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The importance of the wine glasse
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Choosing the right wine glass is essential for the development of the bouquet and the effervescence – so too is the cleanliness of the glass.
The best glass to serve Champagne
Champagne is best enjoyed in a tulip glass, tall enough to allow the bubbles and aromas to develop to the full.
The proper way to wash your Champagne glasses
Always rinse Champagne glasses with hot water before use, and leave to drain. This will remove any detergent or ‘rinse aid’ residue that can cause the bubbles to go flat. Many times, a disappointing show of effervescence is the fault of the glass and not the Champagne.
What about the Champagne coupe ?
As anyone with any experience will tell you, the shallow dish shape known as a ‘coupe’ simply doesn’t work for Champagne. The fact that it’s also known as a ‘Champagne saucer’ says it all. The bowl of the glass is too shallow to contain the effervescence, never mind allow it to develop properly – the same goes for the aromas. What usually happens is that the wine froths up and spills over, making the glass even less stable than it already is.
Despite all that, the word ‘coupe’ forms part of the French Champagne vocabulary – being the common term for any single glass of wine, whether sold in a bar or served to a friend.
www.champagne.fr
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Champagne & black truffles
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Truffles Champagne The mere mention of these two "stars" of the table conjures up images of celebration and the pleasures of the flesh, moments of unforgettable luxurious indulgence. But what in reality are the qualities that link this captivating little nugget torn from the soil and a wine that is the symbol of lightness itself?
Black truffles (Tuber melanosporum): choose rich powerful, vinous Champagne wines with definite structure, perhaps even an astringent or tannic quality and an energetic personality, such as
Blancs de noirs(based on Pinot noir and/or meunier) Champagne or mature Champagne preferably vintage or even, aged in the intimacy of the wood. Foods with crisp and warm ‘oiIy', strong textures (butter, cream, milk, flour) go beautifully with these wines of Champagne.
Two recipes suggested by Chefs to prolong this Epicurean encounter
Little potato turnovers with black truffles by Guy Savoy
Serves 6 - Ingredients : 120 g whole truffles, 1.2 kg potatoes, 120 g leeks, 1 small onion, 250 g butter, salt, freshly ground pepper.
• Peel the potatoes, leeks and onions and rinse carefully.
• Using a vegetable slicer, cut the potatoes into 3mm thick slices. Rinse once again to remove the starch and leave in water.
• Clarify 150g butter in a high-sided frying pan over a low heat.
• Cut onions and leeks into very thin strips and sweat with 30g butter over a low heat until thoroughly cooked.
• Strain the potatoes and pat dry. Turn into a mixing bowl, add 3/4 of the clarified butter and mix well.
• Season with salt and freshly ground pepper.
• Arrange the slices of potato around a buttered baking tray so that they overlap.
• Oven bake for about 15 minutes at 175°C (325°F).
• Cut the truffle into thin slices. When the potato slices are cooked, turn them out onto a board allowing six per person.
• Place a little of the onion-leek mixture in the centre of each one, top with a slice of truffle and finally cover with a second slice of potato.
• Use a pastry-cutter to shape the turnovers, arrange them around a buttered dish, brush with clarified butter and brown in a salamander or very hot oven.
• When golden, arrange on individual plates and serve.
Little pasta shells with sugar and Burgundy truffles by Christophe Dufossé
Serves 5 - lngredients : 60 g butter, 80 g caster sugar, 200 g coquillettes (little pasta shells), 30 cl single cream, 1 small truffle per person (approx. 30 to 40g).
• Cook the coquillettes in boiling water until they reach the 'al dente‘ stage. Strain and set aside.
• Reduce the cream by half. When you are ready to serve, pan fry the coquillettes in the butter and sugar, add the reduced cream and shredded truffles.
• Serve.
www.champagne.fr
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Unesco & Champagne, let's go !
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On 4 July 2015, the UNESCO World Heritage Committee took the decision to include the "Champagne Slopes, Houses and Cellars" on its World Heritage list.
The Exceptional Universal Value of the Champagne vineyard cultural landscape, the birthplace of Champagne wine, has now been recognised and in a broader sense, this includes all the work done to grow the grapes, produce and distribute Champagne wine which is passed down the generations and preserved in the 320 Champagne AOC districts located in the five French départements of Marne, Aube, Aisne, Haute-Marne and Seine-et-Marne.
