Bubbles Blog – Page 2 – The Bubbles Review

Cheers to your good health!

On April 3, 2020

I’ve been thinking of the origins of ‘Bless you’ recently. As we are facing a global pandemic, I was reminded about my time as a tour leader in Europe, and the story I used to tell our guests about where the phrase comes from. The phrase ‘God bless you’ is attributed to Pope Gregory the Great, who uttered it in the sixth century during a bubonic plague epidemic. Whenever someone sneezed, which was an obvious symptom of the plague, people would bless them in the hope that they remained in good health. The exchangeable German term ‘gesundheit’ literally means ‘health’. It is interesting that this term has endured all of this time, and is so very relevant for us all today.

The drinking party, in one form or another, has been around for thousands of years, and I wanted to explore the origins of how we use the occasion of getting together to drink bubbles, with toasting to the good health of our companions.

Historians guess that the toast most likely originated with the Greek libation, the custom of pouring out a portion of one’s drink in honour of the Gods. And yes, there were even gods of wine! The Greek God, Dionysus or Dionysos, known as Bacchus to the Romans, is the God of the vine, grape-harvest, wine-making, wine, fertility, ritual madness, religious ecstasy, and theatre.

From there, it was an easy step to offering a drink in honour of one’s companions.

Early medieval Anglo-Saxon feasts featured round-bottomed drinking glasses, designed to be emptied, since they could not be set down without spilling them. Guests drained their cups and then turned them upside-down on the table. This is most likely where the tradition of ‘bottoms up!’ comes from. Around the same time, the Saxon word ‘waes hael!’ (‘Good health!’), has been noted in history books.

The term ‘toast’ – as in drinking to someone’s health – comes from a literal piece of spiced or charred toast, which was dropped in a cup or bowl of wine, either as form of food or perhaps to make the wine taste better. Shakespeare mentions this in The Merry Wives of Windsor, in which Falstaff calls for a quart of spiced wine, then adds “Put a toast in it.” By the 18th century, the term ‘toast’ had been transferred from the floating bread, to the person honoured by the toast, and those who were very popular became known as the ‘toast of the town.’

It seems that the ‘bottoms up’ tradition of toasting was a common practice in many countries, but it was not one that everyone appreciated. The first temperance society, the Order of Temperance, established in Germany in 1517, was dedicated to abolishing toasts. Louis XIV banned toasting at his court, and in 1634, Massachusetts banned the ‘abominable’ custom of drinking to another’s health.

Eventually, in polite society, one no longer had to guzzle an entire wine glass for each proposed toast; a sip was considered plenty.

There are a few theories about the clinking of the glasses. One of these is to engage all the senses by adding the sound of clinking glassware. Some say it was to ward off evil spirits, while raising the glass may relate back to the raising of wine to the gods.

When I worked in Switzerland, we would take our guests for a fondue dinner and I would introduce the local custom of saying ‘cheers’ whilst looking your companions in the eye. If you did not make eye contact, you were considered untrustworthy. This custom is not unique to the Swiss, as there is also the tradition of drinking before or after battle and celebrating with friends and foes, and the need for eye contact to prove your trustworthiness.

In English we say ‘cheers!’, and often toast to people’s good health. The word ‘cheers’ comes from the Anglo-French of medieval times, ‘cheres’ meaning ‘face’, or the Old French ‘chiere’ for ‘expression’. It evolved to signify the mood shown on one’s face when happy. By the 1800s, saying ‘cheers’ came to represent gladness, or to show support or encouragement.

We shared information on our social media recently about how drinking champagne may help boost your immune system. In moderation of course, and not to be taken as medical advice!

So here’s cheers to your bubbly good health!

Here’s what they say to ‘toast’ to good health in other countries:

French – Santé (pronounced Son tay) or votre santé – good health or to your good health

Italian – Salute (prounounced Salut ay) – cheers, bless you, to good health

Spanish – Salud – (pronounced Salude) – cheers, bless you, to good health

German – Prost (from the latin prodesse – to be beneficial) or gesundheit – good health

Afrikaans – Gesondheid – good health

Scottish, Irish Gaelic – Sláinte (pronounced slawn-cha) – ‘to your health’ and is from the root ‘slán’ defined as ‘healthy’

Danish, Swedish and Norwegian – Skål – (pronounced Skoal) – ‘to your health’ or ‘bottoms up’

Finnish – Kippis – comes from an expression – to tilt glasses

Chinese – gānbēi! – literally means dry cup – ‘bottoms up’

How do you say cheers?

Natalie Pickett is the Founder of The Bubbles Review which is for people who like champagne and other bubbles, written by people who have a love of all things sparkling! At The Bubbles Review, we like to debunk some myths, make the art of drinking champagne accessible, explore bubbly regions and champagne bars, and provide events for you to join us and indulge.

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How to choose the right glassware for your bubbles?

By TBR

On December 10, 2019

In Bubbles Blog

Champagne and sparkling wine is synonymous with celebration, and what better time to be celebrating than with friends and family over Christmas?

Champagne is often served as an aperitif or for a toast. As you may have read here before, it can definitely be served throughout all courses. Perfect for an Aussie Christmas, champagne pairs especially well with seafood, and choose a traditional blend including red fruit, or a Blanc de Noirs, or Rosé with the more robust main course flavours of ham and turkey. Those of you who love a sparkling red may choose to include this in your line-up.

Now that we have the wine sorted, which glass should we use to serve?

There is the champagne coupe or saucer glass. Legend has it the shape of the coupe was modelled on the left breast of the French Queen Marie Antoinette, wife of King Louis XVI of France, but it seems that the glass was designed in England over a century earlier especially for sparkling wine and champagne in 1663. The coupe was fashionable in France from its introduction in the 1700s until the 1970s, and in the US, and Australia from the 1930s to the 1980s. The coupe had a revisit a few years ago, with a bit of Art Deco, Great Gatsby-inspired frivolity. Perfect to build a champagne tower, they are lots of fun, but not very practical. Apart from making it easy to spill, the glass is very wide creating a large surface area for the wine, with an open rim, which means that the bubbles dissipate very quickly.

Then there is the champagne flute. The skinny flute, designed to accentuate the view of the bubbles as they rise up in the glass, has definitely dominated the glassware served for the past 30 years or so. These glasses make it lot easier to serve, you can fit many more on a tray than the coupe, and you are less likely to spill your drink. But, you may be surprised to discover, this is not the best glass to be using.

If you visit the Champagne region, you will find that many restaurants will serve champagne in a white wine glass. This may seem strange at first, but a good exercise to try at home is; pour half of your glass of bubbles into a skinny flute, and half into a white wine glass. Taste a few sips from the skinny flute, then try it from the wine glass. Take time to explore the aromas and taste. Most likely, it will taste like a different wine. This is because to truly appreciate a good wine, you need to take in all of the senses: the look, the aroma, the feel and taste.

The skinny flute presents champagne as one-dimensional, because you can’t get your nose into the glass to get the full wine experience. It also concentrates the bubbles and in trying to get the aromas you’ll often get a nose full of fizz and acidity instead.

