Spring 2014 | `900 Château Margaux • Tom Stevenson • Screaming Eagle • Discovering Aube • L’Assiette Champenoise • Breguet D O M P I E R R E P É R I G N O N

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“Le Dom aine Les Cr ayères” one of the most Today, more than ever before, Le Domaine Les Crayères reaffirms the desire and determination to be a living celebration of Champagne – the region, the beverage, and the lifestyle it embodies – both for Reims and for the world. What we have to offer is unique: our five-star hotel « Le Château », our gourmet restaurant « Le Parc », our new brasserie « Le Jardin », our superb setting so close to the city centre, in the very midst of Champagne and its consummate, celebrated beverage… Member of Relais & Châteaux Member of Les Grandes Tables du Monde Email: contact@lescrayeres.com www.lescrayeres.com

Philippe Mille brings out the natural best of les Crayères’ at the gourmet restaurant «Le Parc» and the brasserie «Le Jardin»... At his side, the wine and champagne expertise of Head Sommelier Philippe Jamesse. b e a u t i f u l va c at i o n r e s o rt s i n t h e w o r l d . REIMS - CHA MPAGNE - FRANCE Domaine Domaine Les Les Crayères Crayères -- 64 64 boulevard boulevard Henry Henry Vasnier Vasnier -- 51100 51100 REIMS REIMS -- Tel Tel :: +33 +33 (0)3 (0)3 26 26 24 24 90 90 00 00 -- Fax Fax :: +33 +33 (0)3 (0)3 26 26 24 24 90 90 01 01

F I N E 6 W I N E & C H A M P A G N E I N D I A S P R I N G PAGE 10 FINE Château PAGE 24 FINE Estate PAGE 42 FINE Legend PAGE 54 FINE Rendezvous PAGE 68 FINE Gallery PAGE 78 FINE Experience FINE WINE & CHAMPAGNE INDIA 2 0 1 4

W I N E & C H A M P A G N E I N D I A S P R I N G 2 0 1 4 FINE Contents F I N E PAGE 90 FINE Personality PAGE 94 9 FINEEDITORIAL 10 FINECHÂTEAU FINE Gastronomy Coming of Age Château Margaux - A Journey of Centuries 18 FINEGASTRONOMY Château Margaux in India PAGE 112 FINE Lifestyle 22 FINENUIKKI The Day Jefferson Turned in His Grave 24 FINEESTATE Screaming Eagle 36 FINEPAULSON Why I Love Half Bottles 38 FINEGADGET Vinopur - More Wine from a Bottle 42 FINELEGEND Dom Pérignon - The Battle Against Bubbles 54 FINERENDEZVOUS François Richier - A Descendant of Dom Pérignon? 58 FINEREGION Discovering Champagne - Aube 66 FINELARSSON When I Say No to Krug 68 FINEGALLERY Bubbly Splendour 78 FINEEXPERIENCE Comtes de Champagne Reaches New Heights 82 FINESCIENCE Champagne High-Flyers 90 FINEPERSONALITY Tom Stevenson - Encyclopedia of a Man 94 FINEGASTRONOMY L’Assiette Champenoise PAGE 120 FINE Destination 102 FINELIHTONEN The Price of a Restaurant Experience 104 FINETASTINGS The Best Glass for Champagne 112 FINELIFESTYLE 120 FINEDESTINATION Breguet - The Mona Lisa of Timepieces Paradise Island in the Maldives FINE WINE & CHAMPAGNE INDIA 7

WRITERS Rajiv Singhal Rajiv Singhal is an entrepreneur who pioneered activities in the luxury sector in India. He studied FINE WINE & CHAMPAGNE INDIA Economics at Yale, and since then has been simplifying access to the Indian market for international clients. Among other path breaking initiatives, he helped set up the market for wine in India over the VOLUME 4 ISSUE 1 Q1 2014 last 16 years. Mr. Singhal is the Ambassador of Champagne to India, who loves to challenge himself. Editor Rajiv Singhal Pekka Nuikki Publisher Rajiv Singhal for Fine Publishing India Private Limited fine wines in Europe, who has published over twenty acclaimed international wine and art books. He is Chief Executive Ritu Singhal Director of Editorial Pekka Nuikki Pekka Nuikki is the founder of FINE Magazines. He is an author and one of the leading experts on an award winning photographer, who has exhibited his artwork all over the world and has worked as creative director of an advertising agency group. Mr. Nuikki is also the luckiest man in the world, having hit seven hole-in-ones. Juha Lihtonen Juha Lihtonen is the manyfold Finnish sommelier champion. He was the best sommelier in the Nordic Contributors Jan-Eric Paulson Andreas Larsson Christian Göldenboog Art & Creative Sandeep Kaul countries in 2003. Mr. Lihtonen has worked as a wine educator, a wine host on a radio programme, as well as the wine buyer of a major cruise line. Besides his day jobs, Mr. Lihtonen studies for the Master of Wine qualification. Essi Avellan MW Essi Avellan is the first Master of Wine from Finland, second ever from the Nordic countries. She was Photographs Akshat Arora awarded the Lily Bollinger Medal as the best taster and the Tim Derouet Memorial Award as the best Administration Dipti Garg such as the Decanter World Wine Awards and the Wines of Argentina Awards. Editorial & Business Offices 6F Vandhna, 11 Tolstoy Marg, New Delhi 110001 E: contact@fine-magazines.in W: www.fine-magazines.in Ritu Singhal Subscriber Information T: +91 11 23359874-75 RNI no. DELENG/2010/35861 ISSN 2231-5098 Bombay, and experiments with new techniques on new media. As voluntary work, she set up an annual overall student in the Master of Wine examination. Ms. Avellan judges at several wine competitions, Ritu Singhal is co-founder of New Delhi based Group Ritu, which has diverse interests in marketing, consulting, publishing and private equity. She trained as a textile designer at Sophia Polytechnic in craft bazaar to empower women artisans. When not doting on her two sons, Mrs. Singhal is up for any gastronomic adventure. Edited, Printed and Published by Rajiv Singhal on behalf of Fine Publishing India Martin Williams MW Private Limited. Published from 6F Vandhna, 11 Tolstoy Marg, New Delhi Martin Williams is a Yarra Valley-based winemaker and consultant. He studied Chemistry and 110001 India. Printed at Aegean Offset Printers, 220-B, Udyog Kendra Extension I, Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh 201306 India. Biochemistry at the University of Sydney before embarking on an extended journey into the world of wine. He became a Master of Wine in 1991, and won CIVC’s Vin de Champagne Award in 2008. Mr. All rights reserved. No part of this publication maybe reproduced, stored in any retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means without the prior Williams continues his wine consultancy, education and writing, while exploring his passions for flying, motorcycle touring, and the Australian landscape. written consent of the publisher. The opinions of the contributors or interviewees presented in this magazine do not necessarily correspond to nor reflect the opinions of the publisher or the editorial team. While the editorial team do their utmost to verify information published they do not accept responsibility for its Philip Tuck MW is the Wine Director of the British wine importer, Hatch Mansfield, and a Master of absolute accuracy. Fine Publishing does not keep nor return illustrations or other Wine since in 1999. British irony is apparent in his claim that his life has been ”sheltered and boring”, materials that have been sent in unsolicited, and hold the right to make any 8 Philip Tuck MW modifications in texts and pictures published in FINE Wine & Champagne India as he is a significant presence in the Institute of Masters of Wine. A business graduate of Sussex magazine. We reserve the right to refuse or suspend advertisements. University, Mr. Tuck is a proud and doting father of Felix. FINE WINE & CHAMPAGNE INDIA

C hange! The Indian electorate has delivered a Waitrose. I recognised the potential opportunity that resounding mandate. The baton is being passed this official intervention around Indian wine could on Raisina Hill and the 15th Prime Minister of India create, and arrived in Paris. prepares to assume office. The long-drawn vitriolic campaign has created very high expectations amongst I had just visited the wine capital of India, Nashik constituents, who have armoured the newly elected (where I discovered some labels for personal pleasure), government with much needed stability – for the first and could relate to the revolution that was being time since the sympathy wave three decades ago, the discussed – the consolidation of wineries amidst country’s governance has been freed from the shackles financial stress (that was thankfully keeping away the of loosely cobbled post-poll coalitions. The revival of subsidy-hungry the economy in the framework of inclusive growth advancements that were trying to keep pace with ought to be a priority. global trends, state-of-the-art wineries that had been entrepreneurs), viticultural built, and the growing acceptability of Indian wine. Even as it seemed that the potential of India was The wine families of Nashik are powered by passion under fire, international gastronomic societies bucked and co-exist with corporate giants, who have recently the trend of the slow down in promotional and invested in the region. In challenging conditions and prospection initiatives. The Disciples d’Auguste against all odds, they have done well to put India on Escoffier, a society for the dissemination and modernity the wine map of the world. If they remain committed of the culinary arts, launched a chapter in India in to their vision and remain true to themselves, it will recognition of the innovative and dynamic culinary not be long before the nanolitres of wine that Indians platform here. The oath “to transmit, serve and consume per capita will increase. And then the world honour cuisine – its culture and perpetual evolution” will take notice. was administered by the dignitaries as I was inducted in absentia at the Residence of the Ambassador of France to India, H.E. François Richier. At a dinner (around a perfect paella) hosted at his Residence, the Ambassador of Spain in India, H.E. Gustavo Manuel de Arístegui y San Román, floated a proposal for the India chapter of the International Academy of Gastronomy. I trust the stakeholders will act, so that I can partake in the gourmet’s delight dinner that was promised for the launch, soon. The Ambassador of India to France, H.E. Arun Kumar Singh took the initiative to host a pioneering effort – the Indian Wine Appreciation Days – at his Champs de Mars Residence, where our tiranga flutters under the picture-perfect backdrop of the Eiffel Tower. Having conceived and executed the first-ever official Wines of India campaign that had helped the brands to create history and space on the shelves of Rajiv Singhal 9 FINE WINE & CHAMPAGNE INDIA Rajiv Singhal

- a journey of centuries A fter three days of rain, we step out to the sunny, warm balcony of a stone house that was built in the late 19th century. August in Bordeaux had proven to be somewhat fickle, and this was our last day before we would get on our motorcycle and continue our journey towards Paris. We had been waiting 10 FINE WINE & CHAMPAGNE INDIA for a dry day in order to visit the legendary vineyards of Médoc. Now we would only have time to pop in to Margaux, but nothing would be more wonderful than experiencing the mystical feeling that Château Margaux, also called the Versailles of Médoc, emanates in its majesty.

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The mystique has to do with the 400-year history of the vineyard, concealing the most eventful story of Bordeaux’s vineyards. After getting to know the story, Château Margaux would never taste the same. As I rode along D2, approaching Margaux, I began to feel butterflies in my stomach. I could imagine how André Mentzelopoulos had felt when he drove this same narrow road for the first time with his daughter, on his way to an epoch-making lunch that would seal the future of Château Margaux. It was 1977, and the 24-year-old Corinne Mentzelopoulos was very impressed as she stepped out to the bright white stairway of the 19th century palace. They had just finished lunch that had taken place in a dark, 12 FINE WINE & CHAMPAGNE INDIA dreary dining room. She could not yet foresee that as a result of the handshake between the two gentlemen on the stairs, her life would soon change. Her father, André Mentzelopoulos, became the first Greek winegrower in Bordeaux, as he bought the estate from Pierre Ginestet for 75 million francs. The historic estate had changed hands once again. Royal villa The history of Château Margaux goes back all the way to the 12th century, when French nobles owned the estate. In those days it bore the name La Mothe de Margaux, meaning the hill of Margaux’ in the local dialect. The hills were green, but from something altogether different than vines: the estate was well-known for sugar beet plantations and corn fields. In the 14th century, the estate even served as a residence for King Edward III. The Vineyard is Born Development towards being the most appreciated winery of the world did not begin until 1572, when Pierre de Lestonnac acquired the estate. He expanded it aggressively, buying and exchanging land from small farmers in the area. He can be considered one of the greatest pioneers of the area with regard to wine growing. The era of Château Margaux as we know it can be considered to have begun with Lestonnac. The owners of the estate changed in name only, as the women who kept up the family traditions married aristocrats of Bordeaux, until 1654, and the Margaux estate rose to become one of the most respected wineries in the area through marriage.

The road to the top In 1700, the estate had already reached the size it is today. The total area of the estate was 265 hectares, 78 of which were planted with vines. The next step was to improve the quality of the wine. The manager of the estate, Berlon, overhauled the existing wine production techniques. He noticed that the quality of wine resided in concentrated grapes. He then examined his plantations and noticed that different patches produced different grapes. Soon, he realised that too much water led to weak concentration and forbade picking grapes early in the morning so that the dew on the grapes would not weaken the concentration. Berlon also vinified his wines so that white grapes were separated from red grapes, which had never been done before. The most appreciated wine in the world at the top of his list was Château Margaux. Versailles of Médoc As a result of the French Revolution, the heirs of Lestonnac lost the estate. However, it returned to the family once more when Laure de Fumel, niece of the previous owner, Joseph de Fumel, managed to buy the dilapidated estate back. She restored it and auctioned it again in 1801. Basque ship-owner Bertrand Douat, better known as Marquis de Colonilla, bought the estate for 654 000 francs. When buying the estate, Douat was mostly after social status, and he was not interested in wine production itself. Douat thought, however, that the estate needed a building worthy of its status, and he decided upon a construction project which would form an essential part of Château Margaux’s present-day identity. In 1810, the old building was torn down, and a new building was built by Bordeaux’s most respected architect, Louis Combes. It was a true masterpiece, a magnificent Greek-style mansion surrounded by a carefully planned garden and perfect conditions for wine production. It is no wonder that it has also been called the Versailles of Médoc. However, Marquis de Colonilla never got a chance to enjoy his new castle, as he died in 1836. FINE Château Marrying into the Pontac family that had owned Latour, Lafite and Haut-Brion estates gave Margaux a permanent position among the top wineries. The crowning of Napoleon iii After the marquis died, his family sold the estate to the Spanish banker Marqués de la Marismas, who was also known as Alexandre Aguado, who paid 1.35 million francs for it. Under the ownership of the Aguado family, the wines got their final crowning when Château Margaux was named the best of four first-class wines at the Paris world exhibition of 1855. In 1879 the estate was sold to Vicomte Pillet-Will. Pillet-Will’s era became one of Margaux’s most difficult periods, as a result of the global depression, mould diseases and, finally, phylloxera. In spite of all this, Pillet-Will, who held the estate for almost half a century, had a chance to witness two magnificent vintages, first in 1893 and after that, the most legendary Margaux vintage, 1900. However, the estate was sold again in 1920 as a result of the neglect of the following generations. A group led by Pierre Moreau bought the estate, and then sold it again in 1934 to a group led by Fernand Ginestet. This resulted in The quality of the wines increased significantly, and in 1745 the prices of Château Margaux’s wines were as much as a third higher than any other wines in the region. This was also noticed at a Christie’s auction in 1776, where Château Margaux 1771 was the first Bordeaux wine ever sold by Christie’s. The transcendence of Château Margaux came across to the world in 1787, when a very prestigious list of the most appreciated wines in the world was published on the market. The author of the list was Thomas Jefferson, the US Minister Plentipotentiary in France, who later became the third president of the United States. Jefferson was known as a great admirer of French wines, and FINE WINE & CHAMPAGNE INDIA 13

the ascendency of Ginestets, who, bit by bit, bought all shares of the estate by 1950. Non-vintage Château Margaux Together with his son, Pierre, Fernand established a firm position in Bordeaux for the next twenty years. In the 1960s, however, economic problems began to pile up. Branding gained ground in the wine markets when competition for supermarket sales increased. Pierre’s younger son, who was marketing-oriented, shocked the vintners of Bordeaux by marketing wines under the Ginestet name in car magazines and men’s magazines. Thus, Château Margaux’s brand value was threatened as well. As a result of short-sighted activities conducted without a clear strategy, the threat only increased. Bernard and his father Pierre’s desperate idea to market Château Margaux wines from poorer crop years as non-vintage enraged their trading partners. As the quality and the demand of the wines weakened, the family drifted into financial difficulties. The family’s distress further increased as a result of their older son’s mental problems, which led to suicide. After 14 FINE WINE & CHAMPAGNE INDIA eking out a living for a long time, the Ginestets finally had to give up Château Margaux, which had once made them so proud. The estate was almost sold to an American company called National Distillers for 82 million francs, but the French government intervened and demanded that the Ginestets find a French buyer. It would not allow the glory of Bordeaux and all of France to drift into foreign hands. Instead, selling the estate to the French grocery chain Félix Potin was deemed acceptable, even though the owner was the Greek businessman André Mentzelopoulos. Greek saviour Mentzelopoulos had saved Félix Potin’s chain of 80 grocery stores from bankruptcy in 1958, and by 1975 he had created a success story, with 1 600 stores. He was well-known for his quick moves, and thanks to his good business acumen he boldly accepted interesting new challenges. One can only wonder what went through his mind, when, on a flight from London to Paris, he read The Financial Times and noticed that Château Margaux was for sale. Most obviously he acted on a hunch, since in no time he was on his first visit to the estate with his daughter, closing a deal with Pierre Ginestet. The world was still experiencing financial troubles, and Bordeaux was in dire straits with regard to the wine trade. “I vividly remember the moment I saw the majestic cellar for the first time, I was really taken aback. It seemed impossible that it would be ours. Buying the estate was a really daring thing to do. It was a whole new challenge”, recalls daughter Corinne Mentzelopoulos. André Mentzelopoulos had made the most lucrative deal in Gironde’s history, and he invested unequalled amounts of time and money into the estate. Deteriorated production facilities and plantations were fully renovated, including replanting, water routings, new equipment and barrels, and restored cellars. In order to improve the quality, acknowledged oenology professor Émile Peynaud was hired as a consultant to the estate in 1977. His first Margaux vintage was the legendary 1978.

André Mentzelopoulos only saw the next excellent vintage, in 1979, as he suddenly passed away in December 1980. Suddenly, young Corinne faced a nearly insurmountable challenge: she would have to continue her father’s work without any of the required knowhow. Determined, Corinne continued the work with the help of estate manager Philip Barré and Émile Peynaud. She finished huge new cellars just in time for the magnificent 1982 vintage. With Barré’s help, Corinne quickly learned a lot about wine production and managing the estate. Pontallier drew most of his learning and production philosophy from Peynaud. Respect for the unique terroir of Margaux, and applying this philosophy to wine in every unique year without the label of the wine maker, represents Peynaud’s view that Pontallier has kept on honourably since Peynaud stepped aside from wine production in 1990. Trade-off with ferrari While Pontallier skilfully carried the responsibility for wine production, Corinne succeeded in managing the estate for over ten years, while at the FINE Château Château Margaux – a journey of centuries beneficial to find a good partner, a family business that would have the ability and willpower to take responsibility for the industry and financial management, so that I could concentrate on Château Margaux”, Corinne says. Ten years later, Gianni Agnelli died and the Agnellis decided to give up their 75 per cent share of Château Margaux. Without hesitation, Corinne Mentzelopoulos offered them 440 million dollars and regained full ownership of the estate in March 2003. Buying the shares back for the family also hints to the future. My children have already shown interest in Margaux. They travel with me to represent Château Margaux as often as possible. I have arranged some time for them in my office so that they can get to know the business and learn more and more. They are aware of what kind of things the estate represents, and are prepared for what is waiting for them in the future. Another challenge arose in the form of replacing the retiring Barré. Encouraged by the famous oenology professor Pascal Ribéreau-Gayon, Corinne decided to interview an oenology student of similar age nearly her own age, 27-year-old Paul Pontallier. He did not yet have very much experience, but Corinne was convinced. The estate manager post was offered to Pontallier almost immediately. Barré supported him in his new post based on his background, and at the same time he got the chance to work with Peynaud, whom he greatly respected. Together they produced one of the greatest wines of Margaux, vintage 1983. same time being responsible for all of the family’s other businesses. Being a principal shareholder of the huge Perrier water group and owner of a real estate business in Paris took their toll on the young woman, however. After a public offering on the Paris Bourse in 1993, Corinne exchanged shares with the famous Italian family Agnelli, who own Fiat and Ferrari. “Business operations grew so big that I could not handle it all by myself anymore. I thought it would be “My children have already shown interest in Margaux. They travel with me to represent Château Margaux as often as possible. I have arranged some time for them in my office so that they can get to know the business and learn more and more. They are aware of what kind of things the estate represents, and are prepared for what is waiting for them in the future. The secret to success Even though the late André Mentzelopoulos, together with Émile Peynaud and Philippe Barré, laid the foundations for the growth of Château Margaux, the secret to its success is mostly based on the unique synergy and chemistry that Paul Pontallier and Corinne Mentzelopoulos have created FINE WINE & CHAMPAGNE INDIA 15

together. A common goal, belief in the work and commitment have lifted Château Margaux back to the place it deserves. The wines have received more visibility and acclaim during the last 30 years than in the 100 years before that. “We have repeatedly questioned the techniques used in order to make the quality even better. Moreover, we have invested in continuous research and are one of the only estates in Bordeaux to have hired a research and development manager, who is responsible for the research work. We also utilise different research institutes”, says Pontallier, who is considered a perfectionist. He continues: “Even if we do continuous research work at the plantations and in the production facilities, I think our wines haven’t changed much in style during the last 25 years. Margaux’s wines are just a bit richer, softer and more intensive, thanks to the new viticultural techniques and our better understanding of harvesting the ripe grapes. Fingers crossed for the future? be seen how well the new generation can continue Corinne’s success. It is certain that she is not stepping aside for a long time, but when she looks 50 years to the future, she says: “Who knows what the world will be like then? I just hope my children are still around and are here managing the estate. But can things get much better for Margaux, when it already is in the minds of all wine lovers of the world? Shall I keep my fingers crossed?” > The active and close co-operation between Pontallier and Mentzelopoulos has produced magnificent vintages: 1983, 1986, 1989, 1990, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2003 and 2009. It remains to The best Château Margaux Vintages to drink today 100p 1900 Château Margaux Average auction €9450 price: Colour: Tawny, clear, promising Nose: Complex, open, intense, blackcurrant, violets, butterscotch, sweetness, chocolate Average auction €1230 price: Colour: Brownish, clear, healthy Nose: Divine, open, persuasive, fresh, chocolate, mushrooms, violets, tobacco, earth, toast, elegant Palate: Well-balanced, sophisticated, fresh, Finish: Broad, insightful, stunning, long, long, Finish: Voluptuous, ripe, luxurious, long, long… In a nutshell: Buy or not: Tasted: Decanting time: Glass time: When to drink: Food pairing: Fake factor: Bottled sensation Oh yes 22 times 30 minutes 2 hours Now to 2020 Forget the food Quite high, be especially aware of magnums and bigger sized bottles. Inside information: The vintages 1900 and 1982 were almost identical for Château Margaux. A warm summer, hotter than 1899, and baking heat during the harvest. The grapes were very ripe. A superabundant crop. Picking began on September 24. Production of 29 000 cases. Or try this: Ferrari 250 GT 1959 Final verdict: Nothing comes close! FINE WINE & CHAMPAGNE INDIA 1928 Château Margaux Palate: Superb balance, velvety, great finesse, silky tannins, intensive, lively, fresh, ripe, multi-layered, youthful 16 98p honeyed tannins, stylish, low acidity, perfumed, opulent smooth In a nutshell: As fresh as 1986 Margaux Buy or not: Under €2000, absolutely yes Tasted: 18 times Decanting time: 1 hour Glass time: 1 hour When to drink: Now to 2015 Food pairing: 98 points without food! Fake factor: Only with non-château bottlings Inside information: In 1928 there was marvellous weather, from the flowering to the harvest, which allowed the grapes to attain an outstanding level of concentration as well as ripeness. The picking began on September 25. Or try this: Château Margaux 1929 Final verdict: You won’t be bored

