F I N E
C H A M P A G N E
M A G A Z I N E
No. 2
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Page 24 Champagne Areas
Page 36
Bruno Paillard
8
Page 42
Rosé Champagnes
Page 60
Bollinger
Page 76
Taittinger Bottle Art
Page 108
Taittinger
Page 116
Caviar
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Fine Avellan Fine Nuikki e
Editorial Decanting Champagne Heidsieck 1907
16 Fine Drinking History 24 36 42 60
Page 98 Champagne Auctions
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Fine Alphabet lp Fine Personality o Fine Selection l c Fine Legend i Fine Larsson n Fine Women i Fine Gallery n Fine Tastings a Fine Vintages i Fine Investing n v Fine Challenge l Fine Cuvée Fine Gastronomy o Fine 1000 n Fine Lifestyle n s Fine Exhibition x b
ABC Areas Bruno Paillard Prestige Cuvée Rosés Bollinger Eat and Drink in Pink Carol Duval-Leroy Taittinger Collection Prestige Cuvées 19801989 Champagne Auctions Champagne Awards Taittinger Comtes de Champagne Caviar Dom Pérignon 1973 Les Crayères Pommery & Art
66 68 76 84 92 98 104 108 116 124 128 138
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Les Crayères
Fi n e C o n t e n t s
H
ow do you get champagne costing 30 euros to taste like prestige cuvée that costs 150 euros?
sometimes wonder about the fine words of
often than not improves and becomes drinkable if decanted, sometimes so much so that a young bottle costing 30 euros tastes and seems like one priced at 150 euros after being decanted for 1.5 hours. Most young champagnes, and now I am talking about vintages from the present decade, should be decanted for 30 minutes at the very least. The better quality the champagne, the longer the decanting time. For example, the Deutz Rosé 2002 was a completely different wine after being decanted for two hours the hardness, sharpness and imbalance that were apparent when the bottle was opened had given way to creamy softness, tranquillity and beautiful balance. Veuve Clicquot Rosé 2003 (one hour decanting time), Philipponnat Clos des Goisses Rosé 2000 (three hours), Roederer Brut Millésime 2003 (1.5 hours) and Taittinger Brut Vintage 2002 (one hour) all also clearly benefited from being decanted over a fairly long period. As the air literally breathes life into the wine but also kills it off, it is very important to know how long to let the wine remain in contact with the air in the
decanter and the glass. That is why wine reviews in FINE magazines mention the time (and is the only wine magazine in the world to do so) that we think the wine in question needs to breathe and reach its full potential. The time we give is actually only based on our own experience of the wine concerned, and should be seen as well-intentioned advice and not scientific truth. My own rule for young champagne vintages is that 30 minutes in a decanter is the minimum time. This obviously varies, depending on the quality of the wine, the blend and the vintage. Try to apply yourself to this straight away. With a little practice each of us can affect the taste of the champagne we drink. When you are opening a bottle of young champagne next time, decant it for 30 minutes to two hours before serving. It is very possible that the champagne´s taste will improve a lot during decanting, at least to make its enjoyment worth the price you paid.
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I
praise that the champagne I have just tasted and had great expectations for, but now find dull
and lifeless, has received from friends or wine professionals I hold in high regard. Occasionally the reason is that the champagne reviews I read date back years, but it is often simply because of me: my inexperience and ignorance I have either opened the bottle too late or too early. Longevity is an excellent quality in wine, sometimes even a magical one when a mature vintage is drunk whilst at its very best, but even the best wine is easily spoilt if you drink it at the wrong time, and I am not now talking about decades, or even years, but hours. I believe that all mature wines benefit from decanting, as many people know. But it is much less common knowledge that champagnes, especially young ones benefit enormously if they are decanted. Most of the champagnes on the market are very young and still immature. But never mind. Today a virtually undrinkable, immature champagne more
Pekka Nuikki Editor-in-Chief
Fi n e N u i k k i
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On the morning of 3 November 1916, the German submarine U-22 stopped a small Swedish schooner, Jönköping, off the Finnish coast. In the cargo hold of thi unluck shi wer ,000 ottl of hamp gne this unlucky ship were 3,000 bottles of champagne, is nlucky hip re 0 ttles mpa n 10,000 gallons of cognac, and 17 barrels of burgundy ,000 allo of cognac, and barrels of burgundy 0 lons g arre g y wine ha ha be wine that had been ordered by the court of Tsar in hat had been rder d d the cour f sar h urt Nik la II. The command Nikolai II. The commander of the U-22 decided to kol kolai mmande der th he 2 decid ide ded sink si the schoone but save th liv of its crew The sink the schooner but save the lives of its crew The chooner he ives ew.
