Tag: Champagne

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Louis Roederer Champagne Rosé

Louis Roederer Champagne Rosé 2016
Louis Roederer Champagne Rosé 2016
Click here for tasting notes.

Louis Roederer Champagne Rosé 2016

Louis Roederer [Road-ur-ur], a distinguished champagne producer situated in Reims, France, traces its origins back to 1776, when it began as Dubois Père & Fils. While its early days were marked by still wine production, the focus soon evolved to embrace the art of crafting fine champagnes. The business underwent a transformation under the stewardship of Louis Roederer in 1833 when he not only inherited but also renamed the company for himself.  He boldly ventured into international markets, focusing particularly on Russia. This endeavor gained him immense recognition, including from Tsar Nicolas II, who appointed Louis Roederer as the official wine provider to the Imperial Court of Russia.

Created in 1876, the wine made for Nicolas’ grandfather, Alexander II, was the first Cuvée de Prestige (Prestige Cuvée) of Champagne and is called Cristal, referring to the unusual clear glass of the bottle. The Tsar had pointed out to his sommelier that the design of a standard champagne bottle made the beautiful color and effervescence of champagne invisible to the eye. He therefore instructed Roederer that his personal cuvée be served in bottles made of transparent crystal glass with a flat bottom (allegedly to foil the insertion of explosives in the indentation by would-be assassins) to remedy this defect. Thus was Cristal born, and the first notion of a premium cuvée. For more than a century, the appearance of the patented Cristal bottle has remained unchanged. After the fall of the Russian monarchy in 1917, Roederer decided to continue producing Cristal and to market it internationally, and it remains one of the world’s most sought-after champagnes in the world.

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Charpentier Tradition Brut Champagne

Charpentier Champagne
Charpentier Champagne Tradition Brut
Click here for tasting notes.

CharpentierTradition Brut Champagne

For one hundred and fifty years, the Charpentiers have been cultivating their vineyards in the Champagne region on the south hillsides of the Marne valley.  Léonidas Charpentier ran a farm at Saulchery, a village near to Charly sur Marne. His business flourished very well, because his most important customers were the coach drivers who rowed their boats with the help of horses along the river La Marne to bring their goods to Paris. This is the reason why the carriage became the house logo. The coach is driving through the gate of Time, from the past into the future, from tradition to modernity.

Starting in 1920, the first Charpentier wines were a white and a red wine (a still wine at that time) called “fromenteau,” a wine made with Pinot Meunier, appreciated for its freshness and its fruitfulness.

In 1974, Jean Marc married Claudine, a winegrower’s daughter at Charly-Sur-Marne, a Champagne house for five generations as well.

The union of the vineyards of the two families established without doubt an extraordinary asset. The four parcels, Les Chauffours, Les Chaillots, Les Tuileries, and Les Gains are very favorably placed in the middle of their hillsides.

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Louis Roederer Champagne

Click here for tasting notes.

Louis Roederer Champagne 2015

Louis Roederer [Road-ur-ur], a distinguished champagne producer situated in Reims, France, traces its origins back to 1776, when it began as Dubois Père & Fils. While its early days were marked by still wine production, the focus soon evolved to embrace the art of crafting fine champagnes. The business underwent a transformation under the stewardship of Louis Roederer in 1833 when he not only inherited but also renamed the company for himself.  He boldly ventured into international markets, focusing particularly on Russia. This endeavor gained him immense recognition, including from Tsar Nicolas II, who appointed Louis Roederer as the official wine provider to the Imperial Court of Russia.

Created in 1876, the wine made for Nicolas’ grandfather, Alexander II, was the first Cuvée de Prestige (Prestige Cuvée) of Champagne and is called Cristal, referring to the unusual clear glass of the bottle. The Tsar had pointed out to his sommelier that the design of a standard champagne bottle made the beautiful color and effervescence of champagne invisible to the eye. He therefore instructed Roederer that his personal cuvée be served in bottles made of transparent crystal glass with a flat bottom (allegedly to foil the insertion of explosives in the indentation by would-be assassins) to remedy this defect. Thus was Cristal born, and the first notion of a premium cuvée. For more than a century, the appearance of the patented Cristal bottle has remained unchanged. After the fall of the Russian monarchy in 1917, Roederer decided to continue producing Cristal and to market it internationally, and it remains one of the world’s most sought-after champagnes in the world.

Continue reading “Louis Roederer Champagne”

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Roederer Collection 242

Louis Roederer Collection 242 Champagne
Louis Roederer Collection 242 Champagne Click here for tasting notes.

Louis Roederer [Road-ur-ur], a distinguished champagne producer situated in Reims, France, traces its origins back to 1776, when it began as Dubois Père & Fils. While its early days were marked by still wine production, the focus soon evolved to embrace the art of crafting fine champagnes. The business underwent a transformation under the stewardship of Louis Roederer in 1833 when he not only inherited but also renamed the company for himself.  He boldly ventured into international markets, focusing particularly on Russia. This endeavor gained him immense recognition, including from Tsar Nicolas II, who appointed Louis Roederer as the official wine provider to the Imperial Court of Russia.

