Champagne reviews Archives

Moët & Chandon Champagne 6-Packs

Just in time for wedding season and Memorial Day weekend, Moët & Chandon just released its first 6-pack of mini champagne bottles (137mL bottles) of its classic Moët & Chandon Imperial Brut Champagne.

Tasting notes include a blend that’s crisp, fresh, smooth, and easy to drink with light body and fruity notes.

This release is currently available in the US.

At $100 the Moët Mini Share Pack comes with its own golden flute toppers, so you can pour and share your bubbles elegantly in any circumstances, may it be at an engagement party, picnic chic, at the beach, at a cocktail party, or just to elevate any summer soiree!

My Interview with Ange Aiello of iYellow Wine Club

Taking Champagne with Madame Champenoise

Liz Palmer graced the Wine Angels with her presence in the Cave (Toronto) last month to toast to the release of her new book The Ultimate Guide to Champagne. Liz’s love affair with wine began nine years ago, as she made the transition from law to a studying Somm. As we sipped, savoured, and yes, SABERED in her honour, it became apparent that we could all agree that no matter the question – Champagne is ALWAYS the answer. As we poured ourselves some champers and settled into chat – Liz told us about her continued book tour plans (Paris, New York and Toronto), and how she will soon be launching her own Champagne brand- How cool! Liz is fondly known as the “Queen of Champagne”, but we call her “Madame Champenoise”!

If you could describe the purpose of your book in one sentence, what would it be?

The Champagne Bible

Do you consider yourself a Champagne purist?

I’m a purist when it comes to vintage Champagne, but I am still open minded. There are people in France who don’t believe that you should cook with Champagne. Then, there is the topic of decanting Champagne, it does change the taste and effect the bubbles – true purists don’t agree with decanting.

What was the very first Champagne you drank in the region?

Drappier Champagne from the Aube region. Champagne has been produced by the Drappier family for eight generations and I’ve have the honour to meet and taste with three generations Andre, Michel and Charline. I just fell in love with their wines when I visited them several years ago. They a “champagne table” that holds your champagne glass and purse – what else do you need.

What is your favourite Champagne?

The 1998 Dom Pérignon, I tasted with the chef de Cave Richard Geoffroy and a sommelier in a private intimate tasting experience a few years ago – It was memorable! (Find it in the LCBO here)

Is there another female that inspires you?

It’s difficult naming one, but Maggie Henríquez, the CEO of Krug stands out, she is quite a dynamic woman. There are more females in ownership, management and board roles than ever before. I’ve interviewed quite a few of these women and have mentioned a few of them in my book “The Ultimate Guide To Champagne” (even our very own Angela Aiello).

What is your favourite wine pairing?

Oysters and champagne –there is nothing better!

What are you wearing if Champagne is the perfect accessory?

Either an elegant evening gown or a bathrobe.

If you were talking to someone who didn’t know anything about Champagne, what would be the key thing you would want to tell them?

Two things – firstly, how to shop for champagne, and secondly how to taste it.

When you’re not writing, or drinking Champagne, where are you and what’s in your glass?

I love Chablis. I also been going in between Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Grigio. During the spring time I focus on Provence rosé.

And the final question – have you ever sabered!?! And tell us about your experience.

I’m a beginner – I just bought my first saber from Reims, France and it is a Laguiole brand. I’ve been practicing off the back of my boat!

Liz’s champagne and wine adventures! Follow me on Instagram here!

Book Review by Thierry Sabon, Président de la Fédération des Syndicats de Producteurs de l’AOC Châteauneuf-du-Pape

“Great work – Your book is really impressive.”

“Through this book Liz shows us that the economic success of Champagne is based on passionate people, a long history, landscapes and cities, a real and special “art de vivre!”