97p 1982 Château Margaux Average auction €890 price: Colour: Deep, ruby-red Nose: Powerful, toasty oak, black fruits, FINE Château The best Château Margaux Vintages to drink today coffee, cedar, cigar leaf, fascinating Palate: Well-balanced, potent, spicy, intense, deep, complex, well-dressed, fleshy Finish: Long, sweet, muscular, loaded, polished In a nutshell: Buy or not: Tasted: Decanting time: Glass time: When to drink: Food pairing: Fake factor: Almost there A bargain compared to Lafite 1982 12 times 3 hours 2 hours Now to 2025 Duck à l’Orange None Inside information: During the whole year of 1982, the weather conditions were very favourable for the vines and for the ripening of the grapes. After an early flowering, the summer was for the most part hot, especially in July and during the first two weeks of September. The grapes reached dazzling ripeness levels with, among other feats, a record concentration of sugar. The picking began on September 20. Or try this: Château Margaux 1983 Final verdict: Lacking nothing but a bit of character 97p 1990 Château Margaux Average auction €870 price: Colour: Intense, dark, purple Nose: Sweet, powerful, concentrated, ripe cherries, blackcurrant, vanilla Palate: Rich, opulent, great balance, exciting, firm, fine tannins, sweet fruit Finish: In a nutshell: Buy or not: Tasted: Decanting time: Glass time: When to drink: Long, tender, sweet, powerful Built to last For a greater future, yes 15 times 2 hours 3 hours Now to 2030 Food pairing: Smoked venison fillet Fake factor: None Inside information: At Château Margaux, the harvest lasted almost a month, as the Cabernets ripened much later than the Merlot. They even interrupted the picking for 10 days at the end of September to let the Cabernet finish ripening. Or try this: Mouton Rothschild 1986 Final verdict: The thinking man’s choice 97p 1996 Château Margaux Average auction €750 price: Colour: Deep, ruby, almost opaque Nose: Multi-layered, intense, blackcurrants, cedar, cigar, roasted coffee, capsicum, violets Palate: Perfect structure and balance, chewy, thick, hugely firm Finish: Long, lingering, powerful, rich, mineral In a nutshell: Already lovely Buy or not: Classic shopping Tasted: 17 times Decanting time: 4 hours Glass time: 2 hours When to drink: Now to 2035 Food pairing: Pheasant piccata Fake factor: None Inside information: After a very quick flowering, the summer was unsettled, with alternating periods of hot and cool weather and stormy showers – though less heavy in the Médoc than on the Right Bank. From September 1, cool and very dry weather set in for three weeks. It then rained and the fine weather returned for the harvesting of the Cabernets. The picking began on September 23. Or try this: Screaming Eagle 1992 Final verdict: Aristocratic style of Margaux par excellence FINE WINE & CHAMPAGNE INDIA 17

Château Margaux in India An Indian Meal at Taj Mahal New Delhi Photographs: Pallavi Arora 18 FINE WINE & CHAMPAGNE INDIA Text: Rajiv Singhal

FINE Gastronomy T he Rooftop of the Taj Mahal Hotel in New Delhi is buzzing. Dhruv Sawhney, India's most esteemed fine wine connoisseur, and his wife Rati are preparing a very special evening for a few of their friends. Several vintages, some almost thirty years old, from Château Margaux, the top rated Premier Grand Cru Classé according to the 1855 Classification of Emperor Napoléon III, will be presented with a carefully crafted menu that showcases Indian cuisine. This is a never-done-before wine and dine experience. I have been privy to attempted to narrow down the options from the basket of Indian cuisines. the preparations, that have already been a few years in the making. Together, they all dissected the food and the wine into their respective AN OUT-OF-THE-BOX APPROACH Château Margaux has been noticeably absent from India, even as the other Bordelaise have been working the very challenging market for wine in India. At the end of 2011, I joined in a brain-storming session that charted an exclusive, creative and out-ofthe-box approach to build an iconic and aspirational image for Château Margaux in India. Rati & Dhruv Sawhney’s personal components, to be able to accentuate a relation between them. In a final toss-up between Wazwan and Awadhi, the choice of cuisine was settled in favour of the latter. The task was entrusted to Chef Amit Chowdhury of the Taj Mahal New Delhi. Chowdhury is the only chef from India who is featured in Melanie Dunea's book, “My Last Supper: 50 Great Chefs and their Final Meals” alongside legendary chefs such as Ferran Adria, Elena & Juan Mari Arzak, Daniel Boulud, and Gordon Ramsay. matched with Indian food, set the ball A GASTRONOMIC MARATHON rolling. Sheaves of notes began to cloud Seventy-eight dishes took the starter's the mailboxes of stakeholders as they gun for the marathon degustation belief that top growths have to be FINE WINE & CHAMPAGNE INDIA 19

dinners over several months, including a re-union HISTORIC CONNECT food could not be bland.” The delicate balance in December last year with the Margaux team. A melange of regional Indian finger food – between the food and the wine stands out as The task on hand was to choose the final five Haleem from Hyderabad, Dhokla & Khandvi I progress through the menu. And, according course menu, including the vegetarian options. from Gujarat (perhaps reflecting the mood of the to Paul Pontallier, with the gentleness, softness, The Taj kitchens endured Sanjay Menon, who nation) – are served with Champagne Delamotte mellowness of the Château Margaux wines that tormented the team in special master-classes at the welcome reception at Villa Medici. complement spicy food, there is a beautiful that he conducted to explain this gastronomic At the stroke of nine, seventy guests are exercise. Dhruv Sawhney offered the ’88 Château guided to Longchamp. I notice mixed feelings The vintage ’09 was a cracker for the Pavillon Margaux from his personal cellars to facilitate in the dining room - the connoisseurs mark their Blanc du Margaux – a perfect balance between the learning. courses; curiosity is getting the better of the wine lovers, the wine fledglings feel honoured to be MAGICAL LINE-UP present, the wine drinkers can’t understand the Legendary winemaker and President of Château fuss, and the wine socialites are no-shows. Margaux, Paul Pontallier has flown in to Delhi Alexandra, the grand-daughter of the from Bordeaux; Heiress of Château Margaux, “Hellene in the Médoc” stands up to underline Alexandra Petit-Mentzelopoulos from London; the commitment of Château Margaux to India Ambassador of Château Margaux in Asia, and shares an interesting historic connection Thibault Pontallier from Hong Kong; and wine maverick, Sanjay Menon from Bombay. They join our hosts, Rati & Dhruv Sawhney and the General Manager of the Taj Mahal Hotel, Satyajeet Krishnan in New Delhi as they welcome the wine glitterati of Delhi and some other cities. The line-up of the wines is no less accomplished. One vintage from each of the 20 between the two. The Greek tycoon, André Mentzelopoulos, made his fortune neither from shipping nor from oil, but from trading cereals in the Indian sub-continent, where his proficiency in Urdu held him in good stead. Alexandra is very appreciative of the opportunity provided by the Sawhneys to share Château Margaux wines, and humbly thanks the audience. A BEAUTIFUL MARRIAGE noughties (’01), nineties (’96) and eighties Chef Amit Chowdhury had the onerous task to (’85) of Château Margaux Grand Vin have been prepare the selected dish to suit the body of the anointed for our pleasure alongside Pavillon wine, without compromising its flavour, “I had Blanc (’09) and Rouge (’03), the second wine to watch the chillies, tone down other spices of Château Margaux. and accentuate the earthy flavours – yet the FINE WINE & CHAMPAGNE INDIA marriage. power, finesse, richness and delicacy. The Saufian Nisha (prawn) and the Nawabi Murg Tikka (chicken) course emphasise the heavy concentration of fruit and the complex spicy structure of the Sauvignon Blanc. Thibault Pontallier plays on his charm to share his neighbour’s vegetarian fare to confirm, “the rich

FINE Gastronomy wine is enjoyed equally with the Gulhar Kebab (figs).” PURISTS REMAIN PURISTS André Mentzelopoulos revived the second wine, Pavillon Rouge du Château Margaux, that had first appeared in the 19th century. In ’03, all grape varietals including the Merlot were of very high quality. The heat wave vintage is exceptional and very rich on tannins, softened by Alexandra Petit-Mentzelopoulos Thibault & Paul Pontallier the Dhingri Shorba (broth of that makes Châteaux Margaux special. Put it away The accompanying main course is Lamb and mushrooms) and Choleye ka Shorba (broth of for a few decades, and mark its evolution. It is a Kathal (jackfruit) Biryani. As the purdah (veil) green chickpeas). Only my maharaj could have classic.” Paul's exuberance is infectious, or maybe is lifted on the traditional clay pot in which the done the Choleye better! the ’96 has opened up in my glass. Biryani has been cooked, it releases aromas that Some guests scoff at the soup. I feel that they Gosht Korma and Lagan ki Boti (Lamb) is the should have recused themselves and the invite food choice with these two vintages, and rightly should have read, “bring an open mind, be so. The spice combination enhances the maturity, willing to experiment and get ready to challenge complexity and the velvety tannin structure of A NEW CURRENCY conventional wine wisdom.” the ’96 while revealing the earthy characters in Dhruv Sawhney has led his guests into an the young ’01. There is a harmony – neither the unknown realm and cajoles them to explore food nor the wine overpower one or the other. further. They have experienced that Indian cuisine PERFECTION IN THE GLASS matched so closely with the nose of the wine. A perfect match. A moment of truth – the Château Margaux Grand In 1985, there was an Indian Summer in has moved beyond the thali – individualistic Vin vertical. The ’01 is proposed in its infancy, so Bordeaux. I am fortunate to partake in this flavour profiles allow harmony with wine. Team that the freshness and purity of the fruit can be successful Château Margaux vintage. The wine Taj has just served the perfect Indian food flavours appreciated. Easily approachable, the wine is very is shy, even though it has been decanted three for these exalted wines, which have travelled to expressive, even if with a sharp acidity. hours ago. I cup my wine and it begins warms India very well. Paul Pontallier rises to present his personal favourite – the ’96 vintage. “It has everything up to me. At close to optimum maturity, the ’85 has the softness and round and silky tannins. I gather that the easy-drinking Château Margaux ’01 is a favourite, something that is not difficult to explain. Tonight's guests exemplify the tectonic shift in wine drinking among Delhi's elite, since I started to build a wine culture in the nineties. It is wine by choice for them. They are beginning to appreciate fine wine, but are still a bit shy of old vintages, may be because they don’t have much experience. Paul Pontallier is very optimistic. “At Château Margaux, we do not to rest on our laurels and must be at the top of our inheritance. India will afford many years of drinking pleasure as more and more Indians will enjoy drinking, and well.”> Dhruv Sawhney Rati Sawhney FINE WINE & CHAMPAGNE INDIA 21

COLUMN PEKKA NUIKKI THE DAY JEFFERSON TURNED IN HIS GRAVE S ome years ago, I received a phone call from Central Europe. On the line was a friendlysounding stranger, asking whether I was interested in purchasing two bottles of the world’s most famous wine. Regardless of the day or the occasion, my answer is – and will always be – yes, of course I am. What wine collector or oenophile could resist the thought? As long as the price is right, and now it was – even too much so; the wines were offered to me at just a tenth of their true market value. On the phone, I tried to hide my excitement and calmly enquired about the bottles’ origin and state. It all sounded good. I asked the seller to quickly email me the most accurate photographs that he could get of the bottles before making my decision. Just ten minutes after I put the phone down, I was looking at photographs of two bottles that were in perfect outward condition. Their shape and form closely resembled images I had found of similar bottles, and the handengraved vineyard name and vintage looked exactly as they should. Even the famous initials Th. J., etched into the surface of the glass, were clearly visible. I zoomed in on the photographs and even made use of a magnifying glass. The wines’ surface and colour were excellent, considering the age, and the capsules were still firmly in place. The idea that two bottles of Château Lafite 1787 that had belonged to US President Thomas Jefferson could soon be the crown jewels in my cellar, for the “low” price of €12 000, seized control of my mind. My 22 FINE WINE & CHAMPAGNE INDIA desire for possession was naturally fuelled by the knowledge that an identical bottle had been auctioned at Christie’s for US$140 000. In the last twenty years I had successfully acquired a reasonable number of mature wines and sometimes felt lucky doing so, but never this lucky. The wines had to be fakes, or the seller had dropped a zero off the price tag, I thought. I had an even closer look at the bottles. The capsules drew my attention: they were in too good a condition to be genuine. Their tops were so smooth and unworn that the name of Château Lafite was clearly visible, as was the picture of the estate’s main building. The seller affirmed that the foils were original, which could not be true, because the name Lafite was spelt differently from the bottle,

FINE Nu i k k i with just one “f ”. I found it hard to believe that even Jefferson could have bought bottles in the late eighteenth century equipped with foils and a spelling that Laffite would only adopt a century later. Disappointment and relief rushed over me and I decided to forget all about it. I chose not to buy those bottles, either then or later, and soon another opportunity arose – this time publicly and in the open. Very similar bottles came on sale on eBay in Germany. A bitter price war ensued over the next seven days, resulting in an end price of €15 000 per bottle. I was surprised. The fact that the wines were even sold on eBay with a starting price of one euro should have rung warning bells regarding their origin and authenticity. But apparently it didn’t, because nearly fifty bidders were prepared to pay the price of a small car for them. This bothered me, and after the auction I contacted one of the winning bidders to en- quire after the reason for the expensive purchase. Surprisingly the German wine collector responded, although anonymously, to tell me that he didn’t really care whether the wine was genuine or not. For him, the smallest chance that it might be was enough; after all, the purchase price was only a tenth of the real bottle’s value. He had no intention of either selling on the wine or drinking it himself. When a wine collector is possessed by such a blind possessive mania that he is prepared to pay thousands simply for a mirage and for the possibility of showing up his neighbours, the fraudster’s job becomes easy. Even spelling mistakes are permitted. But there is a limit to everything. If you can find a bottle labelled Romani-Conti 1985 for £2200 at a renowned London wine merchant house, you can expect almost anything from the wine market. Therefore, care is required. I contend that one in ten fine wines being sold for more than 500 euros on the secondary market is a fake. In fact, I fear that the now infamous court case over the supposed Jefferson Lafite 1787 between the American billionaire Bill Koch and the German wine collector Hardy Rodenstock is just a drop in the ocean. Although I dislike blind tasting, especially of top-quality wines, I have probably been guilty of it more often than I know. I have knowingly tasted a few dozen fake wines, and unknowingly probably hundreds – hopefully not thousands. What the most skilfully forged bottles have in common is that they usually contain excellent wine, sometimes so perfect that the world’s most experienced critics are prepared to believe in a miracle. On the other hand, any perfect wine is always a miracle, achieved through the collaboration of man and nature. We should be able to enjoy it heart and soul, regardless of the questionable nature of the information on its label. My best advice to serious wine collectors is therefore to buy carefully, drink cheerfully! > FINE WINE & CHAMPAGNE INDIA 23

SCREA MING EAGLE 24 FINE WINE & CHAMPAGNE INDIA

FINE Estate THE HALF A MILLION DOLLAR WINE Text: Juha Lihtonen Photography: Pekka Nuikki A fter terrible winter floods, 1986 was another early vintage in Napa Valley. The flowering season, early due to several consecutive heat waves, was already advanced when estate agent Jean Phillips arrived at a vineyard by the Silverado Trail and Oakville Crossroad. With her experience of numerous properties and vineyards, Phillips senses something extraordinary and magical there, and realises she wants this ranch for herself. Without knowing much about the quality of the wines from the plot, she makes an offer for it. The price is accepted and, having paid, Phillips becomes the owner of the 57-acre vineyard. The majority of the varieties cultivated on the plot are white grapes, and its 80 vines of Cabernet Sauvignon cover much less than one acre of land. Having received encouraging feedback on the quality of the Cabernet grapes grown here from the Robert Mondavi Winery, Phillips decides to start her own winemaking operation. Extensive planting lies ahead. Phillips hires respected wine consultant Richard Peterson, who introduces her to his winemaker daughter, Heidi Peterson Barrett. The two women form a friendship that will produce a wine whose début vintage of 1992, launched in 1996, completely charms even the most esteemed wine critic, Robert Parker. He gives it 99 points. With only a few hundred cases produced, this becomes the most sought-after wine by collectors overnight. Only four years after its launch, six magnum bottles of 1992 Screaming Eagle go at the Napa Valley Wine Auction for the highest price ever paid for a wine: half a million dollars. A legend is born. FINE WINE & CHAMPAGNE INDIA 25

26 FINE WINE & CHAMPAGNE INDIA

SCREA MING FINE Estate "I lay awake at night worrying about the mistakes we could make. I did not want to be the guy who screwed up Screaming Eagle.” ONCE IN A LIFETIME Just as Jean Phillips may never have dreamed of creating a cult wine such as Screaming Eagle, the Santa Barbara-based investor Charles Banks, in charge of making investments for sporting celebrities, probably never imagined he would one day manage the vineyard responsible for growing it. Having just invested in the Jonata winery in Santa Ynez Valley with his sports club-owning business partner E. Stanley Kroenke, Banks was introduced to Jean Phillips by their viticulturist Tom Prentice, who knew Phillips and felt she might be looking for a business partner. The reason behind this was the status of Screaming Eagle. Although it was able to grow some of the world’s most desirable wines, the winery lacked the proper facilities needed to make or store them. A leaf roll blight forced Phillips to replant a lot of her stock, and she was also facing large-scale investments that she might not be able to afford independently. In addition, after twenty years of hard work, the sixtyyear-old Phillips hoped to slow down a little and enjoy other aspects of life besides wine-growing. EAGLE For Banks and Kroenke this was an exciting situation – a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to gain access to one of the most desirable vineyards in the world, thus guaranteeing them a place among the vanguard of wine producers. Banks and Kroenke met Phillips and made an offer she couldn’t refuse and the latter publicly announced the sale in 2006 – the purchase price was never published but was speculated to lie between 30 and 40 million dollars. As Phillips gave up her treasure, Heidi Peterson Barrett also ended her involvement in the success story that had turned her into Napa Valley’s hottest winemaker. It was the start of a new era. TIME LINE 1986 Jean Phillips purchases the 57-acre property, which is situated on the Silverado Trail in Oakville. She named the property after a childhood namesake. 1992 The first commercial vintage of Screaming Eagle 1996 Robert Parker gives 99 points to Screaming Eagle – the wine that no one had heard of. 2006 Jean Philips sells the estate to real estate developer and sports mogul E. Stanley Kroenke and well-known American athletes’ capital manager Charles Banks. 2009 E. Stanley Kroenke becomes sole owner of the estate. FINE WINE & CHAMPAGNE INDIA 27

28 FINE WINE & CHAMPAGNE INDIA

FINE Estate In the late morning, the vineyard is covered by the cooling fog and afternoons are cooled by the winds from San Pablo Bay, which keeps the grapes fresh. FINE WINE & CHAMPAGNE INDIA 29

THE HALF A MILLION REBIRTH Banks and Kroenke faced major capital expenditures. Arriving on the property for the first time, they saw mainly opportunities, and a formidable set of challenges as well. While some of the blocks in the vineyard were performing beautifully, there were others that they believed could be managed in a much better manner; indeed, some would even need replanting due to the presence of leaf blight. As Banks said: “The uniformity was amazing, as were the wines, so I knew we had a special piece of land. It was cooler, being on the valley floor and behind a knoll with many oaks, so when the breeze came up from the bay and through the knoll it brought the cool, shaded air out onto the vineyard. This allows for the more elegant, feminine qualities of the wine. The winery was more surprising. There was no cooling, in fact the tanks weren’t even hooked up for cooling. Everything was done by hand, even the cooling fermentations were carried out using a garden hose. Furthermore, the cave was dug in a less than ideal place, as the afternoon sun was aimed right at the doors. In spite of all this, the wines were brilliant and spoke of a singular place. A common thread and a purity ran through all the wines, so even though intellectually I saw room for improvement, I lay awake at night worrying about the mistakes we could make. I did not want to be the guy who screwed up Screaming Eagle.” Banks recruited a top team of experts led by his trusted winemaker Andy Erickson, with support from the world’s most renowned oenology consultant, Michel Rolland. Before Screaming Eagle, Erickson had built a reputation at Harlan Estate, Staglin, Spottswoode, Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars and Newton, as well as through some of his own projects and consulting work at Banks and Kroenke’s Jonata estate, among others. Erickson’s wife, the esteemed viticulturist Annie Favia, was asked to be in charge of the Screaming Eagle vineyards. She was supported by famed Napa viticulturist David Abreu, who played a central role in redesigning the vineyards. In just a short time, the estate was again in the hands of a top team. With the high-quality grapes as the starting point, the estate had to be equipped to carry that quality all the way into the bottle. Banks hired winery architect Howard J. Backen, who is highly regarded in Napa Valley. His design portfolio included the Harlan, Bond and The Napa Valley Reserve estates. During the next five years, the Screaming Eagle estate would operate amid bulldozers as it underwent a comprehensive overhaul. the grapes fresh. Thus, the property yields grapes with naturally high acidity, despite the Napa Valley’s warm climate. This is one of the key factors behind the longevity of Screaming Eagle’s wines. A number of beneficial changes have been carried out in terms of planting technology, taking into account the terroir track record. Erickson supplemented the Cabernet Sauvignon graftings with some more Cabernet Franc, as he believed that the variety plays a key role in Screaming Eagle’s wines. When Erickson arrived, there was only a miniscule plot of Cabernet Franc, located at the east end of the property, but the wines were exquisite, consistently making the blend year after year. Among the two blending varieties utilised at Screaming Eagle, Cabernet Franc tends to be favoured in a hotter vintage, while Merlot takes centre stage in a cooler one, such as 2010. While extensive new graftings were made in 2006, around 20 acres of the estate’s oldest vines, planted in 1987-1990, were retained. This is partly to strengthen the estate’s own clone stock. The technique used in the new vineyard blocks is field selection, which refers to budwood being sectioned off from strong old vines throughout the vineyard. This keeps the vine material as unique as possible. The six rootstocks that were used in the graftings play a key role in ensuring the high quality of the new grapes. These allow for more complex characteristics of the terroir from the different plots to shine through, facilitated by twenty years of experience, as well as improving grape quality in blocks that were historically rather vigorous. To improve grape quality, the vine density was increased from 800 to 2400 vines per acre. With the larger number of vines and denser vine rows, there is greater competition for water, which in turn produces more concentrated grapes and helps to balance the vine’s vigour. At the same time, the grapes are more shaded from the sun. The angle of the vine rows was designed to provide shading for the fruit zone during the hottest parts of the day, and therefore during the hottest parts of summer. This keeps the grapes fresher. DOLLAR 30 FINE WINE & CHAMPAGNE INDIA WINE TRANSFORMATION OF THE VINEYARDS The reforms at Screaming Eagle were based on investigations of where each cultivated variety thrives and produces the best quality. The vineyard blocks are west and north-facing on a gentle slope in the shape of an amphitheatre. The iron-rich, rocky vineyard has a spectrum of soil types. The eastern part of the estate is dominated by shallow, alluvial rocky soil, while the middle part has more small stones and the western end of the vineyard is rich in clay, cobbles and sand. In the late morning, the vineyard is covered by the cooling fog and afternoons are cooled by the winds from San Pablo Bay, which keeps

FINE Estate WINEMAKER AT A GLANCE Name: Nick Gislason Born: 1983, San Juan Island Experience: Harlan Estate (Napa Valley), O’Shaughnessy Winery (Napa Valley) and Craggy Range (New Zealand) Personal Screaming Eagle favourites: 1995 & 2007 Best wine ever tasted: Pétrus 1989 If not working for Screaming Eagle, then where: Pétrus Hobby: Building fireworks The style of Screaming Eagle wines, according to Gislason: Screaming Eagle is stylistically between Napa and Bordeaux, out all on its own. It’s the freshness and savory of Bordeaux, with a richness from Napa, and a perfume that is uniquely its own. Motto: There is no satisfactory substitute for excellence. FINE WINE & CHAMPAGNE INDIA 31

WINE M AKERS 1992–2006 Helen Peterson Barrett 2006–2010 Andy Erickson 2010– Nick Gislason 32 FINE WINE & CHAMPAGNE INDIA OW N E R E. Stanley Kroenke (b.1947), the owner of Screaming Eagle, is better known for his Kroenke Sports Enterprise which owns various sports clubs, such as NHL ice hockey team Colorado Avalanche, NFL football team St. Louis Rams and NBA basketball team Denver Nuggets. Kroenke is also the majority shareholder in English football club Arsenal.

