Every
15 seconds a CD is opened in France. The 6 million bottle
company may be a David compared to the 53 million bottle
selling Goliath Moet Chandon but even today 60% of its
production is sold in France.
'The reason perhaps lies in the fact that this 140
year old Champagne House was under the rule of LVMH
from 1978 to 2003, who popularised it in France,' says
the young, bubbly and vivacious Stephanie Phederphil,
International Sales Director of the €3.7 billion
turnover company.
'It is a very convivial brand. Our Cellar master Laurent
Fédou emphasises roundness, easy to drink wine
and looks for elegance.' The bubbly used to be served
at Tsar Nicolas II of Russia in the 1890s and is served
at many horse races in UK, underlying the company philosophy,
now being owned by the privately held group of Alain
Thienot.'
The wine has quite a respectable reputation and is
very popular in the international market where it is
positioned favourably and close to Moet Hennessy, Laurent
Perrier, Taittinger, Bollinger and Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin.
The importers, Fine Wines N More partnered by a young
lady, Dharti Desai who shuttles between the Desi Dharti
and the Yank Land and is very Direct in her Marketing
profession , and the sincere and serious Sumedh Mandla
who started his wine selling career four years ago as
the partner of Brandwagon. The company is all set to
add CD to the DP, MC, MDP, LP, VCP and such commonly
used lingo of Champagne.
The
Classic Cuvee is made from 60 Crus from 300 vineyards.
One can taste the savoury, fruity Pinot Noir (40%) in
this Champagne. Pinot Meunier has an equal portion with
Chardonnay carrying the rest of the proportion. The
citrus aromas are carried through the citrus flavour
which has a touch of peaches and green apples. What
is different in the wine though is the lively acidity
without harshness. Many types of champagne have very
high acidity that can be deliciously refreshing in small
sizes, but the acid can be hard on the digestive system.
Indians are particularly not fond of this fresh crispness
. The classic CD is softer and more gentle, and an ideal
an aperitif though it will go well with fish dishes
which would go even better with the Classic Rosé
that followed. (Rating )
Fuller bodied with a touch of Pinot tannins and a
beautiful salmon pink colour which may not find favour
with many as an attractive, marks this Rose a favourite
match with fish and chicken made in red sauces. It is
not as refreshingly crisp as the white. (Rating )
If you are in a mood to splurge to celebrate a special
occasion or you convert your money into Euros and Pounds
before spending, the Grand Cuvee is an excellent way
of squeezing the best out of your dollar. Less acidic,
with a citrus whiff that explodes into your face and
suddenly leaves you wondering where all the flowers
went, it has more body, great mouthfeel with millions
of those tiny bubbles dancing on your palate, which
you can still visualise after that sip has gone down.
(Rating )
The best was reserved for the last. Again, the Grand
Cuvee Rose NV was a medium body (not bone) dry wine
that had a beautiful colour, balanced acidity, very
good structure and persistent after taste. A more concentrated
wine with coupled flavours that can handle a range of
foods, especially sea foods like crabs, squid, lobster
and of course fish. (Rating )
Someone asked me in the evening at the bubbly dinner
hosted by Hyatt Regency where the official spoken language
was French, despite the affable GM Roger Dienhard's
Swiss/German leanings. My answer to which one I liked
the most was best, I think was pretty honest. If I had
to drink free champagne I would go for the Copper colour
and poetically expressive GC Rose. But if I had to pay
for it, I won't mind settling for the Classic.
Justifying my reason, I selected this Rose with taster's
menu at the newly opened China Kitchen where I had to
go for a degustation. The grandeur of the place and
the ecstatic delicious dishes notwithstanding, the GC
Brut Rose, stood its ground pared with crab, salmon
and fish dishes. Even the gentle and polite fried rice
did not have to flinch while going down with this beauty.
Real add value for the food, this versatile pink bubbly
was.
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