Champagne Pairings for British Pie Week: Elevate Your Culinary Experience

One of the most delectable weeks of the year for me is British Pie Week! This tempting celebration happens during the first week of March!

Did you know that pie shops have been a staple of British culinary culture since the 18th century, especially in London and surrounding areas?

This week is the perfect excuse to enjoy your favorite pie and bottle of champagne – so grab your fork, dig in and have a sip!

Champagne’s versatility makes it the ideal match to a wide variety of pies. Here’s a guide to five champagne pairings with some of Britain’s favorite pies:

Steak and Ale pie with Champagne Brut: Champagne Brut is a classic option, but one that is multi-faceted, making it versatile and simple to pair with a variety of dishes. Champagne Brut pairs excellently with a traditional steak and ale pie due to the high acidity that cuts through the richness of the beef, malty ale, and flaky pastry, which cleanses the palette.

Chicken and Mushroom with Champagne Blanc de Noirs: The delicate richness of the creamy filling, with earthy mushrooms and tender chicken complements the more mature and solid structure of a Blanc de Noirs, which is exclusively made of dark grapes. It also tends to exhibit more red fruit flavours which can enhance the delicate taste of the chicken.

Traditional fish pie with Champagne Blanc de Blancs: A Champagne Blanc de Blancs, which is produced exclusively from white grape, tends to showcase a lighter body with citrus flavours that pair wonderfully with fish and seafood. The Champagne’s acidity also cuts through the creamy sauce and buttery mashed potato.

Shepherd’s Pie with Champagne Vintage: A hearty Shepherd’s Pie is a beloved British classic, rich with slow-cooked lamb, savoury gravy, and a buttery mashed potato topping. Such a pie deserves a Champagne that can match its depth and indulgence. A Champagne Vintage is the ultimate choice. With its layers of toasted brioche, roasted nuts, and ripe fruit, a well-aged Champagne Vintage not only complements the dish’s umami richness but also elevates it.

Blackberry and apple pie with Champagne Demi-Sec: A style currently growing in popularity, Demi-Sec Champagne has a slightly sweeter dosage at 32 and 50 grams of sugar per litre, which matches well with creamy, sweet, or rich dishes. The subtle sweetness of Champagne Demi-Sec complements the fruity richness of the blackberries and apples, enhancing the natural sweetness of the pie. The acidity also balances the sweetness, while the smooth, creamy texture works beautifully with the pie’s buttery pastry.

Source: Champagne Bureau UK

La Scolca Wines Take Center State at Italian-Themed Dinner Hosted by King Charles and Queen Camilla

Last Friday, King Charles and Queen Camilla hosted an Italian-themed dinner, at their Highgrove estate in Gloucestershire, featuring an extraordinary guest list, including Helen Mirren, David and Victoria Beckham, Rod Stewart, Donatella Versace, Sienna Miller, the Italian Ambassador to the UK, Inigo Lambertini, Chiara Soldati, and the British Ambassador to Rome, Lord Edward Llewellyn. A key evening figure was Stanley Tucci, an American actor of Italian descent and an expert in Italian gastronomy. Tucci collaborated with Chef Francesco Mazzei, a long-time ambassador of Italian cuisine worldwide, to create the exclusive menu for the evening.

The reception and dinner menu, prepared by Calabrian chef Francesco Mazzei, featured Italian recipes with British ingredients and was accompanied by English sparkling wine and Italian wines.

This dinner comes ahead of the royal couple’s state visit to Italy in early April, in which there will be engagements in Rome and Ravenna, with exclusive meetings with Pope Francis and Italian political leaders.

King Charles states this as a “most splendid evening which brings together two things very dear to my heart – slow food and Italy”, and “A nation’s food culture is a priceless social and environmental asset, intimately bound up with its sense of identity and place.”

“To say that we are looking forward to it would be to engage in a little British understatement,” he joked to diners, including Stanley Tucci, who inspired the choice of food.

“To better emphasize the special friendship between the two countries,” Chef Mazzei commented, “Stanley and I thought of an Italian menu made almost entirely with products from the United Kingdom. I must say, I found some exceptional products that are in no way inferior to those from Italy. The only products I imported from Italy were extra virgin olive oil and wines.”

The Piedmontese winery La Scolca played a leading role, with its Gavi dei Gavi Black Label 2023 accompanied by two of the dishes. “It was an honor to represent Italy, my region, and my territory at such an important event,” said Chiara Soldati, CEO of La Scolca and Knight of Labour, “during which Italian lifestyle excellence was celebrated. Chef Mazzei did a wonderful job of creating a gastronomic bridge between the two countries, in a union that is not just metaphorical but between two cultures and two important traditions. Events like this provide an important opportunity to highlight the value of our gastronomic tradition and our craftsmanship, elements that make Made in Italy a globally recognized and appreciated model.”

