T HE WORL D’S ONLY CHAMPAGNE M AGA Z I N E No. 1 2 £ 2 5 • € 3 0 • U S $ 3 5 • C a n $ 3 5 • A u s $ 3 5 Harvest Tour 2013 • Louis Roederer Cristal • French Riviera • Sushi and Champagne • Visiting Champagne 1 0 0 B e s t C h a m pag n e s f o r 2 0 1 4

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FINE Discovering Champagne F i n e C o n t e n t s 11 12 14 Fine Editorial Avellan Fine Event Taittinger Fizzes up the FIFA World Cup in Brazil Fine 100 Best Best Champagnes for 2014 Champagnes 48 Page 96 FINE Destination Fine Estate Perfectly Cut Cristal 57 Fine Champagne 27 Expressions of Cristal 68 Fine Champagne Sushi & Champagne & Food 74 Fine Harvest Harvest tour 2013 82 Fine Discovering Planning a trip to Champagne Champagne 96 Fine Destination Bubbles and Other Treats 108 Fine Lifestyle Lamborghini – Success Through Persistence Page 108 FINE Lifestyle Fi n e C o n t e n t s Page 82 3

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CHAMPAGNE MAGAZINE WRITERS Editor-in-Chief Pekka Nuikki pekka.nuikki@fine-magazines.com Editor Essi Avellan MW essi.avellan@fine-magazines.com Publisher Meri Kukkavaara meri@fine-magazines.com Copy Editor Craig Houston Creative Director Teemu Timperi teemu.timperi@fine-magazines.com Cover art & illustrations Minna Liukkonen Senior Adviser Charles A. Banks 10 Contributors Oumy Diaw, Andreas Larsson, Jan-Erik Paulson, Petri Nevalainen Photographers Michael Boudot, Pekka Nuikki, Jouni Harala Translator Eva Malkki, Jaana Wiik Sales Martine Mäkijärvi martine@fine-magazines.com Financial Manager Noora Mähönen noora.mahonen@fine-magazines.com Subscriptions and queries www.fine-magazines.com subs@fine-magazines.com +358 (0)10 289 1000 Publisher Oy Fine Publishing Ltd, 100 Pall Mall, St James London SW1Y 5HP, UK © Copyright: FINE Champagne Magazine Ltd ISSN: 1797-433X FINE Magazines does not keep nor return illustrations or other materials that have been sent in without request. The opinions of contributors or interviewees presented in this magazine do not necessarily correspond to the opinions of the publisher or editorial staff. We withhold the right to make any modifications in texts and pictures published in FINE Champagne Magazine. We reserve the right to refuse or suspend advertisements. Pekka Nuikki Editor-in-Chief Pekka Nuikki, founder and editor-in-chief of FINE Magazines, is an author and one of the leading experts on fine wines in Europe. He has published over twenty international wine and art books, among them In Vino Veritas, a book on investing in wines, Drinking History on fine wines and their vintages between 1870–1970, a book about the Château MoutonRothschild – Wine and Art 1924–2003 and most recently a book about the best German white wines. Mr Nuikki is also an award-winning photographer, who has exhibited his artwork all over the world and he has worked as creative director of advertising agency group. He is also the luckiest man in the world, having hit seven hole-in-ones. Essi Avellan MW Editor Essi Avellan is Finland’s first Master of Wine. Recognized as an international wine authority and a champagne specialist, Avellan is the author of numerous champagne and wine books. She has also recently revised and extended the third edition of Tom Stevenson’s awardwinning sparkling wine bible Christie’s World Encyclopedia of Champagne and Sparkling Wine. Essi Avellan is a reputed wine judge, in addition to FINE Magazines and The World of Fine Wine tasting panels she has acted as the chair of Decanter World Wine Awards’ Champagne panel and is a jury member at Champagne and Sparkling Wine World Championships. She has been awarded the titles of Dame Chevalier of Ordre de Coteaux de Champagne. Juha Lihtonen Editorial Adviser Juha Lihtonen is the editor of FINE – The Wine Magazine and its American & Scandinavian editions and manyfold Finnish sommelier champion. He was selected as the best sommelier in the Nordic 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. He has written books on combining wine and food. Richard Juhlin Contributor Richard Juhlin is a world-renowned champagne specialist famous for holding the world record for the number of champagnes tasted. Up until today, 6946 champagnes have passed his lips. He has also written several books on the subject: Champagneboken in 1995, 2000 Champagnes in 1999, The Great Tasting in 2000, 3000 Champagnes in 2002, 4000 Champagnes in 2004 and the Richard Juhlin Champagne Guide in 2008. In 2002, Juhlin received a “Merite de Agricole” from the French Ministry of Agriculture. Amanda Regan Contributor With experience making wine in Champagne, Burgundy and Victoria, Amanda Regan has a Masters degree in Wine Technology, Management & Marketing, and a background in art and design. Ms Regan is an experienced wine judge, regularly tasting in major international wine competitions such as the IWC, IWSC, Decanter World Wine Awards, Vinalies Paris, Mondiale du Pinot Noir, Mondiale du Ros? and Mundus Vini. She has been awarded the dignified title of Dame-Chevalier de l’Ordre des Coteaux de Champagne, and the honour of Scholar of the Len Evans Tutorial.

Editorial S While the new growing season is already advancing rapidly in the vineyards, the time has come to reveal the results of our annual classification of the 100 Best Champagnes. The competition was tougher than ever for the top positions and for the first time in this classification’s history our vote went to a rosé champagne, Louis Roederer’s Cristal Rosé from the glorious 2002 vintage. Having already been on the markets for a number of years, it has been rewarding to follow its progress and evolution. Blooming beautifully today with brightness, class and personality, its charms are irresistible. To celebrate Cristal’s success in our classification, we have a full feature of the house for you. To back up the facts with practical experience, we will also share our notes from the recent and comprehensive 26-vintage Cristal tasting we did in Helsinki. Aside from Cristal, this issue also features the tasting notes for every one of the 100 Best Champagnes available on the markets at the moment. Furthermore, we have comprised Top 10s for the various types and styles of Champagne to help you find the right wines and identify the best bargains. The summer of 2014 will pair many glorious summer events with our favourite drink. The greatest of them will undoubtedly be the FIFA World Cup in Brazil, and for the first time in the World Cup’s history champagne is officially included in the celebrations. The honour of “Official Supplier” was given to Champagne Taittinger, and in this issue the man behind the deal, Clovis Taittinger, shares with us his feelings and expectations right before the month-long worldwide football celebration begins. I wish you a great summer with fine champagnes! Essi Avellan Essi Avellan MW Editor Fi n e E d i t o r i a l ummer is finally here! What it means for Champagne is that the blends from yet another vintage are finished and safely ageing in the dark and cool cellars. To celebrate a job well done, in this issue we will take a look at the harvest and blending of the 2013 vintage. 11

“I have retained a deep passion for football. At best the game can be so magical and artistic. It is able to take your heart into your brain, it is indescribable.” Clovis Taittinger 12

Taittinger fizzes up the FIFA World Cup in Brazil Text: Essi Avellan MW T Congratulations, you are the first champagne house ever to become FIFA’s official champagne! What is the cooperation’s significance to Taittinger and what was your reason for seeking this position? More than significance it is pride for our company and by extension pride for the entire Champagne appellation. We should all be very proud that our region and our wines are so intimately connected with the most prestigious and emotional events in the world, whatever they are, sport, culture, art… For Taittinger, only six years after the family re-purchased the company, the challenge was to show our teams – the internal one, our foreign partners and our clients – that with more will, more passion, more energy and more craziness, Taittinger is able to innovate, surprise and build a differentiation not only through the wines but also through marketing. We do not wish to be followers but actors and learn from these new adventures. With all our good energy, Taittinger should always drive with high speed and on the highest level of creativity. How do you intend to promote Taittinger as the official champagne? To make this partnership even bubblier, we have created a collector’s bottle with state of the art holographic technology and an innovative gift pack, as well as different, exiting marketing and animation initiatives – from table soccer to the Taittinger villa in Rio de Janeiro. The Brazilians are famously enthusiastic consumers of champagne, so how many bottles of Taittinger do you expect to be popped open in Brazil during the World Cup? Brazilians are suffering from very high import taxes, which slows their consumption. But when they consume it, they really go for it. Regarding Taittinger, the volumes are still a secret! What is your personal relationship to football? It is a dream of my childhood and I wanted to be Michel Platini! Despite a few infidelities, I have retained a deep passion for football. At best the game can be so magical and artistic. It is able to take your heart into your brain, it is indescribable. What are you most looking forward to in the World Cup? Big emotions, great football, friendship between all the nations – and one month of total party to reward Brazil with the prize of the nicest and most smiling country in the world. Who will win the World Cup this year? Brazil or France. Fi n e E v e n t he world is counting down the days until the beginning of the 2014 FIFA World Cup in the cradle of soccer, Brazil. Champagne Taittinger has been selected as the official champagne for this month-long international football carnival, so FINE Champagne interviewed Clovis Taittinger to get an idea of how he is feeling in the run-up to the big event. 13

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Fi n e 1 0 0 B e s t C h a m pa g n e s 15 Text: Essi Avellan MW Photos: Michael Boudot The champagne consumer is bewildered with choice for a reason; there are 299 houses, 67 selling cooperatives and 4,722 selling growers producing a number of different cuvées every year. How is a consumer to pick out a champagne that is truly high in quality, worth its price and at its best on that particular day? This is where FINE Champagne’s shortlist of 100 Best Champagnes comes to play. This year we blind tasted over 250 champagnes that are currently available on the market. Any champagne making it to the Top 100 in our rigorous tasting can be warmly recommended. Still, there can only be one winner. In 2010 the title was given to Armand de Brignac Brut Gold NV, in 2011 to Piper-Heidsieck Rare 2002, in 2012 to Taittinger Comtes de Champagne 2000 and finally in 2013 to Charles Heidsieck Vintage 2000. This year it was rosé for the first time that won the title of the Best Champagne.

16 C ontrary to popular belief, the scope in style and quality is at least as wide for champagne as any other fine wine of the world perhaps even wider due to champagne’s blended nature and the large role played by the cellar master in crafting the final product. Even if many markets are saturated by just a few famous names, the reality of champagne is incredibly diverse. It comes in variable types, from prestige cuvées to vintages and non-vintages, while its styles range from blanc de blancs to blanc de noirs, rosés, and alternating sweetness levels. In this article we will guide you towards the best choices for each of the types and styles available. The world’s best champagne – today Our aim with this annual ranking is to taste the entire offering currently on the international markets in order to select the champagnes that are showing best this very moment. The most important criterion is the quality of the wine and its accessibility today. In fact, we believe these to be the only characteristics that really matter to the consumer. We assess the wines on the 100-point scale. We do not give points for future expectations, which is the reason most top champagne’s points are likely to rise as it approaches maturity. We may mention the wine’s cellaring potential in the verbal evaluation, and will also give our estimation of when the wine should be at its best. As many age-worthy prestige cuvées are released young, they may not be able to show their true character at this early stage. These are the wines the consumer should leave in the cellar for a number of years. Even though we encourage the producers to enter their most recent releases, any release that is still commercially available anywhere in the world can be considered – even if it is of limited availability. Still, as this ranking essentially consists of current releases, we have also considered late-disgorged and champagnes over the age of 15 and placed them in their own category under the title ‘Library Vintages’. Hence they are not shown on the main list but instead introduced in the honorary awards later in the article. Contrary to many other wine rankings, this list of the 100 best champagnes is not based on a single tasting; instead, we wanted to take into account all of the tastings that we were privy to during the year. This gives us a comprehensive view of the quality and ‘enjoyability’ of the wines and allows us to eliminate the odd “bad” bottle from our ratings. For the shortlist we had chosen 250 champagnes and carried out a blind tasting. The best 30 wines of the blind tastings were re-tasted in the final, which was held in Reims. Results The average score of the wines making it on to the Top 100 list was 89.5 points, which represents a half-point increase compared to last year. Furthermore, the competition for the top position was tighter than ever, with the wines from one to six all within one point of each other. The winner – by a very small margin - was the magnificent Louis Roederer Cristal Rosé 2002 with 93.82 points, making it the first rosé in the history of this ranking to take the top prize. Curiously, we noticed a remarkable, and continually improving, track record from previous years: in 2010 it finished in 9th position, in 2011 5th position and finally, in 2012, it climbed as high as 3rd. This perfectly exemplifies the effect of time on the finest prestige cuvées. Cristal and Cristal Rosé need time, hence the cellar master decided not to enter the current vintage, but an older release still available on the market. But a recent, fresh and perky vintage can show just as well, as was proven by Dom Pérignon’s latest 2004 release reaching second place thanks to an outstanding score of 93.76 points; Cristal blanc 2002, meanwhile, again finished 3rd with 93.39 points. For the fourth-placed wine we shifted to a completely different price category. Charles Heidsieck’s beautifully age-complex, non-vintage Rosé Réserve competed on a par (93.14 points) with wines worth many times its price tag, making it unquestionably the best bargain based on our tasting. In 5th place we have our 2011 winner, Piper-Heidsieck Rare, which is still going strong, as a very respectable score of 93.07 points demonstrates. Additionally, our Top 10 this year included many mouthwatering names which need no introduction: Krug’s Grande Cuvée in 7th position ousted its big brother Krug Vintage 2000 into 9th position. Pol Roger did better than ever, with the superb Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill 2000 finishing in 8th place while the beautifully showing Vintage 2002 was the final wine to make it into the Top 10.

Top vintage champagnes Of the soft and mellow 1999s, Charles Heidsieck Rosé Millesimé was still our favourite despite dropping from 4th place to 16th, while the Top 100 also included the mature and generous Billecart-Salmon Cuvée Nicolas Francois Billecart (46th) and the harmonious G.H. Mumm Cuvée René Lalou (75th). The bold, rich 2000 vintage was as impressive as ever; in the top 10 we saw two fine examples in Pol Roger Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill (8th) and Krug Vintage (9th). Our best grower champagne, Paul Bara Comtesse Marie de France from the same year, showed beautifully as it slipped into 29th position. It was a tour de force for the 2002 vintage. In addition to the winning wine, altogether nine 2002s made it into the top 30. In addition to the aforementioned, Ruinart’s Dom Ruinart (14th) and Dom Ruinart Rosé (19th) demonstrated excellence. 2002 was also proven to be a great vintage for De Saint Gall Orpale, which finished 28th. The hot 2003 season produced rather unusual wines, but Dom Pérignon clearly mastered the year. In our ranking the opulent yet remarkably fresh Dom Pérignon Rosé slightly improved its ranking from last year’s 22st position to 18th this time around. There were many fine examples from the energetic 2004 vintage. Dom Pérignon in 2nd position was followed by Laurent-Perrier Alexandra Rosé (13th), Veuve Clicquot La Grande Dame (24th) and Moët & Chandon Grand Vintage (32th) – all of which are great wines to hold on to and cellar. The ripe 2005 vintage did better than expected, with Henriot Rosé Millésime excelling as it claimed 6th position. The house’s regular vintage was consistently good in 20th position, with other notable examples including Taittinger Comtes de Champagne (11th), Jacquart Cuvée Alfa (22nd) and Pierre Mignon Cuvée Madame (26th). No top positions were granted to cuvées from the warm and approachable 2006. Its best performers were Gosset Grand Millésime (41th), Paul Bara Spécial Club Rosé (42th), Louis Roederer Vintage (50th), Taittinger Millésime (59th) and Pierre Gimonnet Fleuron (78th). The scarcely declared 2007 vintage had two fine examples on the list: Gosset Célébris Rosé (15th) and Louis Roederer Vintage Blanc de Blancs (53th). The best wines of the great 2008 vintage have yet to be released but a fine foretaste of what is to come was the Louis Roederer Vintage Rosé (48th). Pleasant non-vintage surprises Many familiar names from last year’s ranking again populated the best nonvintage list. In addition to the aforementioned Charles Heidsiecks and G.H. Mumm Brut Sélection Grand Cru, it was Gosset Grande Réserve (23th), Taittinger Les Folies de la Marquetterie (27th) and Laurent-Perrier Cuvée Rosé (30th) that impressed us the most. The best-performing non-vintage demi-sec was Piper-Heidsieck Cuvée Sublime (34th). The annual list of the 100 best champagnes available on the markets is based on tastings and ratings by FINE Champagne Magazine’s editorial team and selected expert guest judges. The final score given to each wine consists of the average of the blind tastings. > Fi n e 1 0 0 B e s t C h a m pa g n e s Another top buy was Henriot Rosé 2005, which ended up in 6th position thanks to its score of 93 points. Overall, prestige cuvées expectedly occupied the majority of the top spots, and made up around 37 per cent of the whole Top 100 list. Quite satisfactorily, the non-vintage wines take up a further 42 per cent, with the first of them – Charles Heidsieck Rosé Réserve – achieving an applaudable fourth position. Its counterpart, Charles Heidsieck Brut Réserve, was once again the best white non-vintage in 17th position, while another praiseworthy non-vintage was G.H. Mumm’s Brut Réserve (21st). The vintage category was represented on this list by 21 wines, with Henriot Rosé Millésime 2005 (6th), Pol Roger Vintage 2002 (10th), Pol Roger Blanc de Blancs (12th), Charles Heidsieck Vintage Rosé 1999 (16th), Henriot Millésime 2005 (20th) and De Castelnau Millésime 2002 all making it into the top 30. 17