After reading this book you will never taste a glass of Champagne the same way”

Thierry Sabon
Winemaker – co owner of the Clos du Mont-Olivet
Président de la Fédération des Syndicats de Producteurs de l’AOC Châteauneuf-du-Pape

Wine Book Launch: Liz Palmer’s The Ultimate Guide to Champagne – November 13- 3 pm, New York

Join New York Champagne Week Founder, Blaine Ashley as she welcomes Journalist, Liz Palmer as she officially debuts her book to NYC: The Ultimate Guide to Champagne. This essential guide takes you to the Champagne region, explores its culture and honors it’s history. Chalk full of beautiful pictures, this equally informative read provides tips for traveling the region, breaks down grape varieties and styles, Grand Marques / Growers and Cooperatives, harvest and viticulture. The guide also covers food pairings, how to cook with Champagne and how to taste and identify flavors. Readers will also explore Champagne Etiquette and Style, tips for weddings, the Economics of Champagne and it’s health benefits, yes, HEALTH BENEFITS! Come on, come all to enjoy the final day of the 4th Annual New York Champagne Week with The Ultimate Guide to Champagne. Champagne Bulle de Reve will be served.

http://nychampagneweek.com/public-events/

The U.S. Becomes Champagne’s Top Export Market

The Champagne category is bubbling over in the U.S. market, driven by a dynamic premiumization trend. With per-case value up 20% to over €300 ($334) last year, the U.S. overtook the U.K. as Champagne’s top export market by value in 2015. Champagne shipments to the U.S. leapt 28% to €515 million ($573m) for the year, surpassing the U.K.’s total of €512 million ($570m), which itself represented a 7% bump. U.S. depletions, at 1.4 million cases last year, remain shy of their 2007 total of 1.6 million cases, but shipment value has surged by nearly 60% since 2010, according to Impact Databank. A slide in the euro—whose value against the dollar is down by about 20% over the past two years—has helped to stoke growth.

From 2010-2014, Champagne’s value on a per-case basis rose a respectable 10% in the U.S., adding around $25. But in 2015 alone, it more than doubled that incremental growth, tacking on about $55 in value to the average case of Champagne. Price hikes and a stronger emphasis on higher-end bubblies are both contributing to the dramatic rise in value.

Piper-Heidsieck, which transitioned from the Rémy Cointreau USA portfolio to Terlato Wines last July, is employing both of those tactics. Piper is extending with a Rare Rosé this year, which will be priced at a premium to prestige cuvée Rare Brut, becoming the brand’s highest-priced offering. While looking to increase its high-end sales, Piper has also taken price hikes on its core Brut non-vintage. “Previously you’d sometimes see the Brut as low as $29.99 on the shelf. Over the holidays last year the average was above $39.99, which is a nice move in the right direction,” says Terlato CEO Bill Terlato.

The third-largest Champagne in the U.S. market, Pernod Ricard’s Perrier-Jouët, is seeing strong results for its prestige cuvée Belle Epoque, which sells above $150 a bottle. “The on-premise is back on a healthy trend and it’s a key driver for our portfolio,” says Aygline Pechdo, brand director for Champagnes at Pernod Ricard USA.

Meanwhile, market leader Moët Hennessy USA continues to enjoy impressive progress with the dynamic duo of Veuve Clicquot and Moët & Chandon, which dominate the category with a combined 60% share. Portfoliomate Dom Perignon is also among the top five Champagnes in the U.S. in volume terms—totaling nearly 60,000 cases annually—despite a retail price above $160 a bottle.

Fourth-ranked player Nicolas Feuillatte tells SND it’s focused on expanding Champagne into new consumption occasions. “We’ll be launching new advertising and social media campaigns this year which support our vision for the future of Champagne as more modern and accessible,” says Feuillatte’s Americas export manager Olivier Zorel. —Daniel Marsteller

			Depletions			Percent Change3
U.S. – Top Six Champagne Brands (thousands of nine-liter cases)
Rank	Brand	Importer	2013	2014	2015	2013-2014	2014-2015
1	Veuve Clicquot	Moet Hennessy USA (LVMH)	383	415	453	8.3%	9.3%
2	Moet & Chandon1	Moet Hennessy USA (LVMH)	354	369	382	4.1%	3.6%
3	Perrier-Jouet	Pernod Ricard USA	71	71	80	-0.3%	11.8%
4	Nicolas Feuillatte	Ste. Michelle Wine Estates	67	68	68	1.5%	0.0%
5	Dom Perignon	Moet Hennessy USA (LVMH)	56	59	58	5.2%	-1.7%
6	Piper Heidsieck	Terlato Wines International	51	45	42	-11.4%	-7.0%
Total Top Six2			983	1,027	1,083	4.5%	5.4%
1 excludes Dom Perignon 2 addition of columns may not agree due to rounding 3 based on unrounded dataSource: IMPACT DATABANK

Source: Shanken News

Liz Palmer

liz-palmer.com

@Champagnehouses

@LizPalmer_