Clarendelle & Domaine Clarence Dillon named exclusive wine partners of the 96th Oscars®

For the second consecutive year, Clarendelle and Domaine Clarence Dillon, will be the official 2024 wine partners of the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, as well as the Governors Ball.

Clarendelle was created by Prince Robert of Luxembourg, representing the fourth generation in a family story that began with his great-grandfather’s purchase of the historic Château Haut-Brion in 1935. While primarily renowned for its excellence in the worlds of oenology and gastronomy, Domaine Clarence Dillon has long been a supporter of the arts, with Prince Robert’s early professional life even including screenwriting. Today, under Prince Robert’s leadership as Chairman & CEO, Domaine Clarence Dillon has grown to include three prestigious wine estates (Château Haut-Brion, Château La Mission Haut-Brion and Château Quintus). In 2015, the company opened a Paris restaurant, Le Clarence, proclaimed one of the 50 Best Restaurants in the World. The elegant and original restaurant has enjoyed its two-star Michelin status since its opening. In the same year, “La Cave du Château” was launched, a unique fine wine merchant with an exceptional collection of wines and vintages that today enjoys four locations in Bordeaux and Paris, including its online presence at www.lcdc.wine.

Like the Academy Awards®, also steeped in a nearly century-long tradition, Clarendelle offers a contemporary expression of our times and the celebrated French “Art de Vivre.” The highly experienced Château Haut-Brion winemakers oversee the blending process for Clarendelle, vintage after vintage, as they do for the notorious Château La Mission Haut-Brion and Château Quintus estates. The Clarendelle bottles are then cellared before being released to the market when they are judged to have reached their ideal drinking age, offering the finest expression of their Bordeaux terroirs to wine lovers globally.

“Since its earliest days, our family company Domaine Clarence Dillon has been a fervent supporter and promoter of the arts both in France and on the international stage,” says Prince Robert of Luxembourg. “With Clarendelle, we are thrilled and honored to be part of the biggest night in Hollywood. We join the millions of viewers from all around the world to celebrate the outstanding achievements of the 96th Oscars nominees.”

“We are really looking forward to enjoying the exquisite menu from Chef Wolfgang Puck and his catering team, expertly paired with our wines,” continues Prince Robert. The list of Clarendelle & Domaine Clarence Dillon wines poured at all the Oscars events, catered by Wolfgang Puck Catering, includes:

La Clarté de Haut-Brion 2017
La Chapelle de La Mission Haut-Brion 2010
Clarendelle Bordeaux Red 2016
Clarendelle Bordeaux White 2022

This year, there will be a special focus on the wines of Château La Mission Haut-Brion by highlighting the exceptionally rare La Clarté de Haut-Brion 2017 and pouring one of the best second wines ever produced at this famous estate: La Chapelle de La Mission 2010.

“The finest La Chapelle de la Mission ever made.” – Robert Parker, 93 points.

Sources: Clarendelle and Domaine Clarence Dillon

Academy Awards: The “Moet Red Carpet Glamour” is unveiled as the exclusive Champagne cocktail for the Governors Ball

Moet & Chandon, the Champagne of success and glamour since 1743, announces the winner of the inaugural Moet Oscar Cocktail Contest. The legendary Champagne House congratulates Chicago native Adam Seger, whose “Moet Red Carpet Glamour” cocktail dazzled a panel of expert judges and social media experts. The Moet Red Carpet Glamour cocktail was selected for its originality, taste and popularity and will be brought to life at the 2012 Governors Ball, the after-party of the 84th Academy Awards®.

The Moet Red Carpet Glamour captures the essence of Hollywood glamour with exquisite notes of heady cardamom and kaffir lime that develop a refreshing and harmonious taste. This winning cocktail was chosen for its combination of the Hum® botanical spirit with Moet & Chandon Imperial, which highlights the flavor profile of Champagne while truly celebrating the elegance of the Academy Awards.

“The Moet Red Carpet Glamour cocktail will be a gorgeous addition to this year’s Governors Ball,” said Aida Mollenkamp, Moet & Chandon’s Award Season home entertaining expert. “The cocktail is intriguing and innovative yet still allows the flavor of the Moet & Chandon Imperial Champagne to shine.”