This presented a challenge, as part of the fun of having bubbles is the special glass. Onto the scene comes a wider tulip or egg-shaped flute; a sort of hybrid of flute and standard white wine glass with a wider middle that tapers at the top. This allows for a wine lover’s ability to appreciate the full range of aromas. This is still a beautiful stylish glass, but let’s you take in the full appreciation of the wine.

I’ve read that the tulip style has origins from the Sommelier at Les Crayères restaurant in Reims, who didn’t like serving top champagnes in a flute. He is said to have worked with glass makers Lehmann glass to develop an elongated glass, rounded in the middle and tapering towards the top wider flute.

This as a superior shape has been confirmed by science, with Gérard Liger-Belair, a physicist at the University of Reims, stating that ‘the spherical shape of the glass, which also encourages vertical movement, respects the role of the mousse’.

The RIEDEL brand known for innovation and design, and an industry leader in the introduction of grape-varietal-specific stemware in the 1980s, has also collaborated with some of the top champagne houses to create bespoke glasses tailored to their specific wines.

Each bubble carries aroma to the surface. The RIEDEL glasses are designed to provide a ‘progressive extension along the curve of the glass which favours first a gradual then a stretched ascent, allowing each bubble to burst at the widest point to free its flavours and express aromatic subtlety’.

A champagne glass should be clear, not coloured or engraved with fancy design, so we can assess the wine’s clarity, colour and bubbles.

I’ve also noticed a recent trend of stemless glassware. Whilst this might be a nice casual style for other wines, it is a no for bubbles. We hold the glass by the stem, so that the heat from our hands doesn’t warm the wine, and greasy fingerprints don’t obscure the wine’s colour. Perhaps I need therapy, but I must admit I have to look away when I see friends holding their glass by the bowl and not the stem, as I can’t bear to watch. Note to my family coming over for Christmas!

When I present tips on how to taste bubbles at our events, I always remind people to hold their glass by the stem, and also that there is no need to swirl the glass (to get air and aroma). When tasting bubbles, the bubbles will bring out the aromas out for you.

Some wine writers are asking ‘Should champagne flutes be outlawed?’ I think this might be a bit extreme, but I do agree, my preference for good quality bubbles is to serve them in a wider flute or white wine glass.

Most important though, is the joy of sharing bubbles with friends and family. Find the best glass you can, raise it and say cheers!

Natalie Pickett is the Founder of The Bubbles Review which is for people who like champagne and other bubbles, written by people who have a love of all things sparkling! At The Bubbles Review, we like to debunk some myths, make the art of drinking champagne accessible, explore bubbly regions and champagne bars, and provide events for you to join us and indulge.

Why is champagne so expensive?

By TBR

On October 24, 2019

In Bubbles Blog

Or is it? It definitely feels luxurious as you are sipping it.

Let’s compare, a 2015 bottle of Grange is currently selling for around $900. It is not ready to drink yet, Penfolds suggest the recommended cellaring is 2022 – 2050.

For champagne, a bottle of 2008 (a very good year in Champagne) Dom Perignon is currently around $250, Cristal 2009 (also a good year) $390, Moët et Chandon 2009 is on sale for $90. To buy the equivalents from Burgundy or Bordeaux you would need to pay about 20 times this. For an Australian comparison, the 2008 Arras Grand Vintage, this highly awarded Tasmanian sparkling has won multiple awards including Gold at the Champagne and Sparkling World Championships, has a recommended retail price of $84. It has been aged for more than 7 years before release and it is ready to drink now.

In champagne and sparkling descriptions, you’ll see, aged on lees for a certain amount of years or how many years of tirage. This is describing how many years the wine has been in the second fermentation stage (which also creates the bubbles), stored in bottles in the winemaker’s cellar.

In Champagne a Non-Vintage must be aged for a minimum of 15 months and a Vintage must be aged for a minimum of 3 years, although many houses will age their wines much longer than this at around 3 years for NV and 5-10 years for a Vintage champagne.

That is a huge amount of capital sitting in the cellar, waiting for a return on investment. Forget bank vaults of gold, the underground cellars of Epernay and Reims are holding millions of dollars of liquid gold. Champagne currently has around 1.5 billion bottles stockpiled, which will remain in waiting for an average of more than 4.5 years. It is an investment in quality and delivery of a ready to drink product. Aside from fortified wines, champagne is the only prestige wine that is sold already matured to its prime, so there is no need to cellar it (although you might decide to with a good vintage), it is ready to drink straight away.

Champagne production is labour intensive. According to the rules governing production, all grapes must be picked by hand and there is a limit on the amount of yield per harvest. This contributes to Champagne being the highest grape price in the world, with prices increasing around 60% over the last 15 years. By comparison the price of champagne has risen less than 15% in a decade, and with greater choice and volume coming to the Australian market there are some absolute bargains to be found.

To create champagne the production process is complex, and more time-consuming than any other in the wine world. A sparkling wine made in the traditional method is similar, yes there are cheaper methods for creating bubbles, either second fermentation in tanks, or by just adding Co2 to make bubbles in a very cheap wine. But, if we are comparing apples with apples, or should I say grapes with grapes, compared to other wine styles, champagne and traditional method (methode traditionelle) sparklings are the best value wines around.

When you add in the skills and passion of the wine making team, I like to think about drinking champagne as similar to admiring a wonderful piece of art.

Surely it is the closest thing on earth to liquid gold, at a fraction of the price! Remember this next time you are sipping bubbles.

Cheers!

Like to join us in Champagne to tour the cellars in Epernay and Reims? See our Events and Tours page.

Natalie Pickett is the Founder of The Bubbles Review which is for people who like champagne and other bubbles, written by people who have a love of all things sparkling! At The Bubbles Review, we like to debunk some myths, make the art of drinking champagne accessible, explore bubbly regions and champagne bars, and provide events for you to join us and indulge.

Big, bold and bubbly!

By TBR

On July 15, 2019

In Bubbles Blog

Do you love Sparkling Red wine?

As we discovered in my recent blog on rosé, there is no such thing as a red champagne (a rosé but not a red), but there are sparkling reds from other parts of the world made with all kinds of red grape varieties.

Sparkling red wines begin their life in the same way as still reds, fermented on skins to extract colour, flavour and tannin. The finest are then privileged to méthode traditionnelle, although transfer, charmat or carbonation methods for cheaper wines can also be used.

In Australia, a Sparkling Shiraz is loved by many. I recently confessed to my fellow bubbly enthusiasts that I do love a sparkling rosé, but I am not a lover of sparkling reds. I realise that is un-Australian, and wondered if there were others that shared my view? So, I put it out there and sent a survey to our list, and oh my, what a flurry of passionate responses!

Although there are no precise records, it seems that the tradition of Aussie sparkling reds can be attributed to Charles Pierlot a winemaker from Champagne who was employed at Hans Irvine’s Great Western cellars. He experimented with making some of Australia’s first ‘sparkling burgundy’ wines in 1893. More than 125 years later, this legacy continues with Seppelt and other Aussie producers now known as makers of some of the world’s finest bubbly reds.

I do love the change of seasons, the cooler nights, which go so well with hearty food, casseroles and rich flavoured meals. As we are in the cooler months here in Australia, perhaps a long weekend lunch (or brekkie as one of our readers suggested!) or an evening meal, with a sparkling rosé or red might be the perfect bubbly match for your Autumn and Winter dining.