Food + Wine Served

Reception
Rare and pasture salumi
Tuscan-style paté and coppa
Yorkshire pecorino cheese puffs
British vegetables caponata tartelletta

Wine: Highgrove sparkling wine

Dinner
Scottish crab panzanella
Westcombe ricotta and Highgrove fine herbs ravioli
Isle of Wight tomato passata
Suffolk Red porchetta
Pumpkin and sage mash, Tuscan kale

Wines: white wine Gavi dei Gavi La Scolca Black label 2023 and red wine Barbaresco Gaja 2021

Zuppa Inglese and biscotti

Wine: Recioto della Valpolicella Classico Zenato

Source:  La Scolca Wines

The Institute of Masters of Wine announces seven award winners and welcomes ten new Masters of Wine

The Institute of Masters of Wine (IMW) celebrated seven award winners and officially welcomed ten new Masters of Wine (MWs) to its membership this week at a ceremony in Vintners’ Hall, London.

The IMW’s annual awards ceremony celebrates the inauguration of the new MWs and recognises individual excellence in areas of the MW examination. Friends, family and Masters of Wine from around the globe flew into London for the occasion to welcome the new ‘MW vintage’, which includes MWs from six countries across three continents.

Receiving their induction tonight were Neil Bernardi MW (US), Emily Brighton MW (UK), Benjamin Hasko MW (Singapore), Christopher Martin MW (UK), Victoria Mason MW (UK), Robert Mathias MW (UK), Dror Nativ MW (UK), Pietro Russo MW (Italy), Tone Veseth Furuholmen MW (Norway), Wei Xing MW (China).

Each new MW received a framed calligraphic certificate, and a 24K gold Master of Wine pin engraved with their unique membership number.

Following the inauguration the individual awards, introduced into the ceremony in 1979 and sponsored by IMW supporters, included two new accolades this year: The Vintners’ Company award for the top performance in the business of wine paper, and the VSPT Wine Group award for best performance in the contemporary issues paper. Victoria Mason MW and Dror Nativ MW both took home three awards, with Emily Brighton MW receiving one. The 2024 awards and winners in full are:

Quinta do Noval award
For the best research paper by a new MW. Presented by Christian Seely, Managing Director, AXA Millésimes. Awarded to Victoria Mason MW for her paper, An investigation into the enablers and barriers to the adoption and practice of regenerative viticulture in Stellenbosch. All research papers can be accessed at: https://www.mastersofwine.org/research-papers

Taransaud Tonnellerie award
For excellence in the production and handling of the wine paper. Presented by Henri de Pracomtal, Chairman and CEO of Taransaud. Awarded to Emily Brighton MW.

Vintners’ Company award
For the top performance in the business of wine paper. Presented by Ann Hill, Master Vintner, the Vintners’ Company. Awarded to Victoria Mason MW.

VSPT Wine Group award
For best performance in the contemporary issues paper. Presented on behalf of VSPT Wine Group by Caroline Hermann MW, IMW Vice-Chair. Awarded to Dror Nativ MW.

Robert Mondavi Winery award
For the best performance across all the theory papers. Presented by Sara Fogarty, Regional Manager UK, Constellation Brands. Awarded to Victoria Mason MW.

IMW outstanding achievement award
Sponsored by the Austrian Wine Marketing Board (AWMB). For outstanding achievement across all papers. Presented on behalf of the Austrian Wine Marketing Board by Caroline Hermann MW, IMW Vice-Chair. Awarded to Dror Nativ MW.

Madame Bollinger medal
For outstanding tasting ability. Presented by Justin Liddle, Managing Director, Mentzendorff & Co Ltd. Awarded to Dror Nativ MW.

In addition to celebrating the new Masters of Wine, the ceremony honoured four members for reaching their 50th year as MWs. John Brown MW, Charles Eve MW, Anthony Foster MW and Bill Gunn MW passed their MW examination in 1974. Coincidentally, John Brown also celebrates his golden wedding anniversary this year, while Anthony’s son was born the day he received his results.

IMW Executive Director Julian Gore-Booth said: “We are delighted to welcome ten new MWs from across three continents, recognise the outstanding work of our award winners and honour our vintage members. This evening’s event celebrates their remarkable dedication, expertise and contribution to the pursuit of wine excellence.

Congratulations to all on your exceptional achievements. We are proud to have you as part of our global community.”