ship sank into the depths of the North Sea in less than an hour. On the morning of 15 April 1998, in an auction hall ha in Lo on, the ta f gav l end d hall in London the tap of a gavel ended a longLond n tap ong ngrunning tend comp titi running tender competition a world record had nnin nder ompe tion wor record had orld ecor been orn ore be born. Mor was paid been born. More was paid for a champagne bottle ch mpag bottle hamp ha agne l that d ain in th cargo old f Jö ping for 82 that had lain in the cargo hold of Jönköping for 82 h i he argo l önkö ön i y ars than for any oth ch p g bottle befo tha years than for any other champagne bottle before that. y ther ha hamp ottl fore hat
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Fi n e D r i n k i n g H i s t o r y
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Fi n e D r i n k i n g H i s t o r y
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DIRECT FROM THE PRIVATE CELLAR OF BARONESS PHILIPPINE OF CHÂTEAU MOUTON-ROTHSCHILD
A Jeroboam of 1945 Mouton Rothschild, sold for $310,700 (Estimate $80,000-150,000) February 2007
An Invitation to Consign Wine
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Fi n e A l p h a b e t
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Montagne de Reims
cold sharpness
Montagne de Reims is the northernmost and coldest region in Champagne. Its annual average temperature is only 9.5 degrees celsius. Mainly Pinot Noir is planted in Montagne de Reims. Despite having the northernmost vineyards, with some even facing north, its peculiar microclimate is well-suited for growing the Pinot Noir grape. The flavour of the Montagne region champagnes is strong and sharp when young.
Fi n e A l p h a b e t
Côte des Blancs home of the
blanc de blancs
champagne
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Extending south from Épernay for about 21km is the Côte des Blancs. The ridge is planted on both slopes, but the best vineyards are on the eastern side. It takes its name from the hill-covered vineyards of white grapes: Chardonnay. Côte des Blancs has the hilliest appearance, in which on its slopes almost solely Chardonnay vines are cultivated. The finest, creamy Blanc de Blancs champagnes are crafted from these grapes. They are long-lived and elegant.
100 per cent
classification
In Champagne, most of the farmers sell a part of their harvest to the champagne houses. For this reason, the growing places are divided into so-called crus, based on a certain scale. The prices of grapes are calculated every year according to this scale. The best growing places produce grapes that are classified as 100 per cent. For example Verzenay, Bouzy, and Ambonnay are considered 100 per cent Grand Cru villages. The villages which grapes are viewed as 90 99 per cent, are called Premier Cru.
17 villages are classified
as Grand Cru
The Champagne Grand Crus are: Ambonnay, Avize, Aÿ, Beaumont-sur-Vesle, Bouzy, Chouilly, Cramant, Louvois, Mailly-Champagne, Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, Oger, Oiry, Puisieulx, Sillery, Tours-sur-Marne, Verzenay, and Verzy. This classification is based on strict criteria, such as sub-soil, slope, and aspect.
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M O D E L
M A N A G E M E N T
www.paparazzi.fi
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Fi n e P e r s o na l i t y
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no.