Management of the Association 'Paysages du Champagne', founded in 2007 to provide a dynamic and unifying structure for all stakeholders throughout the Champagne AOC area, is shared equally by local authorities and professionals from the wine production industry.
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Champagne can help improve memory
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New research has suggested that three glasses of Champagne a week can help to improve your memory.
Scientists at Reading University say that a regular dose of bubbles can help in the fight against brain disorders such as Alzheimer’s and dementia.
Jeremy Spencer, a biochemistry professor who led the research, said: “Dementia probably starts in the 40s and goes on to the 80s. It is a gradual decline and so the earlier people take these beneficial compounds in champagne, the better.”
Professor Spencer’s team said that the compound phenolic acid is what can boost memories. Phenolic acid is found in the black grapes, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier, both of which are used in the production of Champagne.
The professor told the Mail on Sunday that the research team had put Champagne into the food for rats every day for six weeks. The rats then ran in a maze to find a treat, with the test repeated after five minutes to see if the rats remembered where to go.
The rats that had no Champagne had a 50% success rate, but this went up to 70% in the rats that had Champagne in their diet.
Professor Spencer now hopes to take a trial to humans, with around 60 pensioners being asked to drink Champagne for three years. It’s hard to imagine there will be a shortage of volunteers for this trial.
Spencer told the Mail on Sunday: “The results were dramatic. After rats consumed champagne regularly, there was a 200 per cent increase of proteins important for determining effective memory.
“This occurred in rats after just six weeks. We think it would take about three years in humans.
“This research is exciting because it illustrates for the first time that moderate consumption of champagne has the potential to influence cognitive functioning such as memory.”
The drinkbusiness.com
7th May by Andy Young
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Gido van Imschoot Crowned 2012 Champagne Ambassador
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Gido van Imschoot crowned 2012 Champagne Ambassador
(
London,
England
) – Gido van Imschoot was named this year’s Champagne Ambassador edging out strong competition from across
Europe.
There were nine finalists in all, including
UK’s Nancy Gilchrist MW, with
Austria
entering for the first time as well.
Italian Chiara Giovoni came second, while Austrian Elisabeth
Ederwas awarded the Prix Special.
The candidates spent a week in
Champagnevisiting producers to taste and make notes to help their presentations, with this year focused on the impact of aging wines in oak and stainless steel.
After the win was announced at a dinner at
La Marquetterie, van Imschoot said, “I feel very happy but I had to work on it because the debate about wood and inox is very strong.”
“The influence on the wine either way is extraordinary and it shows the diversity that there is in
Champagne
. It’s not easy to teach people about it because we always start with the terroirs and crus and they learn that
Champagne
is made in this way. It adds an extra level which consumers may find confusing but it’s up to us to get the message across,” van Imshoot added.
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Visit our cellars in group
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Welcome desk on the Champagne touristic road
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Contact: Anne-Marie Lefèvre
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Capacity: 60 to 90 people. Visits in English, German (on reservation only)
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Opening hours: Monday to Saturday 10 to 12 am and 2 to 5 pm.
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Closed: Sunday except for groups with booking
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Annual Holiday: 3 weeks in August, 1 week in February
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Interest: Traditional champagne house, commented visit of the cellars carved in the limestone. Segmental galleries dug in the middle of 19th century, on hillside, more than 15 meters deep, with floor-level access. 150 m² reception room, collection of presses and objects about work of vine and wine. Commented tasting and presentation of Champagnes, advices about how to bring together dishes and champagnes.
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Access: In you are on the A4 motorway, take the exit n°26 signposted to “Cormontreuil”. At the exit follow signs to Châlons en Champagne (green signs), then take the RN44. After about 15 minutes you'll see Verzy signposted to your right.
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From the A26 motorway, from Troyes, take exit n°27 “La Veuve” towards the A4-E50, then follow the RN44 towards Reims. Verzy is on your left after about 15 minutes.
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Parking: on site.
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Free tarifs: for children under 12, coach drivers and tour guides.
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Time of the tasting visit: 1h15.
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