Here are the results to our bubbly red questions:

We asked ~ What do you like, love or dislike about sparkling reds?

Here are your comments:

Tracey	A great full-bodied alternative to sparkling whites.
Lynn	Cannot drink still or sparkling red wines … bad reaction
Rhonda	I like sparkling reds more with heavier foods, so more in the colder months, however I did have a couple of nice cold refreshing red bubbles over summer. It’s nice to be able to have a choice and some variety.
Kaye Harris	Love the earthiness of Grampians Estate sparkling red from their Great Western block victoria
Mandy P.	Some of the sparkling reds can be a bit heavy.
Barbara Kahi	I think it is an acquired taste. Not great availability where I live. Need to find a friend to share a bottle. My wine drinking friend lives in NZ and I live on the Gold Coast. Maybe share with my brother in law who likes to chill his red wines.
Cassie Maywald	I don’t like red wine and relate similar taste to this I think. I also don’t want to risk buying a sparkling red only to be disappointed and wished I stuck to my champagne.
	I like sparkling reds as they feel more celebratory than a still wine. Rose is my favourite at present
Karen Nicol	I adore red wine, but what could be better than red wine with bubbles!
Sandy	Love the fresh bubbly berry tastes
Robyn Naughton	They have just a different texture and flavour
Donna Maloney	Love the taste, goes well with food from chilli chocolate to duck to dumplings. It looks festive and bubbles are always wonderful.
Louise	Love Sparkling Merlot & Shiraz. I believe they are like a truth serum!
	Either summer or winter I absolutely love a chilled sparkling red. So full of flavour
Carol	I like them as a yummy alternative to sparkling white. There are some lovely Victorian ones from up Rutherglen way. They also go well with cheese at the end of a meal.
Michelle 🙂	They do not have the same crispness and are not as refreshing
	I enjoy sparkling white wine personally and sparkling red is something I can only drink in small amounts, not as enjoyable.
Susanne Meier	I love the marriage of red and bubbles. The bubbles totally change the nature of reds. Versatile food pairings in cooler temps.
	The bubbles, and the sensation of drinking sparkling red
Jan Martin	I like red wine and love bubbles! A great combo and a Christmas tradition!
Marg	Drinks well while eating cheese and sometimes l prefer a sparkling red instead of a heavy red.
	You still have bubbles but with a heavier meal. I leave in North East Vic and we have a few great reds that are great sparkling wines
Megan	I don’t drink red wine, so If I try a sparkling red, I just find it too heavy.
Nicole Olbourne	The flavour profile is just all wrong when it’s a sparkling. Maybe it’s the tannins but it’s just yuck!!
Kate	The delight the bubbles add to the red experience.
Sue Hobbs	Too fruity. It’s like fizzy cordial
Heather	They are very different I wouldn’t drink a still red if you paid me
Lyn D	Not really a lover of reds sparkly or still
Beverley Monley	I don’t like as I just think a full bodied Red with bubbles just isn’t right & I just don’t like the taste.
Mel	I don’t like cheap sparkling reds as they are sweet and horrible, but good quality wines have richness, good dark fruits and savoury notes and complementary sweetness. I love them mainly in the warmer weather, especially at Christmas, but happy to have in cooler weather as an aperitif too.
Shauna	I love a true Lambrusco that has a slight sparkle to it. Particularly in winter.
Zoe	I mainly drink Shiraz so a sparkling red is a bit of fun.
Mel Butler	They tend to be too heavy and sweet. I like my sparkling wine dry and light, crisp and favoured in warmer weather.
Lee	Any sparkly wine that’s not too sweet is great.
	The benefits of drinking a lovely full bodied red with the all important bubbles.
Michelle	I don’t mind the occasional one but some are too sweet and I prefer still red.
Meryl	Not fond of red. Will drink it if I have to, but not my preferred tipple.
Sofie	I just don’t drink red wines and the bubbles do nothing to change my mind or enhance the flavour.
Dr Annetta Mallon	Often they are too bold, heavy, or just ‘too much’. I generally prefer sparkling white and rose.
Carol Embleton	It doesn’t have the same fresh taste as my usual bubbles. I only like still full bodies red wines. There is just something that doesn’t blend with my taste buds about sparkling red.
Karen	I have just never been a lover of red wine
Sherryn	Absolutely love the depth of flavour in a decent sparkling red
Jane Symes	Love red wine sparkling or not, turning to the dark side after years of white wine, red just better.
Leanne Bruce	There are some great sparkling reds and it is a drink I enjoy in winter as I love my bubbles 🙂
	I find them too heavy to drink
	I can’t really comment as I have only had limited tries.
Tanina	I love red wine, however I’ve never found one Sparkling red I’ve ever liked, it’s something about the taste, it just doesn’t taste like a red, they also can be tricky to open and fly out the bottle when opening, be careful you don’t get covered in it!
Georgia	A really good sparkling red is an experience you rarely have when drinking anything ‘bubbly’. It has a zest and vibrancy that is exciting and really let’s you appreciate the red variety it has come from.
Loretta Wellman	I get drunk very quickly with sparkling red yet I can drink a bottle or two of champagne and I’m just HAPPY!!!!!
Chanel	I am not a fan of sparkling reds, I think the whole attraction to a red is the temperature and thick feeling and the sparkling seems to take that away. Having said this, I am open to the idea of a sparkling red and will keep taste testing them at wineries as you never know I might change my mind.
Anne Mac	Prefer still reds
Ann	I love the rich red colour and jammy berry taste. Even chilled it’s a winter warmer for me
Wendy McCullough	They are good when you only want to have just one glass of bubbles. For instance, tonight my partner wants to celebrate a small win. I don’t want to drink a full bottle (which I will do if I open white or rose sparkling) so a sparkling red will ensure I just have one, ok, two. I don’t drink the flat reds or whites.
	Feels too heavy.
Debs	They seem to affect me a lot quicker – heavier to drink!
Pauline Lang	I don’t have them often but as long as it is not sweet ok.
Katherine	Bit too big for my liking. It’s a bit like drinking a bubbly shiraz.
Denis Zaruba	I’m French and for me the only reason why Australians created sparkling reds is to have it on very hot days (30 + degrees) and it’s not at all as fine as champagne is. It’s overpowering!!
Nicole	I think they are too heavy
	Not quite as bubbly as champagne but brings out special flavour of the red….still prefer still red though.
Carmela Dimattia	Cannot be sweet so I like my reds a little drier
	Too strong
Carolena Boyd	I really like the boldness of a good red – combined with the bubbles.
	Prefer sparkling white or rose, rarely drink any red wine at all.
Anna Buddee	Just love the rich heady aroma of the bubbly sparkling reds!
Pam	I enjoy drinking sparkling red on a hot day, usually with a cheese board, for something different.
Sharon	Some are amazing and others too heavy. I’ll try any wine once but sparkling reds make me a bit picky
Wendy	A little more full bodied than normal sparkles.
Michael Potter	I’ve never found one yet that I can drink. The flavour isn’t my cup of tea… or glass of wine.
Isa	I just prefer a flat red or a white sparkling. I don’t like the taste of a sparkling red
Megan Deves	I love a little more full flavour sometimes when I’m craving a sparkling
Vicki W	Not a red wine drinker whether still or bubbly…I dont mind rose but anything heavier is not my style.
Cheryl	Some time you need a red and I don’t do plain reds but with a steak or a bbq a sparkling red goes down well.
	I don’t love red wine as much as I love white wine. And sparkling red is just so foreign and unappealing to me
