Champagne Guide for Connoisseurs
Written and compiled by Axel Ritenis,Editor in Chief ,Connoisseur Magazine
The New Year is a time for celebration and much excitement as we celebrate with friends and family, and either Non Vintage or vintage Champagne are equally appropriate!
“Champagne has that utterly cool seductive and socially transformative quality, doesn’t it?” The satisfying pop of the cork announces the release of aromas and flavours that have been years in the making.
But how do you make the most of the potential in the bottle? Please take your bubbles seriously! Sure, it demands that we approach the enjoyment seriously, pay attention, and “notice its delightful intricacies and characteristics.” Starting with the golden hue, and the beguiling sight “of the effusive bead sparkling to the top of the glass.” But in return, it yields, unfurls, and reveals layers of flavour. Citrussy-Lemony chardonnay aromas, Brioche and pattisserie aromas (sometimes black forest fruits from the Pinot Roses), stewed apple, toasty and yeasty aromas, perhaps a hint of almond and certainly some hints of mushroom in older vintage wines.
Obviously I’m talking about fine Champagne here – the stuff made by the better Champagne House. Quality varies dramatically producer to producer “ranging from sublime to magnificent”, the leading producers seldom disappoint! I tend to think sometimes, that it is “liquid decadence in a glass” yet somehow at the same time “one senses a degree of restraint and purpose” when consuming this delightful liquid.
