Happy International Chardonnay Day (May 25th) and What is Blanc de Blancs Champagne

First of all Blanc de Blancs is a French term that means “white from whites”, and is used to designate Champagnes made exclusively from Chardonnay grapes.

Secondly – Champagne Geography – the key districts for Blanc de Blancs are the Côte des Blancs and Côte de Sézanne. The Côte des Blancs is particularly famous for its Chardonnay and yield the best examples of this style. The six grand cru villages include: Avize, Chouilly, Cramant, Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, Oger and Oiry. In Champagne, unlike Burgundy, the grand cru classification is linked to its villages and not vineyards. The designation denotes not only the highest-quality grapes—but also, generally, those that command the highest prices.

Thirdly, the differences in aromas and flavors are attributable to terroir. For instance, the Côte de Sézanne tends to yield riper fruit, hence riper wines. Other differences are the result of winemaking techniques, the degree of dosage, and other variables.

A classic Blanc de Blancs is restrained and elegant when its young, yet with ageing, it develops a mouth-coating brioche richness that overlays an intense expression of fruitiness.

Blanc de blancs Champagne is vibrant in its acidity it wants nothing more than to throw itself into comfort foods, seafood, and fried foods.

Producers include Salon, Billecart-Salmon, Jacques Selosse, Dom Ruinart, Krug, Guy Larmandier, Champagne R&L Legras, Champagne Henriot, Pol Roger, Krug, Louis Roederer, Dom Ruinart, Vilmart, Taittinger, and J. de Telmont  – also seek out smaller producers, you will be surprised and delighted.

It’s Official: Prelude “Grands Crus” Taittinger is now served on Singapore Airlines, Business Class

Business Class customers on Singapore Airlines can now enjoy the exquisite taste of Prelude “Grands Crus” from the house of Taittinger.

Produced by one of the few remaining family-owned champagne houses, Prelude “Grands Crus” is made with the first pressings of an equal portion of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes, selected from Grand Cru vineyards.

“We’re pleased to be offering Taittinger Prelude “Grands Crus” to our Business Class customers. Prelude “Grands Crus” is made solely from the best Grand Cru vineyards in the Taittinger family’s own estate and is then aged for more than five years in their cellars. For elegance in the glass and exclusivity in the air, this is something really special,” said Singapore Airlines Wine Panel member Oz Clarke.

“Our new Business Class offering is testament to the lengths we go to for our customers to enjoy champagne from one of the best vineyards in the world. This outstanding champagne is a joyous blend of finesse and complexity, which will certainly delight the most discerning palates,” said Senior Vice President Product & Services, Mr Tan Pee Teck.

Over 194,000 bottles of champagne are consumed on Singapore Airlines flights annually. Currently, Singapore Airlines is the only airline that serves two other prestige cuvées, Dom Perignon and Krug Grand Cuvée.

Champagne Brands Eye China

Moët & Chandon, Veuve Clicquot, Taittinger and other champagne houses could spearhead a move into China, in an indication of changing tastes.

Robert Beynat, chief executive of Vinexpo, was speaking to the Wall Street Journal following the publication of a new study.

99.5% of wine currently consumed in still wine. “The Chinese ignore the sparkling wines right now,” Beynat said.

He attributed this to a shortage of marketing by the champagne industry, and said leading brands would play an important future role in educating Chinese consumers about sparkling wines.

The overall growth in wine consumption in China is expected to slow to 39.6% over the next four years, compared with the 142% increase seen between 2007 and 2011.

Vinexpo expects 252m cases of wine to be consumed annually in China by 2016, up from 159m in 2011.

Beynat said the slowdown was a natural correction after the explosion in demand witnessed in China in recent years.

Nonetheless, he anticipated that the country would remain a growth story, as he pointed out China is expected to become the world’s sixth largest wine producer in 2016, ahead of Chile and Australia. “The more you produce, the more you drink,” he noted.

French wines still rule the Chinese market, accounting for around 48% of imports in terms of volume.

China’s per capita consumption is predicted to increase from 1.4 litres of wine per person to 2.1 litres over the next three years. This remains far behind France, the top nation on this metric, at 53.2 litres per person.

Source: AFP/Wall Street Journal

Taittinger is the Champagne of choice for SAG Awards

During the 18th Annual Screen Actor Guild Awards ceremony behind the scenes event at The Shrine Auditorium Champagne Taittinger is the Champagne of choice.

The results are in after months and weeks of voting, Hollywood’s actors finally name their picks for the best performances in the films and TV shows of 2011 at the annual Screen Actors Guild Awards.

The SAG honors, which are closely watched in the race for Oscars, follow the Golden Globe, Critics’ Choice given by media watchers, as well as acknowledgements from the U.S. Producers Guild and Directors Guild, which represent their respective professional groups in industry matters.

The SAG Awards are a key barometer of which films and actors have a good chance at winning Oscars, the world’s top film honors given on February 26 by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, because performers make up the largest voting branch of the academy.

The SAG Awards air on U.S. TV on Sunday night from Los Angeles on cable networks TNT and TBS, and on Global Television in Canada.

Liz Palmer
@Champagnehouses

Champagne Bar Launch: “Bubble in Paris” at Hilton Arc de Triomphe exclusive with Taittinger Champagne

Hilton Arc de Triomphe Paris has partnered with Taittinger Champagne to create “Bubble in Paris” a Champagne bar that resembles a life-size snow globe – what fun!

The translucent bar was designed by Jean-Hugues de Chatillon, who drew inspiration from the mythical realm of Narnia, to bottle a miniature winter wonderland.

The 16-foot tall dome will house an all-white, central, circular bar, a lounge that can accommodate 35, and is open now through New Year’s Eve.

WHAT TO ORDER: the signature special €25 for a glass of Taittinger Champagne.

Liz Palmer
@champagnehouses