100 Best for Champagnes 2014 18 Ranking 1–25 Points 1 Louis Roederer Cristal Rosé Brut 2002 93.82 2 Dom Pérignon Brut 2004 93.76 3 Louis Roederer Cristal Brut 2002 93.39 4 Charles Heidsieck Rosé Réserve Brut NV 93.14 5 Piper-Heidsieck Rare Brut 2002 93.07 6 Henriot Rosé Millésime Brut 2005 93.02 7 Krug Grande Cuvée Brut NV 92.93 8 Pol Roger Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill Brut 2000 92.71 9 Krug Vintage Brut 2000 92.68 10 Pol Roger Vintage Brut 2002 92.38 11 Taittinger Comtes de Champagne Brut 2005 92 12 Pol Roger Blanc de Blancs Brut 2002 92 13 Laurent-Perrier Alexandra Rosé Brut 2004 92 14 Ruinart Dom Ruinart Brut 2002 92 15 Gosset Célébris Rosé Extra Brut 2007 92 16 Charles Heidsieck Vintage Rosé Brut 1999 92 17 Charles Heidsieck Brut Réserve Brut NV 92 18 Dom Pérignon Rosé Brut 2003 92 19 Ruinart Dom Ruinart Rosé Brut 2002 92 20 Henriot Millésime Brut 2005 92 21 G.H. Mumm Brut Sélection Grand Cru NV 92 22 Jacquart Cuvée Alfa Brut 2005 91 23 Gosset Grande Réserve Brut NV 91 24 Veuve Clicquot La Grande Dame Brut 2004 91 25 De Castelnau Millésime Brut 2002 90

26–50 Points 26 Pierre Mignon Cuvée Madame Brut 2005 90 27 Taittinger Les Folies de la Marquetterie Brut NV 90 28 De Saint Gall Orpale Brut 2002 90 29 Paul Bara Comtesse Marie de France Millésime Brut 2000 90 30 Laurent-Perrier Cuvée Rosé Brut NV 90 31 Nicolas Feuillatte Palmes d'Or Brut 2002 90 32 Moët & Chandon Grand Vintage Brut 2004 90 33 Veuve Clicquot Brut NV 90 34 Piper-Heidsieck Cuvée Sublime Demi-Sec NV 90 35 Laurent-Perrier Grand Siècle Brut NV 90 36 Armand de Brignac Brut Gold NV 90 37 De Castelnau Réserve Brut NV 90 38 Henriot Rosé Brut NV 90 39 Gosset Grand Rosé Brut NV 90 40 Henri Giraud Aÿ Grand Cru Fût de Chêne Brut NV 90 41 Gosset Grand Millésime Brut 2006 90 42 Paul Bara Spécial Club Rosé Brut 2006 90 43 Armand de Brignac Blanc de Blancs Brut NV 90 44 Billecart-Salmon Blanc de Blancs Brut 2004 90 45 De Saint Gall Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Extra Brut NV 90 46 Billecart-Salmon Cuvée Nicolas Franç François Billecart Brut 1999 89 47 J. Dumangin Trio des Ancêstres Cuvée Firmin Chardonnay Brut Nature NV 89 48 Louis Roederer Vintage Rosé Brut 2008 89 49 Gosset Célébris Extra Brut 2002 89 50 Louis Roederer Vintage Brut 2006 89 Fi n e 1 0 0 B e s t C h a m pa g n e s Ranking 19

100 Best for Champagnes 2014 20 Ranking 51–75 Points 51 Louis Roederer Brut Premier Brut NV 89 52 Pol Roger Vintage Rosé Brut 2004 89 53 Louis Roederer Vintage Blanc de Blancs Brut 2007 89 54 Henriot Blanc de Blancs Brut NV 89 55 G.H. Mumm Mumm de Cramant Brut NV 89 56 Henri Abelé Millésime Brut 2004 89 57 Pol Roger Pure Extra Brut NV 89 58 Alexandre Penet Cuvée Rosé Extra Brut NV 89 59 Taittinger Millésime Brut 2006 89 60 Henri Abelé Le Sourire de Reims Rosé Brut 2002 89 61 Drappier Millésime Exception Magnum Brut 2004 89 62 Veuve Clicquot Rosé Brut NV 89 63 De Venoge Louis XV Rosé Extra Brut 2002 89 64 De Sousa Grand Cru Réserve Blanc de Blancs Brut NV 89 65 Nicolas Maillart Les Francs de Pied Extra Brut 2005 89 66 De Castelnau Rosé Brut NV 88 67 Jacquart Brut Mosaïque Brut NV 88 68 Piper-Heidsieck Brut NV 88 69 Piper-Heidsieck Rosé Sauvage Brut NV 88 70 Drappier Grande Sendrée Brut 2004 88 71 Alfred Gratien Brut NV 88 72 Pierre Mignon Prestige Rosé de Saignée Brut NV 88 73 Boizel Joyau de France Rosé Brut 2004 88 74 Armand de Brignac Rosé Brut NV 88 75 G.H. Mumm Cuvée René Lalou Brut 1999 88

76–100 Points 76 Waris-Larmandier Rosé Brut NV 88 77 De Venoge Brut Réserve Rosé Brut NV 88 78 Pierre Gimonnet Fleuron Brut 2006 88 79 Drappier Blanc de Blancs Brut NV 88 80 Doyard La Libertine Doux NV 88 81 Collet Brut NV 88 82 Besserat de Bellefon Cuvée des Moines Millésime Brut 2002 88 83 Beaumont des Crayères Grand Prestige Brut NV 88 84 Piper-Heidsieck Vintage Brut 2006 88 85 Drappier Rosé Pinot Noir Brut Nature NV 88 86 Gaston Chiquet Blanc de Blancs d'Aÿ Brut NV 88 87 Henri Giraud Hommage à Franç François Hémart Brut NV 88 88 Jacquart Rosé Brut NV 87 89 Alfred Gratien Cuvée Paradis Brut 2006 87 90 Lanson Gold Label Brut 2004 87 91 Louis de Sacy Brut Rosé Grand Cru NV 87 92 Waris-Larmandier Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs Brut NV 87 93 Mansard Brut NV 87 94 Drappier Charles de Gaulle Brut NV 87 95 Beaumont des Crayères Grande Réserve Brut NV 87 96 G.H. Martel Victoire Millésime Brut 2005 87 97 De Venoge Cordon Bleu Brut NV 87 98 Château de Bligny Blanc de Blancs Brut NV 87 99 Henriot Brut Souverain Brut NV 87 100 Besserat de Bellefon Cuvée des Moines Extra Brut NV 87 Fi n e 1 0 0 B e s t C h a m pa g n e s Ranking 21

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TOP 10 100 BEST Champagnes for 2014 1 2 Louis Roederer Cristal Rosé Brut 2002 94p (93,82p) Colour: Pale peachy Nose: Beautifully subdued, pure and elegant nose of ripe peach, gentle spiciness and minerality Palate: Bright fruity, intense yet refined, lacey texture and the softest mousse Ending: Perfectly long, vibrant and mouthwatering In a nutshell: As elegant as it gets Buy or not: Yes, and there is still some around When to drink: 2014–2030 Food pairing: Chicken Bresse 24 Final verdict: Finesse meets power and precision (93,39p) (93,76p) Dom Pérignon Brut 2004 Colour: Medium-deep lemon-green Nose: Rich, soft, toast and cardamom nose with fragrant complexity Palate: Zesty, crisp, tight yet smooth, very pure and pleasurable Ending: Long and compact In a nutshell: Buy or not: Beautiful, finestructured, a ballerina Yes When to drink: 2014–2025 Food pairing: Final verdict: Chicken with cardamom butter Flirtatious and playful 4 3 93p 94p Louis Roederer Cristal Brut 2002 Colour: Medium-deep lemon-gold Nose: Rich, nutty, spicy and salty with charred elements, evolving with beautiful toastiness underneath Palate: Fresh and powerful, opulent, soft and rich with beautiful cushiony mousse Ending: Long and concentrated yet linear In a nutshell: Tour de Force Buy or not: Simply yes When to drink: 2014–2025 Food pairing: Lobster Thermidor 93p (93,14p) Charles Heidsieck Rosé Réserve Brut NV Colour: Medium-deep peachy Nose: Soft, Pinot nose, characterful, toasty, fragrant, mineral and meaty Palate: Complex, mellow with freshness Ending: Long, fruity, soft In a nutshell: Seamless with beautiful reserve wine mellowness Buy or not: You should always have some of this in the fridge When to drink: 2014–2018 Food pairing: Smoked salmon with morel sauce

TOP 10 100 BEST Champagnes for 2014 93p (93,07p) Piper-Heidsieck Rare Brut 2002 6 Colour: Deep lemon Nose: Stylish, rich, caramelized, tropical fruit, cappuccino, beautifully toasty with sweet spiciness Palate: Full, wide, firm and soft, mellow, even oily balate with fine freshness, plenty of depth Ending: Long and concentrated (93,02p) Henriot Rosé Millésime Brut 2005 Colour: Pale salmon with peachy hues Nose: Beautiful berried nose of freshness, chalky-mineral notes, forest floor Palate: More light-weight on the palate than nose suggested, etheral, elegant, silky Ending: Zesty and lingering In a nutshell: Beauty When to drink: 2014–2019 In a nutshell: Character, depth and charm Food pairing: Grilled mussels Buy or not: Yes When to drink: 93p Final verdict: Easygoing but far from being boring 2014–2020 Food pairing: Grilled mussels Final verdict: Absolutely fabulous 7 93p (92,93p) Krug Grande Cuvée Brut NV 8 (92,71p) Colour: Medium-deep lemongreen Nose: Rich, evolving nose of depth, some spicy new oak notes, gunpowder, oriental spice, vanilla and ripe apple Palate: Full, layered, mellow and firm Ending: Concentrated yet with elegance In a nutshell: Highly intense with potential Buy or not: Yes In a nutshell: Simply delicious Buy or not: When to drink: 93p Krug Vintage Brut 2000 Colour: Deep lemon gold Nose: Rich, overt, coffee, gunpowder, flower, toffee and spice nose with a distinct oaky tone Palate: Strong, leesy, muscular and compact Ending: Firm, long and concentrated In a nutshell: Aged beauty When to drink: 2014–2025 Food pairing: Saltimbocca alla Romana Final verdict: Big and beautiful Yes 2014–2025 Food pairing: Fried turbot with lemon risotto Final verdict: Finely crafted (92,68p) Pol Roger Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill Brut 2000 Colour: Medium-deep lemon Nose: Super-rich, toasty, freshly ground coffee, lemon, red fruit, stylish, pure, expressive, intense Palate: Wide, fleshy, round and mellow Ending: Long and concentrated When to drink: 2014–2025 Food pairing: Sole Meunière 9 93p 10 Final verdict: Beautiful wine, expressive with plenty of future potential 91p (92,38p) Pol Roger Vintage Brut 2002 Colour: Medium-deep lemon Nose: Stylish, richly fruity, creamy with subdued toastiness, sweet melon, green apple Palate: Very fine, smooth mousse, crisp and linear Ending: Long and balanced In a nutshell: Finely crafted Buy or not: Yes When to drink: 2014–2020 Food pairing: Fried tiger prawns Final verdict: Refined, focused and polished Fi n e 1 0 0 B e s t C h a m pa g n e s 5 25

100 BEST Champagnes for 2014 11 92p Taittinger Comtes de Champagne Brut 2005 12 92p Final verdict: Potential for beautiful creamy complexity 92p Ruinart Dom Ruinart Brut 2002 When to drink: In a nutshell: 15 92p Charles Heidsieck Brut Réserve Brut NV Colour: Deep bright golden Nose: Rich, soft, mellow sweet candied nose with coffee, fudge and yeasty layers Palate: Wide and fleshy, soft Ending: Persistent with agecomplexed depth In a nutshell: Liquid gold Buy or not: Yes, a good call for a house champagne When to drink: 2014–2019 Food pairing: Fried scallops Final verdict: Fully mature, mellowed with beautiful aged aromas 92p An epitome of a fine blanc de blancs Gosset Célébris Rosé Extra Brut 2007 When to drink: 2014–2019 Food pairing: Guinea fowl confit Final verdict: 16 An intellectual wine, Burgundy-like Final verdict: Colour: Medium-deep orangehued Nose: Complex, mature with sweet dried fruit, red berry, undergrowth, coffee and toast notes Palate: Long, veltet-smooth and mellow, starting to loose vibrancy Ending: Layered and persistent In a nutshell: An aged beauty Buy or not: Yes, while it is still available, no reason to age further 2014–2020 18 A delicate, tart rosé with plenty of character 92p Dom Pérignon Rosé Brut 2003 Colour: Deep cherry pink colour Nose: Beautifully vinous, rich, soft and fragrant pepper and strawberry nose Palate: Fleshy, velvety, fresh and powerful with Pinot structure with even a touch of tannin Ending: Strong and structured In a nutshell: A super wine still in infancy Buy or not: Absolutely When to drink: 2014–2025 Food pairing: Veal entrecôte Final verdict: Class and character in one bottle Charles Heidsieck Vintage Rosé Brut 1999 92p When to drink: 2014–2018 Food pairing: Aperitif Food pairing: Thai-spiced shrimps 17 Final verdict: In a nutshell: Aggressive nature but a real character, bound to divide opinion Buy or not: If you don't mind brisk acidity Tight as a knot for the time being A bold and powerful blanc de blancs still holding it back Buy or not: Do not miss this When to drink: 2014–2022 Colour: Medium-deep peachy Nose: Mild, soft, still youthful nose with toasty complexity and ripe sweet red berry and raspberry candy notes Palate: Stylish, clean fruit, tart, lean and zesty Ending: Long, supertight with unforgiving acidity Buy or not: Buy now but resist the temptation to open in the next couple of years. The wait will be rewarded. When to drink: 2014–2025 Final verdict: In a nutshell: More a wine than a fizz Food pairing: Gratinated Oysters Colour: Medium-deep lemongreen Nose: Beautiful, restrained, reductive, elegant, green and white fruit nose with smoke, lemon, toffee, coconut Palate: Highly youthful buttery-creamy palate with the smoothest mousse Ending: Long, lean, linear, lemony-mineral 26 Colour: Medium-deep peachy Nose: Stylish, slightly reserved, evolving, characterful Pinot nose of forest floor, raspberry, spice Palate: Full, vinous with subdued power Ending: Long, intense, tight In a nutshell: Not yet perfect harmony but loaded with precursors of future complexity Buy or not: Yes, do stock up When to drink: 2014–2022 Food pairing: Crayfish mousse on buttered toast Laurent-Perrier Alexandra Rosé Brut 2004 92p Colour: Medium-deep lemongold Nose: Stylish, pure, exuberant, beautifully toasty and sweet burned match and leesy nose Palate: Rich, deep yet light, compact, still youthful palate with highly energetic mousse Ending: Still tight but full of promised Colour: Medium-deep lemon Nose: Rich, soft lemony and fragrant nose with toastiness, floral, chalky, ocean iodine Palate: Crisp, very pure, medium-bodied and focused, tight at first, opens up in the glass Ending: Linear and lingering In a nutshell: Crispy clean and pure Buy or not: Yes 14 Pol Roger Blanc de Blancs Brut 2002 13 Food pairing: Cold cuts 19 Final verdict: 92p A caressing comfort wine Ruinart Dom Ruinart Rosé Brut 2002 Colour: Medium-deep cherry salmon Nose: Fresh and feisty, fragrant raspberry and cherry nose, subdued gunpowdery and smoky tones Palate: Silky and creamy, lean and medium-bodied Ending: Zesty and long with some tannin at the finish In a nutshell: Opulently berried but smoky-mineral Buy or not: Yes When to drink: 2014–2028 Food pairing: Duck confit Final verdict: Strong Pinot character with great aging capacity

