Champagne connoisseurs and enthusiasts, prepare to have your perceptions transformed. Today, I share with you an enigmatic journey—a tasting that challenged the very foundations of champagne lore. My encounter with a 1955 Blanc de Meunier from the storied cellars of Champagne Demière unveiled a truth long veiled by the mists of tradition. The narrative has…
tasting
Review – Frerejean Frères Brut Premier Cru
About the House Champagne Frerejean Frères is a relative newcomer to the world of champagne. Brothers Guillaume, Richard and Rodolphe Frerejean-Taittinger created their house in 2005 after previously only making champagne for family and friends. Although young, they have quite the pedigree, with their mother being from the acclaimed Taittinger family, they have champagne in…
Review – Jacquart Blanc de Blancs 2012
About the House Champagne Jacquart was created in 1964 by a group of about 30 vignerons who came together with the vision that by pooling their resources and their shared passion of terroir, they could achieve something greater than its individual parts. Extremely passionate and dedicated to creating wines to reflect this vision, their brand…
The magic under the stairs – or Mindfulness Part 2
I recently wrote about the joy and anticipation of being offered a bottle of 1986 Moet et Chandon that had been long forgotten under the stairs of a Queensland suburban home. Would magic emerge from under the stairs? Since this whole exercise was about appreciating what is actually in the glass we are drinking, I…
When Louis met Jacques
Let me tell you a little story about the night Louis met Jacques. That’s Louis Roederer and Jacques Bollinger, just to be clear. Louis Roederer (1809 – 1870) and Jacques (Jacob) Bollinger (1803 – 1884) were actually contemporaries, but this is not a story about them meeting for a sneaky drink on a Friday night…
The day I actually tasted the stars
I have just come back from a whirlwind one week trip to Champagne. And while I was there, I actually tasted the stars! In fact, I tasted a whole lot of things during the course of the week. I was lucky enough to attend ‘Champagne Week’ or ‘Printemps de Champagne’. It is a yearly series…
Fabulous dream tour planned!
Ever since I moved back to Australia, it has been a dream to organise a tour for like minded people to the Champagne region. All I needed was a catalyst, and little did I know that the catalyst would be so fabulous! After visiting Champagne last May with Jane from The Fabulous Ladies’ Wine Society, added to…
Sparkle your way into a magical New Year
New Year’s Eve is the perfect time to Sparkle. And to really sparkle, I mean drink French champagne! I wish I didn’t have to say ‘French’ champagne, because champagne by definition is French, but it seems to be taking a while to get the message through! Back in the mid- 18th century, Madame de Pompadour, mistress…