The production facilities were planned according to the redevelopment of the vineyards. The gravity-based winery is designed principally with the aim of maintaining the high quality of the incoming grapes throughout the production process. When we first visited the new facilities and met Andy Erickson in 2010, he was excited as every parcel could be vinified separately using wood, concrete or stainless steel vats, so that the unique characters from every corner of the vineyard could be evaluated and graded accordingly. He emphasised how the new winery allowed him and his team to continue winemaking in the long-established style of this brand, but with greater consistency. He also referred to the methods that were used by Phillips and Peterson Barrett when they operated the winery from the little stone building where, for instance, temperature control of the fermentations was very difficult to handle, and was achieved using a lot of makeshift equipment. Erickson embraced modern equipment, which helped him to take the guesswork out of controlling fermentation temperatures, and greater focus could then be placed on the vineyard and how the wines were developing during fermentation. He also said that in terms of fruit characteristics, it was clear early on, in 2006 during his first harvest at Screaming Eagle, that the site naturally gives very vibrant, perfumed, lucid wines with a lot of freshness and acidity. With new winemaking techniques preserving those characteristics have evolved a great deal. Despite the opportunities that new winery allows, the actual winemaking process itself is kept very simple. After a selective sorting process, gentle winemaking takes place using a short cold soak, followed by fermentation at moderate temperatures. After primary fermentation, the wines are run-off to barrels to continue the secondary fermentation in the cellar. Then, every vineyard block is aged separately for the first 12 months, before a blending session that will select only the best barrels for use in the final Screaming Eagle blend. The wine is racked very minimally during ageing, and is bottled without fining or filtering. The bottles are stored in tempered cellars, which are quarried into the bedrock, before their annual release, with controlled conditions that are ideal for long-term cellaring. The multi-million-dollar redevelopment project was finally completed for the most part in autumn 2010. Some replanting activities remain, and naturally the endeavour to produce perfect wines is never-ending. After the five years’ of metamorphosis, the estate is now looking better than ever. The team who was in charge of the redevelopment project has since parted ways, with Banks moving on to his new international winery projects, while Andy Erickson and his wife Annie continue to run their own winemaking projects in Napa. Nowadays, the estate is overseen by Armand de Maigret, the longtime winery manager of Jonata Winery, who runs Screaming Eagle alongside a very committed team. One of the key persons in his team is a young winemaker, Nick Gislason, who was unearthed by Andy Erickson. Gislason, 28, had impressive experience for his age when Erickson first met him, and after meeting for the first time, they found that their chemistry and work ethic matched perfectly. ing for a long-term opportunity to grow and develop my career, and when I realised that Andy and Screaming Eagle were searching for exactly that type of commitment, it was a natural fit. Then, when we went into the cave to taste some wines, the deal was sealed. We tasted through some of the Merlot blocks, then some Cabernet, and they all had this vibrancy that I can only describe as bordering on alive. They were just so beautiful, perfumy, and fresh, much less ripe than many Napa wines and exactly the style that I have always gravitated towards,” Gislason says of his early days at Screaming Eagle. Under Erickson’s guidance, Nick quickly grew into the big shoes he was destined to fill and was ready to take Erickson’s position within a year. In 2011, Gislason took full charge of all the winemaking duties. Will the young winemaker follow in his mentor’s footsteps, or will he walk a path of his own? “First and foremost, I will be perpetuating the fresh, delicate style of wine that has been the Screaming Eagle hallmark since 1992. Across two winemakers before me (Heidi and Andy), that style has stayed remarkably consistent, which is part of the uniqueness of this ranch. The character of the vineyard really asserts itself. What will be new is the discovery of the young vine plots, and the ways that we can farm them individually to get the best site expression possible. It is a winemaker’s dream to be able to truly understand and manage a vineyard acre by acre and spend an enormous amount of time out there with the vines,” Nick muses. It remains to be seen how this extremely expensive quality enhancement project will be reflected in the prices of Screaming Eagle wines, whose secondary market prices are among the highest in the world. Irrespective of future prices, can the quality of this cult wine be considered on a par of perfection? “Everybody on the Screaming Eagle team works with a sense that nothing short of perfection will do, without question. Since people expect the best, that’s exactly what they’ll get,” Nick Gislason confirms. And what of future improvements – is there still room for that in quality? This is more than likely, as the the ageing vines will yield an increasingly high quality of grape material and will therefore help the Screaming Eagle team to keep their flight in perfection. > FINE Estate SCREA MING PERFECT CELLARS EAGLE "When I came here for an interview, I had great respect for Screaming Eagle, because of its renowned reputation and world-class winegrowing team. However, my excitement began to grow as I walked around the vineyards, exploring all of the various soils and microclimates of the 48-acre ranch. There were an amazing variety of terroirs here, and they were all designed to be farmed individually. This was going to be a place where getting intimately close with the land was paramount, and that was always what I saw myself doing. And, it was a fortuitous time for me to step into the picture, as the newly planted vines were still very young and I would have a chance to grow alongside them, while at the same time learning from the older, more established blocks. I was always look- FINE WINE & CHAMPAGNE INDIA 33

92p (95–100p) Average auction price: Bottle Condition Colour: Nose: 2008 Screaming Eagle 91p €NA Average auction price: Bottle Condition Colour: Nose: A1 Medium intense, ruby Open, aromatic, floral, blackcurrants, violets, smoky Palate: Medium-bodied, refined, vivid, ripe Long, persistent and perfumey A pure and delicate wine Only if you are on the mailing list Twice 5 hours 3 hours 2020-2025 Roasted elk with creamy chantarelle sauce Fake factor: Moderately low Inside The first Screaming Eagle vintage to information: be made in the new gravity-based state-of-art winery, where concrete, stainless steel and wooden casks are skillfully used in making the harmonious wines. 2007 Screaming Eagle €2200 A1 Moderately deep, ruby Reserved, sophisticated, ripe dark fruits, floral, hints of mint Palate: Full-bodied, vivid, intense fruit, velvety black fruits, spicy toastiness Aftertaste: In a nutshell: Buy or not: Tasted: Decanting time: Glass time: When to drink: Food pairing: (95–100p) tannins, licorice Aftertaste: In a nutshell: Buy or not: Tasted: Decanting time: Glass time: When to drink: Food pairing: Fake factor: Inside information: Refined, mineral and seductively spicy Dense and rich Go on, the prices are only climbing 4 times 6 hours 3 hours 2030-2035 Grilled lamb fillet with thyme sauce Moderately low The vintage when Screaming Eagle was made from more selective sorting than ever. Or try this: Château Margaux 2000 Final verdict: Thanks to the great vintage and focused sorting, this wine has all that it takes to become the greatest Screaming Eagle of all times Or try this: Pétrus 2003 Final verdict: A wine with great promise and potential SCREAMING EAGLE 91p (95–100p) Average auction price: Bottle Condition Colour: Nose: 2006 Screaming Eagle 92p €1300 Average auction price: Bottle Condition Colour: Nose: A1 Moderately deep, ruby Jammed, ripe wild strawberries, dark chocolate Palate: Full-bodied, supple and gently mouthdrying tannins, ripe blackcurrants Aftertaste: Long, powerful, spicy In a nutshell: Velvety wine Buy or not: One of the most affordable Screaming Eagles on market Tasted: Decanting time: Glass time: When to drink: Food pairing: Twice 8 hours 4 hours 2025-2030 Grilled duck breast with truffleflavoured potato purée Fake factor: Moderately low Inside The first vintage under the new information: ownership and new winemaker Andy Erickson. The blend has 17% Merlot to enrich the style. Or try this: Château Pichon-Lalande 1996 Final verdict: Open, rich and spicy style 34 FINE WINE & CHAMPAGNE INDIA (95–100p) 2005 Screaming Eagle €1700 A1 Dark, purple to ruby Pure, intense jammed blackberries and blackcurrants, sweet spiceness Palate: Intense and rich, vivid acidity, spicy and toasty with floral tones Aftertaste: Moderately long, spicy and gently tannic In a nutshell: Rich and pure Buy or not: You can't find better value for money than this Tasted: Decanting time: Glass time: When to drink: Food pairing: Fake factor: Inside information: Twice 8 hours 4 hours 2025-2030 Aged Gruyère cheese Moderately low The last vintage produced from the original team – Jean Phillips and Heidi Peterson-Barrett. Or try this: A weekend at Meadowood Resort with spa treatments and dinners Final verdict: A well-structured wine which needs at least ten years cellaring before it delivers its value

(95–100p) Average auction price: Bottle Condition Colour: Nose: 1997 Screaming Eagle 97p 1994 Screaming Eagle €2714 Average auction price: Bottle Condition Colour: Nose: €2000 A1 Bright, deep, ruby Rich, elegant, complex, seductive, spicy, floral, ripe black fruits Palate: Full-bodied, distinguished, well- balanced, plush, ripe black fruits, supple, intense Aftertaste: Rich, long, vivid, delicious, aromatic, coffee, chocolate and mint In a nutshell: Buy or not: Tasted: Decanting time: Glass time: When to drink: Food pairing: Finesse and power 2 hours 3 hours Now to 2025 Grilled lamb skewers with peppers and onion Fake factor: Moderately high Inside The total production was 500 cases information: Or try this: A Harley Davidson Heritage Softail Classic 1997 Complex, elegant, cassis, mocha, mint Palate: Full-bodied, vivid, supple, silky tannins, sophisticated Aftertaste: Refined, long and elegant In a nutshell: A wine like a polished jewel Buy or not: If you compare the points price correlation with 1992, this wine is a bargain If money is not an issue 12 times A1 Intense, ruby FINE Estate 97p Tasted: Decanting time: Glass time: When to drink: Food pairing: Fake factor: Inside information: Or try this: Final verdict: 10 times 2 hours 3 hours Now-2025 Duck à l'Orange Moderately high A tiny production of 175 cases 1994 Harlan Estate A wine to make your friends happy! Final verdict: A wine that will be able to blow our minds in ten years time TASTING NOTES 98p 1992 Screaming Eagle Average auction price: Bottle Condition Colour: Nose: €4900 A1 Intense, ruby Open, sweet, opulent, pronounced, spicy, blackcurrants Palate: Intense, vigour, well-balanced, complex, firm, exciting, rich, meaty Aftertaste: Elegant, ripe, superb In a nutshell: Screamingly good! Buy or not: Every wine lover should have the priviledge to taste this benchmark wine of modern Napa at least once Tasted: Decanting time: Glass time: When to drink: Food pairing: Fake factor: Inside information: 4 times 2 hours 3 hours Now-2025 Roasted venison with morrel sauce Moderately high The first commercial of Screaming Eagle. Total production was only 175 cases. Or try this: 1992 Maya by Dalla Valle Final verdict: The "turning point wine" to the modern era of Napa Valley wine production FINE WINE & CHAMPAGNE INDIA 35

COLUMN JAN-ERIK PAULSON WHY I LOVE HALF BOTTLES M y wife doesn’t drink wine. Or, to be more precise, she doesn’t drink wine other than her favourite Kracher wines, a glass of champagne every now and then and, of course, a little vintage port at Christmas. The above is the main reason I buy half bottles for my private cellar whenever possible. My daily (weekday) routine includes a glass of champagne after work, as this is a great recipe for instant relaxation and builds my appetite for the forthcoming highlight of the day: dinner. For this occasion, I pick a suitable half bottle from my cellar. This amount of wine is perfect for a good night’s sleep and a fresh start the next morning. However, when I open a regular size bottle, and the wine is good, I have a tendency to drink a glass or two more 36 FINE WINE & CHAMPAGNE INDIA than I should. This has often led to regrets the morning after. Another reason for my love of the smaller bottle variety is that I have poured wine worth a small fortune down the drain over the years. It is true that many wines still taste good next day, but maybe my wife had cooked something that didn’t match with that particular wine, we went to a restaurant for dinner, or I just felt like drinking something different. That old saying that a wine tastes better the larger the format does not hold true in my experience, and I think this partly goes back to the time when wine was bottled by the cask. It is likely that the best casks were reserved for the larger formats. It is true that the wine tends to mature slightly faster, all other factors being equal, and this is, for me, is an advantage when it comes to red Bordeaux, which can be closed and unapproachable for a decade or more. This is especially so for restaurants, as they can rarely afford to lay down their wines for decades.

F I N E Pa u l s o n Furthermore, it is of course nice to be able to order a number of wines with a meal, otherwise you are left with one wine which needs to go with every course. It is surprisingly difficult to find half bottles of these wines and I believe that more wines would be sold and drunk if available in smaller sizes. If stored under good conditions, half bottles can age very well. I remember a private dinner with Anne and Olivier Bernard at Domaine de Chevalier where we drank 1959 Château Margaux, 1949 Domaine de Chevalier and 1929 Château Cheval Blanc, all in half bottles, and each wine was in excellent condition. The one wine where half bottles don’t make sense is champagne. An opened bottle keeps beautifully in the fridge for several days, as the pressure of the carbon dioxide will prevent oxygen from entering the bottle. Also, most champagne houses do not age the champagne in their half bottles but instead fill them from larger size bottles. This can lead to a loss of quality and it certainly leads to prices that are quite a bit higher than half of the regular size bottle. Bottling smaller size formats is particularly sensible when it comes to sweet wines. A regular size bottle of Sauternes or port is very rarely consumed by, for example, four people over the course of dinner. Many restaurants offer sweet wines by the glass, which in theory is a good thing, but the problem is that you don’t know for how long the bottle has been open. It is, however, said that Sir Winston Churchill’s favourite size of champagne was the imperial pint, as he considered this to be the ideal amount for one person at breakfast, and he did win both a war and a Nobel prize. > FINE WINE & CHAMPAGNE INDIA 37

38 FINE WINE & CHAMPAGNE INDIA

FINE Gadget VINOPUR more wine from a bottle It all began with a bottle of Château Latour 1959 in one of Monte Carlo’s finest restaurants. A fine dinner between friends ended with the lamenting of having left a whole glass of wine in the bottle to be thrown away, as is standard practice in removing sediment during decanting. One of the diners, Mr Rudolf Gantenbrink, saw the high cost and extravagant wastage in this practice and determined to find a method of consuming that final glass. The plight of Mr Gantenbrink was not a new one. Many methods have been tried to filter sediment from wine over the years but never with any great success. Either too much was filtered off losing the wine’s flavour in the process, or then too little making the wine cloudy. Coffee filters were also unsuitable as they tended to give off unwanted flavours to the wine. As a wine lover, graphic designer and self-taught engineer of recent robotic inventions, Mr Gantenbrink was poised to solve this age-long dilemma of wine wastage that had grieved so many compatriot consumers. Having come from a renowned glass dynasty, Glasshütte Limburg, it was natural for him to try his hand at using glass as the filtering agent; glass having the advantage of not giving off unwanted flavours. The particles in the sediment of wine are so small that it would be impossible to produce a filter enough finely meshed by drilling or by casting glass into forms. Mr Gantenbrink found success in a new method of heating miniscule glass pearls to a temperature where they fused with one another, thereby forming a network of tiny passages large enough for the wine to pass through, but small enough to retain the particles of the sediment. It was only after numerous trials with varying sizes of the glass pearls, that he was able to reach the desired result. The outcome was Vinopur, a sturdy and solid wine filter that requires no spare parts, and that has been successfully tested countless times. It has been used effectively over 1,200 times by the sommelier at the Hôtel de Paris in Monaco alone. Its genius lies in its simplicity – following decanting, the wine is poured through the Vinopur filter which has been placed onto the glass or decanter. It then takes only a few minutes to produce a clear and sediment-free wine. Fabricated from industrial glass, the filter can be cleaned in the dishwasher and even dried in an oven after being rinsed with clean water. Rinsing after use is essential as staining will occur if sediment is left to dry in the filter. Vintage Port also tends to block the tiny passageways if not rinsed thoroughly. With time it may start to stain or it is possible for mould to grow in the filter if not rinsed and dried properly. As this will give off unwanted flavours to the wine it is advisable to use the cleansing set available from Vinopur from time to time, and the filter will be as new again. Fine wines deserve a Vinopur. The simplicity, financial benefits and success rate are reason enough to invest in this useful gadget. But beyond that is the satisfaction and pleasure that will come from drinking that final glass of 1959 Latour. Price: 110 euros Available from: Paulson Rare Wine Internet: www.rare-wine.com Email: paulson@rare-wine.com FINE WINE & CHAMPAGNE INDIA 39

the battle against bubbles Text: Pekka Nuikki Photographs: Pekka Nuikki & Johannes Grau My car’s summer tyres are slipping on the frozen road, and the monastery of Hautvillers, perched on a high hill, does not seem to get any nearer. The gusty blizzard rocks and jerks my minivan, and snowflakes almost the size of my palm make visibility close to nil. The town of Epernay, huddled in snow, is slowly disappearing behind me, and the journey to the home of perhaps the best known man in wine history is finally coming to an end as I turn into the yard of the monastery. 42 FINE WINE & CHAMPAGNE INDIA

FINE Legend FINE WINE & CHAMPAGNE INDIA 43

He was a monk whose existence many French people still doubt. The gates, the height of three men, quietly Beneath the chapel, deep inside the hill, is the last close behind me. The silence is as if the entire resting-place of Dom Pierre Pérignon (1638–1715). world around me had suddenly ceased to exist. He was a monk whose existence many French people The virginity of the moment is enhanced by still doubt – according to these people, he is a legend the untouched snow covering the entire yard. created by marketers. As I stand above his grave, A dizzying view of the Marne river valley opens up Dom Pérignon feels very real. In my mind I smile at from beyond the old vineyards, terraced on several the thought that the marketing apparatus of the 17th levels along the hillside. century could have created the first and best-known The monastery itself is a solid, ascetic greystone personal legend just by using its imagination. On the building erected in the seventh century. The rain and other hand, the destruction of the monastery’s archives the twilight make it look spooky, almost like a tomb during the French revolution has made it impossible to – which, in fact, it is. either confirm or dispute these claims. the battle against bubbles 44 FINE WINE & CHAMPAGNE INDIA

FINE Legend “He took ordinary wine and gave it soul, structure and elegance — but no bubbles” the battle against bubbles Pierre Pérignon, now resting beneath my feet, emerged as late as 1668. That is when he arrived According to tradition, Pierre’s personality seems to was born in autumn 1638. His family had for at the Hautvillers monastery, where he became have had many ingredients of the legend told about generations lived in the Champagne-Lorraine area. cellar master and treasurer, holding these positions him as a winemaker. The wines of Hautvillers were They had reputation of being decent people,and until his death. When the then 29-year-old Dom held in high regard in the Champagne region even this was reinforced by the choice of professions of Pérignon was appointed treasurer of Hautvillers, the before Pierre arrived there – they sold at twice the many of the family members; the Pérignons had monastery was just getting back on its feet following price paid for other wines of the region. In those been respected lawyers and notaries for generations. the occupation and destruction of the 30 Years’ days, however, champagne was not known; instead, Pierre, however, was to become the exception. War. The situation could not have been better for the Champagne region produced traditional introducing changes. wines. With good reason, Dom Pérignon may He went to the Saint-Vannes monastery at the age of 19. What he studied or how long he spent Pierre is reputed to have been a learned, intelligent, be considered the greatest individual developer there, though, is shrouded in history, because the unprejudiced and very ambitious man who was very of the region’s reputation. He took ordinary wine next documented information on his movements exact in his religious duties, as well as other tasks. and gave it soul, structure and elegance – but no This man of small build had a modest character and bubbles. way of life – abstinent and good-hearted. FINE WINE & CHAMPAGNE INDIA 45

At the end of the 17th century, England was the they were moved into bottles, which were known largest and most important export market for to keep the wine fresher for a longer time. When Champagne wines. Profitable and well-organised the wines were consumed, often only after many smuggling avoided the government’s high taxes months or even years, they had become sparkling. and contributed to the rapid growth of exports. This was because fermentation that had ended Worried about the significant loss of taxes and fees, in Champagne, due to the region’s cold weather, the “Sun King” Louis XIV tried to make it much started again in the bottles due to the change of more difficult to smuggle. climate. The English liked the sparkling white wine When the wines in barrels arrived in England, 46 FINE WINE & CHAMPAGNE INDIA very much, and it soon became the daily source

FINE Legend the battle against bubbles Dom Pérignon shared the view of the intelligentsia and struggled against bubbles every day. of enjoyment for the Sun King and his court. In contrast, the cultural circles and the intelligentsia considered sparkling wine the drink of vain and immoral people and preferred refined, nonsparkling white wines. Dom Pérignon shared the view of the intelligentsia and struggled against bubbles every day. His goal was to earn well-deserved appreciation for this refined, enchantingly fragrant white wine in the court of the Sun King. FINE WINE & CHAMPAGNE INDIA 47

He also understood that the best champagne can only be produced in a first-class cellar. RIPENED BY REST After accepting the post of cellar master, Pierre introduced many changes that improved the quality of the wines even more. His ambition was to turn the monastery’s resources into lucrative production facilities, starting from the vineyards. In other words, “To make the finest non-sparkling wine in the world.” His first endeavour was to renew the vineyards, which had fallen into a state of neglect and disrepair, by planting local vines that produced very small, soft and dark-skinned grapes. They yielded considerably better wine than the earlier vines. Pierre tended the vineyards with great care and tenderness. He also ordered two new, large presses and had a large wine cellar built deep into the earth under the monastery’s courtyard. He may have been the first person to understand that champagne needs many years of rest in an even, low temperature to ripen perfectly. He also realised that the best champagne can only be produced in a first-class cellar. Photo: CIVC WHITE WINE FROM RED GRAPES 48 FINE WINE & CHAMPAGNE INDIA One of the problems with the wines of the natural consequence of the northern location of the Champagne region was their colour. Although Champagne region, where a normal summer cannot they were made from red grapes, the wines were give the grapes enough sunlight. a diluted greyish colour – far from the normal Dom Pérignon’s wisdom, however, allowed him to colour of red wine. In those days, approximately produce a full red wine. He even wrote a pamphlet, one-third of the region’s wines were made from red using three chapters to cover the noble principles of grapes. As distasteful and commercially unviable as winemaking. Even today, these principles form the the thought of a grey-red wine may seem, it was a basis of quality winemaking all over the world.

