There is a house which I always have to check the spelling of. Honestly, to present day, I really don't know where and when to duplicate the 'n's and the 'p's .
But what I know, that the house is one of my many favourites. Yes, one might ask, how does it compete in the realm of noble fizz? The truth is, that its does not!
The one thing about champagne that most people misunderstand, isn't the competition about who is the best, because, as I had suggested before, the best hasn't really got a measurable unit. Champagne is more about identity.
Philipponnat is a wicked, often too undestated a tipple, largely consumed in Italy, that is one of the greatest flirts in Champagne; the elegance, the body, the bouquet, the length, the balance the richness and classic expression makes it one of the most favourite champagnes of my life. With its traditional focus of production its identity lingers between the giants of Louis Roederer and Bollinger. I hated writing that, because it does not do Philipponnat justice in its elegance which by far exceeds that of Bollinger (and Bollinger has a 'love me or hate me' attitude), solely because it is extremely understated, and with Louis, it has far more intensity which the classic method of production brings forward.
I have tasted the entire range of Philipponnat, but I haven't really drunk all of them; after all I only have one liver.
:)
Tuesday, 9 August 2016
CHAMPAGNE
What is Champagne if we discard the ever-so-confusing concept of it?
From my experience, Champagne largely delivers, and in fact to be brave, it exceeds our expectations; regretably OFTEN. Worse, however, is, that Champagne sets the bar so high, which it OFTEN naturally exceeds it, that our disappointment of it, should it fail to deliver, deepens profoundly.
My initial phrase is altered, albeit borrowed from Leo Tolstoy, who questioned: What is art if we discard the ever-so-confusing concept of beauty?
To ruin the allure, to ruin everything I knew of Champagne when I found out what it was, I realised, that Champagne isn't really just a drink but it is people! This however, made my quest to undestand it a lot more difficult; instead of understanding Champagne, I had to learn to understand people; through Champagne.
Although with great disdain of myself I must confess that Champagne became somewhat secondary, and my interest in understanding people's motivations to drink it, to slander it, to rave about it to succumb it deepened beyond expectations. I had absolutely no clue, that through Champagne I would be exploring peoples' motivations to drink it, to love it and ultimately create the myth and the allure around it.
But why is it so, that Champagne, discarding the bubbles still holds such a profound place in our lives? Yes, marketing aside, because Champagne became bigger much before marketing was even an option of business, it does make me wonder if Champagne wasn't actually the birth place of both, marketing and brand identity development.
My intention is to keep my reader in suspence; partly because I want to add value to the discovery, but to be realistic, it is crucial to understand that Champagne as a drink is totally subject to our views, not the other way around.
Think, drink, believe Champagne.
From my experience, Champagne largely delivers, and in fact to be brave, it exceeds our expectations; regretably OFTEN. Worse, however, is, that Champagne sets the bar so high, which it OFTEN naturally exceeds it, that our disappointment of it, should it fail to deliver, deepens profoundly.
My initial phrase is altered, albeit borrowed from Leo Tolstoy, who questioned: What is art if we discard the ever-so-confusing concept of beauty?
To ruin the allure, to ruin everything I knew of Champagne when I found out what it was, I realised, that Champagne isn't really just a drink but it is people! This however, made my quest to undestand it a lot more difficult; instead of understanding Champagne, I had to learn to understand people; through Champagne.
Although with great disdain of myself I must confess that Champagne became somewhat secondary, and my interest in understanding people's motivations to drink it, to slander it, to rave about it to succumb it deepened beyond expectations. I had absolutely no clue, that through Champagne I would be exploring peoples' motivations to drink it, to love it and ultimately create the myth and the allure around it.
But why is it so, that Champagne, discarding the bubbles still holds such a profound place in our lives? Yes, marketing aside, because Champagne became bigger much before marketing was even an option of business, it does make me wonder if Champagne wasn't actually the birth place of both, marketing and brand identity development.
My intention is to keep my reader in suspence; partly because I want to add value to the discovery, but to be realistic, it is crucial to understand that Champagne as a drink is totally subject to our views, not the other way around.