Created in 1876, the wine made for Nicolas’ grandfather, Alexander II, was the first Cuvée de Prestige (Prestige Cuvée) of Champagne and is called Cristal, referring to the unusual clear glass of the bottle. The Tsar had pointed out to his sommelier that the design of a standard champagne bottle made the beautiful color and effervescence of champagne invisible to the eye. He therefore instructed Roederer that his personal cuvée be served in bottles made of transparent crystal glass with a flat bottom (allegedly to foil the insertion of explosives in the indentation by would-be assassins) to remedy this defect. Thus was Cristal born, and the first notion of a premium cuvée. For more than a century, the appearance of the patented Cristal bottle has remained unchanged. After the fall of the Russian monarchy in 1917, Roederer decided to continue producing Cristal and to market it internationally, and it remains one of the world’s most sought-after champagnes in the world.

Continue reading “Roederer Collection 242”

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Buena Vista Champagne

Buena Vista La Victoire Champagne
Buena Vista La Victoire Champagne Click here for tasting notes.

Buena Vista La Victoire Champagne

There are a number of French champagne producers who have operations in California, such as Roederer (whose California wine I prefer over the French, and it’s half the price).  But here’s a twist: a California winery with a genuine French champagne.  And this isn’t just any winery; Buena Vista is the second oldest in the state. (The first was D’Agostini winery, established in 1856 by a Swiss immigrant.  Buena Vista calls itself the first “premium” winery in California, but that seems to be based more on aspiration than fact.)

Regardless, Buena Vista was founded in 1857 by Agoston Haraszthy de Mokesa, who immigrated from Hungary, first to Wisconsin and then to San Diego, where he was improbably sheriff and then marshal.  He attempted a vineyard in Mission Valley, but it failed.

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H. Billiot Brut Rosé

H. Billiot Brut Rosé
Click here for tasting notes.

Ambonnay, one of the top five Grand Crus in Champagne, is located in the heart of the Côte des Noirs, on the southern slopes of the Montagne de Reims. Its hillsides are renowned for the richness of their Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, the two essential Champagne grapes.

In 1896  Eugene Billiot, a miller by profession in Ambonnay, purchased five acres of land and planted vines. The grapes were sold to major Champagne brands throughout the region.  Today, the grape varieties of the vines are around 75% Pinot Noir and 25% Chardonnay.

Champagne Billiot was established in 1937 by Louis Billiot as more of a side hustle than a real Champagne house.  But after the war, his son Henri founded Champagne H.Billiot & Fils at 1 place de la Fontaine in the center of the village to realize his dream of becoming a winemaker rather than just a grower.  Henri was succeeded by his son Serge, and now fifth-generation Laetitia runs the operation.

Current production is about 32,000 bottles a year, with all of the work being done by the family. Continue reading “H. Billiot Brut Rosé”

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Dom Pérignon Champagne

Dom Perignon 2010
For tasting notes, click here.

There’s sparkling wine.  There’s Champagne.  And then, as far as I’m concerned, there is Dom Pérignon.

Sparkling wine is simply wine that contains bubbles of carbon dioxide gas.  There are four methods of infusing the wine with bubbles, which I won’t bother with here, and fizzy wine is made around the world.

“Champagne” has for a long time been used generically and interchangeably with sparkling wine.  But, in the European Union and many other countries the name Champagne has been legally protected by the Madrid system as far back as an 1891 treaty, which reserved it for the sparkling wine produced in the eponymous region and adhering to the standards defined for it as an appellation d’origine contrôlée.  In the early 2000s Australia, Chile, Brazil, Canada, and China passed laws that limit the use of the term “Champagne” to only those products produced in the Champagne region.  Since 2006, the United States has banned  the use from all U.S.-produced wine brands, with a specific exception: producers that had approval to use the term on labels before 2006 may continue to use it, provided the term is accompanied by the wine’s actual origin (e.g., “California”).  Hence,  a wine such as “Korbels California Champagne,” is still allowed.

Dom Pérignon is named after a Benedictine monk, Dom Pérignon (1638–1715),  who was a pioneer in Champagne wine but who, contrary to popular myth, did not discover how to make sparkling wines*.  However, he was the inventor of the second fermentation in the bottle, the Méthode Traditionelle (formerly Méthode Champenoise), that creates Champagne as we know it.

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Bollinger Champagne

Bollinger Special Cuvée Brut Champagne
Bollinger Special Cuvée Brut Champagne Click here for tasting notes.

Bollinger Special Cuvée Brut Champagne

The story of Bollinger Champagne began with Athanase de Villermont, the youngest son of a noble family. He inherited an extensive estate from his family in the Aÿ area of France. He foresaw the potential of the wines of Champagne, but as an aristocrat he was forbidden to become involved in trade.

Happily, he met Joseph Bollinger, a German who had traveled widely to learn about the Champagne wine trade, as well as Paul Renaudin, a local man who was fascinated by the world of wine. The firm of Renaudin-Bollinger & Cie was founded on February 6th, 1829. Joseph took care of sales and Paul of the cellar.