100 BEST Champagnes for 2014 92p Henriot Millésime Brut 2005 21 92p Colour: Medium-deep lemongreen Nose: Stylish, seductive, sweet nose, tropical fruit, yeast, cereal, toffee, gunpowder Palate: Saten-smooth and refined, lightweight but with fine fruit intensity Ending: Lingering and beautifully clean In a nutshell: Colour: Pale lemon-green Nose: Mild, bright, elegant nose with perfectly pristine fruit and subdued aged complexity Palate: Pretty palate with smooth texture and fluffy mousse Ending: Mild, fresh, vibrant and classy In a nutshell: Stunner Buy or not: Yes, great value When to drink: 23 91p 2014–2020 When to drink: Colour: Medium-deep lemon Nose: Mild, overt and, promising patisserie, wax, vanilla cream, toffee and preserved apricots nose Palate: Crisp, zesty, energetic Ending: Long, lean, highly acidic In a nutshell: Final verdict: 24 91p In a nutshell: Palate: Full, velvety, harmonious Ending: Long, nutty and concetrated In a nutshell: Fruity delight Buy or not: Yes When to drink: 2014–2018 Food pairing: Fried scallops Final verdict: Performs but does not excel Food pairing: French onion soup Final verdict: 25 90p Pure style with muscle Ripe and round, typically to the vintage De Castelnau Millésime Brut 2002 In a nutshell: Aged depth Buy or not: Yes, but do cellar it for a couple of years When to drink: Buy or not: Yes 2014–2020 When to drink: Food pairing: Gratinated oysters Final verdict: Fruitforward and crisp but with moderate complexity Colour: Deep lemon Nose: Fruit-forward, creamy with red fruit depth, light oxidative tone Veuve Clicquot La Grande Dame Brut 2004 2014–2018 Palate: Rich, developed with fruit starting to fade Ending: Long, concentrated and supple 2014–2018 Cuvée Madame 90p Pierre Mignon Brut 2005 When to drink: 2014–2018 Palate: Crisp and intense with minerality Ending: Compact, still holding back A bit austere but full of fruit 26 Buy or not: For short to mediumterm drinking Colour: Deep lemon-gold Nose: Beautifully toasty, smooth, developing coffee and cream nose Food pairing: Sole Meunière Final verdict: In a nutshell: Soft and wide Colour: Pale lemon-green Nose: Pronounced red fruit, straw, grass, spice and dough nose Buy or not: Yes When to drink: Palate: Fluffy mousse, soft palate, balanced ripe acidity Ending: Adequate length with opulent fruit So inviting and delicious So feminine and delicate but with great intensity Jacquart Cuvée Alfa Brut 2005 Colour: Medium-deep bright lemon Nose: Round, rich, soft, bisquity nose with red fruit and light oxidative notes Food pairing: Vendace roe toasts Delightful, all pieces in place Gosset Grande Réserve Brut NV 92p Buy or not: Yes, and look at the price Food pairing: Fried whitefish with chanterelle sauce Final verdict: G.H. Mumm Brut Sélection Grand Cru NV 22 27 90p Colour: Medium-deep lemon Nose: Mild, gently toasty fragrant nose with white fruit, spearmint and iodine-like minerality Palate: Smooth and round, light-weight yet intense palate with fine fluffy mousse and fresh lemony backbone Ending: Pure and pleasurable In a nutshell: Seamless and easy to appreciate Buy or not: Yes When to drink: 2014–2020 Food pairing: Panfried pike-pearch with truffle potato duchesse Final verdict: Food pairing: Grilled turbot Pure, sophisticated and light Taittinger Les Folies de la Marquetterie Brut NV Refined and polished 2014–2017 Final verdict: High quality fruit and pretty aging characters, surprisingly mature for the vintage, ready to drink 28 90p De Saint Gall Orpale Brut 2002 Colour: Deep golden Nose: Stylish, refined with depth, subdued white fruit, soft vanilla, toast and spice Palate: Evolved, buttery, firm yet fresh Ending: Blockbuster In a nutshell: Fruit purity with depth Buy or not: Yes When to drink: 2014–2020 Food pairing: Grilled monkfish with cepes Final verdict: Long, concentrated Fi n e 1 0 0 B e s t C h a m pa g n e s 20 27

100 BEST Champagnes for 2014 29 90p Paul Bara Comtesse Marie de France Millésime Brut 2000 30 90p Colour: Deep golden Nose: Rich, beautifully charred, evolving, honeyed nose with baked apple, apricot and spices Palate: Fleshy and rich, very crisp, soulful Ending: Long and succulent In a nutshell: Colour: Pale cherry pink Nose: Pretty, spicy, sweet cherry nose Power with finesse In a nutshell: 2014–2019 Final verdict: 32 90p In a lovely stage now, no signs of oxidation, just beautiful mellow bottle age Moët & Chandon Grand Vintage Brut 2004 When to drink: In a nutshell: Final verdict: 33 90p 35 90p Laurent-Perrier Grand Siècle Brut NV Colour: Pale lemon-green Nose: Mild, soft, fresh but reserved nose with toffee, butter and lemony minerality Palate: Intense and layered with a fine, vibrant mousse Ending: Long-lasting, concentrated and succulent In a nutshell: Still timid but full of life Buy or not: Yes, and preferably store for a few years When to drink: 2014–2025 Food pairing: Crayfish soup Final verdict: Potential for greatness Food pairing: Smoked whitefish mousse Final verdict: 34 90p When to drink: All pieces at place 36 90p When to drink: In a nutshell: In between styles Buy or not: If price is not an obstacle When to drink: 2014–2018 Food pairing: Fried scallops Final verdict: Light-weight, easygoing and elegant but not much complexity 2014–2018 Food pairing: Green thai curry shrimps Easy to approach but with complexity and elegance Colour: Pale lemon Nose: Soft, mild, elegant, spicy with overt fruit Palate: Fresh and smooth with medium intensity, a fine delicate mousse Ending: Balanced and fresh Sweet but not too sweet Buy or not: Yes 2014–2019 Armand de Brignac Brut Gold NV Piper-Heidsieck Cuvée Sublime Demi-Sec NV In a nutshell: Food pairing: Grilled scallops Final verdict: Dressed to impress Colour: Deep lemon-gold Nose: Soft, elegant, subdued fruity nose with white flowers and toasty complexity Palate: Wide, smooth, noticeably sweet but mellow and balanced Ending: Long and fresh with sweet fruit Buy or not: Understated elegance 2014–2020 What is to be expected of a good champagne Delivers in its elegance, balance and vibrancy Veuve Clicquot Brut NV In a nutshell: Flawless and pleasant Food pairing: Sauteed lobster Final verdict: 2014–2019 Colour: Medium-deep lemon Nose: Refined, subdued, ripe white and red fruit nose with light floral fragrancy Palate: Light-weight, pure, elegant, restrained Ending: Clean, crisp and succulent Buy or not: Yes, and do let it age further When to drink: Buy or not: Yes When to drink: 2014–2018 Food pairing: Smoked salmon Colour: Medium-deep lemon Nose: Evolving, sweet ripe fruit nose with depth, straw, lemon, marengue, beautiful autolytic undertones Palate: Crisp, medium-bodied, structured, firm, mineral, perfectly balanced Ending: Medium-long and compact 28 In a nutshell: Pronounced and aged but slightly lifeless Red fruit dominant complemented by aged characters Buy or not: Yes Food pairing: Miso marinated salmon Nicolas Feuillatte Palmes d'Or Brut 2002 90p Colour: Pale lemon-green Nose: Fresh, layered vanilla, orange-peel and dough nose Palate: Strong, dry, firm palate with a fine mousse Ending: Long, concentrated Palate: Subtle, generous, balanced, elegant with an energetic mousse Ending: Medium-long, fresh, compact Buy or not: Yes When to drink: Laurent-Perrier Cuvée Rosé Brut NV 31 Final verdict: 37 90p Finely balanced and with plenty of autolytic complexity De Castelnau Réserve Brut NV Colour: Deep lemon-gold Nose: Rich and opulent with toffee, honey and toast complexity Palate: Full and round with fine depth Ending: Long and concentrated In a nutshell: Classy Buy or not: Yes, a great buy When to drink: 2014–2019 Food pairing: Chanterelle soup Final verdict: Hedonistic experience, no need to wait any longer

100 BEST Champagnes for 2014 90p Henriot Rosé Brut NV 39 90p Colour: Medium-deep peachy Nose: Sweet fruity, evolving fresh berry nose Palate: Elegant, subdued, velvet smooth palate with good intensity Ending: Refreshing and vibrant Colour: Pale peach Nose: Crisp, elegantly toasty, coffeed with sweet fruits in opulence Palate: Floral, etheral, smooth and silky Ending: Pure and pleasurable In a nutshell: Pristine Buy or not: Yes When to drink: In a nutshell: 2014–2018 41 90p Colour: Medium-deep yellow Nose: Stylish, rich, ripe red fruit, confectionary and yeast nose Palate: Tart, zesty and clean with good ripeness of fruit Ending: Long and energetic In a nutshell: When to drink: A delicate and highly pleasurable rosé Gosset Grand Millésime Brut 2006 Power and precision Final verdict: 42 90p 2014–2018 Billecart-Salmon Blanc de Blancs Brut 2004 Colour: Medium-deep lemongreen Nose: Pronounced white fruit, toffee, lemon and cardamom nose with nutty notes Palate: Powerful, linear and compact Ending: Structured and fresh In a nutshell: A powerful, firm style blanc de blancs Buy or not: Yes, and it is worth keeping When to drink: 2014–2019 Food pairing: Prawn soup Final verdict: Bravo especially for the structure In a nutshell: A highly oak infuenced syle but with under-control oxidation Buy or not: Yes, if oaky champagnes appeal When to drink: 2014–2018 Food pairing: Chicken alla Milanese 43 45 89p In a nutshell: Buy or not: A silver bottle for a silver wedding? When to drink: Final verdict: 46 89p 2014–2018 Food pairing: Fried pike-perch with chanterelle foam Final verdict: Like a proper blanc de blancs should be, elegant, light, vivacious yet intense Smooth and seductive Billecart-Salmon Cuvée Nicolas François Billecart Brut 1999 Colour: Medium-deep lemon Nose: Rich, powerful, evolving nose with ripe red fruit, confectionary, nuts and perfumy notes Palate: A light, oxidising note on the palate, bruised red apple with spiciness Ending: Long, strong but not very refined In a nutshell: Buy or not: Yes When to drink: 2014–2017 Food pairing: Shrimp avocado salad A bold fruit-bomb The toast blows you away Armand de Brignac Blanc de Blancs Brut NV In a nutshell: Purity in bottle 2014–2020 Colour: Deep bright golden Nose: Open and inviting, stunningly toasty, lemon, coffee, cream and burned match nose Palate: Very dry palate, not as luscious as the nose, but fruit purity shows pristinely Ending: Long, linear and very dry Clearly oak dominent but successfully so Colour: Pale lemon-green Nose: Delicate, fresh, clean and youthful white fruit and white flower nose Palate: Lean, fresh and soft, coming with a fine mousse Ending: Light and refreshing Muscles dressed to impress De Saint Gall Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Extra Brut NV Final verdict: 90p Food pairing: Truffle risotto Final verdict: Henri Giraud Aÿ Grand Cru Fût de Chêne Brut NV Colour: Deep lemon with peachy hue Nose: Full with oaky undertones, aromatic wood, red fruit, red onion, spice Palate: Full, rich, vinous and concentrated Ending: Long, vinous and powerful Buy or not: Absolutely When to drink: Final verdict: A tart style with plenty of delicious fruit 90p Paul Bara Spécial Club Rosé Brut 2006 In a nutshell: 90p Harmony in pink Colour: Deep salmon Nose: Rich strawberry nose, plenty of clean fruit, fruit-forward and candied Palate: Overt, wide, velvety, concentrated Ending: Long and clean, full of bright, succulent fruit Food pairing: Sole Walewska 44 2014–2020 Food pairing: Smoked whitefish Buy or not: Yes When to drink: A delicate, crisp style Buy or not: Yes Food pairing: Crayfish risotto Final verdict: Gosset Grand Rosé Brut NV 40 Impressive but troubled by the light oxidative note Buy or not: Yes When to drink: 2014–2020 Food pairing: Cold-smoked eel Final verdict: Masculine and muscular Fi n e 1 0 0 B e s t C h a m pa g n e s 38 29

100 BEST Champagnes for 2014 47 89p J. Dumangin Trio des Ancêstres Cuvée Firmin Chardonnay Brut Nature NV 48 In a nutshell: Vinous yet streamlined 50 Food pairing: Soya marinated fried Salmon with lemon risotto Final verdict: Not your typical blanc de blancs but comes with fine concentration and plenty of character 89p Louis Roederer Vintage Brut 2006 Colour: Pale lemon Nose: Soft, refined nose with white fruit and honey underlined with smoky and mineral toastiness Palate: Sweet, opulent fruitiness, soft, lingering, balanced Ending: Long and pleasant, beutifully toasty 30 In a nutshell: Crowd-pleaser When to drink: Final verdict: 51 89p In a nutshell: 2014–2020 53 89p Louis Roederer Vintage Blanc de Blancs Brut 2007 Colour: Pale lemon-green Nose: Characterful nose with an enticing combination of gunpowder, popcorn, green asparagus, roasted nuts and lemon Palate: Medium-bodied, linear, crisp, lively and pure Ending: Long and succulent In a nutshell: Thought-provoking Buy or not: Yes When to drink: 2014–2020 Food pairing: Aperitif Final verdict: What more could one ask? Final verdict: 52 89p When to drink: The perfect palaterefresher 54 89p When to drink: 2014–2021 In a nutshell: Happiness in a glass Buy or not: Yes When to drink: 2014–2018 Food pairing: Grilled scampi with lime and coriander Final verdict: Food pairing: Creamy shrimp risotto Polished to perfection Colour: Medium-deep lemon Nose: Soft, ripe toffee, apple and melon nose with beautiful leesy depth Palate: Crisp and energetic, light-weight Ending: Medium-long and fruit-forward Straight to the goal, playfully Hard to dislike Buy or not: Yes 2014–2019 Henriot Blanc de Blancs Brut NV Pol Roger Vintage Rosé Brut 2004 In a nutshell: Food pairing: Seafood platter Final verdict: Bright fruit, firm structure Colour: Medium-deep raspberry-hued salmon Nose: Rich, vinous and toasty nose with ripe strawberry characters and lovely floral undertone Palate: Full-bodied, muscular, fresh and smooth Ending: Persistent and full of fruit Buy or not: Yes Refined, persistent and intense, all pieces at place 2014–2019 Food pairing: Fruit de mer salad Freshness and livelyness Louis Roederer Brut Premier Brut NV An ultimate refreshment Buy or not: Yes When to drink: 2014–2020 Colour: Pale lemon Nose: Mild and round white fruit nose with elegant charred toastiness underneath apples, cardamom and oceanic notes Palate: Crisp, light-weight palate with fine mousse Ending: Long and lean with lovely acidity Food pairing: Lobster Thermidor Final verdict: In a nutshell: Berry-flavoured elegance Food pairing: Calamari Buy or not: Yes When to drink: Colour: Deep lemon-gold Nose: Soft, ripe and fresh nose of pastry, vanilla, lime and passionfruit Palate: Crisp, lemony and tart with a gentle mousse Ending: Long and dry Buy or not: Yes Buy or not: Yes, a nice curiosity with its sibling cuvées made of Pinot Noir and Meunier When to drink: 2014–2019 Gosset Célébris Extra Brut 2002 89p Colour: Glossy pale peach Nose: Fresh, zesty and vivid with cherry, cranberry and bisquity notes Palate: Long, light-weight, elegant, quite straight-forward but focused and firm Ending: Long, pure, clean Colour: Deep golden Nose: Rich, overt, evolving nutty, mineral and charred nose with lifted notes Palate: Long and linear, strong, distinctly oaky but stylishly so Ending: Concentrated In a nutshell: Louis Roederer Vintage Rosé Brut 2008 89p 49 Final verdict: Refined, fresh and complex. 55 89p G.H. Mumm Mumm de Cramant Brut NV Colour: Pale lemon-green Nose: Soft and fresh, lemony-floral nose with sulphuric coffee notes Palate: Crisp, lean and creamy with a soft, gentle mousse Ending: Long and dry, mouthwatering In a nutshell: Very blanc de blancs Buy or not: Yes When to drink: 2014–2019 Food pairing: Oysters Final verdict: Really invigorating but with lifted sulphuric notes that will mellow over time