Think, drink, believe Champagne.
Thursday, 28 July 2016
CHAMPAGNE - VERY SPECIAL THANKS FOR THE 13TH CHAMPAGNE YEAR
Without a shadow of doubt I am thrilled about a few things this past Champagne Year and unlike normally, when I do all the hard work, this year I have a few very interesting people to thank for their contribution to my Champagne experience.
My former colleague and, now, a friend Agniezska Nemiec I should like to thank for being so brave and selfless of running the risk of depriving herself of the greatest experience of her life, which happened to turn out to be one of my longterm ambitions and she knew how much it meant to me.
Mr. Bertrand Verduzier of Gosset for being so wonderfully patient with me and my questions when I was at Gosset.
Elodie (I have forgotten her surname) of Joseph Perrier for enabling me to understand another Champagne house a lot more.
Sonya (also forgotten her surname) of Bollinger for a wonderful trip through the cellars and managing to organise, at last minute, visit to Ayala
Philipponnat and Ayala, I have to put in one bucket - completely my fault - because I have forgotten the names of the ladies that did the tours for me. But what a blast! Thank you!
Mr. Dennis Bunner of Bollinger for his extensive knowledge to which I was lucky enough to tap for a very short period of time and have many of my uncertainties clarified.
Thank you all for contributing to what I now call 'my Champagne renaissance'.
13TH INTERNATIONAL CHAMPAGNE DAY - CHAMPAGNE HOLIDAY - 365 RECAP
So here we go. Another year down and another year to look back and think what was so astonishing to drink!
The 13th year started for me with the notion that the likelihood of my drinking excessive amount of champagne was coming to an end. I was ambitious, and I was more interested in just cutting down on booze full stop.
I failed, in certain respects. Especially when it comes to Champagne. But where I failed I realised that the silver lining was in experiencing my own Champagne renaissance, as well as comprehend a few more things about it.
I have tasted a few very interesting Champagnes. I have also drunk a few of those as well, only to realise that tasting is no good for me, and I don't think tasting, God forbid spit, is the right way to appreciate Champagne. Even if one has years of experience, one bottle is the perfect size for one person to actually have the best chance of appreciating the wine.
The 13th year also gave me the opportunity to assess people's motivational choices. My sample was quite small (in psychology this would probably be deemed sufficient) and perhaps a little too mono-cultural but through that I had made some very startling discoveries of that one particular culture. Obviously, various cultures have different attitudes toward Champagne. About that I will talk about in the book. I had the pleasure of talking to other nationalities but one, surprisingly, astonished me. Perhaps in my convoluted manner I made my point addressing my findings in previous entries so I shan't polute this article with it.
So, Philipponnat, Bollinger, Ayala, Gosset, Pierre Gimmonet, Drapier, Pol Roger, Joseph Perrier, Charles Heidsieck, Moet et Chandon and about 20 small producer were all the wines I had the great pleasure of tasting and some of them I drank.
And who stood out of it all? An you will be surprised!
1. Moet et Chandon - this must be the worst Champagne I have ever had. I really don't remember it being so revolting. Why on earth would anyone want to spend money on this? There are better sparkling wines at half the price!
2. Drapier Brut Nature, no sulphites - Blanc des Noirs - WOW! What a wine! Big, bold, beautiful, elegant. Elegantly combining power of pinot noir and rocks a lengthy elegance! These sort of the words I would normally reserve for Bollinger La Grande Annee, but this wine, truly set me back. I have had the vintage and the non-vintage wines from Drapier this year, but the straight pinot noir ROCKS!
3. Ayala really surprised me this year. When I first had it, 10 years ago, I had just found out that Bollinger had acquired the house. The bottle I drank in 2006 would have been put on lees around 2003 and Bollinger had no influence, but when I went to Ayala in February, I could not be more surprised at how high the quality had become. Yes, Champagne tastes slight better in Champagne, so I got a bottle in Dublin, only to discover it was the old label. Normally this is fine, but as I later relayed to the Irish importer, Ayala, needs to be drunk fresh and not bottle aged - age kills the delicate white fruits and lovely flowers!
