Category: Champagne

Winston’s Champagne Bar – A Step Back In Time

Brian Gefter and Michael Satsky, club entrepreneurs, who cater to international clientele, recently opened Winston’s Champagne Bar. This elegant opulent champagne-only bar is located beneath the Gansevoort Park Hotel, New York.

THE LOOK:
The petite airy space evokes 1940s opulence with black reflective surfaces, Napoleonic wallpaper, bubble chandeliers, a yellow Schumann piano, and A cozy balcony which reached up a circular staircase.

PLAYLIST:
Cocktail music from the 1940’s fills the air while you enjoy your Champagne sipping.

THE FIZZ:
There are over 100 choices from 20 houses. Including the Grande Marque, there is also an emphasis on grower Champagnes, including: Billiot, Egly Ouriet and Jacques Selosse, and the finds by the glass prove to be a great adventure, including Godmé and Agrapart.

WHO GOES:
Men in dark, conservative attire. Some women in suits, lots with over plunging necklines, others slither about in reptilian-print leggings.

THE VERDICT:
Timeless luxury! It’s for the jet-set crowd that’s already arrived.

Winston’s Champagne Bar
420 Park Avenue South (East 29th Street)
(212) 929-9070
winstonschampagnebar.com
Open daily from 5 p.m. to 4 a.m.

Liz Palmer
@champagnehouses

Pop-up Symphony at Searcys Champagne Bar St Pancras Grand – Europe’s longest Champagne bar

This past week, to the surprise of Searcys Champagne Bar St Pancras Grand patrons, and travelers of Pancras Grand a ‘Pop-Up’ rendition of the finale of Beethoven’s 9th Symphony at St Pancras International was performed.

Patrons and travelers were serenaded by the BBC Symphony Orchestra and massed choir, led by the BBC SO Principal Guest Conductor David Robertson performing one of the greatest European anthems of all time – ‘Ode to Joy’.

Ailish Tynan, Daniela Lehner, Allan Clayton and James Rutherford make up the quartet of soloists for this unique performance, which heralds the most in-depth exploration of the Symphony ever undertaken by the BBC.

“Ode to have been lucky to have been there!”

Not only is Searcys Champagne Bar St Pancras Grand the largest Champagne bar in Europe, I have found it to have the largest selection of Grande Marque houses in the UK, with 20 offerings by-the-glass.

Liz Palmer
@champagnehouses

Kate Del Castillo Becomes Moet Champagne Spokeswoman

The holidays are fast approaching, so expect plenty of champagne toasts in the next few weeks. And if you happen to live in Houston or Los Angeles, you may be able to clink a glass of bubbly with Kate del Castillo. The La Reina del Sur star is now “officially” a spokeswoman for Moet.

Kate will be participating in the “Estrella de Moet” campaign, which has her making several live appearances at champagne retail outlets. Customers who happen to be there on the right day and at the right time will get to meet del Castillo and join her for a spirited toast.

“I’m honored to be working with Moet and excited to toast with my fans in celebration of the holiday season,” Kate happily said in a recent statement.

As of right now, her appearance locations are being kept under wraps. What we do know is that del Castillo will be promoting the bubbly in Houston on November 11-12 and in Los Angeles during early December. So if you see a limo in the BevMo parking lot during that time, grab your camera and give our regards to Kate!

Liz Palmer
@champagnehouses

Moët & Chandon Unveiled As Official Champagne Of The ATP World Tour

The ATP and Moët & Chandon has announced a 3-year agreement that brings Moët & Chandon on board as the Official Champagne of the ATP World Tour.

As part of the agreement, Moët & Chandon will become a global sponsor of the ATP World Tour, a Gold Sponsor of the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals at The O2 in London, and the official presenting sponsor of the annual ATP World Tour Awards. In addition, Moët & Chandon will sponsor a new exclusive red carpet charity gala to kick off the ATP’s crown jewel event in London, hosted by Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity on 17th November at Battersea Power Station.

Focused on celebrating memorable moments on the ATP World Tour throughout the season, the sponsorship will be activated through a range of promotional initiatives onsite at tournaments, across ATP digital channels, and the ATP’s weekly TV magazine show, ATP World Tour Uncovered.

Adam Helfant, ATP Executive Chairman and President, said: “We happily welcome Moët & Chandon as the new official champagne of the ATP World Tour and Barclays ATP World Tour Finals. Moët & Chandon is a global luxury brand that fits perfectly with the game of tennis. We look forward to celebrating many great moments together and raising money for an important cause this November.”

“Showcasing success is one of Moët & Chandon’s original values, and one which clearly resonates at ATP World Tour events. Tennis, in addition to brilliant matches and victories on court, is a perfect complement to our partnership with cinema, offering red carpet moments of its own, and providing new opportunities to share the magic of Moët & Chandon with the world,” noted Daniel Lalonde President and CEO of Moët & Chandon.

Philippe Sereys de Rothschild attends Halpern Portfolio Tasting October 27, 2011

It’s been an open secret for several years now — the Rothschild family has embarked on a new venture in Champagne. Last week, Philippe Sereys de Rothschild, the chairman of the project, was in New York to launch Champagne Barons de Rothschild. The Champagne unites three different branches of the family: Benjamin, a Geneva banker who also owns Château Clarke; Eric, owner of Château Lafite Rothschild and several other estates; and Philippe, whose mother is Baroness Philippine de Rothschild, owner of Château Mouton Rothschild.

“For years, we had thought, ‘What could we do together? What could be fun?’” says de Rothschild. In 2005, the family toured the Côtes des Blancs and met vignerons they wanted to work with; then they tapped the technical expertise of Coopérative Vinicole de Vertus to make the wine.

The three current releases include a NV Brut, NV Blanc de Blancs and NV Rosé. All are well made, with the Blanc de Blancs a touch richer and creamier thanks to a bit more aging, but even the brut and rosé are aged four years prior to disgorging and then another nine months prior to release. “As soon as we decide to call it Champagne de Rothschild, there’s no discussion—we have to have the quality,” says de Rothschild.