100 BEST Champagnes for 2014 89p Henri Abelé Millésime Brut 2004 57 89p Pol Roger Pure Extra Brut NV Colour: Medium-deep lemon Nose: Mild, clean, fresh and youthful pear and peach nose Palate: Soft, fluffy and creamy, lightweight and elegant Ending: Long, dry with good fruit purity Colour: Medium-deep lemon Nose: Full and creamy with depth, ripe white and red fruit, spice and floral aromas in opulence Palate: Rich with sweet fruitiness Ending: Soft, mild and long In a nutshell: Pleasurable and sophisticated In a nutshell: Buy or not: Yes When to drink: 2014–2018 When to drink: 89p Taittinger Millésime Brut 2006 Colour: Medium-deep lemon Nose: Deep, fresh nose of ripe fruit and cream with lovely underlying toastiness Palate: Fluffy mousse, fresh, intense palate, best described as seamless and energetic Ending: Long and pure In a nutshell: Sensual and silky 60 89p In a nutshell: When to drink: Ripe and fruity with a fine textural feel 89p Veuve Clicquot Rosé Brut NV Colour: Medium-deep cherrypink with copper hues Nose: Subdued, fresh, chalky mineral red berry nose Palate: Fresh, fleshy and firm Ending: Long, fruit-forward In a nutshell: Red berry pleasure Buy or not: Yes When to drink: 2014–2020 Food pairing: Tuna carpaccio Final verdict: Would benefit from some extra ageing, plenty of Pinot characters waiting to blossom 63 89p Final verdict: 61 89p Nose: Complex, aromatic and mature nose of dried apricot, leather, toast and forest floor Palate: Voluptuous yet crisp Ending: Long and vinous In a nutshell: Mature and Burgundy-like Buy or not: Yes When to drink: 2014–2018 Food pairing: Duck confit Final verdict: A big character Zesty and refreshing Drappier Millésime Exception Magnum Brut 2004 Colour: Deep lemon-gold Nose: Evolving nose of red fruit, apple and nuts with light oxidation and earthyness Palate: Full, fleshy and fresh but slightly hollow Ending: Medium-long, dry In a nutshell: Crisp with some depth but fruit is decreasing on the palate Buy or not: Yes When to drink: 2014–2017 Food pairing: Chicken Tandoori Final verdict: Gourmand Colour: Deep onionskin 2014–2016 Food pairing: Smoked whitefish 2014–2018 De Venoge Louis XV Rosé Extra Brut 2002 Pure pleasure as a rosé should be Buy or not: Yes When to drink: Food pairing: Veal fillet with couscous Final verdict: 62 Funky and exotic Buy or not: Yes, this wine has a truly unique character 2014–2020 Food pairing: Crayfish platter Final verdict: Henri Abelé Le Sourire de Reims Rosé Brut 2002 Colour: Deep onionskin hued colour Nose: Strong, sweet, vinous red berry and apricot nose with baking spices Palate: White pepper on the wide, velvety palate Ending: Lovely spiciness up until the finish Buy or not: Yes When to drink: In a nutshell: 2014–2017 Final verdict: Pleasant, pure and fresh with a fine balance for such a dry champagne Alexandre Penet Cuvée Rosé Extra Brut NV Colour: Medium-deep orangehued Nose: Mellow, clean and fresh, floral and lightly toasty nose Palate: Dry, light-weight palate with succulence Ending: Pleasantly fruity even if not very complex Food pairing: Whitefish mousse with aniseed rye bread Pure pleasure 59 89p Buy or not: Yes Food pairing: Smoked salmon with asparagus Final verdict: Flawless and pleasurable 58 64 89p Good characteristics but not for long-term keeping De Sousa Grand Cru Réserve Blanc de Blancs Brut NV Colour: Medium-deep lemon Nose: Overt, classy oyster shell nose with tropical tones and gentle toasty-creamy complexity Palate: Full, zesty, compact, palate of fine intensity Ending: Long and dry In a nutshell: Fine crafting Buy or not: Yes When to drink: 2014–2018 Food pairing: Seafood platter Final verdict: Classy minerality Fi n e 1 0 0 B e s t C h a m pa g n e s 56 31

100 BEST Champagnes for 2014 65 89p Nicolas Maillart Les Francs de Pied Extra Brut 2005 66 89p In a nutshell: In a nutshell: Concentrated, evolved yet heavily oaked Buy or not: Yes Final verdict: Food pairing: Pan-fried halibut with chanterelle sauce 68 88p Piper-Heidsieck Brut NV Colour: Medium-deep lemon colour with straw hues Nose: Bright, nuanced nose with toasty complexity and bisquit and vanilla notes Palate: Medium-bodied, smooth with a stylish mousse Ending: Long and refreshing 32 In a nutshell: Joie de Vivre Buy or not: 2014–2018 When to drink: Aperitif 69 88p 88p Alfred Gratien Brut NV Colour: Pale lemon Nose: Soft, clean, youthful nose with confectionary, fresh apples, hint of smoke and gunflint Palate: Full, fresh, balanced with good energy Ending: Long and crisp In a nutshell: Lovely energy and purity Buy or not: Yes When to drink: 2014–2020 Food pairing: Aperitif Final verdict: Beautifully refreshed by the fine acid line, a pleasure now but will improve for the next five years When to drink: Final verdict: Sendrée Brut 88p Drappier Grande 2004 Colour: Deep golden Nose: Rich, mature and mellow red fruit and baking spice nose with minerality Palate: Smooth mousse, focused, loaded with character Ending: Dry, persistent and silky In a nutshell: When to drink: 88p Pierre Mignon Prestige Rosé de Saignée Brut NV Colour: Pale onion-skin Nose: Fresh, fruity, strawberry and spice nose with flintiness alongside aged characters Palate: Crisp, smooth and quaffable Ending: Dry, finishing with a mineral touch In a nutshell: Very pleasurable, easy but not boring Buy or not: Yes When to drink: 2014–2016 Food pairing: Sauteed whitefish with grilled asparagus Final verdict: Fine red fruit character here 2014–2018 Food pairing: Onion soup Final verdict: Food pairing: Grilled chicken 72 Soulful Buy or not: Yes 2014–2018 A strong, deeply coloured rosé in a gourmand style Light and elegant style 70 Buy or not: Yes When to drink: 2014–2017 Food pairing: Aperitif Colour: Deep cherry colour Light and elegant style Made to appeal Buy or not: Yes A light style playing successfully on the sulphuric toast element Piper-Heidsieck Rosé Sauvage Brut NV Final verdict: 71 In a nutshell: 2014–2017 Nose: Fresh nose all about red berries, sweet strawberry jam, vanilla and a touch of cinnamon Palate: Fluffy mousse and lively yet supple palate with nice toastiness bringing complexity Ending: Medium-long but comes with some tannin at the finish In a nutshell: All about berries and toast Food pairing: Vivacious with fine fruit purity Final verdict: Pure pleasure Food pairing: Smoked whitefish 2014–2017 A fleshy and developed Pinot Noir ready to be enjoyed Nose: Soft and mild, fruity character with vanilla, apricot, tropical fruit and Asian spices Palate: Fresh, clean, linear, compact Ending: Refined, citrussy, long and dry Buy or not: Yes When to drink: Jacquart Brut Mosaïque Brut NV Colour: Medium-deep lemon Nose: Beautifully toasty-smoky nose with cherry and gunpowder aroma Palate: Vivacious, light-weight body with intensity, smooth mousse Ending: Medium-long, crisp Nose: Pronounced smoky and yeasty nose with apricot and brioche Palate: Strong, heavily oaked, vinous palate Ending: Long, oak-dominant but stylishly mineral Final verdict: 88p Colour: Deep peachy Colour: Deep golden When to drink: De Castelnau Rosé Brut NV 67 73 88p Stylish and something unique Boizel Joyau de France Rosé Brut 2004 Colour: Deep onion-skin Nose: Mild, subtely perfumey nose with red fruit, brioche and lactic notes Palate: Lean and energetic with a silky mousse Ending: Pure, crisp finish In a nutshell: Neatly made Buy or not: Yes When to drink: 2014–2017 Food pairing: Salmon pastrami Final verdict: Quite a mild, restrained style coming with fine freshness

100 BEST Champagnes for 2014 88p Armand de Brignac Rosé Brut NV 75 88p Colour: Medium-deep lemonstraw Nose: Soft yet rich with nutty characters along side ripe white fruit and mellow yeasty notes Palate: Smooth and rich, balanced Ending: Long and vinous Colour: Pale peachy Nose: Soft, red berry nose with forest floor and cherry jam depth Palate: Firm, even slightly austere palate with a steely bite Ending: Long but dried by some tannin In a nutshell: In a nutshell: Unfulfilled expectations When to drink: Food pairing: Nightclubbing 77 88p De Venoge Brut Réserve Rosé Brut NV Colour: Medium-deep cherry pink Nose: Fresh, clean and succulently fruity with fresh strawberries and floral notes Palate: Dry, refreshing, delicately fruity Ending: Zesty and mouthwatering In a nutshell: Quaffable Final verdict: 78 88p When to drink: 80 88p 2014–2017 Colour: Deep golden Nose: Clean, mellow and sweet nose with honeysuckle, lime and white flowers in a reserved style Palate: Voluptuous, sweet but balanced, very soft mousse Ending: Long and succulent In a nutshell: Unique style, sweet yet aged Buy or not: Yes When to drink: 2014–2019 Food pairing: Fresh, light desserts or foie gras Final verdict: When to drink: Beautiful, maturing aromas of Chardonnay in a sweet but not overly sweet style Final verdict: Gastronomic style with life ahead of it 79 88p 81 88p Colour: Medium-deep lemony Nose: Mild, crisp and lemony nose with white fruit aromas, fine cleanliness of fruit Palate: Dry and zesty palate, lean with medium intensity Ending: Long and elegant In a nutshell: Invigorating Buy or not: Yes When to drink: 2014–2017 Food pairing: Grilled Lobster Final verdict: Lean, light-weight and vivacious Drappier Blanc de Blancs Brut NV Colour: Deep lemon In a nutshell: Happy days Buy or not: Yes When to drink: 2014–2017 Food pairing: Crab cake 2014–2018 Collet Brut NV Clean, youthful and easy to drink Nose: Mild, soft peach and apricot nose with vanilla Palate: Fresh, clean and crisp, light-weight but coming with a good intensity Ending: Dry and firm Characterful Classic Côte des Blancs blanc de blancs material 2014–2017 Food pairing: Tuna carpaccio Final verdict: Food pairing: Seafood platter Final verdict: Fruitbomb but not much more Buy or not: Yes When to drink: Buy or not: Yes Appealing fruit-driven style without great complexity Doyard La Libertine Doux NV In a nutshell: 2014–2020 Pierre Gimonnet Fleuron Brut 2006 In a nutshell: Food pairing: Salmon tartar Final verdict: Nose: Straightforward berry nose with ripe strawberry fruit with aniseed Palate: Medium-bodied, zesty, fruit-driven but one-dimensional Ending: Dry and firm Peaceful, mellow wine in balance Colour: Medium-deep lemongreen Nose: Soft and overt, intense ripe tropical fruit nose with attractive toastiness and light lifted note Palate: Strong and compact, dry Ending: Long, vivid and finishing with a crisp mineral bite Buy or not: Yes Waris-Larmandier Rosé Brut NV Colour: Deep ruby Food pairing: Creamy mushroom risotto 2014–2018 Final verdict: Promising nose but lacks charm, finesse and complexity on the palate 88p Buy or not: Yes Buy or not: Overpriced but a guaranteed showstopper When to drink: G.H. Mumm Cuvée René Lalou Brut 1999 76 Round, fruity and ready to serve 82 de Bellefon Cuvée des 88p Besserat Moines Millésime Brut 2002 Colour: Deep lemon Nose: Mild, fine-tuned creamy and buttery, white fruit nose Palate: Clean, crispy, mineral palate with medium intensity Ending: Dry and mouthwatering In a nutshell: Refresher Buy or not: Yes When to drink: 2014–2018 Food pairing: Sushi Final verdict: Light and elegant, apertif and seafood champagne Fi n e 1 0 0 B e s t C h a m pa g n e s 74 33

100 BEST Champagnes for 2014 83 88p Beaumont des Crayères Grand Prestige Brut NV 84 Piper-Heidsieck Vintage Brut 2006 88p Colour: Pale lemon-green Nose: Fresh and floral, zesty nose with candy, cardamom and white fruits Palate: Clean, appealingly soft, singular but comes with a good fruit intensity, slightly foamy mousse Ending: Persistent and vivacious In a nutshell: Colour: Deep lemon In a nutshell: When to drink: 86 88p Gaston Chiquet Blanc de Blancs d'Aÿ Brut NV Final verdict: 87 88p Colour: Pale lemon-green 34 Nose: Fresh peach and citrus fruit nose with clean fruitiness Palate: Light-weight but energetic and crisp with mouthwatering lemony acidity Ending: Lingering, dry and light lemony aftertaste In a nutshell: Simple but cheerful 89 87p Nose: Oak-influenced lemony-floral nose with austere green apple notes and oyster like minerality Palate: Zesty, zippy and linear with fine intensity Ending: Long, lemony and very dry with a mineral bite In a nutshell: Streamlined power Buy or not: Yes When to drink: 2014–2022 Food pairing: Fresh oysters Final verdict: Beautiful oak-handling Food pairing: Aperitif Final verdict: 88 88p When to drink: 90 87p Nose: Refined, floral nose with opulent with cream and butter depth Palate: Promising nose but the palate remains tight and tart Ending: Long, zesty yet reserved In a nutshell: Lovely nose, less expressive on the palate Buy or not: Yes, but do cellar it for a couple of years When to drink: 2014–2020 Food pairing: Fried pike-perch with butter sauce Final verdict: Needs a bit of time but has great energy, cleanliness and precision 2014–2017 Food pairing: Aperitif Final verdict: Stylish wine with fine oak handling Colour: Medium-deep lemony Crisp yet still tight Buy or not: Yes When to drink: 2014–2018 Lanson Gold Label Brut 2004 Jacquart Rosé Brut NV In a nutshell: Classy Food pairing: Sushi with ginger Final verdict: Singular yet fruitintense and mellow Colour: Medium-deep salmoncherry Nose: Stylish, quite restrained style with light sulphuric notes, mild berried and mineral undertone Palate: Fluffy, lean and light with clean and crisp fruitiness Ending: Medium-long, dry Buy or not: Yes Enjoyably light and vivacious Colour: Medium-deep lemon When to drink: 2014–2018 Subdued complexity but still young and tight Henri Giraud Hommage à François Hémart Brut NV In a nutshell: 2014–2017 Alfred Gratien Cuvée Paradis Brut 2006 Buy or not: Yes 2014–2020 Nose: Ripe yet fresh,exotic floral nose with peardrops, jasmine, tropical fruits and candy tones Palate: The palate is not as expressive as the nose, round and fruity with a touch of oak coming through Ending: Refined and dry Food pairing: Smoked whitefish mousse Final verdict: In a nutshell: All about Pinot Noir Colour: Medium-deep lemon Buy or not: Yes When to drink: Fresh and flirty Food pairing: Smoked eel 2014–2017 Performs and pleases Colour: Medium-deep salmon pink Nose: Soft and clean, ripe berry nose with strawberry dominating Palate: Light-weight, elegant, quite straight-forward but firm and crisp Ending: Very dry but balanced Buy or not: Yes, and preferably store for a few years Not a big wine as such but comes with a character of its own Food pairing: Chicken alla Milanese Final verdict: Pinot Noir Brut 88p Drappier Rosé Nature NV Nose: Stylish, layered fruity nose with a lovely coffee complexity Palate: Crisp, lively and focused, yet still reserved Ending: Long and linear Buy or not: Yes When to drink: 85 91 87p Needs little time to open up and for the sulphuric note to mellow down Louis de Sacy Brut Rosé Grand Cru NV Colour: Pale salmon pink Nose: Pronounced, aromatic, gently spicy nose with some chalky-mineral lactic notes Palate: Intense and vivid but could do with better purity Ending: Dry and fruit-forward In a nutshell: Red berry pleasure Buy or not: Yes When to drink: 2014–2016 Food pairing: Beef carpaccio Final verdict: Fruity and intense but lacking dimensions and finesse