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Deutz Cuvée William Deutz Rosé
Deutz might be one of the lesser known included in the blend comes, as opposed to usual Champagne Houses but an up-and-coming one. practices, from Aÿ. As the company is situated in Since Roederer bought the House in 1993 they the village of Aÿ with most of its vineyard holdings have been able to increase supply of high quality in the neighbourhood, it is no surprise they wish to grapes to manufacture two million bottles instead reflect Aÿ characteristics in their top rosé. of the previous 600,000. The annual two million What is particular about their making of Cuvée bottles are not enough to cater for William Deutz Rosé is that they "It has a lovely everybody, so Deutz aims to reach use a combination of saignée balance of elegance, for the stars meaning Michelin(bleeding) method and blending starred restaurants. The on-trade to create the desired colour and freshness and and superb value for money focus vinosity with a touch taste. Cellar Master Michel make Deutz wines, including of old world charm." Davesne emphasizes how difficult and risky getting the colour and the Cuvée William Deutz Rosé, fruit correct with the saignée wonderful sales tools for qualified method is. Nevertheless, he seems sommeliers. to perfect it as Cuvée William Deutz is consistently 1959 was the birth year of the first Cuvée one of my favourites. It has a lovely balance of William Deutz. The rosé version followed as late elegance, freshness and vinosity with a touch of old as 1985. Since then 1990, 1996, 1999 and 2000 have been released. The rosé is a blend of 75 per world charm. It lacks the polished touch of most cent Pinot Noir and 25 per cent Chardonnay, all of the Grande Marques but instead it offers a lot of from Grand Cru villages. The 89 percent red wine personality.
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91p
1 1999 Deutz Cuvée William Deutz Rosé
2008/2015 Classic and charming with a slight old world touch, harmonious and delightful.
Pale glossy salmon colour. Delicate and elegant, slightly toasty ripe red fruit nose. Lean on the structure. Pure, clean and fruity, but very youthful.
94p
1996 Deutz Cuvée William Deutz Rosé 1
2007/2018 in style. The steely acidity is benchmark to this terrific vintage. Extremely glamorous and harmonious already today but will improve significantly with extended cellaring. Seductive.
Beautiful pale onion skin colour with fine bubbles. Subtle and elegant nose of spices and minerality. Etheral nuances and dried fruit characters brought extra dimensions to the wine. Classic and very fine
95p
2 2002 Roederer Cristal Rosé
2008/2025 intense yet closed palate. Perfected linear acidity, lots of depth and a never-ending finish. All elements of a super-premium wine are there, so the points will inevitably rise as the wine ages. This will be a monumental Cristal Rosé.
Crystal-clear pale colour with a delicate peach tinge. Bright perfumey ripe fruitiness which is simultaneously powerful and restrained. Pure,
95p
2000 Roederer Cristal Rosé 2
2007/2020 influence. Incredibly stylish, rich and full bodied but surprisingly open and layered palate. Enjoyable, however will keep for ages. Well built, almost chewy velvety texture with very ripe fruitiness, muscular feel to it yet a monumental acidic backbone. Very enjoyable from now on until 2020.
Beautifully glossy almost yellow colour with orange hues. Stylish yet not very rosé-like nose: wax, caramel, dried fruits, spices and a delicate yeasty
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98p
1996 Roederer Cristal Rosé 1
2008/2020 keeps the wine in a tight focus. Iron fist inside a silk glove. A wine monster that shows some signs of development and is much more approachable today than the Blanc equivalent. Maybe not one of the most elegant Cristals but unique and impressive indeed.
Pale orange to onion skin colour. Loads of ripe fruit, toast, caramel and dried fruits. The palate is pronounced with an extreme acidic backbone that
96p
1 1995 Roederer Cristal Rosé
2008/2017 nuanced nose: spices, red berries and floral notes. Dry never-endingly fruity and linear taste, wild strawberries and toasty notes. Firm and muscular with a fine, silky mousse.
Extremely pale colour for a rosé, glossy and vibrant. Fine small-sized bubbles. A restrained yet delicately
95p
1 1989 Roederer Cristal Rosé
2008/2012 glass. Ripe fruity palate with good weight and depth. Toasty and developed, showing the second life of Cristal. Drinking fine now and in the next few years.
Pale orange colour. Soft fudge, burnt sugar and spice nose. Layers of aromas develop charmingly in the
Fi n e S e l e c t i o n
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DE VISU-REIMS
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champagne
women
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La Grande Femme de Champagne
Text: Essi Avellan MW Champagne seems to have a bad "microclimate" for men with many passing away while still young and in their prime. In the hard 19th and 20th century world, it was the strong Champagne widows who stepped forward for their families, following in the example of Veuve ClicquotPonsardin, to run their businesses in the absence of their husbands. However, the concept of widow, or veuve, soon developed into a marketing tool and therefore many of the women were not much more than entrepreneurial faces in reality. In the 21st century champagne business, Carol Duval-Leroy is reviving the spirit of the original veuves with her astonishing work.