“World’s Best Bars” Five Bestselling Classic Cocktails 2024

1. Negroni
We continue to live in the age of the aperitivo, with Italy’s contributions to our collective cocktail canon holding on to two brightly-coloured spots in the top 10 this year – the Aperol Spritz in eighth position, and this first-place winner for the third year running. There are plenty of easier-drinking cocktails on this list, yet the punchy Negroni, with its divisive bitterness, prevails. Unapologetically bold, but with depth and complexity, it’s an undisputed classic, and easy to reproduce too, with its equal-parts combination of gin, sweet vermouth and Campari.

While its exact history is contested, the Negroni isn’t without pedigree. It’s a descendent of the Americano – sweet vermouth and Campari lengthened with soda water – and the Milano Torino before it, which omits the soda water. The most common Negroni origin story tells of an eponymous Italian count walking into a bar and ordering an Americano, but boozier. The obliging bartender drops the soda, adds some gin, and the rest is history, or at least one version of it. The bartender, the story goes, was Fosco Scarselli at Caffè Casoni in Florence, sometime around 1919.

Itself a twist on a classic, the Negroni has proven particularly adaptable over the years, with bartenders swapping out any and all of its trio of ingredients to create new drinks. Among the most revolutionary is the White Negroni in all its forms, but you’ll find a near-endless array of Tequila Negronis, Mezcal Negronis, Rum Negronis, and so on. One noteworthy variant, created in the 1970s and further popularised via TikTok in recent times, is attributed to Milan bartender Mirko Stocchetto. It’s said that while reaching for the gin for a Negroni, he accidentally grabbed a bottle of prosecco instead, creating a Spritz-like variant that has become known as the Negroni Sbagliato.

2. Old Fashioned
There was a time, back in the mid-to-late 1800s, when the art of the cocktail was becoming altogether too fancy for some people’s tastes. The uncomplicated beverages made to that earliest cocktail specification of spirit, sugar, water and bitters were starting to include such garish ingredients as maraschino liqueur or, heaven forbid, absinthe. As if in protest, these cocktail conservatives demanded their drinks be made the old-fashioned way, and the practice has continued.
This is, by definition, an unfussy drink, so it’s only fitting that one of the best modern takes is similarly unpretentious. The Oaxacan Old Fashioned, attributed to New York bartender Phil Ward, circa 2007, revisits each ingredient in turn, giving each a Mexican twist. Whiskey becomes tequila and mezcal, while sugar is replaced with agave, leaving room for interpretation when it comes to bitters – Ward kept it simple with classic Angostura. The result is faithful to the ethos of the original, while creating something entirely different.

3. Margarita
If there’s a drink whose various incarnations span everything from the sublime to the ridiculous, it’s the Margarita – perhaps unsurprising given the ubiquitousness of this tequila-based classic. At its heart, however, this is a beautifully simple classic, much like the pre-Prohibition drink that likely inspired it, the Daisy, a combination of spirit, lime juice and orange liqueur or grenadine. The tequila version became known by the Spanish word for daisy, margarita, which in turn became a byword for sunshine and good times the world over.

Nowadays it’s the more refined takes on the Margarita that are on the rise, with the Tommy’s re-entering the top 50 this year, and the Mezcal Margarita returning last year. Soho House, meanwhile, has added a trendy version of its own in recent times, the spicy Picante de la Casa, or Picante to its friends – now the most-ordered cocktail at the group’s bars.

4. Espresso Martini
Just one of many enduring gifts to the world of cocktails by the late, great Dick Bradsell, the Espresso Martini is certainly the most prevalent of his creations at the moment. Famously, Bradsell created the earliest version in the ’80s, at the Soho Brasserie on Old Compton Street in London, in response to a request from a young lady for “something that’s gonna wake me up, then fuck me up”.
The Espresso Martini certainly does all that, and more, as a deceptively simple classic that’s also become an excellent template for countless variations. The recent increase in its popularity is also responsible, at least in part, for today’s vibrant coffee liqueur category, which has arguably led to better modern-day versions of the classic. Meanwhile, there’s another coffee cocktail in town, or rather on this list. Increasingly found on cocktail menus recently is the Carajillo, a new entry this year at 38.

5. Daiquiri
A venerable classic such as the Daiquiri can’t be expected to have made it to the 21st century with the precise story of its origins intact – or without some questionable, brightly-coloured incarnations along the way, for that matter. While theories abound, dating the Daiquiri at least as far back as the late 1800s, the details are likely lost to the mists of time. What we do know is, done right, there’s nothing quite like this seemingly-simple combination of rum, lime and sugar.
It’s no wonder that the best variations, like the Hemingway Daiquiri, have become classics themselves. Audrey Saunders’ Old Cuban is a recent example, from the mid-2000s, which introduces mint and champagne, while Kevin Armstrong’s Dry Daiquiri, from a similar time period, adds Campari and passion fruit syrup. Both are a testament to the legacy of the cocktail that inspired them, and are marvellous drinks in their own right too.