100 BEST Champagnes for 2014 87p Waris-Larmandier Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs Brut NV Colour: Medium-deep lemony, big foamy mousse Nose: Fresh, fruity, sweet confectionary nose with good fruit purity Palate: Crisp, energetic, not hugely compex but pleasurable Ending: Long and fresh In a nutshell: Fresh and fun 93 87p Nose: Fresh with crisp peach and apple fruit with yeast and jasmine notes, clean and youthful Palate: Succulent clean fruitiness, light and vivacious Ending: Medium-long and balanced In a nutshell: 2014–2017 When to drink: 95 87p Beaumont des Crayères Grande Réserve Brut NV Final verdict: 96 87p Colour: Medium-deep lemon Nose: Fresh and mild peach and apple nose Palate: Soft, round palate with slightly unrefined fruit and ample dosage Ending: Fresh and long with good mousse In a nutshell: Amiable 98 87p Nose: Mild, soft, creamy-lactic, white fruit and green apple nose Palate: Fresh, lemony and zesty palate, linear Ending: Intensely fruity, citrussy ending In a nutshell: Lean and lemony Buy or not: Yes When to drink: When to drink: Classic blanc de blancs in style 2014–2017 Food pairing: Fried scallops Final verdict: 99 87p Overt and generous but troubled by oxidation Henriot Brut Souverain Brut NV Colour: Medium-deep lemon Nose: Pronounced, sweet fruity nose with toast and confectionary, mineral and yeasty notes Palate: Fresh, firm, slightly phenolic, less seductive on the palate Ending: Very clean fruitiness and ample dosage In a nutshell: 2014–2018 Food pairing: Aperitif Final verdict: G.H. Martel Victoire Millésime Brut 2005 Neat and lean champagne with nice concentration Buy or not: Yes When to drink: 2014–2018 Food pairing: Toast Skagen Final verdict: Nose promised even more but well made and stylish 2014–2017 Food pairing: Seafood salad Final verdict: Fresh, vibrant and youthful Buy or not: Yes, value for money Mild and round, caressing with its smooth mousse Colour: Pale lemon-green 2014–2017 In a nutshell: Straightforward but missing finesse 2014–2016 Château de Bligny Blanc de Blancs Brut NV Buy or not: Yes When to drink: 97 87p Colour: Deep lemon-gold Food pairing: Aperitif Final verdict: In a nutshell: Vivacious Happy Nose: Rich, earthy-spicy, peachy and honeyed nose with bruised apple oxidative tones Palate: Full and overt, red fruit dominant Ending: Medium long, concentrated but with freshness Buy or not: Yes When to drink: Nose: Mild, pure, floral, candy and perfume nose with yeasty complexity Palate: Fresh, even sharp, lemony palate with good energy Ending: Long, focused, zesty Food pairing: Fried white fish Succulent, clean and crisp Drappier Charles de Gaulle Brut NV Colour: Medium-deep lemon Buy or not: Yes Food pairing: Sushi Final verdict: 87p Colour: Pale lemony Buy or not: Yes When to drink: Mansard Brut Brut NV 94 Refined and zesty even though not hugely complex De Venoge Cordon Bleu Brut NV Colour: Medium-deep lemon Nose: Stylish, mellow, mild apple, licorice and lemon nose Palate: Lesser palate, slightly coarse and unforgiving Ending: Medium-long and very dry, fine mousse In a nutshell: Tightly knit with some elegance Buy or not: Yes When to drink: 2014–2016 Food pairing: Aperitif Final verdict: Soft seductive nose but hard palate 100 de Bellefon Cuvée des 87p Besserat Moines Extra Brut NV Colour: Medium-deep lemony Nose: Rich, soft nose, clean fruitiness with vanilla, grass and mineral notes Palate: Fleshy, soft with tart acidity Ending: Dry, light with fine concentrated, lean and pure lingering aftertaste In a nutshell: Refined Buy or not: Yes When to drink: 2014–2016 Food pairing: Gravad lax Final verdict: Fine purity, crisp character and a good balance all the way Fi n e 1 0 0 B e s t C h a m pa g n e s 92 35

Library Vintages Honorary Awards 2014 Champagne’s immaculate ageing capacity deserves praise, and the finest examples are indeed crafted to last and improve for decades. To appreciate this capacity, the region’s esteemed cellar masters are increasingly setting aside champagnes for either extended ageing on the lees or as original disgorgements. Since the category’s early forerunners, Bollinger RD, Krug Collection, Jacquesson DT and Dom Pérignon Oenothèque, many more have seen the light of day. Now Moët & Chandon Grand Vintage comes in a special late-disgorged collection version and Veuve Clicquot releases its old vintages as Cave Privée. In 2012, Laurent-Perrier celebrated its 200th anniversary by releasing a magnum library version of its prestige cuvée under the name Les Réserves Grand Siècle. The latest rumours suggest that Louis Roederer is about to follow suit with back vintages of Cristal, which have enjoyed extended ageing both pre- and post-disgorgement. These cuvées are able to showcase the true potential of fine champagne and, despite the obviously high price tags, it is a privilege for us consumers to have access to mature champagne that has evolved in the ideal conditions of the producers’ cellars. In blind tastings these magnificent champagnes are, of course, standouts, and this was also the case during our own tasting. We will award honorary titles to the three best Library Vintage champagnes that exceed 15 years of age. 36 1. Dom Pérignon Oenothèque 1996 When it comes to Dom Pérignon two extremes meet: early drinkability and formidable ageing capacity. Already a charmer in its youth: gentle, elegant, mineral and silky smooth. But this is not the whole truth for Dom Pérignon, which is at best one of the longest-lived champagnes. To demonstrate this, Richard Geoffroy, cellar master of Dom Pérignon, dared to broach the vast library of past vintages at Dom Pérignon and since 2000 we have been able to savour various late-disgorged Oenothèque versions of Dom Pérignon. Richard Geoffroy does not agree with the vastly spread theory that latedisgorged champagnes are particularly fragile and need to be consumed soon after disgorgement. Instead, he now gives every Oenothèque two to three years of post-disgorgement ageing before bringing them onto the market. To him, it is only after such a lengthy ageing time that the wine is able to bloom. No longer the same wine as the original disgorgement, the Oenothèque is much more, DP2, if you like. Tasting the 1996 Oenothèque today, it certainly is incredibly youthful, smooth and powerful at the same time, driven by an unforeseen, racy acidity. It is evolving very slowly, perhaps an atypical Dom Pérignon due to the vintage characteristics, but it is still an absolutely grand champagne. Soon, Oenothèque will no longer be known as Oenothèque, but rather P2 in order to celebrate Dom Pérignon’s second life, or Plénitude. This allows us to dream of a P3 sooner than later, but for 1996 it will take perhaps a couple of decades or more to reach its final stage of maturity. 1 95p Cellar master Richard Geoffroy Dom Pérignon Oenothèque 1996 (95,29p) Colour: Medium-deep lemon, strong, sublimely toasty, rich, fresh coffee beans, spices, ginger, spearmint Nose: Full, crisp, lively, light-weight, very dry, soft, lively, saten smooth Palate: Long and lingering, mineral, sweet fruitiness Ending: Complex, refined and vibrant In a nutshell: Do not hesitate Buy or not: 2014–2025 When to drink: Gratinated oysters Food pairing: Seriously good Final verdict: Flirtatious and playful

Grand Siècle NV Magnum Since the first cuvée was made from the 1955, 1953 and 1952 vintages, Grand Siècle has been known as one of Bernard de Nonancourt greatest creations. Grand Siècle is not made every year. It is always a blend of three consecutive vintage quality years, thus the best of the very best only. Even if there is an identifiable stylistic consistency of freshness, elegance and subdued complexity between the wines, each cuvée is distinctly different. For this reason it is a shame that Laurent-Perrier chooses not to communicate the three vintages used for each multi-vintage cuvée, which would allow us to follow the wine’s evolution. But for once they have made an exception. The special late-disgorged magnum of Grand Siècle (cuvée of 1995/1993/1990), Les Réserves Grand Siècle, contains this information. Brought onto the markets to celebrate the house’s 200th anniversary in 2012 and to pay homage to Bernard de Nonancourt, who passed away in 2010, it perfectly showcases why following the ageing of Grand Siècle would be worthwhile. Upon launch the wine was tight and timid yet full of underlying power. Having followed it now for two years, the wine has opened up majestically – if only it had been showing this brightly at the 200th anniversary. There is no stated policy at Laurent-Perrier for launching new cuvées of Grand Siècle as Les Réserves, but cellar master Michel Fauconnet sits on a magnificent collection of library cuvees so we will have to wait and see. 3. Charles Heidsieck Blanc des Millénaires 1995 Charles Heidsieck, perhaps the most gourmand of all champagnes, was the brainchild of Daniel Thibault, one of Champagne’s all-time best winemakers. He built Charles into a rich, intense, long-aged, award-winning extravaganza, which cellar master Thierry Roset now continues to fine-tune. Thibaut’s main vision was to build Brut Réserve into the ultimate non-vintage but also to make the region’s finest blanc de blancs. His answer was Blanc des Millénaires, first crafted from the 1983 vintage. It is a classic Côte des Blancs Chardonnay from the hillside’s premium villages: Avize, Cramant, Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, Oger, and Vertus. Seldom produced, the current vintage being only the fourth ever launched, it is given a considerably long time in the cellar – nigh on 20 years. The 1995 vintage has been on the markets for years already, winning every trophy and receiving continuous praise for its gorgeous creamy, toasty, velvety character. At its regular prestige cuvée price, it is one of Champagne’s great bargains. It could just as easily be called latedisgorged and priced accordingly. 2 95p (95,00p) Cellar master Michael Fauconnet Laurent-Perrier Les Réserves Grand Siècle NV Magnum Colour: Deep golden Nose: Intensely toast and yeast complexed, tropical fruit, charred, coffee, fireworks, beautiful sulphuric notes Palate: Full, crisp, overt, rich, opulent, charming Ending: Long, lemony, super smooth and balanced In a nutshell: Refined yet impressive Buy or not: Considering the price, buying regular Grand Siècle and maturing it is not a bad option When to drink: 2014–2020 Food pairing: Seafood platter Final verdict: Super delicious, spot on purity Fi n e 1 0 0 B e s t C h a m pa g n e s 2. Laurent-Perrier Les Réserves 37 3 94p (94,10p) Cellar master Thierry Roset Charles Heidsieck Blanc des Millénaires 1995 Colour: Deep bright lemongold Nose: Stunning, evolved cream and coffee nose, dried fruits, toast Palate: Powerful, mature, mellow, wide and oily, very smooth Ending: Long and concentrated In a nutshell: Buy or not: Charmer Yes, a genuine bargain When to drink: 2014–2018 Food pairing: Final verdict: Lobster Thermidor Fully mature and impossible not to like

Non-vintage champagne 38 Non-vintage (NV, sans année) champagne is the backbone of every champagne house's production, typically accounting for 80–90 per cent of the total volume. Hence, it is also their most important product, taking up the most time and effort. Maintaining the consistent style and quality of the house's non-vintage champagne year after year is a challenge, yet it is paramount, because the very idea of non-vintage champagne is that no vintage-related variation can be detected in the taste – thus allowing the consumer to select his or her favourite cuvée with confidence. In the varying climatic conditions of the Champagne region, consistent quality is achieved by using reserve wines from previous years. Moreover, non-vintage champagne must be ready to drink as soon as it has been released – the majority of champagnes are consumed immediately after purchase. Therefore, nonvintage champagnes usually consist of all three grape varieties – which are sourced extensively throughout the region. The cellarmasters of major champagne houses may blend more than four hundred base wines into their classic champagne in order to create a high volume of balanced, subtle champagne. The minimum maturing time of non-vintage champagne after bottling is 15 months, but most prestigious champagne houses mature their non-vintage for 2–3 years or longer in order to achieve the autolytic, toasty aromas typical of champagne. Overall placement NV Blanc Top 10 Points 1 (17) Charles Heidsieck Brut Réserve NV 92p 2 (21) G.H. Mumm Brut Sélection Grand Cru NV 90p 3 (23) Gosset Grande Réserve NV 90p 4 (27) Taittinger Les Folies de la Marquetterie NV 90p 5 (33) Veuve Clicquot Brut NV 90p 6 (34) Piper-Heidsieck Cuvée Sublime Demi-Sec NV 89p 7 (37) De Castelnau Réserve NV 89p 8 (40) Henri Giraud Aÿ Grand Cru Fût de Chêne NV 89p 9 (45) De Saint Gall Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Extra Brut NV 88p 10 (51) Louis Roederer Brut Premier NV 88p

Vintage champagne (millésime) is made in better-than-average years and cellared longer than non-vintage champagnes. In other words, it resembles the reserve wine category that is familiar in other styles of wine. Unlike non-vintage champagnes, their vintage counterparts are not meant to be consistent year after year. On the contrary, the cellarmaster composes vintage champagnes from the base wines that best reflect that particular year's characteristics. Despite the variation between different vintages, champagnes of this category are quite easy for consumers to buy: whenever a champagne house releases a vintage champagne, it theoretically indicates that the year is a good one and, consequently, so is the champagne. Furthermore, vintage champagnes contain longer-life base wines, and while they are quite enjoyable immediately upon release, they still have significant development potential. The wines feature certain intellectualism, because they provide us with information about the differences between certain years. Vintage champagne also entails a promise of greater tasting pleasure in the years to come, as it improves with ageing. Vintage champagnes are cellared over fur for a minimum of thirty-six months, and usually for much longer. In spite of this, they are less expensive than prestige cuvées. Overall placement Vintage Top 10 Points 1 (10) Pol Roger Vintage 2002 93p 2 (12) Pol Roger Blanc de Blancs 2002 92p 3 (20) Henriot Millésime 2005 92p 4 (25) De Castelnau Millésime 2002 92p 5 (32) Moët & Chandon Grand Vintage 2004 90p 6 (41) Gosset Grand Millésime 2006 89p 7 (44) Billecart-Salmon Blanc de Blancs 2004 89p 8 (50) Louis Roederer Vintage 2006 89p 9 (53) Louis Roederer Vintage Blanc de Blancs 2007 89p 10 (56) Henri Abelé Millésime 2004 89p Fi n e 1 0 0 B e s t C h a m pa g n e s Vintage champagne 39

Prestige cuvées Every bottle of champagne is a luxury product, but not everyone wants to settle for the classic non-vintage. The uppermost category in the champagne pyramid consists of prestige cuvée (Cuvée Prestige) champagnes. This category originated in 1873, when Czar Alexander II of Russia found no ordinary champagne to be good enough for him and ordered his own special blend in a crystal bottle from his trusted supplier, Champagne Louis Roederer. Nevertheless, Moët & Chandon was the first champagne house to release a commercial prestige champagne, the Dom Pérignon vintage 1921, which was released in 1936. The Cristal champagne by Louis Roederer as we know it today was launched after World War II. The category started as a niche branch but rose to its current status in the 1950s and 1960s, and it is continuously increasing in significance. In many markets, especially in the Far East, the current demand for luxury champagne clearly exceeds supply. 40 Prestige champagnes are made from grapes harvested from the highest-rating Grand Cru villages, and often exclusively from Pinot Noir or Chardonnay as they have the longest maturation potential. In addition to the premium ingredients, the rich variety of aromas, as well as the intensive structure and small bubbles associated with prestige champagnes, can be attributed to the prolonged ageing in bottles on the lees. Due to its superb acid structure, champagne ages beautifully, and prestige champagnes in particular are at their peak long after release. Nearly all prestige champagnes, especially Cristal, Dom Pérignon, Philipponnat Clos des Goisses and Salon, require long cellaring before they reveal their true, rich, subtle and aristocratically stylish essence. Tasting soon after release may leave questions on the taster’s palate: the champagnes are often very tight and vacuously mineral, with only slight references to their future potential. It is a shame that such champagnes are released and consumed much too young – every year of patient cellaring is like putting money in the bank. Overall placement Prestige Cuvée Blanc Top10 1 (2) Dom Pérignon Brut 2004 94p 2 (3) Louis Roederer Cristal 2002 93p 3 (5) Piper-Heidsieck Rare 2002 92p 4 (7) Krug Grande Cuvée NV 91p 5 (8) Pol Roger Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill 2000 91p 6 (9) Krug Vintage 2000 91p 7 (11) Taittinger Comtes de Champagne 2005 91p 8 (14) Ruinart Dom Ruinart 2002 91p 9 (22) Jacquart Cuvée Alfa 2005 91p 10 (24) Veuve Clicquot La Grande Dame 2004 91p Points