	I don’t mind a light red sparkling but if it’s too heavy I don’t like it at all.
Anitra	I used to enjoy them 15-20 years ago but don’t any more. I think my palate is more discerning these days.
	I enjoy sparkling wines and also red wine so being red & sparkling is a nice change
Lynda Doncaster	Better than champagne or a glass of red as combines both!!
Karla	They’re great. So much depth of flavour for when you have a hot meal and/or cold weather.
Ainsley	The rich colour, all the big red-wine flavours combined with the mousse mouthfeel of bubbles – it’s a winner for me. I prefer a sparkling red to a still as the bubbles seem to lighten the wine a bit?
Karen Brus	Love it in winter, a different take on a still red. My hubby loves sharing a bottle with me.
Lucy	They taste wrong. You lose the depth of a good, still red wine and the sparklings don’t have the vivacity of a good sparkling white.
Cheryl Bisi	Reds just aren’t meant to be sparkling! Reds are a ‘heavier’ type of wine that does not suit the light nature of a sparkling wine in my view.
Suzanne Adair	Red is red and bubbles are white and pink
Chris	Bubbles
Jane Ross	As long as they’re not too sweet. Sparkling red is the bomb! Love it
Wendy Hills	We only drink them in winter as a refreshing drink, not a serious wine if that makes sense.
Lisa Cicchine	I love the intensity of Sparkling reds
Mark	It just tastes wrong – a fad that needs to die!
Chris	Well it is sparkling, so I have to love it. Not a big red wine drinker, prefer bubbles, so this is a fabulous way to get all those red wine “health benefits ” !
Fiona McL	I have a local favourite that I just find easy & comforting to drink
	Sparkling reds are too heavy for me
Pene Kats	I quite like Lambrusco. It’s an Italian wine that is slightly sparkling and has a pleasing, deep, fruity flavour. Make sure you invest in a decent label though, this wine is not good when it’s cheap. Brown Brothers do a nice one for between $10.00 to $20.00 (I cant remember exactly!). Make sure you drink this cold!
Simon	Deep rich sparkling wine with a flavour which complements many foods
Dot	Taste is bitter
	Love red wine and it is a tasty red with bubbles !!!!
Caz Karski	I have never been a fan of red wine, so it just seems logical that even putting bubbles into it, I wouldn’t like it.
Lis	It’s diversity and pairs well with food. Great on a hot day.
Jules	Grew up having ‘cold duck’ with Sunday lunch! Love sparkling red to this day
	I like the heaviness of the red wine in winter but still with a sparkle!
	Dislike the nose
Alison	The depth of flavour combined with the joy of bubbles.
Maree	I think a red should be smooth rich ripe full bodied but not bubbly.
Maz Glover	If it’s a sweeter red I am sure I will drink it
Melinda	The taste is just not correct to me
Doreen Swann	I just don’t like reds of any kind but my husband loves reds
Kerrie Hodgson	I really love bubbles full stop, so if I start on champagne or bubbles, I can easily follow up with a sparkling red rather than a still white or red. After the first couple of sips its just as delicious as bubbles.
Sharon	I like my bubbly to have a light flavour and red tends to be very full bodied
Maria Moreira	I love the tingling, bubbling, fresh, effervescent sensation on your taste buds and the chilling vibe you get from swishing sparkling reds in your mouth. They tend to go with many varieties of food!
Kristan Lum	I think the bubbles help with sparkling reds, adds a different texture in flavour and exciting
	Hate the smell of red wine
Kym Durbano	Don’t like the taste
Kerry	Sometimes I just like the feeling of something sparkling. It is refreshing. You don’t want a big, bold red just something light.
Nedda	I just like bubbles can drink anything including reds
Lynn	I do not like red wine sparkling or still and they do not like me!
Anne	It just does not seem the way to do a sparkling
Jackie K	Most taste lighter, a great alternative to a heavier red.
Kate	It just doesn’t feel like the right combination. I don’t enjoy the red flavours when it is fizzy and cold. I miss the crisp freshness of a white. The furthest I will go is a sparkling Rose for the added fruitiness. Leave reds alone.
Brenton Jolly	Just something different and unusual and something delicious any time of the year.
Robbie Poulton	As a Champagne traditionalist I don’t enjoy sparkling reds…too heavy! However I do enjoy a cheeky sparkling Rose. It’s all about the texture for me.
Louise Lupton	I find all red wine too heavy even with bubbles
Heidi	I think they are ok, although maybe a bit weird.
	They taste good and are an alternative to white bubbles
Ally	They can be hit and miss, sometimes too sweet. You want some sweetness, but lovely plum flavours, great with cheese or dessert
Elaine	I haven’t found one I like the taste of
Sharyn Campbell	Can’t really pin point why but I do love red wine and drinking it with bubbles (and cold) is just not for me. I probably like sparkling white as I don’t drink white wine much and sparkling white is just so good for any occasion.
Jodi	I love red wine, I love bubbles, so a sparkling red is a favourite of mine, refreshing and flavoursome 🙂
Sue. S	Sparkling reds make a nice fruity change from white bubbles
Ann Blannin-Ferguson	At non-summery days a sparkling shiraz with some yummy cheeses is perfect
Lennie Lister	Unique, food friendly, suits climate/BBQs/outdoor dining
Dan B	Took a fine young lady on the vintage Daimler Benz tour of the Barossa in 2003 and a work colleague suggested going to Charles Melton and he hand makes a sparkling red every few years method traditional. Tasted one then, it was great bought some, he said you can put it away for 20yrs and drink on a special occasion, cracked one at my father’s 70th 2 yrs ago. Still great. Audrey Wilkinson makes one also in Hunter.
Rachel	You can drink reds in the middle of summer! And drink bubbles in the middle of winter. I don’t like the overly sweet ones.
	I don’t like red wine
	A tad too big for my liking.. perhaps dangerous is the word!
Nadine Lambert	I’m a South Australian. We love our reds, the bigger, the bolder, the better. But it’s also bloody hot in summer. Arguably too hot to drink our big reds (even chilled), so a big bold dry sparkling red is the perfect compromise. (just don’t give us any of that sweet red sh#t). Love from your South Australian readers
Jodie	I’ll be honest, I’m undecided about the taste.
Lisa Scheepers	At first I was dubious about sparkling reds as I love my red at room temperature. After trying a sparkling shiraz one day I’ve been hooked ever since. I love the full body of shiraz mixed with the light bubbles.
Tiffany Hansen	Dislike – taste is awful on all reds
Julie	Not a big fan, I just prefer Sparkling whites or Rose. Not as heavy in flavour.
Cecilia	I love sparkling Shiraz. You get the full body flavour but a sparkling version of a still red.
	Chilled sparkling red is much lighter and refreshing
Anthony	A good chilled red on a hot day can be lovely. Especially Stanton & Killeen’s sparkling red in Rutherglen.
Sarah Mack	Perfect blend of winter and summer. Sparkling reds in summer chilled and add a lightless in winter.
	I only like them if they are a light red.
Helen	Don’t seem to have the same taste/effect as white sparkling and gives me a headache.
Oli	So warming in winter
Mark Phelps	Fantastic drink, I love a good red and to add bubbles is a unique way to enjoy them. Great with a cooked brekky as well as by the fireside.
	I’m not a red drinker, so I think that preference transfers in to the sparkling reds.
	Sometimes they can be very refreshing.
Kelly (Gadgetgirl)	It is somehow just wrong. I like full bodied reds, especially in winter. Bubbles to me, are cold and refreshing and best drunk all year round.
Elaine Mitchell	It’s something different and a light hearted way to enjoy reds in Summer as I am not a fan of “chilling” reds. It’s also a good way to get non red drinkers eased into reds.

