drink to toast with during the holidays. Two of my other favorites include Zonin
Rosé and Tenuta Ca’Bolani Prosecco.
How do you see the future of Prosecco?
Future of Prosecco is unstoppable… it’s making sparkling wine part of an everyday
drinking repertoire. It will continue to be a success which is attributed to its quality to
price ratio, as well as flavor profile, which is easy to drink, light and refreshing.
Where’s the most memorable place you’ve enjoyed a Glass of Bubbly?
Anytime it involves sharing a glass with friends and family!
About Zonin Prosecco
The Zonin family owns the largest Prosecco vineyards in
Italy and it is from these vineyards that the fruit for Prosecco
is sourced. This control over all aspects of the production
from vineyard to glass allows Zonin to produce the freshest
Prosecco on the market. Prosecco is a lively, sparkling wine
that is essential to having fun Italian style. It is dry and food
friendly and adds an element of festivity to any gathering or
meal. Prosecco’s fresh and fruity flavor profile make it easy
to pair with any kind of food and also makes it a delightful
aperitif.
@ZoninProsecco www.zoninprosecco.com
sparkling wine
Events
The US gives the UK a run for its money drinking bubbly!
Paul Laurie
SPARKLING WINE REVIEW
Champagne exported over
Last300year,
million bottles worldwide,
about 18 million to the United
States. This makes us Champagne’s
largest export market behind the UK.
Americans are drinking a lot more
bubbly these days and producers are
vying for an introduction. I recently
participated in two star-studded San
Francisco tastings where a number of
exceptional Champagnes were poured;
I’ve highlighted my favorites.
The festive season is once again upon
us and it’s the time of year when most
sparkling wine is purchased in the UK.
With all the Christmas parties, Family
Get-­‐togethers and dinners with friends
buying good sparkling wine can get very
expensive. But remember, you don’t
need to “splash the cash” to drink decent
sparkling wine these days. Even though
the world cup is a distant memory
Brazilian sparkling wine is well and truly
here to stay. Still fairly new on the market
Brazilian wines are getting themselves
noticed in the wine trade and hospitality
industry all over the UK. They are now
available on the high street, which is good
news for consumers who want to try
something different from their Prosecco
and Cava.
Coconova sparkling Brut from Vale Do
Sao Francisco in Brazil is what I like to
call a “Party wine” It’s a great bottle of
fizz that you can to take to parties and
get-­‐togethers over the Christmas period.
This wine is clear and pale while lemon in
colour, on the nose clean and light with
a medium intensity and aromas of pear
and green apple. Its an off-­dry wine with
medium acidity, light body and plenty
of bubbles. The first hit is of melon and
mango then a medium finish of biscuit
and almond. This bottle of sparkling is
a great way to show off to your friends
and family with out breaking the bank
balance. I’m sure if you take this bottle of
fizz to any party it would be the talking
point of the night. Just bringing a little
bit of Brazil to the cold winter of the UK.
At The End Of The Day….
Drinking wine comes down to personal
taste and don’t let anyone tell you
different. What I love about wine is there
are so many different grapes, vineyards,
winemakers and varieties of wine that
there is always something for everyone.
Whether you like sweet light bodied
whites or full bodied reds, Prosecco or
Champagne, rose or port. Who is right?
Who is wrong? There is no answer, you
drink which wine you like to drink. I love
to teach people about wine and see their
reaction when they try something new.
This Christmas try something new, Try
Brazilian sparkling wine and I’m sure you
will love it as much as I do.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Available at Marks & Spencer £9
Manager at Pipe of Port wine merchant
and dining rooms in Essex
@Essexwineman
www.pipeofport.com
The Institute of Masters of Wine held
its 10th anniversary North American
Champagne tasting, overlooking the
San Francisco Bay. This was my 8th
year participating and one of my most
anticipated wine events. Exceptional
offerings were organized by style: Nondosage, Non-vintage, Vintage, Blanc de
Blancs and Rose/Blanc de Noir, DemiSec. It is a wonderful opportunity that
always sells out.