Rosé champagnes Points 93p 93p 93p 93p 92p 92p 91p 91p 90p 90p Points 91p 90p 88p 88p 88p 88p 88p 88p 87p 87p Fi n e 1 0 0 B e s t C h a m pa g n e s Even though rosé champagne has allegedly been manufactured in the Champagne region since at least 1775, it has never been as popular as it is today. Pink champagne has a rather girly image, but this does not reflect its actual style. Overall As a matter of fact, rosé champagne is the Prestige Cuvée and Vintage TOP 10 placement most masculine champagne because of its wine-like and often stronger character. 1 (1) Louis Roederer Cristal Rosé 2002 Rosé champagne can be made in two alternative ways: by macerating dark grapes 2 (6) Henriot Rosé Millésime 2005 in the juice (rosé de saignée) or by blending in some red wine from the Champagne 3 (13) Laurent-Perrier Alexandra Rosé 2004 region to a white base wine (rosé d’assemblage). More than 95 per cent of 4 (15) Gosset Célébris Rosé Extra brut 2007 rosé champagnes are products of the latter method, which allows better control over 5 (16) Charles Heidsieck Vintage Rosé 1999 the outcome, but neither of these methods can be raised above the other. It is often 6 (18) Dom Pérignon Rosé 2003 impossible to determine the manufacturing 7 (19) Ruinart Dom Ruinart Rosé 2002 method when tasting the wine, although sometimes a saignée wine can be recognised 8 (42) Paul Bara Spécial Club Rosé 2006 due to its more tannic nature. LaurentPerrier is one of the few Grande Marque 9 (48) Louis Roederer Vintage Rosé 2008 houses currently using the saignée method in rosé champagne production. 10 (52) Pol Roger Vintage Rosé 2004 Rosé champagne is often approximately 20 per cent more expensive than white champagne, due not only to its trendy popularity but also to higher manufacturing costs. The production of mature, high quality red wines for rosé champagne is difficult and expensive in Champagne. In addition, the arrangements required for the extra vinification and smaller batch sizes are costly. Whether rosé champagne is worth the extra price is a question of style Overall rather than of quality. Non-vintage TOP 10 Along with the increased popularity, placement the quality of rosé champagnes has risen 1 (4) Charles Heidsieck Rosé Réserve NV significantly over the past few years. Rosé champagnes are available in a wide variety, 2 (30) Laurent-Perrier Cuvée Rosé NV ranging from fresh berry flavoured to highly developed, champagne-like wines. The 3 (38) Henriot Rosé NV colours may vary from pale pink to nearly as dark as red wine. 4 (39) Gosset Grand Rosé NV The rosé champagnes that belong to the luxury category are the best of the best in 5 (58) Alexandre Penet Cuvée Rosé Extra Brut NV the world of champagne. Cristal Rosé, Dom Pérignon Rosé, Laurent-Perrier Alexandra, 6 (62) Veuve Clicquot Rosé NV Dom Ruinart Rosé and Pommery Cuvée 7 (66) De Castelnau Rosé NV Louise Rosé are all wonderful examples of the ageing potential, depth and 8 (69) Piper-Heidsieck Rosé Sauvage NV multidimensionality of rosé champagne. These champagnes are true rarities. 9 (76) Waris-Larmandier Rosé NV Furthermore, their prices are often twice or three times as high as those of their white 10 (77) De Venoge Brut Réserve Rosé NV counterpasts. 41

Blanc de Blancs The term blanc de blancs refers to wines made exclusively from white grapes, so in champagnes the grape is, in most cases, Chardonnay. This is a very common style: for example, the Côte des Blancs region is almost entirely dedicated to this grape and, consequently, local grower-producers automatically concentrate solely on blanc de blancs. Being an elegant and fruity grape, Chardonnay works very well by itself. At a young age, the wines may be markedly acidic and feature a linear, even bony structure. With ageing, Chardonnay soon develops a lovely, toasty and creamy aroma. The young wines can be aggressive, and therefore many producers, such as G. H. Mumm, keep the pressure of Chardonnay champagnes slightly lower. These wines used to be called Crémant – for example, Mumm de Cramant was previously named Crémant de Cramant – but nowadays this term is reserved for sparkling wines made in other wine regions of France using the traditional method. 42 Overall placement Blanc de Blancs Top 10 Points 1 (11) Taittinger Comtes de Champagne 2005 94 p 2 (14) Ruinart Dom Ruinart 2002 92 p 3 (28) De Saint Gall Orpale 2002 91 p 4 (43) Armand de Brignac Blanc de Blancs NV 90 p 5 (44) Billecart-Salmon Blanc de Blancs 2004 90 p 6 (47) J. Dumangin Trio des Ancêstres Cuvée Firmin Chardonnay Brut Nature NV 89 p 7 (53) Louis Roederer Vintage Blanc de Blancs 2007 89 p 8 (55) G.H. Mumm Mumm de Cramant NV 88 p 9 (64) Pierre Gimonnet Fleuron 2006 88 p 10 (78) De Saint Gall Brut Blanc de Blancs Premier Cru NV 88 p

There are a great many cooperatives in the region, but at the moment 67 of them make and sell Champagne under their own label. Although cooperatives account for just about 9 per cent of total Champagne sales, they process more than 50 per cent of all the Champagne produced, at one stage or another. The 67 producing cooperatives sell Champagne under an astonishing number of different brand names – 2 234. Still, the direction is towards building strong brands of their own, and the most commercially successful ventures include Nicolas Feuillatte, Jacquart and Devaux. But there are many eager quality-concious cooperatives on the rise: the champagnes of say Palmer & Co, De Saint Gall and Collet represent excellent value for money. Fi n e 1 0 0 B e s t C h a m pa g n e s Cooperative champagnes 43 Overall placement Cooperative Top 10 Points 1 (22) Jacquart Cuvée Alfa 2005 91p 2 (25) De Castelnau Millésime 2002 89p 3 (28) De Saint Gall Orpale 2002 89p 4 (31) Nicolas Feuillatte Palmes d'Or 2002 88p 5 (37) De Castelnau Réserve NV 88p 6 (45) De Saint Gall Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Extra Brut NV 88p 7 (58) Alexandre Penet Cuvée Rosé Extra Brut NV 88p 8 (66) De Castelnau Rosé NV 87p 9 (67) Jacquart Brut Mosaïque NV 87p 10 (81) Collet Brut NV 87p

Grower champagnes 44 As a counterforce to the champagne houses, a number of smaller grower-producers are making and selling their own products. From an international perspective, growerproducers’ champagnes appear to be a secret closely guarded by the French, judging by the fact that only 12 per cent of these wines are exported. Compared to the champagne houses, the growerproducers’ philosophy when it comes to winemaking is very different. Their wines are made from their own grapes, often grown in a small area, making the extensive blending practised by the champagne houses impossible. Grower champagnes typically represent the taste profile of the wines from a particular vineyard, village or sub-region in the area. It goes without saying that not all grower champagnes are excellent – nor are all champagnes from champagne houses – but in recent years with the new generation of growers taking over the reins, a positive trend has emerged with regards to top-quality grower champagnes. Names like Jacques Selosse have paved the way to fame for other grower-producers. Many of the up-and-coming grower-producers have adapted a very natural approach to champagne-making, working intensely in their vineyards in order to maximise the quality of their products. Organic or biodynamic production is not unheard of, even if most growers practice viticulture according to the sustainable principles of lutté raisonnée. Grower-producers concentrate largely on producing terroir wines, i.e. denoting the special characteristics that the habitat has bestowed upon the champagne, often by sticking to natural yeasts and minimising the sulphur dioxide content and the sweetening dosage. The grower community in the Champagne area is undergoing constant changes, and there are still a number of ‘undiscovered’ quality growers in the region. Wine connoisseurs visiting with their eyes open will have a great opportunity to make interesting acquaintances. However, due to the restricted resources of the grower-producers and the lack of a worldwide distribution network, only a small share of the growers sent their champagnes to this tasting. Overall placement Grower champagnes Top 10 1 (29) Paul Bara Comtesse Marie de France Millésime 2000 91p 2 (42) Paul Bara Spécial Club Rosé 2006 90p 3 (47) J. Dumangin Trio des Ancêstres Cuvée Firmin Chardonnay Brut Nature NV 90p 4 (64) De Sousa Grand Cru Réserve Blanc de Blancs NV 89p 5 (76) Waris-Larmandier Rosé NV 89p 6 (78) Pierre Gimonnet Fleuron 2006 89p 7 (80) Doyard La Libertine Doux NV 89p 8 (86) Gaston Chiquet Blanc de Blancs d'Aÿ NV 89p 9 (92) Waris-Larmandier Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs NV 88p 10 (107) Guy Larmandier Grand Cru Cramant Blanc de Blancs NV 88p Points

45 Fi n e 1 0 0 B e s t C h a m pa g n e s

48 Winner of “Best Champagne for 2014”

Fi n e E s tat e 49 Text: Essi Avellan MW Photos: Michael Boudot I t has got it all: aristocratic looks, historic pedigree, genuine character and an abundance of appeal. But behind its desirable image is a wine made with a formidable level of ambition and attention to detail. FINE Champagne paid a visit to Champagne Louis Roederer to bring you a full feature of our ‘Best Champagne in 2014’, Cristal Rosé, and its white counterpart.

“For nine months of the year I am a grower, and for three months a blender.” 50 Cellar master Jean-Baptiste Lécaillon

Fi n e E s tat e The bottle has kept its royal looks but the contents are enjoying the fruits of Louis Roederer’s endless research and development efforts, both in the winery and the vineyard. 51 “I call it clear blue sky,” says Jean-Baptiste Lécaillon, chef de cave at Louis Roederer since 1999 and the man experienced in making one of the world’s most coveted wines since 1989. “I call it crystal clear,” I reply to him, giving my definition of the pure and bright hallmark characteristic of Cristal. We circle around in the Roederer vat room in their Reims-based cellars tasting the vins clairs of the 2013 vintage. Vat after vat, Lécaillon introduces me to the likely components of the next cuvées of Cristal and Cristal Rosé. It quickly becomes obvious how its refined, high-acid style takes the search for finesse to another level. The bottle has kept its royal looks but the contents are enjoying the fruits of Louis Roederer’s endless research and development efforts, both in the winery and the vineyard. But Lécaillon, cellar master for 15 years, is now ready to take Cristal deeper down to its original roots and reveal a new expression. Let’s take a look into the foundations and future of Cristal. The foundations This prestigious house, whose roots span back to 1776, came to bear its current name when Louis Roederer took over the house from his uncle in 1833. It was he who conquered the Russian market even though his son, Louis Roederer II, received the credit for developing Cristal. The Tsar was indeed taken with Roederer champagne: in 1873, some 666 386 bottles, which amounted to approximately 27 per cent of its entire production, were delivered to the court of Alexander II. In order to formalise Roederer’s status as official purveyor to the Imperial Court of Russia, Alexander II commissioned Louis Roederer to produce a sweet, prestige blend packaged in a real crystal glass bottle in 1876. The legend of Cristal’s genuine crystal bottle is well known but regrettably there is not one bottle left in existence. The bottle was too weak to withstand the pressure and the resulting losses were too much even for the extravagant Tsar, meaning genuine crystal bottles were used only for a year or two. Cristal’s success came to an abrupt end thanks to the Russian Revolution in 1917. Léon Olry-Roederer, who was the head of the house at the time, dramatically learnt the lesson of relying on a single market and the loss of the Russian market was considered a fatal blow to the company as a whole. Russia’s new government did not place any more orders, and outstanding debts went unpaid. Adding insult to injury, Roederer’s cellars were packed with vast numbers of bottles of this sweet sparkling wine, which no one wanted. The company was in dire straits until the 1930s, when the worldwide economic depression also put the market to the test. With the death of Léon Olry-Roederer in 1932 the company was placed in the hands of his widow, Camille Olry-Roederer.

Farsighted Matriarch 52 Camille Olry-Roederer joined the line of strong champagne widows, heading the Roederer champagne house for 42 years until 1975, and putting Roederer back on the path to success in the process. Her achievements were important: she managed to acquire a considerable number of top-quality vineyards, thus building a solid financial foundation for the company. Another breakthrough idea from Madame Olry-Roederer was to properly commercialise Cristal as a prestige cuvée. From 1917 to 1927, no Cristal was made. In 1928 a small batch – using the current packaging – was produced under the licensed trademark. But after the initial vintage, Madame OlryRoederer began the ambitious development of the house’s flagship champagne. The 1970s were a turning point of sorts for Roederer and Cristal. Camille Olry-Roederer’s grandson Jean-Claude Rouzaud joined the house and gradually took the helm. It was a rough start, as TCA, a chemical compound that causes cork taint, infested the Roederer cellars. The young man faced an enormous undertaking. A huge volume of wine had to be taken off the market and disposed of, and the entire production facility had to be sterilised and rebuilt. This was also the period when Roederer worked with its American importer to make Cristal the world’s most in-demand champagne. A key detail of this plan was to double the price. High price and scarcity – alongside uncompromised quality – made Cristal the most coveted champagne in the world. Eventually, the family’s shrewd patriarchs managed to turn things around, and today Roederer is the most solvent of Champagne’s houses and still in family ownership. The company, now headed by Frédéric Rouzaud, is strongly rooted in the allocating business, with importers racing to raise their share of its gems. The company, now headed by Frédéric Rouzaud, is strongly rooted in the allocating business, with importers racing to raise their share of its gems. Back to the vineyards Back in the cool modern-day cellar, my tasting tour through the output of the house’s vineyards continues. Today Louis Roederer owns enough vineyards to cater for 70 per cent of its needs, and it is only the non-vintage which contains purchased fruit. I learn from Lécaillon that the house’s vast vineyard holdings were largely gathered during the time of Louis Roederer and Camille Olry-Roederer – by 1850 they already possessed an estate of 100 hectares. But, whenever opportunity arises, Roederer invests in new vineyards and its estate now comprises over 240 hectares of vineyards, of which over half is precious Grand Cru. Listening to Lécaillon, the vineyard’s significance becomes obvious: “For nine months of the year I am a grower, and for three months a blender.” Many cellar masters might claim the same, but here at Roederer it is the truth. The vineyard team consists of oenologists rather than viticulturalists, because their task is to understand the grapes and the wine from each block rather than just the land or the vine. We stop in front of another vat and Lécaillon hands me a sample of Pinot Noir. It is very tight and tense but comes with the firmest acid line and incredible length. “This is Les Gouttes d’Or from Aÿ, a classic Cristal Pinot Noir,” Lécaillon explains. Roederer has divided its vineyards into four ‘Estates’, each of which is dedicated to producing a given wine. The ‘Cristal Estate’ comprises plots in the villages of Verzenay, Verzy, Beaumont-sur-Vesle, Aÿ, Mareuil-sur-Aÿ, Avize, Cramant, and Mesnilsur-Oger, and this particular wine only comes from vineyards over 25-years-old. “The lower yields of the older vines have a big impact,” offers Lécaillon. Furthermore, Roederer is the only champagne house which has its own vine nursery. “We no longer use clonal vine material, only off-springs from our own vineyards to ensure natural diversity,” he goes on to say. Lécaillon’s ambition towards viticulture is trailblazing in Champagne. With its 65 hectares, the company is the largest operator of organic or biodynamic vineyards in the region. “We have now stopped organic cultivation and shifted entirely to biodynamics for the 65 hectares. We have found the major difference to be between biodynamic and organic and not between organic and conventional. I find we are getting an elevated acidity and more reduc-

