Monthly Archives: June 2010

Sans Souci

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After having more than our share of bubbles in Champagne, we were ready to hit the rails and start our adventure in Cognac. Well… most of us were ready. One member of our group, who shall remain nameless, was a tad late. This resulted in quite a stir and some worry that we would not make our train on time. We arrived to the station with less than ten minutes till departure and I can tell you I have never seen a group of people with luggage move so fast! We were nearly knocking people over in our path, but we made it with five minutes to spare.

Once we arrived in Cognac, we were bussed to the Marnier-Lapostolle estate, where we enjoyed refreshments in the salon. After greetings from the Grand Marnier team, we were off to a local cooperage to view the process of barrel making from start to finish. It was incredible to see in person – the trees cut into shape, wood planks steamed for pliability, iron rings hammered into place by hand, barrels toasting in their individual stalls - it gave us all some perspective on why barrels (and the fluids ageing in them) are so expensive. As soon as our stomach’s began to rumble, we were headed back to Grand Marnier for lunch, complete with a goat cheese and roasted pepper appetizer to start, chicken in cognac sauce with wild rice for our entrée and a creme brulee topped cookie with chocolate and caramel sauce that was to die for as dessert. 

Following lunch and a very special tasting, we were spirited off to our respective homes for the next two nights. The majority of our group stayed at a very quaint hotel close to town, while a select few, including myself, were treated to a very special stay at the Hennessy estate, Chateau de Bagnolet. Located on the Charente River, the home is surrounded by lush gardens and grassy expanses. The house itself is grand without being ostentatious and is even more comfortable than a country home should be. Though we did not wish to leave, we were delighted to be returning to the Marnier-Lapostolle estate to enjoy yet another fabulous evening of cocktails and culinary delights. From the reception in the courtyard to the after dinner drinks in the drawing-room, our hosts were more than generous. It was a magical night, only enhanced by our cohort’s companionship and the darling vineyard dog we made friends with.

The next morning arrived with full sunshine and the promise of yet another phenomenal day. Our first stop was at one of Hennessy’s production and research facilities, where we toured the vineyards and enjoyed what was collectively lauded as one of our favorite meals of the week, consisting of fresh gazpacho with lobster claw, terrines of chicken with truffles and seafood with spring vegetables, pistachio puree, a selection of cheeses and local wines.  Appetites sated, we were taken back to town for an extensive tour at Hennessy beginning in the main visitor’s building, then across the river in a boat to the cellars where the cognacs are aged, where we were privileged enough to be taken into cellars holding cognacs dating back to 1800. Our visit was completed with a special blending session in which we all created our very own assemblage to take home with us.

That night we were entertained at Chateau de Bagnolet – a grand finale to a grand week in France. Hennessy cocktails were served on the veranda, including my new favorite drink of VSOP and fresh, unpasteurized apple juice on the rocks. As the sun set, dinner was served and devoured with relish, a feast created by the Chef de Cuisine at Hennessy, who had been planning and preparing our meal for five days. The mood was celebratory, the food was delicious and the night could not have left us with better memories. 

Back in Paris before our long flights home, we reminisced about the enchanted week we were able to share. It was truly a once in a lifetime experience and I will be forever grateful to all the maisons for such a wonderful odyssey through France.

Au Revoir, Reims…A Bientot!

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After an unbelievably first-class day at Ruinart and Krug on Tuesday, I was hoping the momentum would continue through the rest of the week. I have to admit Wednesday was not  disappointing in the least. Waking to my room service breakfast of croissant, tea and yogurt, I hopped into an amazing shower to start my day.

Glowing from sleep and great Champagne, we all gathered on our bus to head to Clicquot. We met our guide in the main lobby of the maison and proceeded with the tour, which included a history of the house and collected memorabilia, as well as a trek through the caves. As with both Moët and Ruinart, Clicquot’s caves were utilized during the wars for shelter and daily life. One thing that Clicquot has that the others do not is a giant bas-relief sculpture created by Andre Navlet of a lady with a large bottle of Clicquot in hand and a young boy wrapped in grape vines in tow. It is remarkable in both its beauty and its immensity. Another great feature of the crayeres are the steps that showcase each of the vintage years at Clicquot. The steps are simple, yet offer a powerful visual connecting present-day Clicquot to all the years past.

Of my entire experience at the maison, the base wine tasting with a member of the blending team at Clicquot is an experience I will never forget. When people ask me why Champagne is so expensive and suggest that the large Champagne houses are of lesser quality than grower Champagnes, my mind will always return to the image of several winemakers tasting hundreds of still wines to create the famous yellow label of Veuve Clicquot. These wines are not wines for everyday drinking – they are acidic and unblended, lacking in the qualities most people would consider proper for consumption. The winemakers on the blending team are tasked to create a base for the Champagne with these wines, many of which have been ageing in the crayeres for some time. They all must agree on the final assemblage in order to develop the final product. And this is just for the Yellow Label! As all four of the maisons mentioned during our visit, the hardest work often goes into the non-vintage, which is actually a multi-vintage, created from wines from several harvests. After the base wine evaluation, we opened a magnum of Clicquot to toast to our visit and, in my eyes, to the Champenois who created the glorious bubbles we drink today.

Leaving Clicquot, we had a few hours to ourselves for the first time in days, a treat on trips such as these. The afternoon was glorious with beautiful May sunshine, espresso on the patio of a bustling bistro, and lunch at Cafe du Palais. Following lunch, we all chose our own little groups and headed out to experience the city. Much of my day was spent smoking gauloises (when in France!) and sipping espresso and Leffe on a sidewalk patio in the center of Reims. Little dogs, young couples and children passed by the large fountain in the courtyard, all basking in the glow of the sun. If not for the scheduled dinner, I could have stayed in the cafe through the evening and been thoroughly entertained the entire time.

That night, we transferred to Verzy for a very special dinner at the Clicquot country house. It was our last dinner in Champagne and it was delicious. Even better was the experience of being in such a historic home built for entertaining guests of the Clicquot family. Drinking bubbles in the midst of Champagne vineyards, I promised myself I would return soon.