The MW tasting always brings impressive
show stoppers and this year was no
exception. The 2004 Bollinger Grand
Annee was fresh as well as traditionally
rich. The 2004 Dom Perignon was
balanced and precise. The 2005 Henriot
Millesime was edgy on the attack, but
delivered a pretty finish. A favorite special
occasion wine, Nicolas Feuillatte Palmes
d’Or Brut, did not disappoint; the 2002
is refined and focused. I had longed to
try the 2002 Piper Heidsieck Rare; it
was exceptional, as was a new discovery,
the 2008 Moussé Fils Blanc de Noirs. I
look forward to trying more from this
producer. The magical 1999 Henriot
Cuvée des Enchanteleurs was ethereal and
one of the night’s highlights for me.
Making a last pass of the NV rosé table,
I took two more pours: Lallier’s Cuvee
Rosé offered structure and finesse. I was
also impressed with Larmandier-Bernier
Rosé de Saignee, which was a bit racier
with bright blood orange. It is made by
directly macerating Pinot Noirs from
Vertus. Spotting someone eying my glass,
I thought the good looking gentleman
wanted my opinion. I pointed to my two
favorites, the Lallier and LarmandierBernier. “These were my two standouts
on this table.” Thinking I was giving
guidance to a novice. “Thank you, I’m so
glad you like my wine!” It was Pierre-Jules
Peyrat, Champagne Lallier, visiting from
Champagne.
On the heels of the MW tasting, the
Champagne Bureau, USA, hosted
their 5th US Champagne tasting,
showcasing more than 100 wines from 37
Champagne brands.
I was familiar with the majority of
producers around the room, but was
delighted to discover Champagne Collet,
whose Grand Cru vineyards are in Ay. A
new experience, I enjoyed both their NV
Art Deco and 2004 Millesime. A terrific
house in Bouzy, Pierre Paillard ages all of
their wines for a minimum of three years
and up to seven for vintage releases. Their
NV Grand Cru Brut has a lovely nose of
apple, crème fraiche and coconut.
Their 2004 Millesime was lovely, as was
the Grand Cru rosé. Nicolas Feuillatte
poured their iconic Palmes d’Or Brut,
2002, as well as their signature NV Brut
Reserve. I was pleased to see Delamotte,
one of Champagne’s oldest houses. It
doesn’t seem to draw the attention it
deserves in the US, probably because
it’s overshadowed by its more famous
sister house, Salon. Their NV Brut
represents about 2/3 of their production,
and it’s really a lovely Champagne that’s
always impressive. I’ve not had sufficient
opportunity to explore Besserat de
Bellefon. Their Cuvee de Moines NV
was outstanding, as well as the Blanc de
Blancs and 2002 Cuvee des Moines.
I am smitten with Champagne Henri
Giraud, who offered their Hommage
à Francois Hémart NV, named for the
house’s founder. The 2004 Argonne
is vinified and aged in Argonne oak,
which is prominent. While Giraud uses
oak from other regions, they believe
the Argonne is the best choice for
Champagne.
Thibaut LeMailloux, Communications
Director of Comité Champagne,
reminded us that Champagne is about
success. For example, Champagne is not a
drink that you have during negotiations,
it is the drink you have to celebrate when
the contract is signed.
With all due respect to Mr. LeMailloux,
I’ll have my Champagne any time,
whether I’m feeling celebratory or sad.
Written by
A Vine NightSpecialist
In
Champagne
@vinenights
GLASS of BUBBLY
rijk
melck
Tucked into the exquisite Knorhoek Valley north of
Stellenbosch, South Africa, Muratie Wine Estate is
under the stewardship of Rijk Melck and his family.
How long have you been making
Sparkling wine?
Muratie has been making a bubbly since 2008.