4. Gosset -Petit Doucer Rose - Extra Dry - This wine encapsulates what I used to dislike about Champagne - pink and sweet. But I have changed and so has my appreciation of Champagne. Nevertheless, I was taken aback by how perfectly balanced, how wonderfully flirtatious, lively, and addictively drinkable this wine was! This wine is most definitely one of the greatest surprises ever since my Champagne records began. Oh Billecart - Salmon Rose has in this wine a serious, a very serious competition!
5. Gosset - Grand Blanc - Blanc des Blancs - I have reviewed this wine shortly after it came out on to the market and in fact I did a dual 'tasting' (drinking morelike) with Vilmart. But how stupid, perhaps too enthusiastic or passionate, was I! I knew that with Gosset I might need to wait a few years for the wine to show its potential just as was the case with my first Celebris but only years showed me how well the wine developed! One of the greatest expressions of Chardonnay I have ever tasted. Burgundy - MOVE OVER!
6. Joseph Perrier - Rose - NV - what are fruity surprise was this! A profound strawberry galore! Nothing more to add! Enjoy!
7. Bollinger - This is not a deliberate attempt to leave the best for last! Bollinger this year ignited the spark of my own Champagne renaissance. And it was Bollinger that sparked my own 'naissance' in Champagne. I might have experienced 'love-at-first-sip' myself with Grande Annee 1995 (that year did not have the definite article) which is of course unforgettable, but when at Bollinger, I notice that one of our company experienced the same. I was chuffed to have noticed it, but now, I just pity the person. To have such a profound life experience and have no other choice but to relegate to memories is a sad state of affairs. This should be enough about Bollinger, although, not entirely wine related entry, but since in retrospect this experience in and of Champagne stood out it would would be unfair to just shelve it.
8. Lanson, Millessime 2000, Blanc des Blancs - One word: SUPER!
THINK, DRINK, BELIEVE CHAMPAGNE!
Peter
The 13th year started for me with the notion that the likelihood of my drinking excessive amount of champagne was coming to an end. I was ambitious, and I was more interested in just cutting down on booze full stop.
I failed, in certain respects. Especially when it comes to Champagne. But where I failed I realised that the silver lining was in experiencing my own Champagne renaissance, as well as comprehend a few more things about it.
I have tasted a few very interesting Champagnes. I have also drunk a few of those as well, only to realise that tasting is no good for me, and I don't think tasting, God forbid spit, is the right way to appreciate Champagne. Even if one has years of experience, one bottle is the perfect size for one person to actually have the best chance of appreciating the wine.
The 13th year also gave me the opportunity to assess people's motivational choices. My sample was quite small (in psychology this would probably be deemed sufficient) and perhaps a little too mono-cultural but through that I had made some very startling discoveries of that one particular culture. Obviously, various cultures have different attitudes toward Champagne. About that I will talk about in the book. I had the pleasure of talking to other nationalities but one, surprisingly, astonished me. Perhaps in my convoluted manner I made my point addressing my findings in previous entries so I shan't polute this article with it.
So, Philipponnat, Bollinger, Ayala, Gosset, Pierre Gimmonet, Drapier, Pol Roger, Joseph Perrier, Charles Heidsieck, Moet et Chandon and about 20 small producer were all the wines I had the great pleasure of tasting and some of them I drank.
And who stood out of it all? An you will be surprised!
1. Moet et Chandon - this must be the worst Champagne I have ever had. I really don't remember it being so revolting. Why on earth would anyone want to spend money on this? There are better sparkling wines at half the price!
2. Drapier Brut Nature, no sulphites - Blanc des Noirs - WOW! What a wine! Big, bold, beautiful, elegant. Elegantly combining power of pinot noir and rocks a lengthy elegance! These sort of the words I would normally reserve for Bollinger La Grande Annee, but this wine, truly set me back. I have had the vintage and the non-vintage wines from Drapier this year, but the straight pinot noir ROCKS!