Blender’s hat As we are in February it is the season for Lécaillon to wear his blender’s hat. Here in his kingdom he has 450 tanks for his 410 blocks of vineyards, all of which are separated. Cristal’s share of this is customarily some 60 to 65 different wines. “In 2002, an archetype year, we made more Cristal than ever,” Lécaillon tells me, and I am pleased by this fact as it means there is still plenty of our winning wine around. The varietal composition of modern vintages of Cristal is slightly Pinot dominant, with customarily 55 per cent Pinot Noir and 45 per cent Chardonnay. “Pinot Noir has a more oxidative tendency and Chardonnay re- “Since the 1950s we have flirted with the interplay of oxidation and reduction.” ductive. I have been increasingly impressed by the vintages with high Pinot content, such as 1969, 1964 and 1955. And it was our large Cristal tasting in Helsinki that convinced me to go back to a stronger Pinot dominance in Fi n e E s tat e tive characters from biodynamic wines. Therefore I often choose to use oak vats for their fermentation as it opens them up,” Lécaillon says, moving on to the topic of winemaking. Playing skilfully with fermentation vessels is another art Roederer masters. They use 6000-litre oak vats, not barrels, for a part of the base wines, the effects of which can be felt texturally but never smelt as an aroma of oak. “The north and north-east facing vineyards of Verzy or Verzenay often benefit from the opening effect of oak. However, most Marne Valley wines we customarily ferment in stainless steel to close them a little,” he goes on. Oak does play a large role when crafting styles, which are often described on a continuum of oxidation and reduction. To Lécaillon, the Roederer style is non-oxidative, non-reductive: “Since the 1950s we have flirted with the interplay of oxidation and reduction.” The grapes from Roederer’s own vineyards are cultivated to produce riper than average grapes with less tart malic acid. This is essential for the style as Roederer famously leaves the softening malolactic fermentation largely undone. It is this combination of ripe fruit and accentuated acidity that brings the fruitiness out in the brightest manner and makes the wine so appetising and long-lived. “We sometimes need to carry out some five to 10 per cent malolactic fermentation, even for Cristal. But when we do we make sure, by a very slow, cool process, that we avoid any diacetyl buttery notes and keep the fruit,” notes Lécaillon. 53

54 the future,” Lécaillon foresees. So a subtle yet significant change in the style of Cristal might be in the stars for the future vintage? “It is more classic for Cristal. Pinot Noir was already mentioned in Louis Roederer’s letter to Tsar Nikolai that we have in our archives. He only mentioned ‘white grapes’, and did not specify Chardonnay. After all, Chardonnay was only domesticated in Champagne some 150 years ago, whereas Pinot has been here since the Middle Ages.” Pink dreams As if Cristal was not already decadent enough, there is also the rarer-than-rare rosé version, first born a hundred years after the first Cristal, in 1974. It is an intriguing and particular prestige cuvée rosé, as it has the palest colour, yet a contrastingly fleshy, fruity, well-built palate of amazing freshness. Its secret is in the 60 per cent Pinot Noir from two hectares of Roederer’s own old-vine vineyards in Aÿ, Bonotte-PierreRobert and La Côte du Moulin, which are now cultivated according to biodynamic principles. It is these ripe, concentrated grapes that give the wine its delicate hue via the saignée, or bleeding method. Then 30 per cent of Côte des Blancs Grand Cru Chardonnay from Le Mesnil sur Oger and Avize is added to give spine and elegance. Over twice the price of regular Cristal, it is precious and much more scarce. Made in tiny volumes, it is a true collector’s item. Life after disgorgement After bottling, Cristal is left in the cellars on its yeast lees for five to six years. This is a relatively short period for such a long-lived champagne, but Roederer is clever enough to aid its approachability with a relatively long postdisgorgement time of 18 months before shipping. The dosage is high by today’s standards, at around 10 g/l, but Cristal’s crisp style marries perfectly with such a dosage. “For logistic reasons we make several disgorgements of each vintage but all are done within the same calendar year,” confirms Lécaillon. Louis Roederer also proved its up-to-date spirit in 2013 by launching a code system on its Internet site as well as a smartphone application designed to recover technical details such as the disgorgement year of each cuvée. Louis Roederer has recently upgraded the visual of its cuvees – other than Cristal, which is to remain the same. Since the very beginning the bottle has been clear and flat-bottomed. This design was patented and because of and thanks to it, Cristal’s label and appearance have stayed the same since 1928. But the patent also means sticking to its clear-glass bottle, which is technically a catastrophic choice for fine, age-worthy champagne. Roederer’s way of tackling this problem has been the golden cellophane, in use since the 1970s. Although the visual is striking, Cristal should always be sold and stored with the cellophane on and in its box. Cristal is one of the few champagnes with a genuine secondary market and caution should be taken when buying old vintages, as this beauty, as an old lady, does not seem to take bad storage and travelling well. The latest innovation of Jean-Baptiste Lécaillon will bring a small solution to this matter, too, as he aims to release a different expression of Cristal, one that has been aged for a long time both pre- and post-disgorgement. A small release of the 1995 vintage will be released in 2015, or perhaps 2016, which will mean a batch of Cristal that has enjoyed 10 years on the lees and 10 years post-disgorgement. At 140 years of age Cristal is at the top of the wine world and ranked amongst the very best in terms of both quality and reputation. But as we witnessed during our discussion with the cellar master, there is nothing accidental about its success. It has taken a Cristalclear vision. >

This was a characteristically dry, warm year with outbreaks of heavy rain. August was a month of extremes, with rain followed by scorching temperatures then violent and thundery intervals. An anticyclone at the start of September gave way to rain, which was followed by fine weather that lasted throughout the harvest, with the exception of light drizzle. The vintage was marked by the outstanding quality of the grapes, and registered a degree of alcohol content rarely achieved in Champagne. Highlights: An early-maturing year brought about by dry soil conditions which accelerated ripening. Work in the vineyards was carried out to improve the quality of the yield – targeted manuring at the start of the season, pruning to restrict yields, crown suckering of fruit-bearing shoots to remove excess clusters, and green harvesting over a 20ha area. The sunny conditions continued throughout the month of September. These conditions allowed us to start harvesting on the 12th of September in the Côte des Blancs, September 13th in the Vallée de la Marne, and September 16th in the Montagne de Reims. Harvesting in each vineyard sector lasted 13 days and pickers were in excellent spirits. From the beginning of the harvest, grapes registered 11–12.2º alcohol with a consistent acidity level of 7 g/l. The average yield of 12.280 kg/ha, overall productivity targets. The quality of the grapes was remarkable throughout the vineyard. Fi n e E s tat e 2002 according to Louis Roederer 55 Jean-Baptiste Lécaillon and editor Essi Avellan MW toasting to the triumph of Cristal Rosé 2002

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A From 2006 to 1955 Text: Essi Avellan MW Photos: Juha Lihtonen and Michael Boudot misty October evening in Finland is about to get brighter, as a 20-strong group of champagne aficionados gathers in a Helsinki wine cellar. What lures us here is a record-breaking tasting of 27 expressions of Louis Roederer Cristal. Jean-Baptiste Lécaillon, the house’s cellar master, graces us with his presence and instantly makes the occasion yet more special. Our evening will offer the cellar master himself his first tastes of 1959 and 1955. Louis Roederer Brut Premier, alongside an amuse-bouche. There is anticipation in the air, which is to be expected as many of the participants have been collecting the bottles over a time-span of several years. Today is the culmination of all this work. The first Cristal of the tasting, the soonto-be-released 2006, is brought along by Lécaillon himself. It gives us an introduction into the world of Cristal. This newly-launched, soft and approachable Cristal plays with Pinot Noir ripeness and Verzenay clearly has the leading role. We continue with another ripe year, the 2005, when Cristal was happy to avoid the common rotten characters of the vintage. The 2004 raises the bar for the entire evening, and it is showing better than ever with a stunning, toasty-mineral complexity. I descend into the atmospheric wine cellar in good time to help set up the tasting and go through the service details. A smile immediately invades my face as I open the door of one of the fridges, only to discover it is filled with only Cristal. This is what a fridge should look like! Soon, we are accompanied by Jean-Baptiste Lécaillon. Sharp and as charming as ever, I sense genuine excitement as our guest of honour for the evening makes his entrance. Surely tasting a couple of dozen Cristals in one seating is an everyday occurrence for him? ”Not at all,” he corrects me, “this is the largestever tasting of Cristal for me! In fact, this is, to our knowledge the largest-ever tasting of Cristal. I checked with Frédéric Rouzaud, the president of the company!” “We are getting into the Roederer Book of Records,” I am pleased to announce as the evening starts off with a warm-up wine, Jean-Baptiste Lécaillon Fi n e 1 0 0 B e s t C h a m pa g n e s 27 Expressions of Cristal 57

58 The next flight starts with the much-heralded superyear, 2002. “If I could do this every year, I’d be very happy,” grins Lécaillon. A fine effort from such a high-yielding year, but Lécaillon confirms that they had to take great care of this Cristal in the cellar. “With its 40 per cent of oak-aged wines, it is one of the oakiest Cristals in history.” The next flight starts with the muchheralded super-year, 2002. “If I could do this every year, I’d be very happy,” grins Lécaillon while explaining the merits of the ideal, archetype harvest. The hot 2000 vintage is showing a beautifully fresh Cristal, and no signs of premature oxidation. We are less lucky with the 1999, as the bottle has obviously been light-struck. The next flight brings about a happy surprise in the form of a lesser year in magnum, 1997, which is showing in a magnificently balanced way with gunpowder notes topped with a lovely fudge complexity and superb freshness. Louis Roederer is famous for releasing Cristal in most vintages. This is not to be considered greed, but rather proof that fine champagne can be made in challenging years if you possess high-quality vineyards and understand them. With the “on-vintages”, however, we are less lucky: the bottles from the usually great 1996 and 1995 vintages are both slightly, but not entirely, compromised. My mood dips seriously as we take on the next flight, the reputedly great trilogy of 1988, 1989 and 1990. The big and bold 1990 is suffering from premature oxidation, whereas the usually elegant 1988 is completely oxidised. The 1989, however, is spot on – a perfect bottle, and even the cellar master himself comments that it is “an exceptionally good bottle”. At this point I am concerned by the condition of the older vintages to come, but the organic egg, Alba white truffle and morel cream dish served with Louis Roederer Vintage Rosé 2006 comfort me greatly. The next lot is interesting as we first compare two different bottles of 1985, the year of small yields and intense wines. The bottles are seemingly different, the first coming with under-control signs of oxidation and the second being notably fresher. A good reminder of how there are no perfect wines, just perfect bottles. When you buy champagnes of this age there is always an element

Fi n e 1 0 0 B e s t C h a m pa g n e s A good reminder of how there are no perfect wines, just perfect bottles. When you buy champagnes of this age there is always an element of surprise, and even risk. of surprise, and even risk. However, much superior to the 1985 is the 1982, an epitome of freshness with its rich Pinot fruit and mellow character. Next in line are 1981, 1979 and 1977. The 1981 was not universally trumpeted but has proven to be a great year, as this stunningly complex and firm Cristal demonstrates. Just as I thought it could not get any better, I taste the 1979. Wow, what power, precision and vivacity. The much more modest and declining 1977 does not stand a chance when set against the previous two offerings, although the Cristal is the wine of the vintage and our example of it is in pristine condition. The next flight starts of poorly with a spoiled bottle of 1976 – the brown colour alone tells you it has gone. What a pity, but fortunately we have an exemplary bottle of the 1975 vintage, which is one of the finest I have encountered for ages, and it arrives with a sweet, almost botrytised note and plenty of freshness. I had low expectations for the 1974, another off-year, but it performes well and adds more merit to Roederer, given they also declare their lesser years. In the next trio, the 1969 takes all the attention as expected. This has been a consistently fine Cristal, and I have even given one bottle 99 points, so it’s capable of absolute perfection. 1973 was good but not great by any stretch of the imagination, whereas the 1970 was regrettably out of condition. It has been a long evening of tasting and dining by the time we reach our final flight. The 1964 still has plenty of life left. The 1959, however, brings about a first for cellar master Lécaillon: “I have only tried the 1959 as a still wine before,” he says. In a more fragile condition than the 1964, it is still fully alive. But it is the 1955, a wine that has also never passed Mr Lécaillon’s lips, that brings the perfect closure to this evening: 99 points. A truly magnificent wine with a palette of aromas ranging from orange peel to dried fruit, honey and nuts. Strong but sublimely balanced and finetuned. Sheer perfection. 27 expressions of Cristal wiser, we bring this record-breaking, exhausting, educational and, most importantly, pleasurable tasting to a close. > 59

27 Expressions of Cristal 1 93p Louis Roederer Cristal 2006 2 Colour: Pale, bright lemon Nose: Mild and gentle, bright fruity still closed nose with underlying minerality and ripe fruit Palate: Tight yet soft with the subtlest mousse Ending: Subdued but very pure and longlasting The word: Buy or not: Buy and store When to drink: 2015–2027 Food pairing: Oysters Inside Information: This Cristal plays with Pinot Noir ripeness. It has over 60% Pinot Noir with Verzenay having the leading role bringing the much needed crisp acidity to this wine of a warm year. Disgorged 2012. Or try this: Perrier-Jouët Belle Epoque 2006 Final verdict: Timid still but with underlying gentleness and charm 4 95p Louis Roederer Cristal 2002 Colour: Medium-deep developing colour Nose: Soft, open and inviting nose with plenty of character, baking spices, peach with charred and salty mineral notes Palate: Intensity, power and expression Ending: Long and charged with energy The word: Buy or not: When to drink: Food pairing: Has it all Yes, and hold on to it 2014–2030 Lobster Thermidor Inside Information: An easy year according to cellar master Lécaillon, the ideal vintage. Fortunately, this is the year when more Cristal than ever was made. Or try this: Dom Pérignon 2002 Final verdict: An elegant monster, one of the all time best Cristals even though better bottles than this have been encountered Louis Roederer Cristal 2005 Colour: Pale lemon colour Nose: Round and ripe yet fresh nose with stone fruits, spice, lemon and mild herb notes Palate: Soft palate without the usual spine of Cristal, fluffy mousse and good acidity for the vintage Ending: Long with some bitter notes The word: Softness 60 92p 3 Buy or not: When to drink: The word: Charmer Better than the rest Buy or not: Yes, for now and later When to drink: For medium-term consumption 2014–2020 Inside Information: Blend of 55% Pinot Noir, 45% Chardonnay, according to the cellar master it took plenty of work in the cellar to compensate for the lightness of fruit in this big yielding vintage. The Chardonnay component has seen more oak than usual to boost the toast impact. Or try this: Dom Pérignon 2004 Final verdict: Crafted to perfection, sheer delight, this is the best bottle of Cristal 2004 I have encountered Final verdict: Much more open than the 2006 today and with very little rot characters, common to the vintage.However not as pure and precise as Cristal at its best. One of the stars of this difficult year. Louis Roederer Cristal 2000 Colour: Medium-deep colour with less tint than expected for the ripe year Nose: Rich, open nose with ripe fresh fruits, wax, oystershell, spice and lemon, seductive opulent toastiness Palate: Opulent but refreshed by fine acidic backbone Ending: Long-lasting, strong with a lemony bite The word: A good surprice Buy or not: A delightful drink today When to drink: 2014–2020 Food pairing: Gravad lax Inside Information: A small Cristal vintage with a remarkable freshness for the warm, difficult year. 55% Pinot Noir, 45% Chardonnay. Or try this: Taittinger Comtes de Champagne 2000 Final verdict: At least this particular bottle had no signs of premature oxidation, healthy colour and bright fruitiness 2014–2025 Food pairing: Vendace roe toast Inside Information: Classic Cristal blend: 55% Pinot Noir, 45% Chardonnay but behaves in a Chardonnay driven way Or try this: Taittinger Comtes de Champagne 2005 95p Louis Roederer Cristal 2004 Colour: Very pale lemon Nose: Gorgeous gunpowder enriched perfumy nose, lemon, green apple, peach Palate: Zesty and vivacious, light-weight but with intensity Ending: Long, pure and hugely energetic Food pairing: Scallops with spice oil 5 93p 6 n/a Louis Roederer Cristal 1999 Colour: Healthy pale colour Nose: Missing the usual precision and purity with eatrhy, light-struck notes Palate: Soft and creamy Ending: Medium-long but with troubled aromatics The word: Light-struck Buy or not: Usually in 93–95 points form so no reason to skip the vintage Inside Information: Light-struck to 'unrecognizable' according to cellar master Or try this: A properly stored bottle of the same, remember to keep the cellophane on Final verdict: Not 'bad' even as light-struct bottle but not at all what it should be

