Champagne Archives

Searcy’s is Europe’s Longest Champagne Bar

Situated within one of our most favoured English Heritage sites at St Pancras Station, you can find champagne lovers paradise. Searcy’s Champagne bar boasts the largest selection of Grand Marque houses available in the UK, twenty of which can be enjoyed by the glass.

I never thought I would be writing about, essentially, a bar at a train station for Lussorian – but Searcys offers much more than that.

Starting with the surrounding stunning architecture of the Barlow shed, to Europe’s longest champagne bar The place is very special. At over 90 meters long, no other bar comes close. The breathtaking, panoramic view of the entire terminal is on show from each seat at The Champagne Bar. Recharge while you watch the world scurry past.

Seating for 110, choose from 12 leather clad banquettes – which happily seat six (with individual fan heaters below the seats, which are also heated) to additional seating on small tables and bar stools.

Whilst not a restaurant, The Champagne bar does serve up some fine food, with the emphasis being on complimenting the Champagne. Open sandwiches and Champagne breakfasts fit the bill perfectly.

A stones throw from the Eurostar terminal, this is an ideal spot to meet for business or pleasure. The Champagne Sommeliers’ knowledge is extensive and shared willingly, so you could argue there is some education to be had!

If you are setting off from Kings Cross soon, do not forget to go out in style. You just cannot get any better than this.

Lussorian

VIAGRA IS CHAMPAGNE’S MAJOR THREAT

Champagne’s stiffest competition comes not from Prosecco, Cava or English sparkling wine – but from Viagra, according to Pierre-Emmanuel Taittinger.

Speaking at the Reuters Global Luxury Summit last week, the Taittinger chief executive also predicted that Champagne exports to China will outstrip the US within 15 years.

And he expects Champagne sales to rebound this year, aided by the weaker Euro, restocking in the supply chain and surging demand in emerging markets.

‘I am worried about pensions. I am worried about the debt of our countries. We will have less money,’ Taittinger said.

‘But we will always have the time to make love and drink Champagne, and we will do it even more.’
Like most of the major Champagne houses, Taittinger’s sales have been badly affected by the economic downturn, with volumes down 10% during 2009.

But Taittinger said he expected sales to rise 10-20% this year, aided by 40% year-on-year growth in China. Champagne’s only competitor? ‘Viagra’.

‘China is the new United States,’ he said. ‘There is no doubt that it will be a strong market in 15 years. It will be much better than the US.’

And he said that ‘nothing is better’ than a glass of Champagne to help forget the stress and pressures of the modern world.

‘We are an affordable luxury. For one hour we can behave like the Queen of England.’

Richard Woodard

Boutique Champagne House of Boizel – A Small Champagne House Which Has Survived The Test of Time

In our world of mergers and takeovers, there are few champagne houses with the original founding family still overseeing the day-to-day business. The house of Boizel, run by the fifth generation of the founder, is a hidden gem. Well known in France as a mail-order specialist, you can now buy Boizel at a shop near you.

The Boizel story began in 1834, when a very young married couple, Auguste and Julie Boizel, decided to set up their own house, under their own name which was quite unusual.

It was a very difficult time with fragile bottles, weak glass and irregular bubbles – half of their bottles used to burst.

Fast forward 176 years, and the Boizels are still in Epernay. Evelyne Roques-Boizel, a graduate in History and Museology, works from their prestigious address on the majestic Avenue de Champagne; with husband, Christophe Roques, a trained engineer, as Boizel’s hands-on winemaker. Eldest son, Florent, returns from New Zealand and a three-year stint with Chapoutier in the Rhone – to join the family business in July.

You may have tasted one of their champagnes before, without realizing it. Evelyne sells 500,000 bottles under Boizel Champagne – but she also sells another 500,000 bottles as “own labels” or BOB (buyer’s own brands).

If you have ever tried Justerini & Brooks’ Sarcey Brut NV or Sainsbury’s own label Demi Sec NV, you will have sampled one of the family’s champagnes.

“Our aim is simplicity, authenticity and balance”, says Evelyne. Taste wise, their champagnes are light, Chardonnay-dominated: so might well appeal to Taittinger or Laurent Perrier lovers.

As is typical in champagne, Boizel own just a few hectares. Ninety five per cent of grapes are supplied by long-term grower contracts.

I was generally impressed with Boizel’s range. I particularly liked ultimo, chardonnay, demi-sec and long-lived prestige cuvee joyau de France.

The vintage 2000 was vastly superior to the standard brut non-vintage, which was the only one which lacked depth. This year, Evelyne will launch a new blanc de noirs non-vintage and a new vintage of her improving oaked vintage cuvee sous Bois.

The Scotsman

US Champagne Sales Start To Sparkle Again

WASHINGTON — US champagne sales are bubbling, with strong gains in the first two months of the year, according to the trade group for the producers.

The US Champagne Bureau, part of the French-based CIVC trade group, said January 2010 shipments rose 22.5 percent and February’s surged 95 percent year-over-year.

“Almost two million bottles were shipped to the US in the first two months of this year,” said the trade group’s communications director Daniel Lorson on Friday.

“This is encouraging. These are dramatic increases, especially compared to last year where we felt the full impact of the financial crisis.”

While champagne sales are just one sign of economic health, shipments to the US fell 27 percent last year and nine percent worldwide, according to the group.

The US remains a top market for bubbly, but consumption by Americans is one-ninth of that in France, the Champagne Bureau said.

The trade continues to press for a US law that would limit the use of the name champagne to wines grown in the designated region of northeast France.

French producers have introduced a lighter bottle for the drink, which Lorson said cuts about two ounces (55 grams) and reduces the carbon footprint for bottlers.

This will reduce carbon output by 2,000 metric tonnes annual, “equivalent to the annual emissions of 4,000 cars,” he said.

The new bottle should arrive in the US for 2011 and 2012 vintages, the group said.

La Route du Champagne en fete 2010 Cote des Bar! 24 en 25 juli

Starts: Saturday July 24, 2010, 08:00AM
Ends: Sunday July 25, 2010, 05:00PM
Location: La Route du Champagne en fete 2010 Cote des Bar! 24 en 25 juli rue de la gare 10 Landreville,
CHAMPAGNE-ARDENNE 10110 FR
Intended For: Everybody who is interested in Champagne
Organization: Association Pour la Promotion du Vignoble Champenois

On this route you get a Champagne glass and that is your ticket to visit the wineries; entertainment, music, food and beverage, helicopter flight above the fields