Thank you to everyone who shared their comments. I really loved reading them all. I always say, there is no right or wrong when it comes to tasting wine. If you like it, that is all that matters.

I did notice in our subscriber comments that some mentioned sparkling reds were “dangerous” and a “truth serum”. A reminder that red wine usually has a higher alcohol content than white wine, and this is especially so with bubbles, a champagne at 12.5% and a prosecco is usually around 11%, compared to sparkling reds at around 13-15%. Remember to pace yourself and enjoy responsibly!

Do you know the way to make rosé?

By TBR

On May 28, 2019

In Bubbles Blog

Who doesn’t love a pink bubbly?! Let’s not mistake it for a sweet drink (sparkling Moscato), a sparkling or champagne rosé has a rich flavour profile with a crisp dry finish that is a perfect to drink as a food match at this time of year, or anytime really!

Australia makes the top 10 in the world for champagne imports, although we are the second lowest for imports of rosé champagne, but this trend is changing, 2018 saw the highest imports in a decade.

For every 28 bottles of champagne popped in Australia, one of them is pink. Across all markets, it’s one in ten, and the USA set a new record last year of more than one in six.

Possibly a case of supply vs demand, as there is less choice when looking for a rosé champagne. But this is definitely shifting, I’ve noticed more and more options and there are also some great Aussie sparkling rosés available. I am happy to do my bit for increasing demand!

The method to create the bubbles in a sparkling rosé is the same as white sparkling, but how the colour is achieved may differ between blending (assemblage) and saignée.

Rosé d’assemblage is a blending method, the most common way of making rosé, in which a tiny quantity (around 15%) of Pinot Noir or Pinot Meunier made as table wine is added to the white base wine.

The Veuve Clicquot was the first to use this method. Breaking away from the tradition of adding an elderberry-based preparation to create rosé champagne. Madame Clicquot created the first “rosé d’assemblage” by blending some of her red wines from vineyards in Bouzy with her champagne to create the very first blend of rosé champagne.

To make champagne, only certain grapes can be used, there are seven grapes on the list, however there are three that are most commonly used, which are Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier. Only one of the three, is actually a white grape.

(See the full list of champagne grapes here: FAQ)

As described in our blog: Come quickly I am drinking the stars.

It is the skin that creates the red colour of a red wine, to create a white sparkling wine from red grapes, this is done by gentle pressing with very limited skin contact. In different champagne styles you will find a 100% Pinot Noir, which is known in Champagne as a Blanc de Noirs meaning white from black. So, although it is 100% Pinot Noir it will still be a white champagne, as it is not pressed on skins.

But, using the second method of creating a Sparkling rosé, the saignée method, the pink of a rosé can be achieved by using the skins. Saignée literally means bleeding in French and with this technique the rosé is made by ‘bleeding’ off juice from just-crushed pinot noir or meunier grapes after a short maceration (soaking) on skins prior to fermentation.

This minimal maceration allows the must (still wine) to develop stronger aromas and flavour profiles while deepening the colour.

In sparklings from other parts of the world you might find a sparkling Pinot Noir or other grape varieties to create a sparkling red wine. But you will never find a sparkling red in Champagne, as it is against the rules to make a sparkling red in Champagne. A pink as a rosé is okay, and there is a still red wine, the Coteaux Champenois which is allowed, but never a red champagne.

In Australia, a Sparkling Shiraz is loved by many. Sparkling red wines begin their life in the same way as still reds, fermented on skins to extract colour, flavour and tannin. The finest are then privileged to méthode traditionnelle, although transfer, charmat or carbonation methods can also be used.

Our giveaways over the past few months have featured some lovely sparkling rosés and champagne, keep an eye out, we may even have some sparkling red in the pipeline! A sparkling rosé with dumplings is a heavenly match. I love the change of seasons, the cooler nights, which go so well with hearty food, casseroles and rich flavoured meals. Perhaps a long weekend lunch or evening meal, with a sparkling rosé or red might be the perfect bubbly match for your Autumn and Winter dining.

You may also like these blogs that talk about champagne techniques and tasting:

Cheers to the Widow Clicquot!

Come quickly. I am drinking the stars!

Aussies are Top 10 for drinkers of Champagne!

Why that is not a glass of Champagne that you are drinking!

Minerality in Champagne

Is champagne better than sex?

Make every meal sparkle

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is Natalie-champagne-jacket-and-flute-1024x682.png

Natalie Pickett is the Founder of The Bubbles Review which is for people who like champagne and other bubbles, written by people who have a love of all things sparkling! At The Bubbles Review, we like to debunk some myths, make the art of drinking champagne accessible, explore bubbly regions and champagne bars, and provide events for you to join us and indulge.

Like to keep following us, get first look at events, receive bubbly information and be in our giveaway draws and have a chance to win a bubbly prize? You can join our list, it’s FREE to join here.

What is a Pét-Nat?

By TBR

On March 26, 2019

In Bubbles Blog

It seems like Pét-Nats are popping up everywhere at the moment. One might assume that they are a new wine style, or just another hipster trend. Well, they are definitely ‘on trend’, but you may be surprised to discover that Pét-Nats are actually the oldest sparkling wine! With records showing them pre. 1500s long before the sparkling wines of England (1662) and then Champagne in 1668.

So, what is a Pét-Nat?

Pét-Nat is short for pétillant naturel, which is means “naturally sparkling” in French. It is made in the “ancestral” method of bottling before the first fermentation has finished, allowing the process to complete in bottle (as opposed to the Champagne method, which commences second fermentation in bottle after the first has completed in tank/barrel).

The more rustic approach to making pét-nat means that there is less interference, so it is on trend as a natural sparkling. It is usually less bubbly and less refined, so I wouldn’t compare it to champagne or other sparkling wines, but be open to try something different. I have seen some people liken it to drinking beer (although it is still made with grapes), I can see the comparison, as it refreshing in that way and this winemaking process results in a less alcoholic wine. This relaxed, casual wine is perfect for an Autumn picnic matched with a Charcuterie plate, or try it with something sweet!

Our giveaway this month is from Chateau La Colombiere which is in Fronton, 30 mins north of Toulouse, where husband and wife team Diane and Philippe Cauvin are painstakingly nursing back from extinction some of France’s rarest vines. The pair are living their dream, crafting wines from the regional ancient variety: Negrette which is native to their area of Fronton. Diane took the reins of the family estate after learning viticulture and completing a tour de force throughout French vineyards including Burgundy. The first and perhaps the most significant change was to step up the effort to preserve these rare vines by farming biodynamically in 2006. As the vines have been cultivated here in the same way since the 15th century, this was a significant change, to say the least. Add to this hand picking and sorting and you get the base to create something delicious.