FINE Legend THESE QUALITYIMPROVING PRINCIPLES: – Primarily, make wine from the grapes of older that the grapes can be transported there immediately Pinot Noir vines. They have a softer skin than the after picking when they are still fresh. Dom Pérignon successfully solved the problem by developing gentler presses. He managed to have the grape juice pressed so quickly and gently grapes of younger vines, which enable them to more easily give colour to the juice. As the cool climate of the Champagne region that only the clear, pure juice flowed out without – Cut the vines so that they never reach a height of seldom allows the full ripening of red grapes, it is blending with the strong colour of the grapes’ dark more than one metre, otherwise the grapes are left possible to produce good red wine only three times skin. This process enabled the production of high- in the shade. a decade on average. quality white wine from red grapes. It proved to be – Pick the grapes early in the morning, when they Although the quality of the region’s red wines a crucial step forward, particularly as far as profit are as cool as possible and very carefully, so that they improved, one of the basic problems of winemaking was concerned. Now the Champagne growers could stay whole and fresh. remained unsolved: financial gain. It was not offer their clients wine with a more even quality, – Discard grapes that are not fully ripened or whole. profitable, even for the monastery, to produce wine golden colour and delicious bouquet year after year, Locate the press as close to the vineyard as possible so only a few times in ten years. regardless of the weather conditions. WINE SYNERGY The greatest merit of our innovative, industrious large amounts of grapes and wines were available This was a totally new way of thinking in monk, however, was surely the skill of blending from many villages, such as Le Mesnil sur Oger, winemaking. Although two or more wines had been different wines. As opposed to winemakers before Avize and Avenay, noticed how significant it was to blended earlier, it was a complete surprise how well and during his time, Dom Pérignon was very the quality of the wine that grapes from different the wines of Champagne reacted to skillful, balanced particular about the origin of his wines and the vineyards were selected carefully and blended in just blending. In Champagne, skilled blending enhances quality of the crop. the right proportions. By balancing the proportions the properties of individual wines, resulting in an In those days, wines from different vineyards were of grapes before pressing, he was able to produce end product that is more complete and balanced taken to the press unselected and blended together wines that had significantly better quality and than its parts. This gave the wines not only better without a second thought. Dom Pérignon, to whom stronger character. quality, but also more personality. FINE WINE & CHAMPAGNE INDIA 49

A VILLAGE CALLED DOM PÉRIGNON 50 By the beginning of the 18th century, Dom Pérignon library on the upper floor. There, waiting for me at was so famous that many French people thought the a long wooden table, was the present winemaker of name denoted a village or monastery and tried to Dom Pérignon wines. find the name on the map. Today, his name is no less The last light of dusk sifting in through the famous, and at the same time symbolises genuine, windows illuminated the clean-shaped champagne noble champagne throughout the world. bottles sitting on the table. Surrounded by complete I returned to reality and left Pérignon to continue silence and the falling darkness, we embarked his eternal sleep. I made my way towards a small, on our journey into the historic Dom Pérignon winding staircase leading to the Dom Pérignon vintages. FINE WINE & CHAMPAGNE INDIA the battle against bubbles

1921-1996 BEST VINTAGES 1921 Dom Pérignon Moët & Chandon (Champagne) 98p FINE Legend DOM PÉRIGNON by Pekka Nuikki 2007/now x4 This super vintage in Champagne escorted in a new The bottle was in fine condition. The appearance toastiness, biscuity tones and a dose of toffee. Crisp phenomenon to the world of glorious wines. This of a hazy golden colour with broad, watery rim and and still beatifully fresh, light-bodied taste with a was the prestige cuvée called Dom Pérignon. This no bubbles did not promise much. Luckily the nose gentle mousse. Toasty finish with restrained fruit small vintage yielded only 1400 bottles of the first erased all doubts. Beautifuly developed, restrained of red apples. Very balanced and delicious aftertaste Dom Pérignon ever. nose showed dried fruits, figs and seductive with moderate length. 1928 Dom Pérignon Moët & Chandon (Champagne) 95p 2005/2010 x2 1929 Dom Pérignon Moët & Chandon (Champagne) 94p 2006/now x3 1934 Dom Pérignon Moët & Chandon (Champagne) 98p 2005/now x3 The 1934 vintage was a pleasant exception in the and 50% Pinot Noir blend). This wine really coffee with hints of tiramisu. Dry and crisp on the quality of Champagne vintages in the 1930s. A astonished us with its vibrancy and elegance. palate with a delicate mousse. Harmonious finish healthy and large (10 500 kg/ha) crop was harvested Clear, golden colour with some refined with smokiness and hints of bitter almonds and after a fairly unproblematic growing season. Moët bubbles left. The gracefully developed and rich oxidative nuances. Enjoy now in good company. & Chandon produced only 1200 cases of this third nose highlights the wine’s complexity – oxidative No further ageing recommended. official vintage of Dom Pérignon (50% Chardonnay mushroomy aromas turn into powerful roasted 1937 Dom Pérignon Moët & Chandon (Champagne) 95p 2006/now x1 1947 Dom Pérignon Moët & Chandon (Champagne) 97p 2006/now x3 A fabulous looking bottle. Decanted for only five complex nose with a hint of coffee and nut aromas. finish, leaving a satisfying impression on the palate. minutes. Clear, bright golden colour. Tiny, vivid Smooth and creamy, nicely balanced structure. Very Full of life, this wine has held very well. bubbles make up the fine mousse. Elegant and full-bodied and rich with a mature, fresh and long FINE WINE & CHAMPAGNE INDIA 51

52 1949 Dom Pérignon Moët & Chandon (Champagne) 94p 2005/now x5 1952 Dom Pérignon Moët & Chandon (Champagne) 93p 2006/now x3 1955 Dom Pérignon Moët & Chandon (Champagne) 96p 2006/2010 x3 Fine bottle with good level. Decanted ten minutes. bouquet. Massively full-bodied and powerful wine. A very pale, light colour with a steady spray of fine, This is even richer than Krug 1955, but lacks small and intense bubbles. Wide and overwhelming some freshness and fruitiness. What an elegant, 1959 Dom Pérignon Moët & Chandon (Champagne 96p 2009/now x11 1961 Dom Pérignon Moët & Chandon (Champagne) 99p 2009/now x18 Montrachet-like wine! This vintage Dom Pérignon has been tasted several in 1981, carrying more autolytic characters than Extremely refined, elegant and opulent wine with times but this particular bottle was something much regular Dom Pérignons of this year. toastiness, butterscotch and dried fruit, such as date more than just a regular offering. The magnum Bright, golden yellow colour with energetic, fine bottle contained a special label made for the bubbles. Very rich nose of milk chocolate, roasted wedding of Prince Charles and Princess Diana on coffee beans and bready tones. Dry, crisp acidity June 19 1981. These bottles were disgorged late with light-bodied style and vibrant, rich mousse. 1962 Dom Pérignon Moët & Chandon (Champagne) 93p 2009/2010 x10 1964 Dom Pérignon Moët & Chandon (Champagne) 95p 2010/now x14 1966 Dom Pérignon Moët & Chandon (Champagne) 96p 2009/now x9 flavours. Mineral lemony bite in the long finish. Still a very youthful wine. Fine looking magnum. Decanted 15 minutes. clean and fresh, yet has good richness and minerality. without being at all sharp. A wonderful champagne This is probably one of the most appealing Dom The palate is balanced between very stylish, intense that offers real finesse and a long, attractive ending. Pérignons at the moment. Very alive with a beautiful fruit and a rounder creamy character. The mousse and intense structure. It has a fine, yeasty nose that is is fine and broad, and it has plenty of fresh acidity 1969 Dom Pérignon Moët & Chandon (Champagne) 90p 2010/now x7 1970 Dom Pérignon Moët & Chandon (Champagne) 91p 2008/now x9 FINE WINE & CHAMPAGNE INDIA

Dom Pérignon Moët & Chandon (Champagne) 95p 2008/2020 x10 A moderately good vintage with a hot and dry Bright, golden colour with attractive, playful, fruitiness and hints of yeasty aromas. The finish is summer but very wet September. A few premium small bubbles. The pronounced nose is broad and delicate and medium long. Overall the wine was champagne producers still succeeded in making very toasty with chocolate and smoky mineral tones. very humble in style and reflected the innocence of wonderful wines. Dom Pérignon was one of them. Quite dry, medium level of acidity and very rich its pure character. mousse. Fresh and elegant toastiness with good 1976 Dom Pérignon Moët & Chandon (Champagne) 96p 2009/now x17 1978 Dom Pérignon Moët & Chandon (Champagne) 90p 2009/now x8 1982 Dom Pérignon Moët & Chandon (Champagne) 93p 2010/2020 x11 Dom Pérignon is reputedly a wine that requires time Developed, crystal clear golden colour. future. Creamy and silky texture with great length to show its greatness. This 1982 was a great example Developing, creamy and tropical nose of nuts, honey and finesse. All the pieces are in place for this great of the potential of Dom Pérignon. This ripe but and creamy toastiness. Ripe, pronounced palate Dom Pérignon. Give it a decade and it will excel. firml structured vintage produced a spectacular DP, with tightly knit fruitiness and charming minerality. which is only just starting to open up. Stylishly steely and linear acidity, promising a great 1990 Dom Pérignon Moët & Chandon (Champagne) 92p 2009/2025 x16 1995 Dom Pérignon Moët & Chandon (Champagne) 92p 2009/2025 x8 1996 Dom Pérignon Moët & Chandon (Champagne) 93p 2010/2030 x13 1998 Dom Pérignon Moët & Chandon (Champagne) 94p 2010/2025 x 21 1999 Dom Pérignon Moët & Chandon (Champagne) 91p 2008/2030 x4 1966 Dom Pérignon Rosé Moët & Chandon (Champagne) 96p 2001/now x8 All six bottles were in good condition with perfect Rich and pronounced nose of toast, mushrooms drying of the wine is evident. Full and round wine levels. A developed, orange-hued, deep golden and honey. Marked acidity on the palate. Fruitiness with a long toasty finish. Drinking very well now colour. Elegant, light effervescence left in the wine. remains high enough to balance it. However, slight but declining slowly. 1996 DDD DDDDDDDD DDDD DDDD D DDDDDDD DDDDDDDDDDD 92p FINE Legend 1973 2009/2030 x4 FINE WINE & CHAMPAGNE INDIA 53

François Richier 54 FINE WINE & CHAMPAGNE INDIA

DomPerignon? F I N E Rendezvous A DESCENDANT OF Text: Ritu Singhal A descendant of Dom Pierre Pérignon, the world-famous Champagne icon, in India? Ce n’est pas possible. Was he not a monk? Was he not dismissed as a gimmick of the marketing savvy Champenois by cynics, who have long questioned the very existence of Pierre Pérignon? IN FRENCH TERRITORY I have been invited by François Richier, an alumnus of the French National School of Administration ENA, who presented his credentials as the 20th Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of France to India to the President of India, Her Excellency Shrimati Pratibha Patil on 1st November 2011. The Residence has just been spring-cleaned by an unseasonal shower, which amplifies the symphony of pink and red Rajasthani sandstone that plays in the designs that Paul Chemetov and Raj Rewal executed in the Eighties. The beautifully manicured gardens are home to a flock of geese. his father firmly grounded François to his roots, which trace back to the city of Sainte-Menehould in the Marne department of Champagne-Ardenne. Some documents that he inherited from his father some years ago triggered his curiosity, and he dug deeper into whatever archives he could lay his hands on. François leads me to the answer I am searching for, “where my ancestors come from is indeed the birth place of Dom Pierre Pérignon.” François shares the story as his family knows it. “Pierre Pérignon was born in 1638, the seventh child to the family of a lawyer in the Provost’s office. He was not even a year old when he lost his mother. His father re-married and had a baby girl, Marie, who went onto marry into another very respected lawyer family of the region, Picart.” “Dom Pierre Pérignon is my great…great grand uncle. My father never spoke of this connection, but according to my research on my family tree, I am the eighth generation descendent of Marie Pérignon Picart, the half sister of Pierre,” he revealed. BIRTH PLACE OF THE DOM As if royal khabarkhans, they announce the arrival of the dweller master. François strides into the living room to settle down under the watch of a Raza Bindu. He was born and raised in Paris, but TROUBLED TIMES FOR THE FAMILY “Around the time Pierre was born, Sainte-Menehould was besieged by La Fronde and the 30 years war – this period of instability represented difficult times. Since it was not unusual for the I count the odds of being introduced to a descendant of Dom Pierre Pérignon in my own backyard in New Delhi as being higher than those of my being struck by lightning! Yet, yearning for at least some answers, I head to the Residence of the Ambassador of France to India through the leaf-strewn boulevards of Diplomatic Enclave. FINE WINE & CHAMPAGNE INDIA 55

Photos: Rohit Dhingra Bourgeoisie families to have their children join priesthood and there was no caste system to control entry, the teenaged Pierre gravitated towards the Benedictine monks who were renowned for their intellectual skills.” Pierre started in a Benedictine monastery in Verdun, and found his way to the Abbey Saint-Pierre, deep in the heart of Champagne in the village of Hautvillers, where he went on to become the CellararBursar (the manager of assets) which remained his mission until he was laid to rest in 1715. L’ABBAYE D’HAUTVILLERS At the time, Abbeys monopolised the pressoirs, so it was possible to accept grapes as revenue and to transform them into wine for use in the weekly catholic sacrifice and for the pleasure of the brethren. Amidst the widespread devastation at the time, the Abbey needed to re-structure and re-build. Dom Pérignon got a clean slate and with a carte blanche, he set out to increase revenue for the Abbey. He initiated path-breaking new viticultural practices to improve grape quality. And he took the first steps towards improving wine quality by introducing “blending” to balance and compensate the weakness of one grape for another’s strength and working on the composition of the various cuvées. Dom Pérignon experimented with bees wax to seal the wood closures instead of the combination of oakum and oil, that created an abundance of gas in the bottle – which in essence gave birth to the bubbles in the wine. Hautvillers to establish a sense of connect with Dom Pierre Pérignon, who is buried at the foot of the altar in the chapel under a black marble gravestone. Of the visit, François recalls how beautifully this heritage site of the Abbey had been kept, and how the architecture of some segments where Dom Pérignon worked and worshipped had been conserved. On this visit, François also learnt of and developed respect for two contemporaries of Dom Pérignon, Dom Thierry Ruinart and Brother Jean Oudart, whose Champagne wines were shipped to the Royal Court of the Sun King Louis XIV in Versailles. PAYING HOMAGE Just as François visits Sainte-Menehould to pay his respects to his father and ancestors who are buried there since the XVI century in accordance with established traditions in the family, he visited SAINTE-MENEHOULD – HIS HOME TOWN Ever since he can remember, François has visited the city often and this helped him establish the connection with the Dom’s life that was forgotten by history. Dom “Dom Pierre Pérignon is my great…great grand uncle. I am the eighth generation descendent of Marie Pérignon Picart, the half sister of Pierre.” 56 FINE WINE & CHAMPAGNE INDIA

F I N E Rendezvous “For an Ambassador of France, it is not only my duty to present Champagne, but also a great pleasure!” Pérignon was born in a not-so-rich border city on the edge of the dense Argonne forest between Champagne and Lorraine. When not in armed conflict, the people in this vine growing area farmed perishables, raised cattle and made wine, which François believes, was drunk only by the locals. The nobility exploited the natural endowments of sand and water together with wood from the forests and established manufacturing facilities for the stronger glass bottles for Champagne that were necessitated by Dom Pérignon’s work. Some of these resources were also used in towns like Les Islettes to produce very well known and brightly painted pottery. The city lay witness to an event that had a significant role in changing the course of the French Revolution. The fleeing Louis XVI was recognised by the Mâitre de Poste, and arrested at the next post in Varennes to be taken back to Paris where he was beheaded 18 months later. Even though the town was burnt in a massive fire in the XVIII century, there are several reminders of the legacy of Dom Pérignon like his statue by Alba and the listed Chapel Notre-Dame du Château dating to the XIII century, where he regularly prayed. ROOTED IN CHAMPAGNE “I am particularly fond of Champagne – because of my upbringing, my ancestry, my career – it is a bit of everything. Just like the Eiffel Tower, Champagne is an exclusive symbol of France that has an unparalleled association with festivities. For an Ambassador of France, it is not only my duty to present Champagne, but also a great pleasure!” François has dabbled with some other wines. “At a restaurant in the woods of Sainte-Menehould where I go often to enjoy the regional culinary delicacy, Le Pied de Cochon (pig’s feet), I was introduced to Bouzy Rouge, a not-so-easyto-find red wine from Champagne that left me charmed, even if not as much as Champagne! The French are born into wine, it’s a way of life. I introduced my son, Felix (who is one of the youngest inhabitants of the French Residence), to Champagne as soon as he was born.” In all humility, he adds “personally, I have a little Champagne corner in my mind and heart which connects me with my history and to the wellness of the people of my origin.” His next appointment has been waiting, and François admits that he would much rather engage with nice things like what we have been discussing – but… I take my chance and ask him, does he have a favourite in Champagne? Of course he does, but if I tell you I will have to kill you! > FINE WINE & CHAMPAGNE INDIA 57

58 Champagne C hampagne Discovering Champagne • Part 5 FINE Wine & Champagne India is currently publishing extracts from Essi Avellan’s champagne book, Matka Champagneen (‘Discovering Champagne’). In her book, Avellan visits 50 of the most interesting producers in the wine region. Furnished with maps, the book is also an opportunity for champagne lovers to discover the epicurean’s dream location for themselves. Avellan opens doors to the region’s best restaurants, hotels and wine stores. In this issue, we feature her top tips for Aube. 58 FINE WINE & CHAMPAGNE INDIA

FINE Region D Discovering Far apart but no less essential Text: Essi Avellan MW Photos: Michael Boudot Some 100 kilometres south-east from Épernay lies the district of Aube, or Côte des Bar. This area, closer to Chablis than to the core of Champagne, C Champagne is famous for its fruit-forward and fleshy Pinot Noir, with the most famous coming from the village of Les Riceys. But increasingly sought-after are its fine Chardonnays from the hills of Montgueux, east of Troyes. FINE WINE & CHAMPAGNE INDIA 59

Champagne drappier V isiting Drappier one becomes instantly aware that this house is the clear number one, best-known producer in the area. The pleasant and unusual cellar building and the reception rooms provide an excellent setting for receiving guests. Both Drappiers – the highly experienced André and the dynamic leading figure Michel – are great guides to the champagnes of the Aube region. Drappier is by far the major producer in Aube. It is known for, among other things, bringing the Pinot Noir grape to the region. Previously, this southern part of Champagne used to grow mainly Gamay grapes, but Georges Collot, grandfather of today’s leading figure Michel Drappier, started planting Pinot Noir. For this he earned the nickname Père Pinot, or Father Pinot. These days, the variety accounts for three-quarters of all the vineyards in Aube, and the region is known specifically as a producer of full-bodied and fruity Pinot Noir. Of Drappier’s 55 hectares, 45 are located in the estate’s home village of Urville, Barsur-Aube. The estate also rents 40 hectares of vineyards and buys grapes from another 40 hectares, located not only in Aube but also in the Marne. In character, Drappier differs from the other champagne houses with its mellow, fruity palate, which is strongly dominated by Pinot Noir. The champagnes are generous and individual, although not particularly refined or streamlined. The builder of this champagne house, with its distinct air of a family business, was the charming André Drappier, who is still involved in running it alongside his son Michel. André created the Carte d’Or brand with its yellow label, which became the hallmark of the company, in 1952. The apple didn’t fall too far from the tree, as the dynamic Michel has successfully continued managing the house in an innovative and entrepreneurial vein. By the tender age of 15, Michel had the idea of making a single-vineyard fine wine. André Michel Drappier gave him permission to create such a wine from the Les Cendrées vineyard in the same year that he decided to become a winemaker. The first wine, from the catastrophic vintage of 1974, was never marketed, but Grande Sendrée has been made since 1975 and has long been known as the best champagne from Aube. The wine that comes from the more than 70-year-old Pinot Noir and Chardonnay vines is deep and intense – a highly gastronomical champagne. Personally, I am even more drawn to the Grande Sendrée Pinot Noir Rosé version, made since 1990. The ripe fruits of Aube really come into their own in rosés. Since 1968, Drappier has made its rosés using the challenging saignée i CHAMPAGNE DRAPPIER NM www.champagne-drappier.com rue des Vignes, 10200 Urville tel. +33 (0)3 25 27 40 15 Production, bottles/year: 1 600 000 Cellar master: Michel Drappier Drappier receives guests from 8 am to 12 pm and from 2 pm to 6 pm Monday to Saturday. Cellar tours must be booked in advance, but wines can be tasted and bought extempore as well. Tastings are free for individuals but cost EUR 5 per person for larger groups. 60 FINE WINE & CHAMPAGNE INDIA method, rather than blending. The house’s Rosé Brut is an excellent standard champagne, while the Grande Sendrée Rosé offers brilliant value for money, especially in comparison with other single-vineyard champagnes. Charles de Gaulle, who used to live in the vicinity in the 1960s, was a regular customer of the estate, and Drappier launched a cuvée in his honour in 1990. Since 2004, Drappier has also produced the Quattuor, a blend of four white grapes – Arbanne, Petit Meslier, Blanc Vrai (Pinot Blanc) and Chardonnay. Drappier also specialises in large bottle sizes. The label’s wines come in sizes ranging from 37.5 cl to the gigantic 30-litre Melchizedek, produced using traditional bottle fermentation methods. Most other producers make their wines in ordinary or Magnum bottles and only transfer them into special bottle sizes after recorking.