3. Ayala really surprised me this year. When I first had it, 10 years ago, I had just found out that Bollinger had acquired the house. The bottle I drank in 2006 would have been put on lees around 2003 and Bollinger had no influence, but when I went to Ayala in February, I could not be more surprised at how high the quality had become. Yes, Champagne tastes slight better in Champagne, so I got a bottle in Dublin, only to discover it was the old label. Normally this is fine, but as I later relayed to the Irish importer, Ayala, needs to be drunk fresh and not bottle aged - age kills the delicate white fruits and lovely flowers!
4. Gosset -Petit Doucer Rose - Extra Dry - This wine encapsulates what I used to dislike about Champagne - pink and sweet. But I have changed and so has my appreciation of Champagne. Nevertheless, I was taken aback by how perfectly balanced, how wonderfully flirtatious, lively, and addictively drinkable this wine was! This wine is most definitely one of the greatest surprises ever since my Champagne records began. Oh Billecart - Salmon Rose has in this wine a serious, a very serious competition!
5. Gosset - Grand Blanc - Blanc des Blancs - I have reviewed this wine shortly after it came out on to the market and in fact I did a dual 'tasting' (drinking morelike) with Vilmart. But how stupid, perhaps too enthusiastic or passionate, was I! I knew that with Gosset I might need to wait a few years for the wine to show its potential just as was the case with my first Celebris but only years showed me how well the wine developed! One of the greatest expressions of Chardonnay I have ever tasted. Burgundy - MOVE OVER!
6. Joseph Perrier - Rose - NV - what are fruity surprise was this! A profound strawberry galore! Nothing more to add! Enjoy!
7. Bollinger - This is not a deliberate attempt to leave the best for last! Bollinger this year ignited the spark of my own Champagne renaissance. And it was Bollinger that sparked my own 'naissance' in Champagne. I might have experienced 'love-at-first-sip' myself with Grande Annee 1995 (that year did not have the definite article) which is of course unforgettable, but when at Bollinger, I notice that one of our company experienced the same. I was chuffed to have noticed it, but now, I just pity the person. To have such a profound life experience and have no other choice but to relegate to memories is a sad state of affairs. This should be enough about Bollinger, although, not entirely wine related entry, but since in retrospect this experience in and of Champagne stood out it would would be unfair to just shelve it.
8. Lanson, Millessime 2000, Blanc des Blancs - One word: SUPER!
THINK, DRINK, BELIEVE CHAMPAGNE!
Peter
Monday, 25 July 2016
CHAMPAGNE - WHERE YOU WON'T BE RIPPED OFF.
It is always difficult to find a decent shop that consistently provides the same range at a reasonable price.
I have lived in a few places but I can only vouch for a handful of shops that have the best selection for the best price and consistently.
Here is the list of wine shops that meet my criteria:
1. Vinmonopolet (Vika) - Oslo, Norway - in all honesty this is ultimately the best shop with the best prices and best selection and even the staff occassionally know what they are talking about.
2. The Vintage House (Soho) - London, United Kingdom - this is my favourite shop which almost always has something interesting on the shelves and all are very well priced.
3. Celtic Whiskey Shop - Dublin, ROI - an unlikely place to find a good wine shop but for 10 years this place has provided with a very good selection with very good pricing.
4. The Newport Bottler - Newport Beach, Sydney, Australia - almost as good The Vintage House in Soho, but still great selection with some very rare and very interesting vintages.
5. Clontarf Bottle Shop - Clontarf, Sydney, Australia - the greatest thing about this shop is that you can drive inside pick up a bottle and drive off. The selection is very good but not extremely extensive but still very well priced.
There are so many wine shops I have been to, and so many I have frequented but these 5 genuinely stand out.
So wherever you might be, I am sure you will, of course I shall, find a bottle of something for the next, International Champagne Day.
I have lived in a few places but I can only vouch for a handful of shops that have the best selection for the best price and consistently.