Fi n e Wo m e n
Duval-Leroy
89p
N NV Duval-Leroy Rosé de Saignée soft mousse and smooth texture. Long, fresh and elegant. Fairly simple yet pure and lively rosé for immediate consumption. 2008/2015
Medium-deep pink onion skin colour. Soft ripe red fruit nose with attractive spicy elements. Pleasantly
89p
NV Duval-Leroy Fleur de Champagne Brut Premier Cru N palate which appears very dry yet not sufficiently intense. White fruits and flowers. Pure and fresh
2008/2013 champagne for short term consumption.
Pale lemony colour. Appetising, toasty nose of red fruits and ripe apples. The nose is superior to the
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91p
1 1996 Duval-Leroy more developed than the palate that is still tight. Wonderful citric acidic backbone and impressive fruit intensity. A keeper, which has had positive
2008/2017 development since the previous tasting six months before.
Medium deep lemony colour. Stylish and nuanced nose with good degree of autolytic influence. White fruits, flowers, nuts, yeast, and spices. The nose is
88p
1 1999 Duval-Leroy Blanc de Chardonnay the elegant but rather sharp palate. A stylish champagne for mid-term drinking. Letting it rest for
2008/2012 some months will soften the slightly aggressive mousse.
Developing lemon-yellow colour. Soft lactic nose of toffee, baked apple and yeast. Medium-bodied on
91p
2 2001 Duval-Leroy Authentis Cumières the palate with an appealing creaminess. With its 7g/l residual sugar it is a very solid effort from the disastrous 2001 vintage.
2008/2013
Medium-deep developing colour. Ripe apples, red berries and hazelnuts nose. Round and muscular on
Fi n e Wo m e n
Duval-Leroy
88p
2 2003 Duval-Leroy Authentis Cumières lacking and freshness firmness of structure. Longlasting finish where the prematurely slightly oxidised flavours dominate. No great ageing potential. I have 2008/2012 had a better bottle at the winery a few months earlier, though. 4g/l dosage.
Deep lemon-gold colour. Pronounced bruised apple and apricot, oxidised nose. Full-bodied on the palate with a gentle mousse and a vinous texture. However,
90p
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1 1999 Duval-Leroy Authentis Trépail like style. Nice fudge finish on the seemingly light but long palate. Noticeable oak influence. Fresh,
2008/2015 sophisticated gastronomical champagne for midterm drinking.
Medium-deep greenish-yellow colour. Lactic nose of cream, butter and baked apples. White Burgundy-
92p
2002 Duval-Leroy Authentis Clos des Bouveries Touch of apples and cream. Balanced elegant lively palate. Feminine style with ease of drinking. Youthful
2008/2015 but drinkable already. True to terroir but commercial with house style.
Medium lemony colour. Sweet, floral, appealing nose. Ripe stonefruit and touch of mineral smokiness.
91p
2 2003 Duval-Leroy Authentis Clos des Bouveries with some oak influence detectable. The palate is wide and easily approachable. Very little dosage, 23
2008/2012 g/l suits the hot vintages style. A good 2003 for mid term drinking. Very different from 2002 though.
Pale lemony colour, larger bubbles than in the 2002. Soft ripe sweet vanilla nose. Slightly volatile nose
92p
1 1996 Duval-Leroy Femme de Champagne palate with searing acidity. Lacks the greatest finesse and complexity of the finest 1996s. However, fine with good vintage typicity.
2008/2020
Deep, developing lemony colour. Yeasty autumn apple and bread nose. Linear, powerfully fruity
Taittinger collection
Text: Anne Lepola Photos: Jarmo Hietaranta
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bottle
art
M P A G N E C H A
D OMAINE À U RVILLE D EPUIS 1808 C AVES À R EIMS - F RANCE
90p
D Deutz
2002
2008/2015 Further layers to be revealed with aging. Pure and straight-forward elegant. Now-2015.
Medium-deep lemony colour. The nose is fruit forward with not much aging effect. Elegant white flower and stone fruit nuances. Delicate feminine
style continues on the palate. Round and fresh with pleasant fruitiness.