The feature this month is 2016 Chateau La Colombiere, Sparkling Pet Nat, Negrette.

Tastes like: Some sediments in suspension, the mousse is rich, bubbles are generous and active for a Pét-Nat even after opening. It is a delicious dry style with yeasty and fresh strawberry as well as fleshy peach notes. This smashable low alcohol sparkling Pet Nat have also some cider vibe with flavour of ripe red apples.

Area: Fronton (South-West France)

Farming: Biodynamic (certified)

Grapes: Negrette (100%)

Occasion: Brunch/ lunch/ dinner wine! A perfect park wine or by the pool.

Food match: Charcuterie, salads or fresh goat cheese.

When to drink: Drink now or before end 2019.

With special thanks to Mosaique Wines who import and distribute this and other artisanal wines from France. The owner Thomas Gisbert told me:

“I travel extensively throughout the country each year to bring you a collection of wines that reflect the heart and soul of this land- a mosaic of small and beautiful parts that make a bigger picture.

Each wine has been hand-selected for the unique qualities they express, lovingly made by local producers who dedicated their lives to their craft. These producers respect the land they farm above all else, using sustainable, organic or biodynamic techniques to nourish their vines and the ecosystem around them. We have endeavoured to tell their stories in the hope you can envisage yourself sharing a glass with these characters and enjoying the fruits of their labour.”

Natalie Pickett is the Founder of The Bubbles Review which is for people who like champagne and other bubbles, written by people who have a love of all things sparkling! At The Bubbles Review, we like to debunk some myths, make the art of drinking champagne accessible, explore bubbly regions and champagne bars, and provide events for you to join us and indulge.

Like to keep following us? Sign up to The Bubbles Review list and you will be included in our Subscriber prize draws. The monthly giveaway is usually a chance to win a lovely champagne or sparkling gift. Join our list!

Here’s cheers to the fabulous women of Champagne!

By TBR

On March 8, 2019

In Bubbles Blog

There are many examples of amazing women in Champagne, here a few names you might know, and some you would like to know more about. From historical to modern times, if you look at the dates, they are around 50 -100 years apart. In life, we all benefit from the legacy created from those that came before us. International Women’s Day is the perfect time to celebrate that. Here’s cheers to all of the fabulous women of Champagne!

The word ‘veuve’ means widow in French, many of the great women of champagne, were widows and mothers, who became major influencers in the champagne industry. At the time the only way a woman could be at the helm of a business was to take over after the death of her husband. So successful were the veuves, it is rumoured that some producers added veuve into their title, even when there was no veuve at the house!

Veuve Clicquot – Veuve Barbe-Nicole Clicquot-Ponsardin

In 1805, after the death of her husband, Madame Clicquot at 27 years old became one of the first businesswomen of France when she took over the Clicquot business. In an era when women were excluded from the business world, she dared to assume the head of the company – a role she undertook with passion and determination. According to the Veuve Clicquot company description of her, Madame Clicquot’s character might be summarised with two words: audacious and intelligent.

Imagine the audacity of this decision at a time when women were not even allowed to open their own bank account!

She is credited with many innovations that have steered the success of champagne – the riddling process to remove the sediment from the bottle; improving the bottle so it would withstand the pressure of the bubbles; creating Rose champagne by adding some red wine; and her PR and branding, creating the first labels on a champagne bottle – the yellow label that still adorns the Veuve Clicquot bottle today.

I love the story of Veuve Clicquot, you can read more about her on our blog here:

Cheers to the Widow Clicquot!

Madame Pommery – Jeanne Alexandrine Louise Mélin Pommery

It was upon her husband’s death in 1858, that Madame Pommery, assumed full control of the business. One of her first decisions was to sell off their struggling wool business, and concentrate on the Champagne wine business. And, we are so glad that she did!

“I decided there and then to carry on the business in my husband’s stead”

With those words, the young widow set out to conquer national and international markets –overturning, without any qualms whatsoever, one or two corporate management rules. She was a true trailblazer, laying down the basis for any luxury product promotion; style, brand, communication and public relations on the estates.

She invented the modern style of champagne with the introduction of Brut Champagne, Brut being a much drier style was a bold initiative, as at the time the prevailing taste was for very sweet champagne (up to 300gms of sugar per litre, compared with now, depending on the level of Brut, is up to 12 gms per litre).

Only 10 years after taking over the business she built the Pommery Estate which at the time was the biggest building site of the century in Reims. This grand site is still the home of Pommery and is an amazing place to visit. Madame Pommery described her champagne in two words; “Joyful and Lightness”. Now that is something to be celebrated!

Another amazing legacy, you can learn more about Madame Pommery in our Bubbly Appreciation Course and on our blog here:

Celebrating Madame Pommery

Lily Bollinger – Élisabeth Law Lauriston-Boubers-Bollinger

In a new century, another amazing lady, Lily Bollinger took over the presidency of the Bollinger house after the death of her husband Jacques in 1941, and directed it until 1971. She launched the Bollinger RD vintage in 1961 and the vintage Vieilles Vignes Françaises in 1969, putting the brand on the international stage. She is credited with introducing the brand to celebrities of the time. When asked by a journalist from the London Daily Mail in 1961 “When do you drink champagne?” her witty and facetious answer is still quoted today as an exquisite definition of champagne:

“I drink it when I’m happy and when I’m sad. Sometimes I drink it when I’m alone. When I have company I consider it obligatory. I trifle with it if I’m not hungry and drink it when I am. Otherwise, I never touch it — unless I’m thirsty…”

Historically there have been some great women of Champagne. But what is it like today?

We asked Floriane Eznack from Champagne Jacquart about women working in Champagne today.

Floriane explained about the role of the wine maker, and how in Champagne the main responsibility is to produce the consistency of style in the non-vintage blend.

As a young winemaker, Floriane earned a Masters Degree in Oenology in Reims in 2004. Her studies included a couple of harvests in some of Champagne’s finest Houses, including Moët & Chandon. She joined Jacquart in January 2011 as Chef de Cave (Chief Winemaker), where she plays a central role in the creation of the finest quality blends for all of the Jacquart’s champagnes.

In our interview Floriane shares with us her motivation for working in the industry, and how she gave up her dream of becoming a fighter pilot! When she chose the wine industry, it was clear, she didn’t want to work with any other wine, but bubbles; “Not just bubbles for celebration, but a wine that everyone loves. It cheers you up and makes you happy and there is a magic behind champagne” she says.
See our interview with Floriane here:

Interview with Floriane Eznack – Champagne Jacquart

An update to this post. Floriane moved on from her role at Jacquart and Champagne, at the end of 2019, but you’ll still be drinking her legacy at Jacquart for a little while longer.

More features and stories on the modern era of women in Champagne, coming soon in our blogs and Bubbly Appreciation course. Stay tuned for that.

Until then, let’s raise a glass to celebrate these amazing women.

Cheers!