Champagne brut nature pinot noir sans soufre nv FINE Region brut nature pinot noir sans soufre nv 87 p. R € 29 C € 29 Serving temperature: 8 °C Drinkability: 0—1 years Grapes: Pinot Noir 100 % A long-term project at Drappier, in other words minimising the use of sulphur dioxide in champagne production, culminated in 2008 with the launch of their Brut Nature Sans Soufre. All of the house’s cuvées have less sulphur dioxide than usual, but this version, produced entirely without added SO2, is a true rarity in the Champagne region. The estate produces two wines from the same Pinot Noir batch, the Brut Nature Sans Soufre and the Brut Nature, and it is interesting to taste them side by side, as their only difference lies in the use of sulphur. For an SO2-free wine, the Sans Soufre is excellent, with none of the signs of premature oxidation which are typical of these wines. The wine develops quicker and less predictably than the ordinary Brut Nature, however, and Drappier does recommend that it be enjoyed within one year of recorking. All the Drappier labels have good information on the recorking date, so it is easy for consumers to follow the wines’ ageing. Sulphur dioxide, used as an antioxidant and antibacterial agent in wines, causes allergic reactions in some people, so the Sans Soufre may be a good choice for sensitive champagne-lovers. Wine production: Fermented in steel tanks, the wine is a blend of grapes from two vintages. The wine undergoes complete malolactic fermentation. It is recorked after around three years of cellar ageing, but no sweetening dosage is added. Style: Deep, clearly developed lemon-yellow colour. Aromatic and rich, baked, tropically fruity, caramelly and spicy. The opulent, luscious taste is fruity and ends in a very dry nutty aftertaste. Recorked four months earlier, this wine had already developed towards a spicier and less fruity style. This version develops quicker than the ordinary Brut Nature, but although it becomes rather different in style, it is still enjoyable when aged. Carte d'Or NV 85 p. • Brut Nature Pinot Noir NV 87 p. • Blanc de Blancs Signature NV 87 p. Quattuor NV 86 p. • Rosé Brut NV 89 p. • Charles de Gaulle 2004 89 p. Millésime Exception 2002 88 p. • Grande Sendrée 2004 88 p. • Grande Sendrée Rosé 2000 90 p. Carte d'Or Magnum 1982 87 p. The Drappier cellar contains millions of bottles of champagne. FINE WINE & CHAMPAGNE INDIA 61

Champagne serge mathieu S erge Mathieu’s positive energy and personality are already evident on the estate’s website, and the same playful and unpretentious style can be found in the renovated reception rooms. Serge Mathieu’s daughter Isabelle and her husband Michel Jacob run the estate together. Serge is still involved, but with Sophie having worked at Mathieu since 1987 and Michel since 1998, the generation shift has been smooth for all those involved. Our visit begins with a look at the threehectare vineyard named Le Bressoire, located next door, where Michel Jacob has adopted some of the methods of organic farming without moving entirely to organic production. The main aim is to respect the soil and the vines, and to find their natural balance. Time-wise, 90 per cent of the work done at the estate takes place outside, with the vines, and only ten per cent is in the cellar. Very few processes are conducted on the wines in the cellar, as Mathieu avoids cold stabilisation, for example. Full malolactic fermentation makes the wine chemically stable, which is useful because Mathieu wines have very low sulphur serge mathieu millésime 2004 dioxide contents. The Serge Mathieu cellar has no oak barrels, because Jacob feels that a woody taste masks the wine’s fruity character. Investments into top-quality corks, which have double layers of natural cork at the base, have borne fruit: Jacob estimates that of the house’s annual production of 100 000 bottles only a minimal 6–12 bottles have cork taint. The Mathieu family has grown wine in the region since the mid-1700s, but their own production did not start until 1970. Their 11 hectares of vineyards are all located within a one-kilometre radius of the main building. Typically for Aube, the focus is on Pinot Noir, which is complemented by one-fifth of Chardonnay vines. The style is rich, mouth-filling- i ly fruity and not very streamlined or complex, but distinctively clean and straightforward. The standard champagne Tradition is a voluptuous and uncomplicated 100 per cent Pinot Noir. The Brut Prestige is also a blend of two vintages, but as a more aged wine with 30 per cent Chardonnay, it is lighter and more refined. The Select Brut Tête de Cuvée is currently 80 per cent Chardonnay, but Mathieu’s aim is to make clearer distinctions between its cuvées by increasing the proportion in future to 100 per cent. A Chardonnay from Aube will most probably be an interesting oddity, even though it is among Pinot Noirs that Mathieus are at their best. The Brut Rosé, made by blending, is the house’s weakest link, because the addition of 20 per cent red wine makes it heavy. CHAMPAGNE SERGE MATHIEU RM www.champagne-serge-mathieu.fr 6, rue des Vignes, 10340 Avirey Lingey puh. +33 (0)3 25 29 32 58 Production, bottles/year: 100 000 Cellar master: Michel Jacob Serge Mathieu is open for visits by appointment. The vineyards immediately surrounding the reception area can be visited for further familiarisation with the estate’s growing principles. Wines can be bought at the estate. 89 p. R € 34,50 C € 34,50 A € 34,90 Serving temperature: 8 °C Drinkability: 0—7 years Grapes: Pinot Noir 100 % The voluptuous Aube Pinot Noir is Serge Mathieu’s trademark. The vintage wine has much more depth and intensity than the Tradition. The classic vintage of 2004 led to fresh and energetic wines. Serge Mathieu ages its vintage champagnes on lees for at least five years, which is a suitable period for the ripe and fruity character of Aube wines. In the cellars the vintage wines are sealed using crown caps that let as little oxygen through as possible, in order to maximise freshness and fruitiness. The liqueur d’expedition used in the dosage is very young, providing a further injection of vitality. A higher dosage than that of the estate’s other wines, 10.4 g/l, makes this champagne highly enjoyable upon launch. Mathieu lets its wines rest for over six months after recorking. The recorking date is not displayed on the label, but it is printed on the cork. The code 1006, for example, indicates that recorking was done in June 2010. 62 FINE WINE & CHAMPAGNE INDIA Wine production: The must pressed in a Bucher press with a capacity of 8 000 kilogrammes ferments into wine in steel tanks and glazed metal tanks, under controlled temperatures. The wine is not cold stabilised prior to bottling. The second fermentation and five years of bottle ageing take place in the cellars. The dosage is 10.4 g/l. Style: Pale lemon-yellow colour with a light peachy tinge. The open, fruity bouquet has notes of zesty red berries, peaches and green apple. For a 100 per cent Pinot Noir, the structure is surprisingly elegant, as it is broad and meaty without any heaviness. Very well-balanced and drinkable. Tradition Pur Pinot Blanc de Noirs NV 85 p. • Cuvée Prestige NV 86 p. • Tête de Cuvée Select NV 87 p. • Brut Rosé NV 83 p.

Champagne FINE Region aube VINERIES AND PRODUCERS 1 Champagne Drappier NM 2 Champagne Serge Mathieu RM SIGHTS 3 Troyes Cathedral 4 Musée d'Art Moderne 5 La Boisserie – Charles de Gaulle’s home, grave and museum RESTAURANTS 6 Brasserie Illustre 7 La Toque Baralbine HOTELS 8 Hôtel Le Champ des Oiseaux 9 Hôtel La Maison de Rhôdes 10 B&B Domaine de la Creuse FINE WINE & CHAMPAGNE INDIA 63

Key to symbols Winery Presentations I have rated each wine estate in two ways. Firstly, the glass rating refers to the general quality of the house’s champagnes: I have awarded between one and five glasses. Second, I have given a star rating (one to five stars) to the organisation, setting and content of the visit to the estate, as well as the personnel and their language skills. These ratings are provided at the top right-hand corner of each estate’s presentation page. No rating is available for the estates that do not accept guests. At this point I want to draw attention to the fact that each visit is unique. My evaluations are based on my own limited visits to the estates, so there may be surprises – both positive and negative. I give the essential details of each house, listing reasons for visiting it and tasting its champagnes on location. I also provide some background information on the estates and their protagonists, and provide an overview of the product selection. Top producer Contact details and information concerning visiting arrangements and opening hours are supplied to make it easier to organise a visit. These details may change, however, so I recommend checking in advance with the estate, either on its website or by email. I also offer production volume figures and the name of the cellar master. Favourite Champagne The second part of each presentation is reserved for my favourite champagne, i.e. the wine that shows the producer at its best or that provides the best introduction about the house. I did my best to formulate a comprehensive catalogue of champagnes of different styles and prices, ranging from 15 to more than 200 euros. I write about my chosen champagne in greater detail. For each wine, I give the producer’s recommended retail price and, if applicable, the price directly from the cellar. Top visit Excellent visit Good visit Average visit Excellent producer Quality producer Average producer Below-average producer I have awarded a star rating to restaurants as follows: Top-class restaurant Excellent restaurant Quality restaurant Basic visit The price level of each restaurant is classified as follows: Expensive restaurant, menu over 50 euros Mid-priced restaurant, menu 25–50 euros Inexpensive restaurant, menu under 25 euros Average restaurant Basic restaurant I have awarded a star rating to hotels as follows: Luxury hotel High-class hotel Quality hotel Average hotel The price level of the hotels (overnight stay including breakfast) is classified as follows: Expensive hotel, rooms over 180 euros Mid-priced hotel, rooms 90–180 euros Inexpensive hotel, rooms under 90 euros Basic hotel Vintage tables Vintages are also given a star rating, as follows: Top vintage Excellent vintage Average vintage Ordinary vintage Poor vintage 64 FINE WINE & CHAMPAGNE INDIA R Recommended retail price C Cellar price

Hotels – Aube TROYES CATHEDRAL (CATHÉDRALE SAINTPIERRE-ET-SAINT-PAUL DE TROYES) Place Saint-Pierre, 10000 Troyes tel. +33 (0)3 25 82 62 70 Open Tuesday to Saturday 9 am-12 pm and 1 pm-5 pm, Sunday 10 am-12 pm and 2 pm-5 pm. HÔTEL LE CHAMP DES OISEAUX 20, rue Linard Gonthier, 10000 Troyes tel. +33 (0)3 25 80 58 50 www.champsdesoiseaux.com The handsome Gothic cathedral of Troyes was under construction from the thirteenth to the seventeenth century. Like many others, it was never finished and only has one spire. Saint Pierre got his, but Saint Paul’s was never finished. The cathedral’s treasury is open in summer. MUSÉE D'ART MODERNE Place Saint-Pierre, 10000 Troyes tel. +33 (0)3 25 76 26 80 Open daily 10 am–1 pm and 2 pm–6 pm, except Mondays and bank holidays. This modern art museum was conceived when Pierre and Denise Levy donated their extensive art collection to the French state “My favourite place to visit in Troyes is, without doubt, its fabulous museum of modern art.” Michel Jacob, Cellar Master at Champagne Serge Mathieu in 1976. The museum’s specialities are its collections of African and Oceanian art. LA BOISSERIE (CHARLES DE GAULLE’S HOME, GRAVE AND MUSEUM) 52330 Colombey-les-Deux-Églises Open daily except Mondays, high season (1 April–30 September) 10 am–6:30 pm, low season (1 October–30 March) 10 am–1 pm and 2 pm–5:30 pm. Closed between 22 December and 5 February. The cosy village of Colombey-les-Deux-Églises attracts tourists thanks to its most famous inhabitant, General Charles de Gaulle. De Gaulle bought the estate of La Boisserie in 1934 and lived there until his death in 1970. “The village of Colombey-les-Deux-Églises, located just a 15-minute drive from our champagne estate, was home to Charles de Gaulle and definitely worth a visit. De Gaulle was a regular customer of ours and we have even dedicated one of our champagnes to him. I recommend a visit to the legendary statesman’s house, tomb and museum.” Michel Drappier, CEO at Champagne Drappier Restaurants – Aube BRASSERIE ILLUSTRE 8, rue Champeaux, 10000 Troyes tel. +33 (0)3 25 40 00 88 Open daily, except for dinner on Sundays. Illustre is a popular modern brasserie, whose pleasant and stylish ambience attracts both locals and tourists. Its location on the charming pedestrian street of Champeaux, right in the heart of the old town, is excellent. The food is youthful and simple, with a slight hint of the international. LA TOQUE BARALBINE 18, rue Nationale, 10200 Bar-sur-Aube tel. +33 (0)3 25 27 20 34 www.latoquebaralbine.fr.st FINE Region Sights – Aube HÔTEL LA MAISON DE RHÔDES 18, rue Linard Gonthier, 10000 Troyes tel. +33 (0)3 25 43 11 11 www.maisonderhodes.com Closed between January-February. Located side by side in a small street close to Troyes Cathedral, the hotels Le Champ des Oiseaux and La Maison de Rhôdes share the same owner and a similar concept. These stylishly and individually decorated boutique hotels are definitely the best places to stay in Troyes. Price-wise, Champ des Oiseaux offers rooms for between EUR 135 and 190 per night. There are also apartments for EUR 230. La Maison de Rhôdes has a price range of EUR 165 to 220, and around EUR 250 for apartments and suites. Neither hotel includes breakfast in its pricing. La Maison de Rhôdes has a classy restaurant, although the centre and its restaurants are just a ten-minute walk away. B&B DOMAINE DE LA CREUSE 10800, Moussey tel. +33 (0)3 25 41 74 01 www.domainedelacreuse.com Domaine de la Creuse has five rooms, each individually designed. Prices range from EUR 110 to 125 for two. Breakfast is included. Aub La Toque Baralbine, in the centre of Barsur-Aube, represents surefire, classic French cuisine under the leadership of Daniel Phélizot. The menu includes all the best friends of champagne, from scallops to lobster and duck liver. The walls are suitably painted in a bright-yellow hue reminiscent of the region’s most famous producer, Drappier. Large Carte d’Or bottles from Drappier give the finishing touches to the décor. Besides wines from that label, the wine list has champagnes from local smallscale producers and some cuvées from the big houses. The charming and characterful Domaine de la Creuse, run by the Le Borgne family in the village of Moussey, just ten minutes from the centre of Troyes, is a great place to stay for those who enjoy rural charm and a peaceful atmosphere.” Isabelle Mathieu, Champagne Serge Mathieu FINE WINE & CHAMPAGNE INDIA 65

COLUMN ANDREAS LARSSON WHEN I SAY NO TO KRUG W hen we get back to the ever-interesting topic of wine prices, I always wonder how some restaurants think, if they think at all that is! Not to be demeaning or a bloody besserwisser in any way, but why do they charge huge amounts for wine? Why do they add mark-ups that could fly you across the globe to enjoy the same bottle! It’s not the first and definitely not the last time I have seriously chocked on my amuse bouche while grasping through the wine list… Recently, in my home town of Stockholm, I went for a bite at the restaurant of a new and fashionable hotel. I had a look and the wines were pricey in general and to be frank, the few wines that seemed affordable were not very interesting. And to highlight the ridiculous mark-ups, a bottle of Krug Grande Cuvée went for 4950 SEK (roughly 500 euros). The cost of this bottle is about 1200 SEK including taxes, so why on earth did they charge an amount like that? I’ll give you a few options: 1. Because of the great wine service, well-composed wine list and the army of skilled sommeliers working the floor? 2. Because they need to pay for the thousands of Riedel Sommelier series glasses and decanters they invested heavily in? 3. Because some accountant told them they have to follow a formula? Well, if one and two were the right options, I would be happy to bang out a few extra bucks, as I do not mind paying for service 66 FINE WINE & CHAMPAGNE INDIA and quality. But as option three unfortunately seemed to be the right answer, I can only regret that many establishments just regard wine as a commodity that you buy in and price according to a formula, just like coffee, water or soft drinks! No passion, no heart and no intelligence, for goodness sake! Yes, a restaurant needs to make money, but they should seriously consider what they are charging for, as to just open and serve a bottle doesn’t cost a lot. If I go to the three-starred Plaza Athenée and enjoy my Krug, I can understand that the price will be somewhere close to this level, but there you will doubtlessly get your brilliantly polished Riedel glasses and be served by a smiling and well trained, white gloved staff. Add to that the small spring rolls of sweetbread and truffle, quail eggs with caviar and the other utterly amusing things for the bouche and you have a rewarding experience. But to charge almost 400 euros to open a bottle if you get nothing, that is just unac-

FINE Larsson ceptable. Why does the wine need to suffer? Why not mark-up the food a little bit more? People wouldn’t be shocked if the entrecôte commanded 35 instead of 28 euros, but if the establishment charged 85 euros, they would. You see, even if it was the greatest, juiciest, most tender côte in the world it would still be expensive! A nice establishment should and could charge slightly more, but strangely and thankfully there are still plenty of top restaurants that sell wine at very reasonable prices. I would rather take my 4950 SEK and buy a return ticket to Paris and have lunch at La Tour d´Argent with some exquisite wines for the same price instead of being robbed at this hotel- sorry, design hotel. To calculate by numbers and percentage makes no sense. A lot of people say “We need to triple the purchase price – we need to add 275 per cent”, and that is simply not true. Of course there is a cost for everything; you need to pay for your staff, glassware, storage, and other things. People do understand that. How- ever, normally it is a lot easier to charge more for mineral water, coffee and beer, even if the mark-ups are tenfold, as these products will always be affordable in any case. I wouldn’t complain if I had to pay fourteen euros a glass for a fourteen euro bottle if it is recommended alongside a great dish and served correctly. This will give the restaurant a fair turnover. But then I think we need to reconsider what a bottle of wine is actually worth and find out what you need to charge per bottle, regardless of the purchase price. I can assure you that one would still make money. Put simply, if wines are too expensive they won’t be sold. Clients and wine lovers today are increasingly aware and if prices are too exaggerated, they will end up drinking that nottoo-exciting bottle of wine, a beer, or even water instead of three bottles of something nice. I have always loved great wine and great restaurants, but unfortunately the two aren’t always a possible combination. For my last birthday, I wanted to visit one of my favourite restaurants which has sadly become one of my former favourite restaurants when I realised that a decent ten-year-old bottle of vintage champagne would cost between 600 and 700 euros, and we are talking about sound producers but by no means extraordinary. Then we add the food and there is easily at least a 1000 euro bill for two… Not that I am greedy but you need to feel that you get what you pay for and with that wonderful, delicate world class cuisine, I simply wouldn’t be happy drinking a simple wine. Great food should be accompanied by great wine. I am still deeply concerned and completely unknowledgeable as to why restaurant critics rarely talk about wine service and prices. Maybe it is because most restaurant critics are excellent food critics but simply forget that the other 50 per cent of the restaurant experience deals with things other than the texture of the quail terrine or if langoustine with water cress sorbet is “so last year” or not. And that bottle of Krug, I never had it. Going back? I don’t think so. > FINE WINE & CHAMPAGNE INDIA 67

Bubbly Splendour Prestige Cuvée Champagnes The Irish author Oscar Wilde once said: ‘I can resist everything except temptation’. In accordance with his life philosophy, he was in the habit of enjoying ice-cold champagne before the clock had struck noon, which was strictly against the advice of his doctors. This great writer merely served to prove that temptation is uniquely intertwined in prestige cuvée champagnes. After all, these wines have been produced from the vintages of only the best lots for centuries. After the first fermentation and bottling, the wines are matured for years – still in the region’s chalk cellars – allowing them to bring out the drinks’ finest potential and eloquence. Prestige cuvées do lead to temptation; they form an intriguing market share in which prices are never discussed. One either pays the asking price for the bottle or one does not: it is the embodiment of simplicity. The distinctiveness of prestige cuvée champagnes is also clearly seen in their exclusive and expensive-looking bottles and labels, whose styles are reminiscent of the 18th and 19th centuries. These glorious drinks symbolise splendour and are an inseparable part of the tradition and history of the champagne houses at Dom Pérignon, Dom Ruinart and Pommery. We have therefore selected nine prestige cuvée champagnes that we feel epitomise the splendour of the vintages throughout the years. To accompany our tasting notes, we have a stunning gallery featuring current releases that we feel will someday drink as beautifully as the Dom Pérignon 1976 or Comtes de Champagne Rosé Tattinger 1971, both of which have developed into real classics. Text: Christian Göldenboog / Recommendations: Pekka Nuikki Photos: Oliver Rüther 68 FINE WINE & CHAMPAGNE INDIA

F I N E Gallery Models: Rieke and (horse) Kati Comtes de Champagne Rosé Taittinger 1971 97p 2008/2010 D 15 min / G 20 min Bottle in excellent condition. Tasted once with champagne expert Richard Juhlin at his home. According to him, this is supposed to be one of the best rosés ever made, and he was so right – as usual. Bright, salmon-rose colour with plenty of slowly climbing bubbles. Intense toasty nose with brioche and creaminess. Lovely tones of strawberries. Very gentle and intense rosé. Dry and crisp on the palate with a wonderful mouth watering mousse and creamy strawberry flavours that last in the lingering, harmonious aftertaste with depth and finesse. What a first-rate rosé from the best champagne vintage of the 1970s – Drink now! FINE WINE & CHAMPAGNE INDIA 69

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F I N E Gallery Model: Vladislava Zvonkova Cuvée Louise Pommery 1990 93p 2008/2020 • D 15 min / G 1 h A stylish nose with a toasty autolytic character, white flowers and fudge. A very well made, balanced and faultless wine from this excellent vintage. Elegant yet intense and persistent. Fine mousse and a smooth, velvety texture. Still in a very youthful state but already very enjoyable. FINE WINE & CHAMPAGNE INDIA 71

Location of the shoot: SNZ Galleries, Wiesbaden Dom Pérignon Moët & Chandon 1976 97p 2009/now • D 20 min / G 1 h Fine bottle with good level. Decanted 15 minutes. The nose already had something magical about it. The intensity of the wine itself included ultralight seduction, the depth had something interesting on the surface, and the sensitive generosity was moving: in one word – magnificent. Underneath, a very balanced, tight and fruity structure started to reveal an endless amount of new layers that one could sense, but not one of us could determine them more specifically. One of the best Dom Pérignons ever, a true surprise and so ready now! 72 FINE WINE & CHAMPAGNE INDIA

F I N E Gallery Model: Florian Süss, Stylist: Huidi Lauhoff 92p Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill Pol Roger 1986 2009/2020 • D 20 min / G 1 h Deep maturing golden colour with fine, lively bubbles. The nose is super-rich and exotic in style. Heavy, leesy, autolytic tone and attractive tropical and spicy fruit. Very concentrated and open on the palate, with enormous depth, length and density. A monstrous wine that is refreshed significantly by the stylish and pronounced acidity. Blockbuster wine that manages to be extremely nuanced and stylish at the same time. The mousse is smooth and highlights the creamy, rich style. Very long finish with lively acidity. Very good to drink today. FINE WINE & CHAMPAGNE INDIA 73

74 FINE WINE & CHAMPAGNE INDIA Model: Verena Herbert Model: Victoria Schmidt Location of shoot: Kurhaus Wiesbaden Makeup: Sarah Zeitschel Stylist: Huidi Lauhoff

F I N E Gallery Dom Ruinart Rosé Ruinart 1979 94p 2007/Now • D 10 min / G 30 min Deep, developed, orange-hued colour. Delicate small-sized bubbles that lasted a long time in the glass. Elegant nose of ripe red berries, rich toastiness and earthy, spicy notes. The wide-open nose, with its layers of emerging aromas, is consistent with the harmonious palate: great minerality, lively, firming acidity and adequate fruitiness. Silky smooth and vinous texture. Persistent finish. At its peak today, but will keep for a number of years without great degradation. FINE WINE & CHAMPAGNE INDIA 75

Model: Verena Herbert Belle Epoque Perrier-Jouët 1985 92p 2007/2010 • D 10 min / G 1 h Deep maturing yellow colour with fine bubbles. Elegant and vibrant nose of toast, cream and ripe fruit. Apples, white flowers and stone fruits. Rich and round harmonious mouthfeel that integrated well with the bubbles. Long taste and a refined mousse. A great wine, currently peaking. The first experiences were from normal sized bottles but the last bottle tasted was a magnum. There was quite a difference with the magnum, which held on very well and was worthy of more than 92 points. 76 FINE WINE & CHAMPAGNE INDIA

F I N E Gallery 2009/2015 • D 25 min / G 1 h The 31st vintage of this charming wine. Fine looking bottle. Beautifully bright yellow colour with golden tints and refined, energetic bubbles. Very intense nose with hints of mushroom aromas, but still youthful with green apples, bread and creamy tones. The crisp, medium-bodied taste has an elegant creamy mousse and persistence, with a lemony bite on the palate that has great length. A superb champagne for today. Boxer: Sargon Sheiko of ABV Kohlheck Salon 1976 97p FINE WINE & CHAMPAGNE INDIA 77