91p
C Chapuy Livre Noir
2002
2008/2015 well but will benefit from 5-10 years of storing for emergence of further autolysis aromas.
Intense brigh yellow colour. Smooth harmonious bright nose with peach, acasia and apple pie aromas. Stylish smoky minerality. Similar seamlessness
continues on the palate. Enough power, volume and freshness for great aging capacity. Firm with well integrated mousse. Starting to drink very
91p
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P Palmer & Co Brut Millesime
2002
2008/2015 The palate advances like a train. Wonderful to drink from 2010 to 2015.
Pale youthful lemony colour. Clean soft sweet stone fruit and green apple nose. Elegantly reserved. Same style continues on the seemingly delicate
palate that hides a lot of power and fruit. Fragrant with good balance between smoky minerality and fruit. Long and intense with outstanding freshness.
90p
L Louis Roederer Blanc de Blancs
2002
2008/2015 width and length for now. Drink 2010-2020.
lemon-green colour of medium depth. Bright lemon Smooth, ripe white fruit nose with smoky minerality. Reserved and tight on the palate, not
revealing much. Pure and firm but needs time to tame the aggression of the bubbles and to bring more charm on the palate. Searing acidity, lacks
90p
A Agrapart Vénus Brut Nature
2002
2008/2015 good example of a pure grower terroir wine. Drink 2010-2015.
Medium-deep developing lemony colour. Very pure peach and red apple nose. A purist palate
with no dosage. The foam is still a bit aggressive and needs some time for perfect integration. Very
90p
P Pierre Gimonnet Fleuron
2002
2008/2015 and tightly-packed fruitiness. Great length and depth. Drink 2010-2025.
Medium-deep lemony-green colour. Soft, ripe fruit nose, peach and red apple. Delicate smokiness
and some hints of deliberate oxidation. Powerful, structured palate with a wonderful acidic backbone
CHAMPAGNE TASTING
Autumn 2008 · Tasted by: Juha Lihtonen
93p
L Louis Roederer Cristal
2000
2008/2020 at least for 3-5 years. Blossoming assumingly 2015-2020.
92p
D Dom Pérignon
1999
2008/2025 month now and has shown extraordinary vividness for Dom Pérignon. Truly a great wine drinking lovely now but will keep and evolve for next 20 years!
89
Bright, yellow colour with refined small bubbles. Lovely toasty nose with creamy, lemony aromas and delicate complex yeasty touch with peppermint. The taste is very fresh. It is crisp, mineral, moderately light-bodied, complex, refined, balanced, and showing oily structure with fresh peppermint flavours in the lingering long finish. This wine has been tasted 4 times in one
91p
L Louis Roederer Cristal Rosé
2000
2008/2015 Surprisingly approachable already not benefiting for long-term ageing, max 5-7 years.
Light, bright weak rose colour with small bubbles. Open, voluptuous nose for Cristal ripe strawberries, peaches, and apricots. Dry, broad,
firm mineral, cherries and cranberries, elegant refined finish very mineral finish.
89p
B Boizel Joyeau de France
1995
2008/2014 harmony and precise lingering finish. Drinking well now but will keep another 5-7 years still.
Bright, golden yellow colour, rich in bubbles. Elegant, yeasty nose with toasty, brioche and
biscuity aromas. Dry, crisp, and elegant palate with lean, fruity style. Light-bodied wine with lovely
89p
L Louis Roederer Blanc de Blancs
2000
2008/2020 This wine is build to last. So keep at least for 3-5 years. Will keep another 10-15 years.
Bright, green, small elegant bubbles. Very expressive and linear nose - very intense, mineral, lemony and peachy. The taste is also very intense,
crisp, mineral, medium-bodied, broad but firm structure, very long lemony finish.
Fi n e Ta s t i n g s
Medium intense yellow colour. Intense, very pungent nose lime and flint. Crisp and rich texture with great finesse and concetration.
Mineral, lime flavours dominate with moderate finish being still closed. Lovely concentration and balance but benefit definitely from further ageing
88p
G Guy Charlemagne Bague Carrée Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs
1999
2008/2025 slightly too harsh for my taste. The time will do a favour to the wine and it is probably peaking in 10-15 years and lasting 20 years or so.