Natalie Pickett is the Founder of The Bubbles Review which is for people who like champagne and other bubbles, written by people who have a love of all things sparkling! At The Bubbles Review, we like to debunk some myths, make the art of drinking champagne accessible, explore bubbly regions and champagne bars, and provide events for you to join us and indulge.

Like to keep following us? Sign up to The Bubbles Review list and you will be included in our Subscriber prize draws. The monthly giveaway is usually a chance to win a lovely champagne or sparkling gift. Join our list!

Christmas in Champagne

By TBR

On December 21, 2018

In Bubbles Blog

As is the custom in the cities of France, a Christmas market is established in the centre of Reims, with 145 stalls in little chalets in the square surrounding the famous Notre Dame cathedral. Tourists and locals wander tasting traditional products, drinking wine or cidre chaud (hot cider) and enjoying the Christmas lights.

In Epernay, the historic capital of Champagne, les Habits de Lumière happens with a three day festival on the second weekend of December. Every Champagne House on the Avenue de Champagne opens its gates to the public and light shows are projected on the facades of Moët & Chandon, Perrier-Jouët, Pol Roger, de Venoge and more. The event includes illuminations, projections, dazzling sound and light shows, champagne and gourmet food tastings, and finishes with a vintage car display on the Sunday.

https://www.facebook.com/habitsdelumiere.epernay/videos/517444465285806/

Aside from celebrations, the period before Christmas is very busy for Champagne Houses and growers! Indeed, they receive last minute orders from their customers: wine shops and private individuals. It is a key moment in terms of sales for the whole of Champagne.

In the winery, some start tasting the vins clairs (still wines from last harvest that are in vats or barrels) and will decide later of the assemblages (blends). This year there is great excitement as the Vintage of 2018 is very promising!

In the vineyards, everything is so quiet although some growers may begin to prune, pruning will be much more intense in the first months of 2019, before spring.

But I am sure you wonder how we celebrate Christmas?! Here is a typical lunch or dinner paired with champagne or wine that we enjoy every year! I will share with you the best match between each dish and a type of champagne.

Christmas lunch menu

Oysters with a very low dosage Blanc de Blancs (Extra-Brut)

Smoked salmon with a standard Brut champagne (Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Meunier in equal parts)

Foie Gras with a Vintage Brut Champagne (Pinot Noir and Chardonnay in equal parts)

Turkey and chestnuts with a pure Pinot Noir champagne (Blanc de Noirs)

Cheeses, let’s have a break and enjoy some red wines! Why not a red Coteaux Champenois, which is a still wine produced in the Champagne region. Champagne is not only about bubbles! If you like blue cheese (Roquefort, Fourme d’Ambert), try some Ratafia, which is a sweet liqueur produced by many Champagne houses.

Bûche de Noël (yule log) pairs nicely with a demi-sec champagne. Demi sec, although it translates to half dry, is actually the term for a sweet champagne.

Merry Christmas – Joyeux Noël to you!

Sébastien Lebon was born, raised and continues to live and work in Champagne. Lucky him! He has worked in a range of roles for some of the big champagne houses as well as grower champagnes. His favourite champagne quote is by Sir Winston Churchill: “Magnum is the best size for two gentlemen to share over lunch, especially if one of them is not drinking.”

Like to keep following us? Sign up to The Bubbles Review list and you will be included in our Subscriber prize draws. The giveaway is usually a chance to win a lovely champagne or sparkling gift. Join our list!

Harvest in Champagne

By TBR

On October 28, 2018

In Bubbles Blog

An insight from my friend Sébastien Lebon, a contributor to The Bubbles Review. Born, raised and still living in Champagne, Sébastien provides us with some bubbly snippets, direct from the source. I asked Sébastien to share some insights on what it is like to be in the region for harvest.

Harvest in Champagne

“The calm before the storm” – This is what we might say when wandering in the Champagne vineyard just before the beginning of the harvest. Everything is so quiet and all of a sudden…more than 100 000 seasonal workers land on the chalky ground of the region.

Within more or less 3 weeks, they will pick the equivalent of 35 000 hectares as it is strictly forbidden to use machines. The C.I.V.C. (Comité Interprofessionnel du Vin de Champagne) decides for each wine village or “cru” (320 in total) when the grapes can be gathered. For instance, picking usually starts earlier in the south of the region since the climate is a bit warmer so the grapes will be ripe sooner than in the north. In a qualitative approach this organisation also limits the yield per hectare (10 800 kg/hectare in 2018).

Several factors are considered before commencing: the acidity, the level of sugar and the health of the grapes are the most important. Some samples of grapes from each village are analysed before making any decision.

The work is tough and painful and must be done efficiently regardless of what the weather conditions are. To regain their strength, pickers wait for the morning break: coffee (or champagne!), pâtés en croûte (terrine wrapped in pastry) and maroilles (cheese) pies!

Once the grapes are collected, they are taken to a presshouse. There are presshouses all over the region because we do not want to damage the grapes during a long transportation. It is not unusual to find that traffic is busy and slow in September as the roads are filled with tractors carrying these precious fruits!

Pressing, it is done very softly to avoid colouring the white juice with the black skins of Pinot Noir and Meunier grapes. Then the juice is collected in decanting vats and after a few hours, the first alcoholic fermentation starts!

After days or weeks of hard labour, you know harvest comes to an end when you can hear in the distance cars and tractors honking. Tradition also warrants the vans to be decorated with vines. The “cochelet” is the name given to the big party thrown to celebrate the end of this intense period where champagne flows freely!

I am sure you are wondering how last harvest was… well it was exceptional! In recent years, harvest has begun earlier than usual and in some parts picking has begun in the earlier ripening villages in late August, recent harvests have shown the quality was very high for any type of grape! 2018 was definitely a harvest everyone will remember. Let’s hope it is the same for this year, and that the winter and spring tastings of vins clairs (clear still wines) will meet our expectations!

Update for 2022 –

The Comité Champagne explains that the 2022 season is characterised by warmth, with robust ripening dynamics, and wonderful well being situations, and it has the potential to be similar to the very good trilogy of 2018-2019-2020, after the troublesome 2021 season.

And that is why it has set a yield of 12,000 kg/ha for the 2022 harvest. That is the best yield in 15 years (2007).

Sébastien Lebon was born, raised and continues to live and work in Champagne. Lucky him! He has worked in a range of roles for some of the big champagne houses as well as grower champagnes. His favourite champagne quote is by Sir Winston Churchill: “Magnum is the best size for two gentlemen to share over lunch, especially if one of them is not drinking.”

If you liked this you may also like these other blogs from The Bubbles Review:

Come quickly. I am drinking the stars!

Minerality in Champagne

Like to keep following us? Sign up to The Bubbles Review list and you will be included in our Subscriber prize draws. The giveaway is usually a chance to win a lovely champagne or sparkling gift. Join our list!

Cheers to the Widow Clicquot!

By TBR

On May 31, 2018

In Bubbles Blog

The word ‘veuve’ means widow in French, and I feel that is important information to share. I sometimes find myself using the phrase ‘I am drinking a glass of veuve’, but what does that really mean?

There are many great women of champagne, many of them widows and mothers, who became major influencers in the champagne industry. So successful were the veuves, it is rumoured that some producers added veuve into their title, even when there was no veuve at the house.