Source: Drinks International

2024 Wine Paris & Vinexpo Paris: The Report

The 5th Wine Paris & Vinexpo Paris has turned the current economic challenges into strategic opportunities for the wine and spirits industry. This year, the event has established its credentials not only as a pivotal hub for business, but also as an influential platform, stepping up its decisive role in the business and political space globally.

2024 marks a turning point, with Wine Paris & Vinexpo Paris making a sustainable economic contribution to the wine and spirits industry. Exhibitor numbers rose to 4,074, including 53% from overseas representing 48 producer countries, underscoring Wine Paris & Vinexpo Paris’ enhanced appeal and international scope. Visitor attendance increased by 14% on the previous exhibition to 41,253 and included 41% international visitors from 137 countries, illustrating the event’s overall reach and growing influence.

Vinexposium’s commitment to business development was mirrored in the 30% rise in attendance by the main buyers from key markets. The top 5 nations represented after France were Italy, Belgium, the United Kingdom, the United States and Germany. The matchmaking service also reached a new performance milestone with 10,146 appointments between producers and buyers made online.

Wine Paris & Vinexpo Paris, a place of influence

Placed under the high patronage of Mr Emmanuel Macron, President of the French Republic, Wine Paris & Vinexpo Paris received visits by three French ministers and 27 ambassadors, including those from the United States, Italy, Portugal, Japan, Austria, Spain, Switzerland, China, New Zealand and Australia.

The 2024 Wine Paris & Vinexpo Paris opening ceremony saw keynote speeches by the Minister of Agriculture and Food Sovereignty, Marc Fesneau, and the Minister of State for Public Accounts, Thomas Cazenave. The collaborative tone of the opening speeches, with input by Vinexposium CEO Rodolphe Lameyse, highlighted the event’s role as a strategic space where the industry can speak with one voice, share ideas and meet current challenges while also setting its sights on a sustainable future. The significance of international trade and the collaborative efforts required to cope with geo-economic risks were also underscored.

A visit by Frank Riester, Minister of State for Foreign Trade and Economic Attractiveness, ended the third day by describing the event as a major exhibition for wine and spirits exports, stressing the importance of wines and spirits to France’s export trade balance. 2023 French export results were in fact announced at Wine Paris & Vinexpo Paris by the FEVS.

The International Organisation of Vine and Wine (OIV), with which Vinexposium works collaboratively, granted its patronage to the scientific sessions of the ON! programme. The event also offered a valuable opportunity for OIV, which took part for the entire three days, to meet many international industry personalities.

Even greater buzz for the ON! and OFF programmes

The ON! programme was enhanced in order to foster dialogue and provide the industry with food for thought. 126 sessions featured on the official programme, in addition to individual presentations hosted on exhibitor stands.

Paul Robinson, wine director at Robinson Wine Merchants, recounts: “As a buyer, it is my responsibility to prioritise business appointments at Wine Paris & Vinexpo Paris, but I attended two panel discussions which I found extremely interesting. The ON! programme is one of the highlights of the exhibition”.

The OFF programme, which featured a selection of 200 restaurants and bars across the capital, encouraged attendees to continue their conversations after nightfall in a more relaxed setting.

Angelo Martelli, director at Super Buyrite, found inspiration there: “With so many appointments on stands by day, I particularly enjoyed being able to continue my business relations in the evening as part of the OFF programme. Paris truly is an ideal city for this and the selection was great. It’s that little extra that makes all the difference”.

Be Spirits, an enhanced range

In 2024, Be Spirits reached a whole new level with 26 producer countries exhibiting, an extra 47% floor spaced compared with 2023 and nearly 200 exhibitors, 54% of them new. Alongside the many French exhibitors, international attendee numbers soared by 92%.

The hall designed for spirits, no/lows, beers and ciders attracted buyers and mixologists from across the globe. The robust programme of debates and masterclasses aimed at deciphering markets, exploring the most revolutionary products and responding jointly to the business issues of the future attracted a full house.

Wine Paris & Vinexpo Paris 2024 ends, but ushers in the next 12 months

Until the next Wine Paris & Vinexpo Paris from 10 to 12 February 2025, the industry is invited to Hong Kong from 28 to 30 May for Vinexpo Asia, New York on 24 and 25 June for Vinexpo America, Mumbai on 16 and 17 September for Vinexpo India, and Amsterdam on 25 and 26 November for the World Bulk Wine Exhibition (WBWE).

Source: Vinexposium