Very rare champagne made only 250 magnums. Moderately pale steely yellow colour with vivid fine bubbles. Pronounced nose is full of yeasty and buttery notes enhanced with toastiness and smoke.
Dry and crisp palate with very pungent style, edgy and austere, toasted bred, broad phenolic finish with very mineral and citrussy aftertaste. Still too young to show entire complexity. At this stage
88p
B Boizel Brut Ultime Extra Brut
NV
2008/now palate. No further ageing needed.
Bright, straw yellow colour. Fresh apple nose with toasted and elegant yeasty tones. Crisp, dry, light-
bodied, mineral and elegant structure. Fresh apple flavours and long silky finish. Very harmonious
88p
Moët&Chandon Grand Vintage Brut M
2000
2008/now Moderate length. Drink up!
Lemony yellow, bright, fine bubbles. Very pleasant and broad nose with opulence, intensity and
creamy richness. The taste is crisp but mellow and round enhanced with creaminess and ripe fruit.
87p
Boizel Brut Réserve B
NV
2008/now Persistent wine with good balance. No further ageing needed.
Lemon yellow colour with vivid bubbles. Toasty nose with lemon and apple tones., Bone-dry
palate with lovely crispiness. Lean, mineral and crisp green apple character. Long lingering finish.
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87p
B Boizel Rosé Brut
NV
2008/now taste to immediate use. No further ageing needed.
Pale, bright rose colour with vivid bubbles. Very delicate, less complex but appealingly fresh red fruit nose w with raspberries and strawberries.
Dry, crisp palate with very elegant and smooth structure. Light-bodied and lean wine with lingering and concentrated finish. Harmonious
87p
D De Saint Gall Blanc de Blancs Brut
NV
2008/now light-bodied style. Easy drinking and joyful wine to enjoy now.
Light, straw yellow colour with vivid and refined bubbles. Fresh and floral nose with apples, touch Fres
of yeastiness, and hints of toffee. Crisp, fresh and and creamy texture with supple palate, fruity and
86p
M Moët&Chandon Grand Vintage Rosé Brut
2000
2008/now the gums and medium length. Drink up!
Moderately light, rose colour, fine bubbles. Intense nose is almost too much of a bubble gum sensation. Ye opulent with creamy strawberries, Yet
brioche aromas. On palate wine is round, mediumbodied, moderately crisp and light-bodied with ripe strawberries, delicate phenolic sensation on
86p
A A. Chauvet Brut
NV
2008/now long finish. No further ageing needed.
Straw yellow, vivid bubbles. Creamy, yeasty nose with pears a and apple aromas. Rich, round, less
refined but balanced and creamy texture with pungent apple and citrus flavours in moderately
82p
G Gosset Grande Cuvée
NV
2008/2012 and little burning finish. Lacking balance now, might improve after ageing 3 to 4 years.
Light, yellow, vivid bubbles. Medium-intense nose with toffee and apples. The palate is dry and
crisp with rich mousse. Very lean taste with onedimensional style. Green apple flavours. Austere
Chic Champagne...
w w w. c a n a r d - d u c h e n e . f r
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With its charm and success it was able to boost the popularity of the entire Blanc de Blancs style.
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Fi n e C u v é e
BELUGA
(Huso huso)
The Beluga Sturgeon is the rarest of the three varieties from the Caspian Sea. It can live for more than one hundred years, grow up to six metres in length and weigh more than a thousand kilograms. Unconfirmed reports suggest that a Beluga may have reached a length of 8.6 metres and weighed as much as 2,700 kilograms what a monster! The Beluga is a large predatory species that feeds on other fish. The Beluga travels up-river to spawn, as do many sturgeons. The female requires twenty years to grow and begin producing roe. Beluga produces the largest grain of the sturgeon caviars, as much as fifty eggs in one gram. The colour of the caviar varies from almost black to very dark gray (class 0) and light gray (class 000). The Beluga may also be found lurking in the waters of the Black, Azov, and Adriatic Seas, as well as the Dnieper and Danube rivers. The Beluga Sturgeon is currently listed as an endangered species, causing the United States Fish and Wildlife Service to ban the importation of Beluga caviar that originates in the Black Sea basin. This ban was partly lifted in January 2007, allowing the sale of ninety-six tons of caviar, still fifteen percent below the official 2005 level.