Aida Mollenkamp has joined Moet & Chandon as this year’s home entertaining expert in a new Oscar season collaboration. The acclaimed chef and culinary curator, known for her signature combinations of fresh, seasonal ingredients and use of ethnic flavours.

Moet Red Carpet Glamour Cocktail Recipe:

• Fill a chilled Champagne flute 1/2 way with ice.
• Stir 1 ounce of fresh squeezed Sour Mix and Hum® Botanical Spirit with fresh ice.
• Strain into flute to fill 1/2 way.
• Top with Moet & Chandon Imperial.
• Garnish with a single rose petal.
• Continually refresh as you wish with Moet & Chandon Imperial as the Champagne will float on top of the Hum Sour, but its effervescence will deliver Hum’s heady cardamom & Kaffir lime notes.
• Fresh Squeeze Sour Mix Preparation: Combine 1 cup sugar with 1 cup water until sugar is completely dissolved. Add 1 cup fresh lime juice and 1 cup fresh lemon juice and refrigerate.

As winner of the 2012 Moet Oscar Cocktail Contest, Adam Seger and a guest will receive an exciting behind-the-scenes Oscar weekend, including a three-night stay at the JW Marriott Los Angeles LA Live, round-trip airfare on United Airlines, car service, tickets to the Governors Ball Preview Event, red carpet bleacher seats at the Fan Experience Red Carpet Arrival and Viewing Party on Oscar Sunday and access to the official Oscar viewing party at El Capitan.

Liz Palmer
@champagnehouses

Pairing Champagne with Top Movies for 2010 [83rd Annual Academy Awards]

The Oscars are synonymous with class, beauty and celebration, which is why Champagne is the drink of this month’s Hollywood parties. As you pick your favorite to win Best Picture, remember to choose just as wisely when selecting your wine. Champagne only comes from Champagne, France.

In anticipation of the 83rd Annual Academy Awards show on February 27, the Champagne Bureau looks at the past year’s best movies and suggests the best Champagne’s to toast them with.

Black Swan (5 nominations): Natalie Portman plays a shy but fanatically devoted ballerina who loses herself in the lead role of Tchaikovsky’s “Swan Lake.” A full-bodied Blanc de Noir is the perfect complement as this film’s combination of music, dancing and stunning cinematography updates a famous ballet for the modern big screen.

The Fighter (7 nominations): They may call boxing the ‘sweet science’, but this gritty film is best enjoyed with a dry Brut Champagne. Enjoy it with hearty foods like steak or a hamburger, and with good companions, as you watch Mark Wahlberg and Amy Adams star in this true story of a boxer’s hard-scrabble fight for glory.

The Social Network (8 nominations): Whether watching the awards at a party or just with a few close friends, a light Blanc de Blanc is perfect for any social occasion. This Chardonnay-only wine will go down smooth as you marvel at this film about one of our generation’s greatest innovators.

Inception (8 nominations): Follow Leonardo DiCaprio’s mind-blowing journey into the human mind through dream invasion. This thriller is rich in mystery and layers of meaning, so toast to it with a non-vintage Champagne. The subtle mix of grapes from several harvests pairs well with Inception’s complex plotline (and with a bag of popcorn!).

The King’s Speech (12 nominations): There’s something for everyone in this true story of an English King’s struggle to overcome his lifelong stammer and inspire his people. It’s a moving tale of friendship, loyalty and courage, all set against the backdrop of World War II. It’s hard to imagine a better fit for a vintage Champagne than a movie about European Royalty.

The glamour of the red carpet can’t be duplicated, and neither can the uniqueness of true Champagne.

Comité Interprofessionnel du Vin de Champagne (CIVC)

Moët & Chandon Champagne Debuts Gold Award Season Bottle

Moët & Chandon has launched exclusive champagne of both the 2011 Golden Globes® (January 16) and Academy Awards® (February 27), with the debut of Moët & Chandon Impérial bottle to celebrate Moët’s 20th anniversary with the Globes.

Champagne and cinema has become a loved tradition in Hollywood. During the 2010 Golden Globes®, over 1,000 Moët & Chandon Impérial minis with chic ‘mini-flutes’ were served to celebrities on the red carpet, over 500 magnum bottles of Moët & Chandon Impérial were served inside the ballroom during the dinner and award presentation ceremony, totalling over 9,000 glasses of Moët & Chandon Impérial being enjoyed on one of Hollywood’s biggest nights.