COMTES DE CHAMPAGNE REACHES NEW HEIGHTS 78 FINE WINE & CHAMPAGNE INDIA

FINE Experience Philip Tuck MW, wine director at Hatch Mansfield and importer of Taittinger in the UK, organised an impromptu experiment high above the English countryside to judge the merits of Comtes at altitude. Text: Philip Tuck MW Picture the scene: three Masters of Wine (myself, FINE Champagne editor Essi Avellan and Simon Field, the Champagne buyer for prestigious London based wine merchant Berry Brothers and Rudd) have gathered on a glorious summer’s afternoon at the Bibury Court Hotel, a marvellous Jacobean mansion in the picturesque region of the Cotswolds in England. We are here to conduct an experiment. We need to understand the impact of altitude on the taste of Taittinger’s Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs 1998, so we decide to take a flight in the Taittinger hot air balloon to do just that. While our pilot and his ground level confederate inflate the balloon, we need to have our first tasting in order to establish the “control”, that is to say the taste at ground level, although we are already at 255 feet (69 metres) above sea level (ASL). TasTing noTe aT gRoUnD LeVeL: Very pale lemon colour with a reasonably strong mousse of tiny bubbles. The nose is rich and open with expressive ripe melony fruit and a touch of nutty brioche complexity. It is quite fully ?avoured and gently toasty, yet very elegant and complex with a very long, subtle and lingering finish. A wine of tremendous finesse and sophistication. Perhaps not quite as lean as expected. This wine seems to be developing a little faster than both the 1995 and 1996. We take o? with a beautiful smoothness and calm, apart from the intermittent blast of the gas burner just above our heads, and yet find ourselves at 1500 feet (457 metres) in a matter of moments. We have hardly had time to appreciate the breathtaking countryside below when it is time for the second tasting. In the slightly cramped surroundings, we scrabble around for the bottle. The cork flies out of the basket and falls away to the sheep below. TasTing noTe aT 1500 feeT: Same colour. Slightly less aggressive mousse and the bubbles appear somewhat larger. Similar lift to the aroma although the element of minerality is very slightly more pronounced and the feeling of the acidity slightly higher. The wine feels that much more taut and austere but there is still lovely ripe fruit coming through on the palate. By now the gentle breeze has taken us a couple of kilometres west of Bibury and we are drifting silently, serenely over the gently rolling hills of the Cotswolds. The fire from the gas blaster keeps the temperature up and the balloon continues to gain e?ortlessly in altitude and before we know it we are at 3000 feet (914 metres). TasTing noTe aT 3000 feeT: As one might expect, the changes noted at 1500 feet are somewhat more apparent. The nose is more muted and the minerality more pronounced, although the class and complexity are still very apparent. The palate richness is now decidedly reduced in line with the perception of higher acidity. The bubbles of the mousse are also that tiny bit larger. All three tasters appear to be in broad agreement as to what is happening to the wine as we continue to head upwards. FINE WINE & CHAMPAGNE INDIA 79

Simon Field MW, Philip Tuck MW and Essi Avellan MW tasting at ground level Meanwhile, our pilot is becoming increasingly frustrated at not being able to partake in our little piece of research. We couldn’t possibly let him join in despite the distinct improbability of him being breathalysed at such an altitude! He needs all his concentration as we approach our highest altitude, and top speed of 25kph (16mph), for our final tasting at 4500 feet (1372 metres). As the debate raged in the basket, we continued to drift higher, eventually reaching a chilly 5576 feet (1700 metres) TasTing noTe aT 4500 feeT: The trend continues to the general detriment of the perceived quality of the wine. The aroma is very muted now despite the opportunity to open out over time. The acidity is marked to the point of giving the wine a definite angularity and leanness, becoming a little bitter on the finish. Those bubbles are getting bigger and the general feeling amongst the three of us is that we need go no higher. The creaminess and charm that Comtes has in such abundance at ground level has virtually disappeared. The wine is clearly suffering from altitude sickness, so we need to descend. As the debate raged in the basket, we continued to drift higher, eventually reaching a chilly 5576 feet (1700 metres) where the views were truly magnificent. For the next ten minutes we drifted lower and lower as we searched for a suitable landing spot. A family enjoying a BBQ in their garden shout out for a bottle but the temptation to drop some champagne is resisted! A farmer is out late on his combine harvester. Deer scatter in panic as the huge balloon eventually comes to a perfect rest in an empty field. A tacit sense of relief comes upon us that the flight has ended safely. It has been a fabulous, if somewhat frivolous, experience. With the balloon safely tucked away again and the three tasters in broad agreement that there is in fact no need to fly high to enjoy Comtes de Champagne, the decision is taken to celebrate the successful trip in the time-honoured fashion. We pop open the last bottle of Comtes and agree that despite Comtes’ capability to take altitude very well, it is at its best at ground level. > 80 FINE WINE & CHAMPAGNE INDIA

TasTe Te Culture Gebrüder Th one t (Th on et Br ot he en pe na Ka ), rs www.bugh o l z m r.27, öb el. at „Tradition is the passing on of the fire, not the worship of the ashes.“ Gustav Mahler www.austrianwine.com

Ah, relief at last! The rush to the airport is long behind you. With good luck, good management, or both, check-in was only mildly traumatic. Customs, Immigration and Security caused you the usual aggravation, while the twilight zone of the airport lounge took its usual toll. But now, finally, you’re settling into your seat, arranging your reading materials, airborne office and sleep aids, and preparing for the long flight ahead. The flight attendant offers you a welcome drink and you gratefully select a glass of champagne from the tray… what better way could there be to ease into the journey? The first sip instantly puts a smile on your face – just like coming home. On the ground, prior to liftoff, this first glass tastes quite familiar, notwithstanding slight variations in airline stemware and – not to be underestimated – your state of mind in the wake of the flurry of activity prior to boarding your flight. Following takeoff and close to 82 FINE WINE & CHAMPAGNE INDIA top-of-climb, you accept a second glass of your favourite travel companion. Subtly, yet significantly, it seems to taste different. The flight attendant assures you it has been poured from the same bottle, which was carefully re-stoppered prior to the ascent. But somehow the champagne seems to have changed. It is more restrained, perhaps lacking those delicate nuances of minerals, fine apple fruit and yeast complexity you recognised in that first glass. It tastes drier on the back-palate, the acidity seems more pronounced and there is now a hint of firmness you hadn’t noticed before. You would almost swear it was a different wine. Welcome to the mile-high champagne club! You are correct in sensing that it tastes different, but what is actually going on? Well, we now know there are several factors that contribute to changes in perceived wine flavour – particularly that of champagne – at high altitude. Some relate to the wine itself, some to the tasting

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We now know there are several factors that contribute to changes in perceived wine flavour – particularly that of champagne – at high altitude. environment and some to the taster. Each alone can have a significant impact, and in combination they can really make a difference to the way you enjoy your glass of in-flight fizz. So please fasten your seatbelts, sit back and enjoy the flight as we look at some of the technical aspects of the flavour of champagne in high(flying) society. Despite the best efforts of aircraft manufacturers and airlines, few air travellers would disagree that the aeroplane environment is far from the one we enjoy on solid ground. Once the novelty of streaking at 900 km/h through the upper troposphere in a flying cigar has worn off – and for most of us nowadays, that novelty is long forgotten – air travel becomes yet another means of getting from A to B in the shortest time and with the least disruption to our lives. And, for the time being at least, air travel is the most efficient means we have to achieve these objectives when travelling long distances. One unavoidable factor associated with high altitude is the rarefied 84 FINE WINE & CHAMPAGNE INDIA

FINE Science Given the unavoidable differences between the mile-high and earthbound environments, what are the main implications for the enjoyment of food, wine and, of particular interest to us, champagne? atmosphere through which airliners fly for the major part of the flight. At 10 000 metres (33 000 feet in the arcane language of aviation), the temperature of the thin air outside the aircraft is commonly as low as -50°C (-58°F). Such painfully low temperatures have significant consequences for the relative humidity of the external air, which must be drawn into the aircraft, pressurised and heated for the obvious benefit and comfort of passengers and crew. It is a commonly-held but erroneous belief that the cabin air is continually recycled in aeroplanes flying at high altitude. However, this is a simple impossibility given the continual need for life-giving oxygen to be replenished, and for removal of the waste carbon dioxide and moisture exhaled by up to 420 passengers on the average 747–400. In fact, a fine balance between recycling of cabin air and introduction of fresh air from outside is maintained – a compromise between removing contaminants and maintaining the comfort of the aircraft’s precious human payload. Given the unavoidable differences between the mile-high and earthbound environments, what are the main implications for the enjoyment of food, wine and, of particular interest to us, champagne? The first is undoubtedly humidity. Legions of passengers report suffering a range of respiratory ailments following a high-altitude flight. However, rather than the exposure to air-borne pathogens that most people seem to blame as the cause of this apparent increase in sickness, a likely contributor is the low humidity unavoidably prevalent in the cabin that leads to the drying of the protective mucous membranes in our noses and throats. Values for relative humidity in an aircraft cabin at cruise altitude average 10–20 per cent, compared with the 60–70 per cent that most regard as a comfortable figure. Higher air turnover rates result in even lower values up front in the cockpit, unless humidification is installed; unfortunately, humidification of cabin air has attendant drawbacks such as extra weight and the risk of water-borne bacteria, which are not easily overcome. The primary impact of low humidity on the taste of champagne is via physiological effects on the taster. At low relative humidity, the mucous membranes coating the olfactory zone within the nose, and to a lesser degree the tongue, have limited moisture content and hence are less able to function effectively in sensing aromas and tastes - especially the delicate aromas and flavours of champagne. Add to this the constant movement of cabin air as it is circulated and replenished, and it is hardly surprising that aroma compounds have precious little time to linger and delight the weary traveller. A second factor reducing our capacity to taste is the difference in oxygen levels between air at sea level and that in an aircraft cabin which, since air at cruise altitude provides far too little oxygen to sustain life, is pressurised by onboard compressors to an equivalent FINE WINE & CHAMPAGNE INDIA 85

altitude of 8000 feet (2438.4 meters). The human brain is particularly sensitive to blood oxygen content because it relies so heavily on a ready and continuous supply to function effectively. Hypoxia is the condition of low blood-borne oxygen that has a measurable impact on brain and general neurological function; a small but nonetheless appreciable level of hypoxia occurs in individuals who are not adapted to the low concentrations present at high altitudes. Research conducted at several locations around the globe has quantified the effects of altituderelated hypoxia on a range of human factors including motor and memory skills, as well as sensory function. The standard altitude limit for full brain function in unadapted individuals is 10 000 feet (3048 meters); this is the primary reason to limit general aviation in unpressurised aircraft to that level. The nominal altitude is set at 8000 feet in pressurised aircraft cabins for the same reason, this slightly lower figure providing a comfortable safety margin for passengers at the lower limits of healthy physiological function. However, this is not to say that a small reduction in sensory acuity doesn’t occur even at this altitude, which is otherwise physiologically safe for extended periods. Sensitivity of taste and smell, as well as hearing, has been found to diminish in unadapted test subjects when 86 FINE WINE & CHAMPAGNE INDIA moved from sea level to altitudes above 2500 metres –just over 8000 feet in aviation-speak. So this, too, is likely to be a factor in our altered perception of that high-altitude glass of bubbles. To my knowledge, no controlled trials have been conducted to compare the high-altitude sensory “The person changes much more in the air than the wine does. I have tasted a wine from business class the evening before flying out on SIA and tasted it in the air, and it is the same wine.” Steven Spurrier perception – especially wine sensory perception – of people adapted by way of their home location to lower oxygen levels – an experiment made difficult by the global scarcity of researchers and wine-lovers who live at elevations higher than 1700 metres (5,600 feet)… except during the ski-season, of course. The net effects of low humidity and low oxygen levels appear to be subtle differences in the way aromas and tastes are perceived. In terms of simple primary tastes, it has been observed by a research group in India that sweetness and saltiness seem to diminish with higher altitude, while the apparent intensity of sourness and bitterness is increased. In simulated conditions of high altitude, both low humidity and low atmospheric pressure were found by a researcher in Texas and a team in Germany to raise sensory thresholds of model aroma compounds, further reinforcing the conclusion that flavour perception is reduced in the conditions experienced during highaltitude air travel. The result for a glass of champagne is that it will seem drier to the palate, while its apparent acidity and phenolic bitterness are likely to be more pronounced. Combined, these perceptions will give the impression of a leaner, tighter, overall more austere style of champagne. While the classic aperitif style certainly has its place as a prelude to a fine meal or on a summer’s afternoon, it doesn’t necessarily provide comfort for the traveller at 35 000 feet. The factors mentioned so far influence the physiology of the individual taster, rather than the wine itself. Pressure, an obvious function of altitude, also affects the physical characteristics of wine. The effect of ambient pressure is especially pronounced in the case of champagne, due obviously to the importance of effervescence to its overall sensory impact. The ambient pressure at a cabinaltitude of 8000 feet is close to 75 per cent of the atmospheric pressure at sea level. Lower ambient pressure influences the partial pressures of gases making up the atmosphere, and in the immediate vicinity of a

FINE Science champagne glass, the air contains a great diversity of volatile components that are escaping the wine and moving into the gas phase. The most significant effect of lower atmospheric pressure is to increase the difference between pressure within and outside the bottle. When the cork is first removed, the rapid loss of effervescence leads to a lower entrainment of wine aroma components into the immediate atmosphere and hence a lower apparent intensity of aroma is sensed. Loss of dissolved carbon dioxide also has a significant effect on taste perception – and as we all know, the magic of champagne is inextricably linked to its bubbles. Thus another effect observed at high altitude, according to researchers based in Columbia University and University of California San Diego, is known as the “champagne blues” – reduced perception of the acidic tang due to carbonation, which in their experiments was due to the inactivation of an enzyme located in the taste buds. In this case, it results from both the reduced CO2 content and the lower effectiveness of the taste receptors located across the tongue. A practical factor influencing the appreciation of wine is the stemware in which it is served. Professor Gerard Liger-Belair and co-workers, of the University of Reims ChampagneArdenne, have confirmed through their experiments on bubble formation and release that the champagne flute favoured today is a far superior design to optimise aroma concentration, compared with the now-defunct open coupe. Recently some airlines, obviously becoming more aware of the importance of stemware in ensuring optimal results in an otherwise difficult tasting environment, have upgraded their champagne glasses in their business and first classes. Hopefully, others will follow suit. Finally, this brings us back to the taster, as both the overall environment and specific factors such as glassware have a significant influence on our mood and, in turn, on sensation. The psychology of sensory perception is a wellresearched subject, and it is broadly acknowledged that mood plays a significant role in determining our response to stimuli such as smell and taste. The effects of aircraft engine noise, general activity in the cabin, difficulty sleeping and buildup of jet-lag, not to mention the mild trauma almost invariably experienced in the hours leading up to the flight, all combine to create an emotional landscape that is far from the state of mind that typically attends the appreciation of a fine glass of champagne. Steven Spurrier, frequent international traveller and member of the wine selection panel for Singapore Airlines, summed up this last point nicely in noting that perception is vital in all tasting situations: if the taster is comfortable, and is served wine in a quality glass, then the wine will simply taste better. “The person changes much more in the air than the wine does. I have tasted a wine from business class the evening before flying out on SIA and tasted it in the air, and it is the same wine.” So, given the many factors that might conspire to make a wine that tastes sublime at sea level taste quite different at 35 000 feet, is it actually possible to enjoy your favourite Champagne en route? I would suggest that, given a combination of suitable stemware, a fine yet bold-flavoured champagne and, ideally, a positive and relaxed state of mind, such an outcome is eminently possible. FINE WINE & CHAMPAGNE INDIA 87

CLIVE CHRISTIAN BEDROOM HONEY OAK CLIVE CHRISTIAN BATHROOM HONEY OAK

CLIVE CHRISTIAN KITCHEN HONEY OAK WITH BURR OAK INLAYS W W W. C L I V E . C O M

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F I N E Personality Tom Stevenson Text: Essi Avellan MW Encyclopedia of a Man If you are a champagne lover, you are likely to be well aware of the name Tom Stevenson. Equally likely is that you possess at least some of the 25 books he has written: Sotheby’s Wine Encyclopedia, Christie’s World Encyclopedia of Champagne & Sparkling Wine, and Wine Report, all being award-winning successes. Stevenson is known as a highly influential and visible person on the sparkling wine scene, a great communicator and an opinionated wine critic. However, less is known about him personally, so I was intrigued to get the chance to learn who the man behind the famous name was. Tom suggested we meet over dinner in one of his favourite London restaurants, Christopher´s. We are sipping our aperitifs in the bar, when Tom starts to tell his life story, from being a boy scout, to the world’s widest-acclaimed champagne expert. According to him, it has been his “lazy and comfort-loving” nature that has determined most of his life choices. I find that hard to believe, as we are talking about such a prolific and involved wine person. But he insists it is true and explains: “I am hard-working only if it is something I want to do. For instance, I was a high school drop-out. I was not into academics and did not think it would be useful. As a child I enjoyed swimming, chess and foremost, reading. I ate books. Everything, but particularly science fiction.” FINE WINE & CHAMPAGNE INDIA 91

Tom Stevenson Born in 1951 British wine author who has been writing about wine for more than 30 years. His books have been published internationally by more than 50 publishers and translated into over 25 languages. Stevenson has personally won 31 literary prizes, including ”Wine writer of the year” three times and the coveted Wine Literary Award, America’s only lifetime achievement award for wine writing. Selected publications: • The Sotheby’s Wine Encyclopedia • Christie’s World Encyclopedia of Champagne & Sparkling Wine • The Wines of Alsace • Champagne • Buy the Right Wine Every Time: The No-Fuss, No-Vintage Wine Guide “I can get totally sunk into an encyclopedia.” In his youth he used to be a boy scout, too. “I had a scout master who worked for the army and seemed to treat us as an “army without guns”. Due to my laziness, I often felt it was impossible for me to do, for instance, the long walks. I tired easily and I didn’t think I could complete them. But the scout master encouraged me to always walk to the top of the next hill and then the next hill. Finally, I was able to finish the entire journey.” Tom says he needs his tasks to be divided into smaller parts like that, middle-goals if you like. “I still work this way with writing. I can’t 92 FINE WINE & CHAMPAGNE INDIA look beyond the first step or I get exhausted. I need to progress chapter by chapter,” he explains. With the amount of publications and sizeable works he has completed, it is easy to sympathise with not wanting to think about the amount of work ahead. But on the other hand, Tom is a person who is eternally researching, wanting to gain a full understanding of topics that catch his interest. “Sometimes I get badly sidetracked in research. In the middle of writing an article I can get hung up on details, which eats a lot of time,” he says. It may be time-consuming, but it works to his benefit in the end, as he saves no effort and gives his readers thoroughly researched writings, that contribute significantly to champagne knowledge. “I can get totally sunk into an encyclopedia. It is like a never-ending journey. You start with one topic, follow related entries and get deeper and deeper into the subject,” Tom explains. It is no wonder then that he has chosen to write a couple of wine encyclopedias.

“I am very fortunate to have been married for 40 years to someone who enjoys and appreciates champagne as much as I do.” By this time we have advanced to the dinner table and Tom continues filling me in on his career: “I dropped out of high school at the age of 16 and went to study catering. Unlike most of my classmates I did not choose a career in fine dining. Instead, I ended up doing industrial catering and became the youngest manager at the age of 18. My “laziness” was recognised also at a management course, where I became famous for writing the shortest business paper ever. The question was about the ultimate aim of management. My paper simply said “make yourself redundant”…” Tom Stevenson’s wine career started during his catering days in the mid-1970s. “Part of my job was to build a wine cellar. I knew nothing of wine so I started asking and tasting. And soon I was bitten by the wine bug,” Tom recalls. He then worked as a sales representative at a couple of wine merchants and started to write about food and wine. His first article in Decanter was published in 1981, and it was in 1980 that he started to research champagne. “I loved the drink and found myself soon very passionate about it. There were virtually no experts on champagne. The few books that existed repeated errors printed in other books. I composed a list of questions I was troubled with and went on my first two week trip to the area in January 1980. I visited 50 houses in those two weeks, which amounted to more producers than most wine professionals had even heard about at that time ... even recognised,” Tom says. When I ask Tom Stevenson what fascinates him about champagne, he considers his answer for a good minute. “I guess it is the fact that champagne is such a well known wine, but a wine that is not well understood at all. It is a very complex product that is remarkable in its flexibility of use. There is so much people should know about the quality and depth of champagne to be able to enjoy it even more,” he replies. From the early days of his career, Stevenson dreamed of writing a champagne book, a dream that was soon realised with the release of the F I N E Personality Lazy achiever book, Champagne, in 1986. But since 1988, Stevenson has also authored several other widerranging publications, including Sotheby’s Wine Encyclopedia. His career rocketed, as the title became the first wine book to win four literary awards. Stevenson soon developed an additional interest in the wines of Alsace and is considered a world-class expert in that field. For him, it was originally both the taste profile of the wines, as well as geographical proximity to Champagne that made him extend his focus there. The result was yet another praised book, the 600page Wines of Alsace, that was published in 1994. In 1998, just before the champagne-induced millennium celebrations, came the perfect time for Stevenson to write a comprehensive guide to champagne and sparkling wines, in the form of Christie’s World Encyclopedia. For its research he needed to be up-to-date on everything that was happening with wine around the world. This information was hard to come by, as no such book existed, so he decided to create one. Wine Report was born, a book in which leading experts on individual wine areas report on the newest trends and happenings. Quite astonishing achievements from a “lazy” man. But behind Tom, there has been a strong force – his wife Pat – keeping him focused and organised. Pat has now worked side-by-side with her husband for years, helping to make it all function as well in practice as in theory. I am sure it is she who has taken on the role of scout master, encouraging Tom to reach his sub-goals. Tom gives a great deal of credit to her and goes on about the role of champagne in their life, saying “I am very fortunate to have been married for 40 years to someone who enjoys and appreciates champagne as much as I do.” By dessert time, I have learned quite a few things about Tom Stevenson. He appears to me an eternal student and a tireless researcher. But it is his passion for communication, sharing his opinion and knowledge that is his biggest gift. To me, an “encyclopedia-of-a-man”. > FINE WINE & CHAMPAGNE INDIA 93

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FINE Gastronomy In the Kitchen of Arnaud Lallement L’Assiette Champenoise Text: Essi Avellan MW Photos: Michael Boudot and L’Assiette Champenoise A perfect day’s sunset in Champagne some years ago. I have just discovered one of the region’s best-kept secrets, Krug’s new single-vineyard champagne Clos d’Ambonnay, whose existence this praised champagne house was able to disguise for a over a decade. I am sipping my last drops of its inaugural 1995 vintage at the very origin, the walled single-vineyard plot in Ambonnay, when my host Olivier Krug asks if he could take me and my colleagues for dinner. I eagerly say yes, especially as he is suggesting we dine at L’Assiette Champenoise, a great favourite of mine in Champagne. However, easier said than done, we notice, as Olivier negotiates with the chef, Arnaud Lallement, over the phone for many minutes. “The restaurant is fully booked,” Olivier Krug apologises. “We can go there but we need to eat in the kitchen…” FINE WINE & CHAMPAGNE INDIA 95

