The Ultimate Guide To Champagne – Book Award Updates!

Liz Palmer AuthorOver the last few months I’ve mentioned various awards that my first book “The Ultimate Guide To Champagne” has been up for. Here is some more news I want to share with you!

My book has won the National Award for the best French Wine Book at the Gourmand World Awards 2017.

The Gourmand World Cookbook and Wine Book Awards, often noted as the “Oscars” of the food and wine world, were founded in 1995 by Edouard Cointreau, of the liqueur and cognacs family, and take place in prominent cities each year. Celebrating global cookbook and wine book publishing, the awards feature many world-renowned chefs, photographers, wine writers and food writers each year.

This year there were over 10,000 submissions from over 209 countries competing for the awards. The list of finalists can be found here: http://www.cookbookfair.com/

Saturday, May 27th is the award ceremony for “Best in the World” Gourmand Awards (Wine and Drinks), which is held in China. Here is a list of the French Wine Books participating:

W1-5 French Wine

Australia: Champagne, Kaaren Palmer (KP)

Brazil: Vinhos da Borgonha, Cara (Melhoramentos)

China: Les Ignorants, Davodeau, Li Yi Xue (Beijing United)

Canada: The Ultimate Guide to Champagne, Liz Palmer (palmergroup)

France: Anjou Untamed, Jean Yves Bardin, Patrick Rigourd, Bernard Reeves (JYB)

UK: The Story of Champagne, Nicholas Faith (Infinite Ideas)

USA: Champagne, Uncorked, The House of Krug, Alan Tardi (Public Affairs)

http://www.cookbookfair.com/index.php/gourmand-awards/winners-2017/wine-books-shortlist-2017

I’m also excited to announce that The Ultimate Guide To Champagne has recently been accepted into the “Taste Canada” Awards under the Culinary Narratives category, with a short-list being announced July 18 via Twitter! Here is a list of books that are contenders for this category:

Appleton, Frank.Brewing Revolution: Pioneering the Craft Beer Movement. Harbour Publishing, Madeira Park

Cockrall-King, Jennifer. Food Artisans of the Okanagan. TouchWood Editions, Victoria

Flowers, Frankie (Ferragine, Frank).Food to Grow: A Simple, No-Fail Guide to Growing Your Own Vegetables, Fruits and Herbs. HarperCollins, Toronto

Ishii, Caroline.The Accidental Chef: Lessons Learned In and Out of the Kitchen. Author, Ottawa

Le, Stephen.Million Years of Food: What Our Ancestors Ate and Why It Matters Today. HarperCollins, Toronto

Palmer, Liz. The Ultimate Guide to Champagne. Liz Palmer Media Group, Toronto

Sherk, Lawrence C. 150 Years of Canadian Beer Labels. TouchWood Editions, Victoria

Wong, Adele. Hong Kong Food & Culture: From Dim Sum to Dried Abalone. Man Mo Media, Kennedy Town, Hong Kong

http://tastecanada.org/2017-submissions/

Best of luck to all !

Liz Palmer

UNESCO adds Champagne Slopes, Houses and Cellars to World Heritage List

The UNESCO World Heritage Committee has decided to include the Champagne slopes, houses and cellars on its World Heritage List.

The 21 representatives of the state parties to the UNESCO World Heritage Convention unanimously voted in favor of including the Champagne slopes, houses and cellars on the World Heritage List in the Living Cultural Landscapes category. The committee members recognized their ‘Exceptional Universal Value’ and deemed that the protection and management conditions for the proposed property had been fulfilled.

The Association Paysages du Champagne spent eight years putting together and managing the area’s application. President Pierre Cheval said: “Inclusion on the list is a form of recognition but also an undertaking to the world’s nations, so we must ensure that we are worthy of it. We are duty bound to preserve and maintain this landscape, know-how and heritage so that we can pass them on unspoilt to future generations.

The application Milestones include:

2002: Included on France’s tentative list.

2008: The Association Paysages du Champagne was founded.

2009: First submission of the provisional Application to the French Properties Committee and appointment of a rapporteur to steer the Application process.

2010: The French Properties Committee approved the Exceptional Universal Value of the Application.

2011: The French Properties Committee approved the geographical area and comparative analysis.

2012: The French Properties Committee approved the management plan.

January 2014: The Application was selected by France.

Autumn 2014/Spring 2015: ICOMOS and IUCN international experts assess the Application.

Summer 2015: 39th session of the World Heritage Committee in Germany.

July 2015: The Committee approves the Application

 

The three distinct ensembles that have been recognized: the historic hillside vineyards between Hautvillers and Aÿ; the architecture of the Champagne houses on Saint-Nicaise Hill in Reims, and the Avenue de Champagne in Epernay..

The Champagne region can only welcome this global recognition, which in turn will increase in wine tourism.