The story of the Widow Clicquot is intriguing. Several years ago, I read the little tag about her that was attached to a bottle of Veuve Clicquot that I had bought for a celebration. I wanted to know more, and have been captivated by her (and other champagne stories), ever since. I was very happy to discover the book The Widow Clicquot at my local bookstore, and became a huge fan – not just of the wine, but also of this amazing woman. Widow Clicquot was a visionary who took a small business and built a champagne empire. She was a legend in her tumultuous times, and she showed the world how to live with style.

Madame Clicquot was born Barbe-Nicole Ponsardin, in Reims in 1777. The daughter of Baron Nicolas Ponsardin, her social standing allowed her to receive an excellent education, which was founded upon the traditional morals and values of the time.

In 1789, when Barbe-Nicole was aged 12, the French Revolution brought great change. Barbe-Nicole’s father was a prosperous textile merchant who had ambitions to vault his family from the upper middle class into the nobility. As the revolution hit the town of Reims, Barbe-Nicole, who had been attending the royal convent of Saint-Pierre-les-Dames, had to be rescued by the family dressmaker. She was smuggled home dressed like a peasant, before the chanting, angry mobs roaming the streets of Reims came to its doorstep, as the convent became a target of public abuse.

Barbe-Nicole father’s dreams of either gaining a coat of arms for his family or marrying his two daughters (Barbe-Nicole had a younger sister Clementine) into the nobility were shattered when the Revolution came. Nicolas was, however, a shrewd man. He switched sides and became a fervent proponent of the Revolution – going so far as to join the Jacobins. He eventually achieved the title of Baron in 1813.

Just as the Revolution may have changed her path, her future was greatly influenced again when, in 1798, she married François Clicquot, son of the founder of the Maison Clicquot. François came from a wealthy family who had made their money in textiles, but they also had a side business as wine brokers. François had ambitions to take that side business and turn it into something more – not just distributing other people’s wines, but making their own. He shared his passion and knowledge for champagne creation and distribution with his young wife. This knowledge and skill proved highly valuable when Barbe-Nicole, a mother of a young daughter, took charge of the business after François’ untimely death in 1805.

At 27, Madame Clicquot became one of the first businesswomen of modern times when she took over the Clicquot business. In an era when women were excluded from the business world, she dared to assume the head of the company – a role she undertook with passion and determination. According to the Veuve Clicquot company description of her, Madame Clicquot’s character might be summarised with two words: audacious and intelligent.

Imagine the audacity of this decision at a time when women were not even allowed to open their own bank account!

She was willing to take risks, and would seize each new opportunity that arose – eventually expanding her business to all four corners of the world. I loved reading about the rivalry and battles with Jean-Rémy Moët who, at the time, was the wine merchant who helped bring the Champagne house of Moët et Chandon to prominence. The secret and very high-risk strategies included transporting their Champagne either overland or by sea to arrive before their rivals into new markets. Such competitive strategies would guarantee either great success or certain failure. One example was when the continental embargo was in place in 1814. Overland transport of goods to Russia was not possible, and to not be able to sell their vintage could have meant financial ruin. Clicquot and her wine broker hatched a daring plan to send more than 10,000 bottles by sea to St Petersburg. They say fortune favours the brave, and the venture was a great success. The vintage was sold at a top market price when it arrived to a triumphant welcome in Russia.

Ever the innovator, Madame Clicquot perfected new techniques of production. In 1816, along with her cellar master, she invented the “table de remuage” (riddling table/rack), which is used to clarify champagne. When champagne is aged on ‘lees’ (the yeast used to create the second fermentation in the bottle), this leaves sediment. Prior to Madame Clicquot’s invention, the sediment was either drunk or attempted to be removed when pouring. With only small batches of production possible, imagine how much was wasted prior to this system. The technique of the riddling process (still used today), is to delicately manoeuvre the sediment to the neck of the bottle to allow it to be removed swiftly and efficiently. Any loss of wine is then topped up by the dosage, prior to sealing with a cork and ready for sale. With this invention, the Maison Clicquot was able to increase their production exponentially. They managed to keep the riddling rack a secret from their competitors for some time – maintaining quality wines whilst also increasing production. Their rivals must have been watching in wonder.

Madame Clicquot continued to improve the business with bottles, branding and PR:

She is credited with improving the quality of the bottles to be able to take the pressure of the bubbles, which would often burst in the cellars or whilst shipping, causing great distress and financial loss.
At the time, Champagne bottles didn’t have labels, so were only recognised by the cork. The Anchor as the Christian sign of hope has been used since the business was founded, and still features on the Veuve Clicquot cork today. The Maison Clicquot started dressing its bottles in a yellow label, an unusual colour for the time. The ‘V.Clicquot P. Werlé’ Yellow label was trademarked in 1877. This distinctive, original label, which is still used today, was to become one of the most distinguishing features of Veuve Clicquot.
Breaking away from the tradition of adding an elderberry-based preparation to create rosé champagne. Madame Clicquot created the first “rosé d’assemblage” by blending some of her red wines from vineyards in Bouzy with her champagne to create the very first blend of rosé champagne.
Madame Clicquot paid great attention to public relations and communications, and was a prolific letter writer. Many of her more than one hundred thousand letters sent and received are preserved today in the Veuve Clicquot archives, “Pavillon du Patrimoine Historique”. Her signature is featured on the label today.

Uncompromising when it came to the quality of her wines, within just a few years she made her name into a brand of excellence – a name today renowned around the world. Even then, her peers recognised her formidable contributions, and referred to her as the “Grande Dame of Champagne”.

I think it is a great tribute (and a little ironic) that both the houses Veuve Clicquot and Moët et Chandon are now owned by the same parent company. A brand that is synonymous with great luxury, LVMH (Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy).

Veuve Barbe-Nicole Clicquot-Ponsardin died 1866, aged 88. The legacy of quality created by her is evident in a glass today. The NV Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label Brut is a great example. It uses all three of the traditional champagne grape varieties, with a focus on Pinot Noir. The key to quality with the blend is that it draws on a particularly high percentage of reserve wines originating from several harvests (usually 5 or 6); from 25 to 35% (sometimes as much as 40%) of the blend coming from previous vintages, and some of these wines are around 9 years old.

This is to ensure the consistency of the House style, so you always know when you a drinking a glass of ‘veuve’. Next time you do, include a toast to the Widow Clicquot!

Cheers!

Giveaway

We were very blessed to have the beautiful ‘Veuve and Orange’ Hamper provided by Custom Hampers Studio, with a bottle of Veuve Clicquot for our giveaway this month. Custom Hampers Studio Veuve and Orange

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Note:

In researching this blog I have relied on information provided on the Veuve Clicquot website and Tilar Mazzeo’s book, The Widow Clicquot, which I highly recommend if you are interested to know more: Tilar Mazzeo’s The Widow Clicquot

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Natalie Pickett is the Founder of The Bubbles Review which is for people who like champagne and other bubbles, written by people who have a love of all things sparkling! At The Bubbles Review, we like to debunk some myths, make the art of drinking champagne accessible, explore bubbly regions and champagne bars, and provide events for you to join us and indulge.

for people who love champagne and all things sparkling!

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