(Acipenser gueldenstaedtii)
The smaller Ossetra Sturgeon produces eggs of smaller grain (85 eggs in one gram) and size than the Beluga, while the caviar itself ranges from light brown to golden in colour. Some consider
the taste of Ossetra to be more distinct, almost nutty and many connoisseurs prefer the stronger character of the Ossetra to the subtlety of the Beluga.
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SEVRUGA
(Acipenser stellatus)
The Sevruga Sturgeon produces the smallestgrained caviar (115 eggs in one gram) of the Caspian Sea sturgeons. Sevruga caviar, the third variety, has the smallest eggs, the strongest flavour and is perhaps the most readily available. It is also the least expensive of the imported caviar varieties. Forty per cent of the caviar sold in the world market comes from Sevruga Sturgeons.
Fi n e G a s t r o n o m y
OSSETRA
I myself think the Dom Pérignon vintage of 1973 is the last great Dom Pérignon.
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no.
545
Fi n e 1 0 0 0
VINI-RARI. RAREST-WINES. .
it
FINE AND RARE WINE SPECIALIST
Dom Pérignon 1949 Dom Pérignon 1952 Dom Pérignon 1955 Dom Pérignon 1964 Dom Pérignon 1966 Dom Pérignon 1969 Dom Pérignon 1970 Dom Pérignon 1978 Dom Pérignon 1980 =800 =750 =750 =450 =450 =400 =350 =250 =180 =1500 =1000 = 950 = 950 = 400 = 400 = 400 = 400 = 400
COM
Cristal Roederer 1961 Cristal Roederer 1962 Cristal Roederer 1964 Cristal Roederer 1966 Cristal Roederer 1974 Cristal Roederer 1975 Cristal Roederer 1977 Cristal Roederer 1978 Cristal Roederer 1979
Dom é i Dom Pérignon Magnum 1964 = 1500 n u 64 0 D Dom Pérignon Magnum 1966 = 1500 ér 1 500 D Dom Perignon Mag um 1969 = 1300 e n agnu 1 Bollinge e a Bollinge Renaudin Extra Quality Brut 3 l Jerob am 1926 = 5000 l nger x u ty erobo 9 5 0 B l inge R a d n Bollinger Renaudin Extra Quality Bru 1929 = 2500 ger a y rut 1 Mo t Moët & Chandon Brut Imperial 6 l Mathusalem 1911 = 10000 hand u mp i ah m 00 Veuv Clicqu t ru Rose Veuve Clicquot Brut Rose 6 l Mathusale 1969 = 4000 uv cq e u alem 9
VINI-RARI / RAREST-WINES 2c Via Trieste Carmignano Di Brenta 35010 Italy Tel / Fax: +39 049 943 0909 Partita IVA: 04260020286
http://www.vini-rari.com http://www.rarest-wines.com
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Crayères
Heaven in Champagne
Text: Juha Lihtonen Photos: Pekka Nuikki
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There is a heaven in the heart of Champagne. In the middle of the busy Reims, right next door to the monumental champagne castle of Pommery, lies Château Les Crayères. The picturesque luxury hotel with its reputed Michelin star restaurant has been an aspired destination for gourmands for decades. But now, Les Crayères is getting famous for creating perfected champagne experiences.
Fi n e L i f e s t y l e
C Les
âteau h
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& Châteaux hotels in Provence and Monaco. With over 17 years of hotel experience in Relais & Châteaux, he had no second thoughts when the position at Château Les Crayères opened up. "I was ready to swap the nice Mediterranean climate for this
continental and cold climate for several reasons. First of all, the hotel had a great reputation. But even more important was the commitment and input of its owners, the Gardinier family. I was convinced that I would have their full support in making this hotel even more
successful". Mercier does not, however, deny the fact that the highly esteemed restaurant with Michelin stars allured him and supported his decision.