Here is the list of wine shops that meet my criteria:
1. Vinmonopolet (Vika) - Oslo, Norway - in all honesty this is ultimately the best shop with the best prices and best selection and even the staff occassionally know what they are talking about.
2. The Vintage House (Soho) - London, United Kingdom - this is my favourite shop which almost always has something interesting on the shelves and all are very well priced.
3. Celtic Whiskey Shop - Dublin, ROI - an unlikely place to find a good wine shop but for 10 years this place has provided with a very good selection with very good pricing.
4. The Newport Bottler - Newport Beach, Sydney, Australia - almost as good The Vintage House in Soho, but still great selection with some very rare and very interesting vintages.
5. Clontarf Bottle Shop - Clontarf, Sydney, Australia - the greatest thing about this shop is that you can drive inside pick up a bottle and drive off. The selection is very good but not extremely extensive but still very well priced.
There are so many wine shops I have been to, and so many I have frequented but these 5 genuinely stand out.
So wherever you might be, I am sure you will, of course I shall, find a bottle of something for the next, International Champagne Day.
Saturday, 9 July 2016
CHAMPAGNE - THE PRICE
You can look at this problem from the one and only angle and that is money.
It is true that champagne is not cheap, and in fact it is quite expensive. Would I invest all the money into again if I had it all again? If I knew how it would enrich my life, I would, without any hesitation. But I don't think people set out to drink Champagne to learn something; in that I was probably one of the very few. Drinking gave me what no degree ever will; the experience and even though I studied, the drinking was a discovery and to my loss the discoveries left for me are too few now.
I am one of the few who geniunely wanted to discover Champagne and in the course of the years I realised that I had to choose. I could not have it all, so I stuck to Champagne.
When it comes to money, one thing is for sure and that price will determine the extent of satisfaction.
There is an age old saying 'Champagne taste, but beer budget'; in order to have a champagne taste you need to drink champagne so this does not really hold true. In a marginal way, yes, there is a compromise, and it is called prosecco, but I will leave it to those who care about it. I don't. There has been an increased number people who wants champagne but don't want to pay for it. Even though they could afford it.
If I take my ratio of free bottle versus number of purchased bottles, you are looking at 1 to 100 and that is an optimistic estimate.
So in very simple terms, if you want champagne you have to buy it and if you want to drink champagne daily you have to buy it daily. And just in case a reminder is needed, all hobbies are costly.
Cheers!
It is true that champagne is not cheap, and in fact it is quite expensive. Would I invest all the money into again if I had it all again? If I knew how it would enrich my life, I would, without any hesitation. But I don't think people set out to drink Champagne to learn something; in that I was probably one of the very few. Drinking gave me what no degree ever will; the experience and even though I studied, the drinking was a discovery and to my loss the discoveries left for me are too few now.
I am one of the few who geniunely wanted to discover Champagne and in the course of the years I realised that I had to choose. I could not have it all, so I stuck to Champagne.
When it comes to money, one thing is for sure and that price will determine the extent of satisfaction.
There is an age old saying 'Champagne taste, but beer budget'; in order to have a champagne taste you need to drink champagne so this does not really hold true. In a marginal way, yes, there is a compromise, and it is called prosecco, but I will leave it to those who care about it. I don't. There has been an increased number people who wants champagne but don't want to pay for it. Even though they could afford it.
If I take my ratio of free bottle versus number of purchased bottles, you are looking at 1 to 100 and that is an optimistic estimate.
So in very simple terms, if you want champagne you have to buy it and if you want to drink champagne daily you have to buy it daily. And just in case a reminder is needed, all hobbies are costly.
Cheers!
POL ROGER 2006
I think I have to give this wine a third chance in order to come to some sort of conclusion. Whilst 2004 stood out by far, actually similarly to 1999, and to be honest I don't think I drank their 2002, the 2006 wasn't as sensational.
Maybe I am insane to commit to getting another bottle but it is Pol Roger after all.
Maybe I am insane to commit to getting another bottle but it is Pol Roger after all.
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