OCEAN Oursin de Bretagne Crère d’iode Krug Clos du Mesnil 2000 CRUSTACE Saint-Jacques Nage, réduite Krug Clos du Mesnil 2000 TRUFFES Truffes Noires Gnocchis vin jaune Krug Vintage 2000 MER Bar de Ligne Girolles coriandre Krug Vintage 2000 TERRE Cochon Noir Navet rôti Krug Rosé NV POIRE-CARAMEL Krug Rosé NV Essi Avellan MW and Arnaud Lallement W hat followed was my all-time favourite restaurant experience. It was magical sensing the hustle and bustle of the crowded kitchen, seeing the perfected portions rise one after the other, smelling a rainbow of delicious cooking aromas, and feeling the kitchen temperature rise as the evening went on. Dinner itself was crowned by the charismatic chef’s uninterrupted presence and the exquisite pairings of Lallement’s dishes and Krug champagnes. While entertaining in the kitchen might be unusual for both of my hosts, pairing Krug champagnes with L’Assiette Champenoise cuisine is certainly not. Lallement and Krug champagnes go back over a decade now, and Arnaud and Olivier have become friends over the course of the cooperation. L’Assiette Champenoise is, in fact, the largest single seller of Krug, opening over 1200 prestigious bottles every year. Therefore, when we start talking about a L’Assiette Champenoise article for FINE, Lallement suggests we build the menu around Krug champagnes. I have no objection to that, nor does Lallement to my idea of recreating the memorable dinner in the kitchen. Table for one I arrive at L’Assiette Champenoise’s spacious courtyard, which is guarded by high stone walls. The building itself is an old country house whose atmospheric ambiance is enhanced by beautiful lightning, pieces of modern art and an impeccably maintained garden. Inside the building it is all contemporary. I enter the restaurant’s bright reception hall and am briskly guided forward by the headwaiter. We pass the stylishly modern dining hall and enter the famous kitchen. 96 FINE WINE & CHAMPAGNE INDIA

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Instantly, the fond memories from my previous visit to the kitchen return. The tall, dark, boyishly charming Arnaud Lallement rushes to greet me. Despite his status and success, there is a faint coyed gist about him, adding to his appeal. He escorts me through the large kitchen, shining in stainless steel and crowded by a 20-strong kitchen staff. I take my ‘usual’ seat at the tall table fitted in the back corner of the room. While the chef explains the evening’s agenda to the head sommelier Frêdéric Bouché, I look around and breathe in the kitchen’s professional yet relaxed atmosphere. Except for the sizzling emanating from the stoves, it all takes place in near silence. Everybody knows their tasks and the kitchen manoeuvres like a perfectly running engine. Arnaud has time to dedicate to me. “I fell in love with Krug champagnes a long time ago. They are very different and highly recognisable. They are extremely gastronomic champagnes, and I find that almost all dishes go well with Krug.” Krugist by heart As Frêdéric Bouché pours the first champagne, the rich yet fine and floral Krug Clos du Mesnil 2000, I begin to enquire about Arnaud’s well-known affection for Krug champagnes. “I fell in love with Krug champagnes a long time ago. They are very different and highly recognisable. They are extremely gastronomic champagnes, and I find that almost all dishes go well with Krug.” I am able to try this in practise now, as Arnaud puts the finishing touches to my first course, ‘ocean’: sea-urchin with a wonderfully salty, mineral taste. So far so good, and the Clos du Mesnil even adds an extra dimension to the dish. Even though there is always Krug Grande Cuvée NV available by the glass, and Lallement turns around significant volumes of other Krug cuvées – including his allocation of six bottles of each scarce Clos d’Ambonnay vintage, L’Assiette Champenoise is not all about Krug. “In this region it is customary to enjoy champagne throughout the meal. We do carry an extensive list of champagnes, but there are also other French wines available,” says Lallement before listing Béréche, Agrapart, Bollinger, Ruinart and Deutz amongst his many favourites in Champagne. However, the chef also has a sweet tooth for Burgundy: “Ramonet, Leflaive, Denis Mortet and, of course, Romanée-Conti,” he muses. For now, though, the list only has French wines: “We have a lot of wine in France,” Lallement reasons. 98 FINE WINE & CHAMPAGNE INDIA

FINE Gastronomy I continue with Clos du Mesnil through the second course: ‘crustace’, and I proceed to enjoy what seems to be the gastronomic favourite of the Champenois: scallops. Having eaten these delicious, sensitive crustaceans numerous times before, Lallement’s version still makes a ‘wow’ escape from my lips. His scallops are spiced with champagne vinegar and cream of scallops. Cooking is everything with scallops, and L’Assiette Champenoise’s performance leaves no room for improvement; delicately crispy on the outside, so perfectly tender inside. Salt and pepper But it is safe to assume that over time his father has been his major inspiration. After all, it was Jean-Pierre who founded L’Assiette Champenoise around the time of Arnaud’s birth in 1975, winning a Michelin star in 1976 and keeping it until 1994; indeed, Arnaud practically grew up in a restaurant: “When I was a child, we lived here at the restaurant! From the age of five I was convinced that I was going to be a chef.” After his culinary studies at the Strasbourg Hotel & Catering College and extensive training in top restaurants, he joined his father at L’Assiette in 1997. Taking over full responsibility in 2000, he quickly gained his first Michelin star the following year. Unfortunately, his father was not able to enjoy his son’s success for very long, as he passed away in 2002. Arnaud, however, pressed on with his ambitions and a second star was awarded in 2005. As I am being poured Krug Vintage, one of his staff members passes by with a big basket of chunky black truffles. While we sample the newly arrived Périgord treasures, the nose of the 2000 Krug intertwines with that of the fragrant truffles. I know that a perfect match is about to come. Lallement serves black truffles to me with gnocchi, his specialty, which is always on the list. Here, his gastronomic style epitomises the mild yet refined taste of the gnocchi, which supports the pure, powerful flavour of the bountiful truffles. Arnaud defines his cooking as contemporary. He vows to respect the pure flavour of the product, using very little processing: “Just a little salt and pepper…” Perhaps it is a little more than that, I mutter, as I know this master chef worked under the iconic French chefs Roger Vergé, Michel Guérard and Alain Chapel. Today, he mentions such names as Alain Ducasse, Thomas Keller, Alain Passard and Pierre Gagnaire as inspirational influences. FINE WINE & CHAMPAGNE INDIA 99

A taste for the finest My crisp pork dish served with roast turnip is real comfort food. I am getting a glass of Krug Rosé NV to accompany it, which brings lovely voluptuousness and freshness to the match. I learn that even though there is always Krug available at the restaurant, he is not short of it at home either. “When we celebrate, it Star Wars I have now advanced to my fourth dish, deliciously fried bar served with chanterelles seasoned with coriander, and it is time to pop the 3-star question. ”A third star is the objective”, Lallement states directly, “but it is impossible to say what it will take to get it. There is no handbook… I believe it is work, work, work, and I trust further maturity and experience will help me.” I ask him whether he is receiving a lot of suggestions and advice about what to do in order to gain the ultimate star. “I work for my customers and this house and do not listen to other people. Nobody knows what Michelin wants. It is a big secret.” The mystery surrounding Michelin seems only to enhance its magic. No restaurant in Champagne has had three Michelin stars for many years. But Lallement is ready for one. “When we celebrate, it is always with Krug.” is always with Krug,” the celebrated chef says. As a wine lover, he is building wine cellars for both of his sons; fortunately, both were born in the great Krug vintage years of 1995 and 1996. Away from the kitchen, Arnaud enjoys family life. But what is already evident from the outlook of the restaurant and the adjacent hotel, is that he loves all the good things in life: fine watches and fast cars, I was told by a source. “Yes, I do love Porches, both old and new,” Lallement hesitantly admits. Indeed, his 911 Turbo often decorates the restaurant’s car park. I feel it provides a great welcome to the entering diner, while also offering a sneak preview of the calibre of the food that awaits inside. While I finish the last drops of my intensely flavourful ‘PoireCaramel’ dessert, it dawns on me just why I like L’Assiette Champenoise so much: it is the genuineness of it all. Arnaud Lallement is L’Assiette Champenoise. It is his childhood home, a family business, his lifestyle, their success story. Arnaud’s mother Colette and wife Magalie, as well as sister Mélanie, all work for the family enterprise. “I am lucky to be working with these great women,” Arnaud admits. I am seeing stars as I leave the kitchen of L’Assiette Champenoise following a great gastronomic joyride. Hopefully, the Michelin man will too. > Arnaud Lallement succeeded in getting his third star. On the 24th of February this year, the Michelin Guide conferred three stars to L’Assiette Champenoise set at a ceremony held in Paris. Chef Arnaud Lallement’s restaurant was deemed truly exceptional, offering a particularly creative and strikingly contemporary selection of cuisine. 100 FINE WINE & CHAMPAGNE INDIA

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COLUMN JUHA LIHTONEN THE PRICE OF A RESTAURANT EXPERIENCE A s a consequence of the current world economic situation, difficult times lie ahead for many restaurants. Customers are keeping their wallets closed. More and more, they are choosing to stay at home instead of going out to a restaurant. This trend began already during last autumn’s economic slump and is largely due to unfavourable quality-price ratios that customers are experiencing, which is reflected, above all, in the overpricing of many restaurant wines. I have long mused over restaurant mark-up policies and the justifications behind them. Around the world, far too many restaurants underestimate their clientele’s ability to correlate the quality of a wine to its price. This is most blatantly underscored amongst the cheapest wines. Why would anyone pay four or five times the price of a wine that is available in a store for ten euros? Not even fine surroundings are enough to justify this. Even if the wine were served by the world’s best sommelier, the price would seem unwarranted. And while a good story about a wine, as told by a steward, might give you your money’s worth, a wine made up of raw ingredients, worth about four euros, seldom has much of a story. That is the actual value of the ten euro bottle of wine you pay for at the store. In other words, a single glass of that wine is worth less than a euro. How does this befit, for instance, a roasted quail stuffed with truffle risotto, in which the raw ingredients 102 FINE WINE & CHAMPAGNE INDIA themselves are already ten times more costly than the wine’s, not to mention the value of the chef ’s labour? It is an outright insult to offer such a diffident wine to accompany this display of the chef ’s skill. And then again, why would I bother to go to a restaurant to enjoy some cheap, bland and overpriced wine that I wouldn’t even buy for home consumption? No, I go to a restaurant to enjoy a gastronomic experience where skilfully prepared foods are paired with appropriate wines. Unfortunately, far too often, exorbitant restaurant mark-ups are also applied to these wines. They may be priced at a lower coefficient, but I still don’t feel justified, for example, in paying 200 euros for a 1999 Château Palmer in a restaurant, when I can buy it for 50 euros in a shop. It is also irrelevant if a restaurant can offer fancier surroundings compared to a home, as it is not only a question of the locale.

FINE Lihtonen It is a question of the restaurateur’s attitude toward their own product and toward their clientele. Their own product, the food and service produced on the premises, should be up to standard; concerning both quality and price. While a higher pricing policy for finer food prepared from scratch is justified, paying for an over-priced wine produced elsewhere is not. If I am going to pay 90 euros for a set menu, I am not going to shell out an additional 200 euros for a suitable wine to complement my main course, especially when its retail value is only 50 euros. If again I settle for a more modest wine, the dining experience is incomplete, as these types of wines fail to bring the necessary lift to a meal. To encounter this boost, you have to partake of superior wines. Multi-dimensional fine wines yield exquisitelynuanced aromas that would otherwise not be experienced. The lingering aftertastes of these wines allow them to be savoured for a much longer period and they uplift the entire tasting experience of a meal. At the same time, they offer more diverse insights as their aromas are released from the glass over the course of an evening. Enhancing this adventure, are the stories connected to the wines, which make these tasting moments memorable. These wines are precisely what restaurants need in order to provide their clientele with an excuse to return again and again. If a bottle of wine, with a retail price of 50 euros, were priced at 80 euros in a restaurant, I would come back often. I would face motivated sommeliers eager to recommend new finds from the cellars, regale me with fresh, fascinating tales about the wines, and from whom I could acquire unforgettable tasting experiences. And still restaurant would gain a good 30 euro mark-up, steady cash flow and rotating stocks. Yet, in these economically difficult times, people are tighter with money than ever before. At the same time, everyone hopes to be able to take a break from everyday life, discover new sensations and enjoy a moment of selfindulgence, now more than ever. A great wine and tasty food at home with friends is always an enjoyable event. However, this rarely reaches the level of a true experience, at least for the host, as experiences often arise from the unexpected and never-before enjoyed. Restaurants still offer the best stage for gastronomic adventures. In order to ensure the bright future of these stages, seeking maximum profit from wine sales must shift to a policy of moderate pricing and the subsequent exchange of joy. > FINE WINE & CHAMPAGNE INDIA 103

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F I N E Ta s t i n g s est BGlass The for Text: Juha Lihtonen Photos: Kaj Ewart Champagnes are valuable wines. It is illogical that while buyers are ready to pay a premium for them over other wines, we often fail to pay enough attention to the way in which they are enjoyed at the time of opening. Even professionals can fall into this trap. In order to properly enjoy the character of champagne, one should consider the glass from which it is served. FINE WINE & CHAMPAGNE INDIA 105

The FINE editorial team decided to investigate the best glass shapes for champagne. An expert team consisting of the editors-in-chief of our various magazines compared different types of champagne in different glasses. BGlass The est Some fifty years ago, Claus Josef Riedel caused a stir in the wine world by launching a set of glasses designed for different types of wines. With his Sommelier collection, Riedel demonstrated that greater enjoyment could be obtained from wine with the correct size and shape of glass. With his new thinking and detion’ glass developed by Philippe Jamesse – Head sign, he blazed a trail for nuSommelier at the most famous hotel in the Chammerous glassmakers. The main pagne region, Les Crayères – for the local glassemphasis within glass design maker Verrerie de la Marne. has, however, been on red and white wine glasses. ChamAlso included in the test were a traditional tall and pagne glasses designed in colnarrow flute glass (Riedel Ouverture Champagne), a laboration with top sommeliers good medium-sized generic wine glass (Riedel Ouhave only started appearing in verture Red Wine), a white-wine glass that narrows the last few years. slightly towards the top (Spiegelau Authentis White Wine) and large Bordeaux and Burgundy glasses We took the available somintended for fine red wines (Schott Zwiesel Viña and melier-designed glasses and Zalto Burgundy). tested them in comparison with five other glass types. There The comparison was done using five different types are two glass models designed of champagne, with the intention of investigating by sommeliers: the hand-blown the effect of the glass on the taste of each chamchampagne glass ‘The First’pagne. The five chosen champagnes were a young designed by the World’s Best non-vintage champagne, a rosé champagne, a Sommelier from 2004, Enrico luxury champagne, a luxury rosé champagne and Bernardo which is and made a matured champagne. Each of the chosen brands by reputed glass manufacturer represented the highest quality within its category. Schott Zwiesel; and the ‘Collec- for CHAMPAGNE Zalto Bourgogne 106 FINE WINE & CHAMPAGNE INDIA Verrerie de la Marne Riedel Collection Philippe Jamessen Ouverture Red Wine Grand Champagne Riedel Schott Zwiesel Ouverture Champagne The First by Enrico Bernardon Spiegelau Authentis White Wine Schott Zwiesel Viña Bordeaux

The characteristics of non-vintage champagnes vary greatly depending on the grape blends used. The most delicate are the blanc de blancs, made solely from Chardonnay grapes, whereas some blends can achieve quite a high degree of robustness. However, most of champagne is refreshingly fruity and pleasantly the wines within this category creamy, with no multi-layered or complex aromas. are clean, fruity, fresh and fairly uncomplicated in taste. When Several of the glasses in our selection supported choosing a glass, remember these characteristics. The fairly rich, creamy structhat these champagnes are ture was complemented slightly better by the glasses lighter in structure than vintage with a larger bowl than by the traditional straight and prestige champagnes, and flute, represented here by the Riedel Ouverture should therefore be served from Champagne Glass. The best glass for the Taittinger narrow glasses with a small Prelude was the Grand Champagne glass from the bowl in order for the flavour Philippe Jamesse Collection. It harmoniously emphato remain intensive; excessive sised the wine’s fresh energy and generous creamicontact with oxygen should also ness, and the wine displayed more character in this be avoided, as it can cause the glass than in any of the others. The impact of the wine to break down. glass on the taste of the wine was most marked in the case of the non-vintage This was confirmed by our test, Taittinger, which suffered immensely which was conducted using TaitRECOMMENDED GLASS TYPE: in the large Bordeaux and Burgundy tinger’s Prélude Grands Crus, glasses – to the point where some jury which is made from 50% CharWide tulip-shaped glass members considered it undrinkable. donnay and 50% Pinot Noir. (Collection Philippe Jamesse Grand Champagne) This high-quality non-vintage F I N E Ta s t i n g s NON-VINTAGE CHAMPAGNE NON-VINTAGE ROSÉ CHAMPAGNE In non-vintage rosé champagnes, the producers’ styles range from light to robust. These champagnes are usually characterised by an acidic forest fruit flavour and a well-balanced structure. As with other non-vintage champagnes, the glass should have a small bowl, although rosés do allow for greater airing so that the rim can be somewhat wider. A wider rim will also direct the drink more clearly to the edges of the tongue, which emphasises the fresh, fruity nature of rosés and alleviates their possible mild, mouth-drying tannins. For our test we chose the non-vintage Charles Heidsieck Rosé Réserve, which is a very rich and nuanced rosé champagne. Its character is achieved through the generous use of more mature vintages in the blend. Only one of the selected glasses seemed to properly suit this champagne. In narrow glasses, the wine was closed and its aromas and character did not shine through. Meanwhile, the large-bowled glasses excessively emphasised its sharp acidity. The rosé champagne was at RECOMMENDED GLASS TYPE: its best from the Collection Philippe Jamesse Grand Champagne glass, Wide tulip-shaped glass which accentuated its discreet fruiti(Collection Philippe Jamesse Grand Champagne) ness in a balanced way. FINE WINE & CHAMPAGNE INDIA 107

VINTAGE AND PRESTIGE CHAMPAGNES Generally speaking, vintage champagnes have a stronger character than their non-vintage counterparts, while the most characterful of all are the luxury champagnes. Both types are typified by an intense, multi-layered, robust nature that varies depending on the vintage. For glass enthusiasts this provides an interesting opportunity to compare the suitability of different glasses for different vintages of the same champagne. A comparison could be made, for example, between the 2000 and 2002 Dom Pérignons. The 2000 vintage is significantly creamier and more mellow than the crisply acidic and citrusy 2002. Of the two, the Dom Pérignon 2000 must be enjoyed from a wide-rimmed glass, whereas the 2002 works better from a largish tulip glass. For our test, we selected the Piper-Heidsieck Rare 2002, named by FINE as the best The champagne of the year 2011. The champagne is marked by its crisp acidity and concentrated mineral character with elegant toasty nuances. The high quality of this prestige champagne is confirmed by the fact that it was good regardless of the glass in which it was tasted. The narrower glasses did it the least justice, though, as they allowed for less of its multidimensionality and aroma to come through. However, the large size of the long and narrow Enrico Bernardo The First glass helped to release the wine’s aromas. It also directed the citrusy champagne to the front and middle of the tongue, bringing out exceptionally aromatic and delicious fruity flavours. The Zalto Burgundy glass, with its large bowl, also did justice to the Rare champagne, allowing its subtly aromatic nature to be emphasized. Although luxury champagnes are delicious from almost any wine glass, they usually improve significantly with airing. Therefore, we recommend favouring a large glass. Best Glass for RECOMMENDED GLASS TYPE: Large flute-shaped glass (Schott Zwiesel The First glass by Enrico Bernardo) CHAMPAGNE VINTAGE ROSÉ AND PRESTIGE ROSÉ CHAMPAGNES Vintage and luxury rosés are the most vinous of champagnes. They have robustness, structure and an aromatic character that arises from the skin contact that takes place during production. At a young age, these champagnes are often closed and may require decanting to open, but the shape of the glass also plays a major part. This was demonstrated by our test, delicious strawberry aromas opened where the Dom Pérignon Rosé up most favourably in the large Zalto 2000, chosen by FINE as the Burgundy glass. In terms of flavour the best luxury rosé champagne differences were smaller, although the for 2012, proved to be very Zalto Burgundy glass did offer the most closed when served in the generous mouthfeel. narrow glasses. However, its 108 FINE WINE & CHAMPAGNE INDIA RECOMMENDED GLASS TYPE: Bordeaux or Burgundy (Zalto Burgundy)

F I N E Ta s t i n g s MATURED CHAMPAGNES By matured champagne we mean both non-vintage and vintage champagnes that have been aged for two or more decades. A matured champagne usually has a ripe and gentle character, whose sharp acidity has been rounded and whose fizz has lost some of its ebullience. Its taste profile is vinous and complex, typically with aromas of dried fruits and nuts. Due to the aromatic and gently acidic nature of an aged champagne, it should be served from a glass larger than the traditional flute. The choice of glass should be made carefully, however, because the oldest champagnes do not take to oxidation. In these cases one should be aware that kindly glasses with large bowls can cause rapid oxidation. When enjoying a mature champagne, it is good to have a couple of different stemware options on hand. If the champagne proves to be slightly oxidised upon opening, it should be enjoyed from a narrow glass. In our comparison, the mature champagne category was represented by a non-vintage Charles Heidsieck Brut Réserve from the 1970s. The champagne, which was in excellent condition, worked best in glasses RECOMMENDED GLASS with a large bowl. The top choice was the Zalto Burgundy, while the Bordeaux or Burgundy Schott Zwiesel Bordeaux glass (Zalto Burgundy) came second. CONFIRMED KNOWLEDGE One of the most noteworthy results of this comparison was that the greatest taste differences caused by the shape of the glass were found in non-vintage champagnes, both ordinary and rosé. These are the most popular champagnes in terms of the quantities enjoyed, but the choice of glass is most significant in their case. It is also worth noting that the Riedel Ouverture Champagne glass, which represents the most commonly used type, was at the bottom of the comparison for both of these champagnes. GOOD TO KNOW TYPE: The biggest surprise was the success of the Burgundy glass model. Few people would think to serve champagne from a large vessel reminiscent of an aroma glass, but based on our experiences, the Burgundy glass is a worthwhile alternative when serving luxury champagnes. Out of the glasses in our test, the greatest recognition is reserved for the Collection champagne glass developed by sommelier Philippe Jamesse from the Champagne region. It placed in the top three for all the tasted champagnes and twice at number one, thereby proving itself to be the top choice for a generalpurpose glass. WHY THE GLASS AFFECTS THE TASTE OF WINE The effect of a glass on the perceived taste of wine is due to the size of the mouth and the thickness of the glass. These two factors together influence how the wine is directed into the drinker’s mouth and onto the taste buds on the tongue. buds that determine acidity on the sides of the tongue. A narrow glass, on the other hand, directs the wine onto the tip of the tongue, where the taste buds that detect sweetness are located. This emphasises the sweet and fruity tones of the wine. SIZE OF MOUTH Enjoyed from a wide-rimmed glass, a wine will taste more acidic and sharper, as it has direct contact with the taste This means that the traditional long and narrow champagne flute will make a sharply acidic champagne taste softer and more fruity. The opposite of the flute is the wide-angled coupe, which is reminiscent of a cocktail glass. With its wide mouth, it emphasises the sharp and acidic characteristics of the drink. THICKNESS OF GLASS The thickness of the glass determines whether the wine hits either the front or back of the mouth. A thinner glass will direct its contents to the front part of the mouth, providing a greater balance to the flavour. > FINE WINE & CHAMPAGNE INDIA 109