Fi n e L i f e s t y l e
- Château Les Crayères has been a destination for many gourmands for decades -
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Glorious past
Indeed for many guests it was the reputation of the restaurant that has made Château Les Crayères such a desirable destination. Before Mercier, the hotel was well-known because of Boyer. Gérard Boyer was highly appreciated for his chef skills, which were awarded three Michelin stars. His traditional French cuisine appealed to many gourmands who traveled from far and wide to experience his classic dishes. He was a central figure at Les Crayères from its beginning in 1984 and, therefore, the establishment was named Les Crayères Gérard Boyer. It became an icon during his time and after his retirement in 2003, there was a lot of discussion about the future of the hotel and its highly esteemed restaurant.
Modern future
The Gardinier family decided at the end of the Boyer era, to allow Château Les Crayères to move on to its next great chapter. Xavier Gardinier asked a respected interior designer Pierre-Yves Rochon to update the interior that he had once designed for the hotel in the very beginning. Rochon brought new life into the hotel by modernizing with new technologies and services that customers would expect from this class of hotel, while maintaining the original spirit of the place. According to Rochon, it is all about allowing the past and future to live together, in style and harmony. While the interiors were refurbished, the shoes of Gérard Boyer were still difficult to fill. According to a normal Michelin rating procedure, Les Crayères lost one star after the long-term chef left the restaurant. One star was not the only thing Les Crayères was about to give up. After two decades of serving traditional French cuisine, it was the right time to augment the cuisine. Thus, the new chapter of the hotel was also followed by one for its restaurant.
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Didier Elena
He is an artist creating designer food. His dishes have a very distinctive style with an attitude and edge, both visually and taste-wise, with rectangular shapes and high tension f lavours.
Fi n e L i f e s t y l e
"Our target is to bring champagne to tables as an equal choice versus any f ine still wine that complements dishes". · Didier Elena ·
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The chef
The chef appointed for this task was Didier Elena, who joined the team in January 2005. For such a young age, 29, he had a respectful career as a chef under the wings of a great chef Alain Ducasse. He had worked for Ducasse in several restaurants in Paris, Monaco, and Tokyo where he set up the Restaurant Beige as his final project for Ducasse before moving to Reims. A switch of mind set of cooking in Japan to cooking in Champagne was not an issue for Elena. He seems to have a very clear vision of his mission at Les Crayères. "I consider that wherever I work, I need to adjust my cuisine to that culture. The dishes have to always express the sense of the place. Thus, my cuisine is always dependent on the surroundings the building and region. These principles form a guideline for what my team and I are creating on a plate. There is no room for modern molecular cuisine in a place like Les Crayères. That kind of cuisine is experimental. Now the experiments can only be conducted once, since the second time it is no longer an experiment. There are many people who say that their dinner was a great experience. For me this means that they have discovered something new. When it comes to Les Crayères I am not sure if this is what our customers are looking for. You want to relax, enjoy luxurious surroundings, and discover the wonders of champagne, while the food will follow", Didier Elena emphasizes and continues: "At Les Crayères we must aim for the harmony that is seen between the champagnes and dishes. I never see myself as creating dishes but rather creating flavors that match the food. Here we try to create flavors that match exactly with the respective champagne, which is a very fascinating world. In the last 20 years, champagne has been considered as a party drink in night clubs and an aperitif in finest restaurants. Our target is to bring champagne to tables as an equal choice versus any fine still wine that complements dishes". Although Didier Elena speaks about his work very humbly and in a modest way in the kitchen, he is an artist creating designer food. His dishes have a very distinctive style with an attitude and edge, both visually and taste-wise, with rectangular shapes and high tension flavours.
rja t: a tex
138
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139
Fi n e P o m m e r y & A r t
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Without any background information, many other works also remain fairly mute, which on the other hand is a problem for nearly all joint exhibitions. The video works of Latvian Katrina Neiburga (1978) and Dutch Renzo Martens (1973) are perhaps the most impressive and communicative works of the exhibition. The work of Martens, especially, who looks like a dandy and defines himself as a Catholic socialist, truly left one wondering. According to the artist himself, the piece of video dealt with the use of power related to representation and especially media image.
He had taken the practical example from Africa. "Most of the journalists and photographers in Africa move according to the programme organised by the government, as one hungry pack, adhering to security instructions. Everyone sees more or less the same things," he explained as we sat in the quiet Reims Cathedral. "In these photos, the whites always look like benefactors, not exploiters of natural resources or a malnourished plantation work force, not to mention organisers of riots,
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