How do you see the future of South
African sparkling wine?
There is a huge demand for well made bubbly . I think
the discerning customer is constantly searching for a
bubbly that show clear clean fruit,fresh acidity and a
little bottle ageing
What makes your iconic sparkling wine,
Lady Alice so special?
Muratie is one of South Africa’s oldest privately owned
Estates and we have had so many interesting people /
characters that played an important part in the history of
this Estate – Alice or Lady Alice was the wife of Colonel
Stanford ( a politician). Colonel Stanford, along with
his neighbour John X Merriman , spent his week in
the Houses of Parliament in Cape Town ,running the
Union of South Africa whilst Lady Alice was at home on
Muratie keeping the home fires burning and making sure
that there would be garden parties, tennis parties and
other social gatherings at Muratie on weekends.
What food pairing would you suggest
for your Limited Edition ‘Lady Alice MCC
Rose’ sparkling wine?
Fresh oysters ,fresh Norwegian salmon,hard to beat .Sushi
follows close behind this.
Where’s the most memorable place
you’ve enjoyed a Glass of Bubbly?
Each and every glass of bubbly that I drink is a memorable
one. It is very hard to think of a particular occasion.
I drink bubbly on any occasion, in celebration of life,
friendship.
www.muratie.co.za
Property For Sale
Alendale, Uckfield Lane, Hever, Kent TN8 7LJ
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.
@glassofbubbly
Freehold £1,250,000
A beautifully finished detached property allowing versatile living.
The property consists of six reception rooms, two kitchens, three
bathrooms and a utility room on the ground floor. The first floor
consists of a master suite, two bedrooms & a bathroom. There
is a large laid to lawn garden, woodland area, heated outdoor
swimming pool and sun deck. The property boasts a large driveway
and an abundance of period features, as well as a detached studio
ideal as a gym, club house, den or home office.
Haxted Mill, Haxted Road, Edenbridge, Kent TN8 6PU
Freehold £999,995
A once in a lifetime opportunity to become, in my eyes, the proud
owner of one of the most beautiful locations nestled in the idyllic
Eden Valley, Haxted Mill - a Grade II listed 16th century former
flour mill & detached sdtable with planning permission to convert
to a 3 bedroom residence. The properties transmit an ambiance of
tranquillity, beauty and warmth. Facing due south and with west
facing sunsets, greenbelt countryside and a terrace overlooking the
River Eden provides not only spectacular views, but a private haven
within the Surrey & Kent borders.
Located 5 miles from Oxted town centre where there are a range
of shopping facilities, mainline railway station with train services to
London, 30 minutes, & Croydon, 15 minutes, as well as a modern
sports centre, allowing the Mill to remain well connected without
the hustle and bustle of city life.
edenbridge@legrys.com LeGrys Havelock, 90 High
01732 866150 Street, Edenbridge, Kent,
www.legrys.com TN8 5AR
Win!
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Published by GlassofBubbly.com
Issue 3 October/November 2014
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Glass of Bubbly
Champagne & Sparkling Wine Magazine
Celebrity Interviews
Including Nico Santucci,
Oz Clarke, Carole Matthews and
Michael Duberry
Win
Illinois
Champagne
Afternoon Tea
at Searcys
Sparkling Wine Co.
Treasures of
English Sparkling
Wine
Champagne:
Fizzing with Fallacy
Charles
Heidsieck
The Legendary Champagne
An Italian Glass
of Bubbly
Photography by Warren & Nick
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PERRIER-JOUËT, THE ALLURING CHAMPAGNE
Since its foundation in 1811, the champagne house Perrier-Jouët has crafted elegant, floral wines of rare
finesse with a Chardonnay hallmark. The elegance of thecuvees echoes that of the Art Nouveau anemones
adorning the Belle Epoque bottle and offers moments of pure delight and beauty. www.perrier-jouet.com
“Love makes no conditions”- G. Casanova
www.proseccocasanova.com