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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

Happy International Chardonnay Day (May 25th) and What is Blanc de Blancs Champagne

First of all Blanc de Blancs is a French term that means “white from whites”, and is used to designate Champagnes made exclusively from Chardonnay grapes.

Secondly – Champagne Geography – the key districts for Blanc de Blancs are the Côte des Blancs and Côte de Sézanne. The Côte des Blancs is particularly famous for its Chardonnay and yield the best examples of this style. The six grand cru villages include: Avize, Chouilly, Cramant, Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, Oger and Oiry. In Champagne, unlike Burgundy, the grand cru classification is linked to its villages and not vineyards. The designation denotes not only the highest-quality grapes—but also, generally, those that command the highest prices.

Thirdly, the differences in aromas and flavors are attributable to terroir. For instance, the Côte de Sézanne tends to yield riper fruit, hence riper wines. Other differences are the result of winemaking techniques, the degree of dosage, and other variables.

A classic Blanc de Blancs is restrained and elegant when its young, yet with ageing, it develops a mouth-coating brioche richness that overlays an intense expression of fruitiness.

Blanc de blancs Champagne is vibrant in its acidity it wants nothing more than to throw itself into comfort foods, seafood, and fried foods.

Producers include Salon, Billecart-Salmon, Jacques Selosse, Dom Ruinart, Krug, Guy Larmandier, Champagne R&L Legras, Champagne Henriot, Pol Roger, Krug, Louis Roederer, Dom Ruinart, Vilmart, Taittinger, and J. de Telmont  – also seek out smaller producers, you will be surprised and delighted.

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!

Champagne Lanson releases special sleeves for Wimbledon

With Wimbledon fast approaching Champagne Lanson has released special promotional items.

Champagne Lanson has been a longtime sponsor for Wimbledon and special for 2017 Champagne Lanson is promoting its 75cl Black and Rosé Labels with special sleeves imitating the iconic Wimbledon courts, with white lines and labels.

Champagne Lanson travel retail director Olivier de La Giraudiere said: “We have been a key partner of The Championships, Wimbledon since 1977.  It is an event that we are very proud to be a part of.  This is one of the highlights of our year in terms of sales, so it is a very important time for us as it helps boost sales of our wines throughout the vital summer months.”

“The new pouch designs look great and encourage collectability year-on-year, which delights our loyal customers as-well-as helps to attract new customers wanting to try Champagne Lanson for the first time. We are positive that the promotion will be successful and we are looking forward to seeing the results over the next few months.”

The promotional sleeves will be promoted in Dubai during June and at London City, Luton, Brussels and Frankfurt Airports in July. The White label bottle will also be on show at Frankfurt.

CHAMPAGNE CASTELNAU UNVEILS NEW LOOK

Champagne Castelnau showcased its new branding last week, which aims to appeal to a younger audience, at the UK market launch in London.

The repackaging takes on a much more minimalist look, which is designed to give the house a more contemporary feel.

While the new logo comprises of two linked letter Cs for Champagne Castelnau which is embedded in a black drop motif signifying the ‘bead’ of champagne.

Champagne Castelnau managing director, Pascal Prudhomme, said: “We have to look forward now, and not look back on tradition. We were not sexy before but we had good wine, and only we knew that.

“I think that all over the world the goal is to be successful by making young consumers interested in the brand. But in order for our wines to be tasted we must first be purchased, and to be purchased we have to be seen in the restaurants and wine shops.

“So it was a necessity to make a change to the traditional champagne bottles and be a little bit different.”

Champagne Castelnau has set a target to sell one million bottles by 2020 and two million by 2025.

Prudhomme added: “Celebrating our centenary last year gave us the opportunity to reflect on our journey ahead and I decided to do an internal audit of our brand, which showed great loyalty from our current customers, plus the opportunity to widen our appeal to new customers.”