Bollinger married Athanase’s daughter, Louise-Charlotte, in 1837. In time their sons, Joseph and then Georges, took over the business. Under the guidance of the two brothers, Bollinger gained renown and extended its vineyards considerably. In 1920 Jacques Bollinger, son of Georges, started managing the family business, and was noted for increasing Bollinger’s sales in  England, based on the popularity of their Special Cuvée Brut. Continue reading “Bollinger Champagne”

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Lobster and Champagne Risotto

Lobster and Champagne Risotto
Lobster and Champagne Risotto

Lobster Risotto

I love lobster, and I love Champagne, so for me this recipe is a match made in heaven.

Serves 6

2 tsp salt, plus salt to taste
24 oz. of lobster tails
3 cups dry champagne or sparkling wine
(Nothing fancy needed here; try Underwood in a can.)
3 Tbs. unsalted butter
1 large yellow onion, minced
1-1/2 cups Carnaroli (preferably) or Arborio rice
1/4 cup snipped fresh chives, plus whole chives for garnish
2 Tbs chopped  parsley
1 tsp lemon juice
1/2 cup heavy cream
ground pepper to taste

Fill stockpot with 6 cups of water and 2 teaspoons of salt.  Add lobster tails and cook for 9 minutes.  Using tongs, remove tails from cooking liquid and let cool.  Remove meat from shells.

Add shells to the cooking liquid and reduce over high heat to 3 cups, about 15 minutes. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve lined with cheesecloth into a saucepan; add the champagne or sparkling wine and bring to a simmer.  Adjust the heat to keep the liquid hot.

In a large, heavy sauce pan over medium heat, melt the butter.  Add the onion and saute over low heat until very soft, about 12 minutes.  Do not let the onion brown.  Add the rice and stir until white spots appear in the center of the grains.  Add a ladleful of the liquid, adjust the heat to maintain a simmer, and cook, stirring constantly, until the liquid is absorbed.  Continue adding the liquid, a ladleful at a time and stirring constantly, until the rice is just tender but slightly firm in the center and the mixture is creamy, 20 to 25 minutes longer.  With the final ladleful of liquid, stir in the lobster meat, snipped chives, parsley, lemon juice, and cream.  Season with salt and pepper.

Spoon into warmed individual bowls, garnish the whole chives, and serve.

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Philipponnat Brut Royal Reserve Champagne

NV Philipponnat Brut Royal Reserve Champagne
Click here for tasting notes.

Philipponnat Champagne

Philipponnat is one of Champagne’s most historically significant houses—famous among collectors, sommeliers, and serious Champagne lovers.

Philipponnat stands among the oldest winegrowing families in Champagne, with documented roots in 1522. The family originally served as suppliers to the royal courts and maintained vineyards throughout the Marne Valley.

The modern house was formally established in the early 20th century and rose to international prominence after 1935, when the family acquired one of Champagne’s greatest terroirs: Clos des Goisses, a steep, sun-drenched hillside in Mareuil-sur-Aÿ that would become the estate’s calling card.

Today, the house is owned by the Lanson-BCC group, but remains family-influenced, with Charles Philipponnat (a direct descendant) serving as Director—largely credited with elevating quality, transparency, and terroir focus.

Terroir and Viticulture

Philipponnat sources grapes primarily from ;Mareuil-sur-Aÿ (their home commune; premier cru); Aÿ, Avenay-Val-d’Or; Mutigny (Pinot Noir strongholds); and select Côte des Blancs parcels for Chardonnay. About 20–25% of production comes from estate-owned vineyards, unusually high for a mid-size Champagne house.

Signature Style

Philipponnat is known for their Pinot Noir–dominant blends. These wines feature richness and viscosity, and are often barrel-fermented. They use first-press juice only. No taille goes into their Champagnes.

Philipponnat Brut Royal Reserve  Champagne NV

This is Philipponnat’s flagship NV cuvée, composed of 65 to 70% Pinot Noir blended with Chardonnay and a bit of Pinot Meunier.

It is made in the traditional method: a second fermentation occurs in the bottle after the addition of the “liqueur de tirage” (natural fermenting agents and a small quantity of cane sugar). Wines from previous years are incorporated (up to 20%) to maintain the house style.

This wine features plenty of effervescence, so there is a caldron of those tiny bubbles in the glass. It features an appealing light honey color. It is quite dry, which allows the pleasant yeastiness to come through, with flavors of brioche and gentle toast. There are also hints of apple and citrus peel. The nicely balanced acidity lends structure, but leaves a hint of bitterness on the finish.

Although incorrectly used as a generic term for all sparkling wines, Champagne comes only from the Champagne region of France. Too often reserved for special occasions, sparklers deserve to be sampled more often. They make excellent aperitifs, and pair well with a wide range of foods; fish obviously (try them with sushi), spicy Thai dishes, and fruits and desserts, to name a few.

philipponnat.com/pages-en/wines

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