The Best Glass for Champagne Style Zalto Bourgogne Verrerie de la Marne Riedel Spiegelau Collection Philippe Jamessen Ouverture Red Wine Authentis White Wine Grand Champagne Riedel Schott Zwiesel Schott Zwiesel Ouverture Champagne The First by Enrico Bernardon Viña Bordeaux Non-vintage TAITTINGER PRELUDE GRANDS CRUS NV Ranking Glass Nose Palate Comments 1 Collection Philippe Jamesse Grand Champagne Fresh, lemony, white flowers Dry, rich mouthfeel, broad, electric, energetic, persitent Fresh, long, persitent 2 The First by Enrico Bernardo (Zwiesel) Elegant, floral, ripe apples Dry, fresh, energetic, fruity, mineral Complex, vivid 3 Riedel Ouverture Red Wine Expressive, toasty, touch of truffles Dry, seductively fruity, floral, vivid Long, harmonious 4 Spiegelau Authentis White Wine Dusty, pears Dry, very crisp, intense, l emony, vivid Crisp, pungent 5 Riedel Ouverture Champagne Fresh apples, creamy, macademian nuts Dry, crisp, fruity, mineral Fresh but upfront and short 6 Schott Zwiesel Vina Bordeaux Rich, toasty, toffee nose Dry, austere, crisp, stingy Shaking balance 7 Zalto Bourgogne Lack of intensity, spirity, tropical Dry, crisp, mineral, lack of fruit, turning austere Taste detoriates Non-vintage Rosé CHARLES HEIDSIECK ROSÉ NV 110 Ranking Glass Nose Palate Comments 1 Collection Philippe Jamesse Grand Champagne Reserved, ripe wild strawberries, complex, toasty Dry, rich mousse, crisp, vivid and energetic, bit short Concentrated, firm finish 2 Schott Zwiesel Vina Bordeaux Delicate, reserved, strawberries, touch of toastiness Dry, rich mousse, crisp, fresh, yet not refined Expressive, but lack of finest nuances 3 The First by Enrico Bernardo (Zwiesel) Delicate, reserved, wild strawberries, complex Dry, silky, vivid, crisp, light, lingering Elegant and light 4 Riedel Ouverture Champagne Intense, fresh, peachy nose with strawberries Dry, crisp, fresh strawberries Crisp yet austere 5 Riedel Ouverture Red Wine Fresh, round, creamy Dry, crisp, rich mousse, slowly rolling full mouthfeel Round, harmonious and fresh 6 Spiegelau Authentis White Wine Dull, reserved, less expressive Dry, crisp, short, cranberry Energetic 7 Zalto Bourgogne Numb, dull Dry, mellow, rich and round ripe fruit Delicate but flat FINE WINE & CHAMPAGNE INDIA

PIPER HEIDSIECK RARE 2002 Ranking Glass Nose Palate Comments 1 The First by Enrico Bernardo (Zwiesel) Refined, delicate, reserved, creamy Dry, refined palate, long mineral mousse, gently creamy and toasty finish Elegant and refined 2 Zalto Bourgogne Complex, aromatic Dry, gentle, fresh, spicy Complex, aromatic 3 Collection Philippe Jamesse Grand Champagne Expressive, toasty, vanilla, ripe fruits, fresh Dry, crisp, focused, firm, crisp Explosive, refined, lack bit of length 4 Riedel Ouverture Red Wine Rich, creamy, vanilla Dry, intense mousse, vivid, lemony, mineral, silky Round and supple 5 Spiegelau Authentis White Wine Fresh, creamy, intense Dry, crisp, concentrated, intense Intense and focused 6 Schott Zwiesel Vina Bordeaux Fresh, strawberries, cream, vanilla Dry, crisp, firm, mineral, lemony, astringent Fresh, tight, austere 7 Riedel Ouverture Champagne Fresh, toasty, seductive Dry, crisp, vivid, citrus, lingering Lean and fresh F I N E Ta s t i n g s Prestige Cuvée Prestige Cuvée Rosé DOM PÉRIGNON ROSÉ 2000 Ranking Glass Nose Palate Comments 1 Zalto Bourgogne Fresh, intense, strawberry Dry, perfumy, crisp, mineral, complex, rich Intense, complex, rich 2 Collection Philippe Jamesse Grand Champagne Expressive, open, strawberries Dry, round, rich, creamy, mineral, toasty Reserved and concentrated 3 Schott Zwiesel Vina Bordeaux Fresh, ripe red fruits Dry, vivid, round, rich, mineral Elegant and refined 4 Spiegelau Authentis White Wine Reserved, fresh, strawberries Dry, crisp, vivid, energetic, long Firm and tannic 5 Riedel Ouverture Red Wine Reserved, fresh red fruits Rich mousse, round, supple Creamy, vivid, round 6 The First by Enrico Bernardo (Zwiesel) Reserved, floral, strawberries, raspberries, touch of vanilla Dry, crisp, floral, vivid, concentrated, tight finish Elegant, tight 7 Riedel Ouverture Champagne Reserved, brioche Dry, rich, intense, concentrated, lovely Intense, lovely Mature champagne CHARLES HEIDSIECK BRUT RESERVE NV 1970S Ranking Glass Nose Palate Comments 1 Zalto Bourgogne Aromatic, nutty, complex Intense nutty, long, intense, lingering Expressive, vinous 2 Schott Zwiesel Vina Bordeaux Toasty, hattara, lemony Dry, crisp, vivid, lemony, Intense, concentrated 3 Collection Philippe Jamesse Grand Champagne Nutty, red apples, walnutty Dry, crisp, intense, lingering long finish Concentrated, intense finish, toasty 4 Riedel Ouverture Red Wine Intense, nutty, waxy, complex nose Dry, crisp, vivid, elegant, complex Intense, vivid 5 The First by Enrico Bernardo (Zwiesel) Elegant, nutty, apple Dry, vivid, crisp, dried fruits, complex Complex, vivid and intense 6 Riedel Ouverture Champagne Intense, nutty, dried fruits Dry, intense, vivid fruity, nutty, dried fruits Consistent, focused 7 Spiegelau Authentis White Wine Smoky, intense, walnutty Dry, vivid, nutty, toasty finish Firm and crisp FINE WINE & CHAMPAGNE INDIA 111

Breguet - The Mona Lisa of Timepieces Text: Pekka Nuikki N apoleon slid his gold pocket watch out of his pocket and looked at it assuredly. It read precisely seven o’clock. It was absolutely quiet, even though the thick morning mist on the plain of Waterloo concealed an army of tens of thousands of men and their mounts. It would soon be time. Napoleon waited a while longer, until the metallic blue hands of his Breguet read 7:21am. The order for the attack was given! Fifty-three years later on 8 August 1868, at 4:20pm, Baron James Mayer de Rothschild signed a deed of sale, which granted him ownership of the Château Lafite vineyard for a price of 4.4 million francs. The vineyards became known as Château Lafite-Rothschild. Precisely sixty-nine years after this, Ettore Bugatti stood on the shoulder of the LeMans circuit and clocked the fastest lap of his Bugatti Type 57G at 5:13 flat. Eight years afterwards, Sir Winston Churchill lit his first cigar on the first day of the Yalta Conference and looked at his watch: the metallic blue hands read 8:55am. It was the morning of 5 February 1945. Five minutes later, negotiations with Joseph Stalin and Franklin D. Roosevelt that would decide the fate of post-war Europe would resume. Churchill rose slowly from his chair, slipped his Breguet No 765 watch into his pocket and readied himself for a very positive outcome. 112 FINE WINE & CHAMPAGNE INDIA

FINE Lifestyle Napoleon lost his battle, the Baron got his name into the annals of wine history, Bugatti took LeMans twice and the formation of the UN was agreed upon at Yalta. These historic events and great men have one thing in common –Breguet – FINE WINE & CHAMPAGNE INDIA 113

Breguet – the first brand-name product Time has been measured throughout human history. It was crucial to possess knowledge of the seasons, sowing and harvest times and celebrations, which were determined by the positions of the sun, moon and stars. Even though time has always played a central role in human reality, it was not until the broader proliferation of clocks that it also became part of our practical reality. Abraham-Louis Breguet, who quite literally put time in our hands, was born in Switzerland in 1747. When he began his apprenticeship as a watchmaker at the tender age of 15, he moved to Versailles in France. Twelve years later, Breguet founded his own company on the Île de la Cité in Paris. This marked the beginning of Breguet’s illustrious career, which was embellished with a host of inventions and royal clients. A headless queen and a 10,000,000 euro watch Breguet’s watches were among the most sought-after brand-name products of their time. European courtiers as well as diplomats, scientists and artists formed his regular and extremely well-paying clientele. The Queen of France, Marie Antoinette, was one of his most famous and loyal customers. The young and beautiful Marie Antoinette, one of the brightest stars in the royal constellation of the time, inspired both adoration and disapproval in aristocratic circles by serving as a model for the Breguet watches she so 114 FINE WINE & CHAMPAGNE INDIA admired. Indeed, the most famous Breguet watch of all was named after the Queen. The fascinating story of the Breguet No 160 watch, also known as the ”Marie Antoinette”, begins one night in 1783. Abraham-Louis Breguet awoke to a loud banging at his door. He opened it to find a young officer purportedly sent by one of Marie Antoinette’s lovers, who wanted to commission Breguet to make the finest watch ever known, no matter how much it would cost or how long it would take to produce. The watch was to be made of nothing but the finest, most precious materials and contain all the known complications of the time, such as a perpetual calendar which adjusted for leap years, an equation of time, a minute repeater that chimed out the minutes and even a thermometer. Breguet began work on the watch immediately, but the challenge proved to be more demanding than anyone had anticipated. Breguet’s No 160 watch was eventually finished some 44 years later, four years after the death of Breguet himself. The ill-fated Queen never lived to see the finished product either, as she was sentenced to death for treason by a revolutionary tribunal in 1793. The watch was initially entrusted to the Breguet family, after which it changed hands only a few times over two centuries, finally ending up at the L.A. Mayer Museum for Islamic Art in Jerusalem. In 1983, there was a break-in at the museum and the watch was stolen. Its current whereabouts are unknown. The Leonardo of watchmakers Clocks have evolved a great deal from the first time humans planted a stick in the earth to follow the traverse of the sun. When examining the relatively short 500-year-long history of crafting timepieces, one watchmaker rises above the rest. Abraham-Louis Breguet (1747–1823) is a veritable renaissance man of the watchmaking world and arguably the finest watchmaker to have ever lived. In addition to being a technically gifted and inventive watchmaker, he can also be considered a designer and marketer far ahead of his time. The direction of style in which a watch’s hands, numbering and intricate engravings demonstrate the sophisticated sense of form of its designer still bears Breguet’s signature.

FINE Lifestyle Hand-wound Breguet 3091 Classique ”Grande Complication” with tourbillon FINE WINE & CHAMPAGNE INDIA 115

Breguet ”Reine de Naples” 116 FINE WINE & CHAMPAGNE INDIA

FINE Lifestyle First wristwatch Perhaps the most famous Breguet invention was his tourbillon. The tourbillon is a watch escapement in which the balance spring, escapement wheel and pallet fork make a complete rotation every minute. A tourbillon corrects the rate error caused by the movements of an ordinary balance spring and the watch user. Today, only the most expensive creations of the most prestigious watchmakers employ the tourbillon, whose construction is considered the pinnacle of watchmaking skill. Breguet’s shop was also the birthplace of the wristwatch. It took two and a half years to make the Breguet No 2636 wristwatch before it could be delivered to its commissioner on 10 June 1810. Its perfect movement consisted of such complications as a repeater. A repeater is a complex striking work, which chimes out the time when a button is pressed on the left side of the watch. The striking work first marks whole hours, then quarter hours and finally, possibly, the remaining minutes. This makes it possible for the wearer to know what time it is, even in pitch darkness. The watch was ordered by Napoleon’s sister Caroline, the erstwhile Queen of Naples. Sympathetic clock One of Breguet’s most ingenious and yet most ”unnecessary” inventions was a so-called watch stand. The basic idea behind a watch stand, which was part of a table clock, was to wind a pocket watch, set the right time, and place it on the stand for the night. The invention was dubbed the ”Sympathetique”. Its production proved to be extremely expensive and time-consuming, and Breguet only managed to make five Sympathetique clocks during his lifetime. Breguet’s idealistic inventor persona is aptly illustrated by the fact that it was he himself who developed a movement that regulated the time kept by a pocket watch, even though in reality his pocket watches were so accurate that there was no need to constantly reset them. With Sympathetique clocks it was hardly a matter of fulfilling a real need; rather, it served more as a demonstration of Breguet’s overwhelming technical skill as well as a marketing tool. Indeed, all five of Breguet’s Sympathetique clocks were commissioned by kings. FINE WINE & CHAMPAGNE INDIA 117

Hand-wound Breguet 3988 Classique ”Grande Complication” with double tourbillon. The timepiece of kings After the death of Breguet, the company continued making watches, first under his son, Antoine-Louis Breguet, and then his grandson, Louis Breguet, beginning in 1833. The House of Breguet produced hand-made watches at a rate of approximately two hundred a year for such clients as Selim III, the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire, King George III of England, Louis XVIII, King of France, Fuad I of Egypt and Tsar Alexander I of Russia. Starting at 10,000 euros Breguet is still one of the most prestigious watchmakers, if not the most prestigious. Only Patek Philippe has a history and reputation nearly as glorious. Breguet still manufactures its watches by hand, and its production volume is only a fraction of other watchmakers, such as Rolex. Breguet watches are considered truly luxury items, with prices starting at 10 000 euros and ranging all the way up to 200 000 euros for Tourbillon watches. The buyer of a Breguet will have his or her name immortalised in the corporate records alongside other Breguet clients, such as Napoleon and Alexander I. The author has been an aficionado of timepieces longer than a taster of wines. His specific area of interest encompasses wristwatches, and pocket watches converted to wristwatches, from the late 19th century and early 20th century. He is especially fond of rattrapantes and repeaters, and is also the proud owner of three Breguet watches. 118 FINE WINE & CHAMPAGNE INDIA

PARADISE ISLAND 120 FINE WINE & CHAMPAGNE INDIA

FINE Destination IN THE MALDIVES Text: Es s i Ave ll an MW Photos: Soneva Fushi and Es si Avel l an I’m on my way to paradise. After an overnight flight, we land in the early morn­ ing on the tiny airfield of the island of Malé in the Maldives. Waiting for trans­ port to our final destination, Soneva Fushi, I look at the crowds. It’s obvious which of the passing tourists are arriving, and which are leaving. Those strolling along with a copper tan and a relaxed smile have already spent their holiday in paradise. Mine is just beginning, as Soneva’s reception staff lead me to the hydro­ plane serving as a taxi. The tiny plane takes off with a thundering noise, leaving behind dozens of other hydroplanes, larger aeroplanes and finally the town of Malé itself, with its peculiar and colourful yet rustic architecture. From the air, one gets a tangible sense of the size of the Maldives. Stretching out 800 km southwest of the southern tip of India, the archipelago consists of 1190 islands and atolls, 200 of which are inhabited and 80 of which provide tourist accommodation. The lowness of the Maldives is striking. The archipelago has the lowest elevation in the world, with up to 80 per cent of the land area being less than one metre above sea level. Any rise in sea level due to climate change might be fatal to the Maldives. The extensive tourist business is in fact harnessed to finance the future survival plans of the country. FINE WINE & CHAMPAGNE INDIA 121

After a 35-minute flight heading north, we reach the Baa Atoll and the privately owned island of Kunfunadhoo. We touch down on the softly rippling turquoise water and coast towards a small raft bobbing on pontoons. After the pilot has helped the passengers disembark, a fast motor boat pulls up to the jetty and takes us on. We quickly approach an island that seems straight out of Robinson Crusoe, and a young man who introduces himself as my very own Friday asks to take my shoes. “‘No news, no shoes’ policy, ma’am,” he explains. The Slow Life concept of Soneva compels even the most die-hard workaholics to let go. I feel strange having to give up my shoes, but there is no time to dwell upon the fact as my man Friday is 122 FINE WINE & CHAMPAGNE INDIA already placing a coconut with a straw in my hand. I’m on holiday now. ECOLOGICAL LUXURY Upon arrival at Soneva Fushi which is bathing in golden sunlight, Friday drives my companion and I in a golf buggy to our villa, one of the 65 on the island. Just a dozen metres from the beach, our whitewashed house is shrouded by vegetation, so that there is no sign of habitation from the shore. Yet each villa has its own private stretch of beach where you can sunbathe or read in the shade. In spite of the humidity, the 30-degree temperature is pleasant, although direct sunlight soon starts to feel uncomfortable. The inte-

FINE Destination rior of the villa is ecological and rustic, yet luxurious. My absolute favourite is the huge bathroom, much of which is outdoors. The contrast between the cool air-conditioned interior and the caressing warmth and humidity of the outdoor air is delicious. A snorkel and flippers await me in the room, and I cannot wait to take my first plunge into the crystal-clear water. The lapping, warm water embraces me, but a whole new world awaits below the surface. I swim away from the shore towards the coral reef and start exploring. Schools of fish in all the colours of the rainbow swim past or stop to watch me as I study the exotic colours and forms of the corals. Multicoloured reef triggerfish, small sharks and gigantic rays swim close by, undisturbed by my presence. The Maldives is a diver’s paradise, and at Soneva Fushi you can take diving lessons ranging from beginners’ courses to advanced levels. BIKING IN PARADISE Before dinner I want to get a closer look at the island, which in the context of the Maldives is quite large at 1400 m long and about 400 m wide. The most convenient form of conveyance here is the bicycle, and every visitor has one waiting in front of the villa. The rear mudguard of my bicycle carries the number of our villa, but to my surprise I see hardly any numbered bikes on the meandering paths on the island. Nearly all the other FINE WINE & CHAMPAGNE INDIA 123

bikes have initials, and I soon learn that those who return to the island receive their own personalised signs as a symbol of visitor loyalty to Soneva Fushi. Random encounters with the other holidaymakers reveal that most of them are regulars. Some visit Soneva Fushi once a year, and a Swiss-French group of friends I meet have been doing so ever since the resort opened in 1995. I’m checking out the island’s main restaurant and its bar, Mihiree Mitha, before 124 FINE WINE & CHAMPAGNE INDIA dinner, when the principal owner and CEO of the Soneva chain, Sonu Shivdasani, enters. He knows most of the regulars, and spends a while with us sipping champagne aperitifs. With an air of refinement and success, Shivdasani comes from an Indian background, but his flawless British accent reveals he has studied at the best universities in England. “My wife and I fell in love with the Maldives in the early 1990s. Apart from hard work, there was also an element of luck in that we made a success of Soneva Fushi,” says Shivdasani. Sonu and Eva Shivdasani are pioneers of environmental luxury tourism in the island state, and Soneva Fushi still has a legendary reputation based on that. Subsequently, two more of these Six Senses resorts have been opened in the Maldives, Soneva Gili and Laamu. Six Senses paradise resorts are also found in Thailand, Vietnam, Oman and Jordan. “Our core values are sustainability, local

FINE Destination and organic sourcing, wellness and learning,” Sonu says, describing the philosophy of the Six Senses chain. And Fushi does indeed offer many things to learn. The observatory has sessions in astronomy, and there are excursions led by a marine biologist to teach visitors about corals and other marine creatures. Sonu is a great wine aficionado, so there are many wine-related events. “We have had people like Frédéric Rouzaud, the CEO of Louis Roederer, and representatives of Champagne Billecart-Salmon and Champagne Louis de Sacy visit to let our clients in on the secrets of champagne.” Admittedly, champagne does taste incredibly good on a dolphin cruise at sunset. However, alcohol in the Maldives is not cheap, so this is not a place to make champagne finds. The prices are high due to expensive freight and steep taxes. At the more inexpensive end of the scale of FINE WINE & CHAMPAGNE INDIA 125

lands, introduces me to the wine list and the climate-controlled cellar where tastings can also be arranged. LOCAL FOOD champagne cellars at Soneva Fushi is Louis Roederer Brut Premier (USD 135). The premium champagne of the house, Cristal, comes with such a dizzying price tag (USD 1100) that Krug Grande Cuvée seems almost a bargain in comparison (USD 580). Most of the clientele on the island is unfazed by the prices, however, so the consumption of champagne is considerable. The island’s sommelier, Jesper Kok from the Nether- 126 FINE WINE & CHAMPAGNE INDIA In the evening we mount our bikes and head along the winding jungle roads to the Fresh in the Garden restaurant. It serves modern Maldivian cuisine made from local produce, much of which comes from the organic gardens on the island. Fresh seafood, tuna and other local fish feature heavily on the menu of the kitchen led by the Dutch chef Björn van der Horst. Organically grown herbs and salads are truly tasty. The dishes are simple, with the pure taste of the ingredients preserved. We also try out cocktails made with fresh fruit juice, although organic wines are a speciality of the restaurant. By the time we reach the coconut ice cream dessert, how-

WHOLESOME WELLNESS On my first morning on the island I wake up feeling so energised that starting the day at the gym and with a refreshing morning swim seems a natural choice. Later, I walk along the beach with my companion to Mihiree Mitha, to enjoy breakfast with the waves lapping at our feet. We select a table under the trees, right next to the beach. Most of the smiling staff are locals, and their helpfulness and warmth is striking. Under the guidance of Nicolas Messian, the French food and beverage manager at Soneva Fushi, we explore the breakfast buffet, which includes everything one could wish for, from several Asian dishes to European classics. I order an omelette with my choice of fillings and enter a room that has a huge selection of breads and pastries. I skip them this time, however, in favour of fresh exotic fruit, sliced to one’s wishes, as well as freshly squeezed fruit juices. They are a must in a place like this! I have decided to dedicate the morning to the Six Senses Spa therapies for which Soneva Fushi is famous. I choose a classic 90-minute Thai massage. In the beautiful and luxuriously quiet spa, I dress in a white robe, because in Thai massage one remains dressed. The skilful male masseur works unhurriedly on my entire body with strong pressing motions and prolonged yoga-like stretches. I am truly beginning to relax, and can no longer be bothered to plan the rest of my day. I just go with the flow. FINE Destination ever, we are running late, because we want to experience the island’s outdoor cinema. We cycle along lantern-lit paths towards Cinema Paradiso. Built on the site of a former helipad, the jungle cinema consists of a large screen and a couple of dozen beach chairs. I order popcorn and a glass of Louis Roederer Brut Premier champagne, and recline under the stars to enjoy the classic movie The Great Gatsby. The next days on the paradise island are spent swimming, eating and reading. I relish the sense of leisure, and find that I open my laptop less and less every day. I have not kept up to date with world events – the only things I’m interested in each day are the size of the waves and the sunshine. However, every holiday must come to an end. When I finally board the boat to the hydroplane that will take me back, I am reintroduced to the strange feeling of shoes. The holiday is over. > Soneva Fushi Kunfunadhoo Island Baa Atoll, Republic of Maldives Tel: +960 660 0304 reservations: fushi@sixsenses.com www.sixsenses.com/soneva-fushi FINE WINE & CHAMPAGNE INDIA 127

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