Amuse-bouche Finnish vendace roe and potato Louis Roederer But Premier NV Flight 6 1981 Cristal 1979 Cristal 1977 Cristal *** Flight 1 2006 Cristal 2005 Cristal 2004 Cristal Flight 2 2002 Cristal 2000 Cristal 1999 Cristal Fried scallops, roasted cauliflower cream and Dauro olive oil *** Flight 3 1997 Cristal magnum 1996 Cristal 1995 Cristal Flight 4 1990 Cristal 1989 Cristal 1988 Cristal Fried pike-perch, champagnebeurre blanc and braised fennel 1985 Louis Roederer Vintage magnum *** Flight 7 1976 Cristal 1975 Cristal 1974 Cristal Flight 8 1973 Cristal 1970 Cristal 1969 Cristal Hauhala goose legs, foie gras and organic pinenuts 1989 Cristal Rosé magnum *** 2006 Louis Roederer Vintage Flight 9 1964 Cristal 1959 Cristal 1955 Cristal *** Cheeses Organic egg, Alba white truffle and morel cream Flight 5 1985 Cristal 1985 Cristal 1982 Cristal Fi n e 1 0 0 B e s t C h a m pa g n e s Menu ‘Cristal’ October 23rd 2013 61

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27 Expressions of Cristal 94p Louis Roederer Cristal 1997 magnum 8 91p Colour: Bright yellow colour Nose: Already the first whiff brings on a good surprise: stunning gunpowdery nose, toffee, smoke and bright green and white fruit Palate: Balanced to perfection, nowhere near a blockbuster but it just works Ending: Superbly crisp acidity and long linear length When to drink: Yes, especially if you catch it in magnum Food pairing: Moules marinières 10 n/a The word: Disappointed with the bottle Buy or not: Usually yes, this is the only compromised bottle I have encountered 2014–2022 Inside Information: The usual 55% Pinot Noir, 45% Chardonnay blend Or try this: Laurent-Perrier Alexandra Rosé reaches the same heights in this lesser vintage Final verdict: A perfect bottle, or rather a magnum. A lesser vintage is not lesser at Roederer. Louis Roederer Cristal 1990 Colour: Deep colour verging on unhealthy Nose: Oxidised nose of wax, honey and bruised apple, still complex but masked by oxidation Palate: Strong, ripe and vinous Ending: Concentrated and powerful Food pairing: In today's condition it suits with an elegant mushroom risotto Inside Information: Usually a super Cristal but today we were unlucky Or try this: Another bottle of the same Final verdict: A compromised bottle lacking Cristal's usual purity and zestiness 11 96p Louis Roederer Cristal 1989 Colour: Deep bright yellow colour Nose: Healthy, explosive, bright red fruit nose with elegant spiciness Palate: Mature, wide and soft but with a firm, muscular backbone Ending: Long and fruit-forward The word: Age-complexed Pinot The word: Disturbed by oxidation Buy or not: Buy or not: In prime condition, yes When to drink: Food pairing: Truffle pasta Inside Information: To Lécaillon it should be "2002 with 12 more years', however this bottle has turned mushroomy and prematurely oxidised Or try this: Dom Pérignon 1990 Final verdict: In 2011 it was in 96 point condition with no oxidative signs so the bottle is to blame. Even as oxidised I gave it 93 points so a perfect bottle is worth hunting for. 90p Colour: Developing yellow colour Nose: Powerful, spice-complexed nose with unfortunate oxidative tones Palate: Intense and firm but trouble with some oxidation Ending: Long and chewy with crisp acidity The word: Stylish Buy or not: Louis Roederer Cristal 1996 9 Yes 2014-2025 Food pairing: Fried salmon with hollandaise Inside Information: This is as good a bottle as it gets. 1989 with its 62% Pinot Noir has the highest Pinot content ever. Or try this: Krug Collection 1988 Final verdict: A fine Cristal dominated by Pinot characters Louis Roederer Cristal 1995 Colour: Developed golden colour Nose: Rich, ripe nose with buttery tones and some oxidative characters Palate: Voluptuos with a smooth acidity and rich body Ending: Long and concentrated The word: Buy or not: When to drink: Food pairing: Slightly overdeveloped Yes 2014–2022 Veal carpaccio Inside Information: As an exception to the Cristal rule, in this vintage the wine went through 20% malolactic fermentation Or try this: If you have the chance, go for Cristal Rosé of the same year Final verdict: Good but not great the fault being rather of the bottle's than the intrionsic wine's. 92 points when last tasted in 2012. 12 n/a Louis Roederer Cristal 1988 Colour: Unhealthy brown colour Nose: Highly oxidised Final verdict: A good bottle is in 96 point condition today but this was too compromised to be given points to. Fi n e 1 0 0 B e s t C h a m pa g n e s 7 63

27 Expressions of Cristal 13 88p Louis Roederer Cristal 1985 14 94p Colour: The first 1985 had a brown-hued but clear colour Nose: Some oxidation here but not to unpleasant degrees Palate: Fairly light and rounded Ending: Long and strong with amontillado-like sherry notes Colour: The second has a healthy bright yellow colour Nose: Fruit-forward, rich nose with dried fruit and charred notes Palate: Wide and fleshy, even oily Ending: Long and concentrated The word: Buy or not: The word: Dosed with sherry aromas Buy or not: When to drink: Yes Food pairing: Food pairing: Mushroom risotto 64 97p Louis Roederer Cristal 1981 Colour: Clear golden Nose: Strong, characterful nose with depth, tropical fruit, spices Palate: What a firmness and acid line Ending: Long, loaded with fruit The word: Buy or not: When to drink: Food pairing: Impressive Yes 2014–2025 Admire it on its own Inside Information: A small but great vintage not declared by many Or try this: Go for Champagne Charlie 1981 Final verdict: Hard to top this one Tight and compact 98p When to drink: Veal entrecôte with bearnaise Colour: Clear deep colour Nose: Strong, profound nose with dried fruit complexity and toasty depth Palate: Highly firm and perfectly refreshed by its stunning acidity Ending: Long-lasting and incredibly fresh The word: Buy or not: When to drink: Colour: A highly youthuful glossy yellow colour Nose: A stunning nose, an epitome of freshness, nothing tiring here, rich Pinot character Palate: Soft and mellow, creamy Ending: Long, fresh and muscular The word: Going on strong 2014–2022 Louis Roederer Cristal 1979 Near-eternal Yes 2014–2025 Food pairing: Vitello tonnato Inside Information: A super vintage with great longevity Or try this: Krug Clos du Mesnil 1979 Final verdict: Vitality in bottle Louis Roederer Cristal 1982 Buy or not: Don't hesitate 2014–2025 Food pairing: Savour it on its own Inside Information: Very close to being the wine of the vintage Or try this: Perrier-Jouët Belle Epoque 1982 Final verdict: How fortunate were we to get such a perfect bottle of this! Final verdict: A good bottle, previous recent tastings have resulted in 94 points too 17 97p Yes, for now and later Or try this: A magnum of the same Inside Information: A year of small yields and intense wines Or try this: A magnum of the same Final verdict: Touched by oxidation but still pleasant 16 Louis Roederer Cristal 1985 15 18 94p Louis Roederer Cristal 1977 Colour: Deep golden yet clear colour Nose: Strong raisiny dried fruit and wax nose with a whiff of oxidation Palate: Medium-weight palate with fine mousse but fading fruitiness Ending: Long-lasting The word: Declining beauty Buy or not: Not as a first choice of vintages, but if you are born 1977 this is your champagne to stock up from the vintage When to drink: 2014–2020 Food pairing: Fried turbot with lobster sauce Inside Information: A poor vintage with a few highlights, Cristal is the wine of the vintage Or try this: There are very few recommendable 1977s around Final verdict: A great performance from such a modest, rot-troubled vintage, shows the difference selection can make.

Fi n e 1 0 0 B e s t C h a m pa g n e s 65 Top 10 1 Louis Roederer Cristal 1955 99p 2 Louis Roederer Cristal 1979 98p 3 Louis Roederer Cristal 1981 97p 4 Louis Roederer Cristal 1982 97p 5 Louis Roederer Cristal 1969 96p 6 Louis Roederer Cristal 2004 96p 7 Louis Roederer Cristal 1975 96p 8 Louis Roederer Cristal 1989 96p 9 Louis Roederer Cristal 2002 95p 10 Louis Roederer Cristal 2000 95p

27 Expressions of Cristal 19 n/a 20 96p Louis Roederer Cristal 1976 Colour: Deep brown-hued colour Nose: Nose dominated by oxidative characters Palate: Unpleasant dry taste Buy or not: Not in this condition Louis Roederer Cristal 1975 21 Colour: Clear developed colour Nose: Sweet nose of botrytised fruit, apricot, honey and perfumy notes Palate: Fresh and finely balanced with depth Ending: Rich and complex Inside Information: Big and fat, low acid year, the best are very special indeed Or try this: Dom Pérignon Oenothèque 1976 Final verdict: Spoiled beyond assesment, unfortunately a good bottle has not been tasted in a number of years. Judgement reserved. The word: Enchanting Buy or not: Yes, but beware of condition When to drink: The word: 2014–2022 Buy or not: Food pairing: Fried foie gras When to drink: Inside Information: An elegant, slowmaturing vintage from a properly stored bottle, surpassing the cellar master's expectations Final verdict: Blown-away by its finely vowen complexity, best bottle encountered for ages 94p Louis Roederer Cristal 1973 24 Colour: Deep, clear golden Nose: Strong, toasty, bright fruity with a whiff of oxidative characters Palate: Rich and softening Ending: Persistent with good freshness The word: Buy or not: When to drink: Food pairing: A good and enjoyable but not great bottle Yes 2014–2022 Savour it on its own Inside Information: A year appreciated for its freshness as well as volumes Or try this: Krug and Dom Pérignon from the same year are viable options Final verdict: Lovely freshness and vivacity n/a Louis Roederer Cristal 1970 Colour: Deep brown, clearly spoiled colour Nose: Unpleasant and fully oxidised The word: Gone Buy or not: Not in this condition Final verdict: Out of condition Louis Roederer Cristal 1974 Colour: Deep bright golden Nose: Beautiful, age-mellowed, fragrant and characterful nose, much exceeding expectations Palate: Crisp, medium-weight palate, fully alive with enough fruit Ending: Medium-long and fault-free Food pairing: 66 23 94p 25 Low expectations but performs well by every standard Yes, for curiosity 2014–2023 Grilled tiger prawns with corianderflavoured noodles in oyster sauce Inside Information: A rarely classified vintage of fair quality, Cristal and its rosé are the wines of the vintage Or try this: Not much choice for the vintage, Deutz Vinothèque is showing well Final verdict: Convinced me again how worthwhile it is for Roederer to make Cristal in off-years 96p Louis Roederer Cristal 1969 Colour: Astonishingly bright and youthful colour Nose: Fragrant nose of tropical fruit, dried fruit, oriental spices Palate: Full bloom of the nose cannot be enjoyed to the same degree on the palate, however still very good Ending: Opulent and persistent The word: An outstanding Cristal Buy or not: Yes, this has been consistently fine, and I have even given one bottle 99 points, so capable of absolute perfection When to drink: 2014–2025 Food pairing: Fried veal cheeks with ginger Inside Information: This was from the period when Roederer had TCA problems and withdrew significant amounts of bottles, however, none of the five bottles I have encountered in the last five years has had a problem Or try this: Ruinart Dom Ruinart 1969 Final verdict: On the edge of perfection

94p Louis Roederer Cristal 1964 Colour: Deep orange-hued colour Nose: Strong and deep evolved nose of red fruit, toffee and dried fruits Palate: Closed at first but opens up, balanced Ending: Long-lasting and soft The word: Buy or not: Surprisingly good Yes When to drink: 2014–2018 Food pairing: Chicken Kiev Or try this: Perrier-Jouët Belle Epoque 1964 Final verdict: No longer going up but a rewarding drink today 27 92p Louis Roederer Cristal 1959 Colour: Very deep dark colour Nose: Sweet creme brûlee and dried fruit nose, better nose than what the colour promised Palate: Fine acidity and enough fruit left Ending: Long and concentrated The word: Buy or not: When to drink: Oldie but goldie Yes 2014–2019 Food pairing: Foie gras mi-cuit Inside Information: This was the very first time cellar master Lécaillon tried the wine! Final verdict: Fully mature but hanging in there 28 99p Louis Roederer Cristal 1955 Colour: Promisingly bright, deep colour with orange hues Nose: Truly magnificent nose with a palette of aromas from orange peel to dried fruit, honey and nuts Palate: Strong but sublimely balanced and fine-tuned Ending: Long and complete The word: Sheer perfection Buy or not: When to drink: If only one could find a bottle… 2014–2025 Food pairing: Exclusively for meditation Inside Information: Another first taste for Lécaillon, and there are no bottles left in the cellar Or try this: Irreplaceable Final verdict: Feels like winning the lottery Fi n e 1 0 0 B e s t C h a m pa g n e s 26 67

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– The perfect pairing? Te x t : Ju h a L i h t o n e n m any purists about Japanese kitchen think that the only appropriate drinks for sushi are tea, sake and Japanese beer. These traditional Japanese drinks are an undeniable match for sushi, but in the last decades, they have gotten some contenders with the fusion of sushi culture into western gastronomical patterns. most western sushi lovers enjoy sushi with wine or champagne instead of sake. a growing number of champagne bars are serving sushi and modern sushi bars, in turn, offer champagne with sushi. Is it just a passing trend or is there something in champagnes that makes them even better drinks to sushi than the traditional Japanese options? Fi n e C h a m pa g n e & Fo o d SUSHI & cHampagne 69

A lthough in terms of cultural heritage, sushi and champagne are as remote as pizza and sake, there are natural grounds for combining them. First of all, both are the results of centuries of evolution and represent unique, pleasure-inducing lifestyle products in western everyday culture today. Champagne offers a break from daily stress and sushi, in turn, gives pleasure as a healthy food low in calories. Champagne and sushi connect also in terms of ingredients that they are combined with. Sushi is most often laced with seafood – roe, shellfish and fish – while in the Western culture, these delicacies are traditionally enjoyed with crispy white wines and champagnes. A third reason that makes champagne and sushi a good match is their mutually supporting qualities in taste. 70 sAke or chAmpAgne – which one is the right drink to sushi? Sushi means sour-tasting in Japanese. The name comes from the first ever sushi in the Nara period, when fish was soured in salt and fermented rice. The goal was to preserve it longer. The souring process broke the fish proteins into amino acids, which gave the fish a strong umami taste. Umami underlines the aggressive flavors in drinks, accentuating sharp acids, possible tannins, spices and bitterness. This is why traditional sushi is better suited to soft beers, mild tea and fruity sake. The sushi popular in the west represent the so-called Edo sushi, in which the taste is defined by fresh ingredients and vinegar-flavored rice. Since the Edo period, the fish used in sushi has been raw and the accompanying rice has been flavored with rice wine vinegar to emulate the taste created traditionally by the souring process. Since raw fish has less umami than sour fish, even more aggressive champagnes go with the Edo sushi now popular in western countries. The vinegar used in Edo sushi also cuts the most aggressive edge of the acidity in champagnes, making them at least an equally good match to Edo sushi as sake is. a technically perfect combination champagne to different sushi In terms of the compatibility of champagne and sushi it must be said that few food items compliment the taste of champagnes as well as sushi. The rice wine vinegar used in sushi softens the sharp acidity of champagnes, while their mineral nature accentuates nicely the fresh and mild ingredients of sushi. Salty soy sauce and piquant wasabi used to flavor sushi may create an imbalance with the driest champagnes, but sweeter styles often work well. Champagnes with residual sugar also work with gari – ginger pickled in vinegar, salt and sugar – offered to clean the taste buds when enjoying sushi. Although champagne and sushi present good taste pairs in general, there are features in both sushi and champagnes that are good to know to find the perfect combinations. It is good to know the most common sushi types in order to combine different champagnes with them. They are maki, nigiri, inari and uraki and to a lesser degree, oshi and chirasi. The commenTs of The world’s besT sommeliers: AndreAs LArsson Andre Creative Sommelier in Restaurant PM & Vänner, Växjö, Sweden “The Best Sommelier in the World 2007”, ASI “I consider champagne a great partner for sushi, mostly because I do have a weak spot for this intriguing and fun beverage. My analytical side would say that a lot of flavours such as scallops, crab, the Japanese omelet, sea urchin, etc. are quite sweetish in taste and the combination of vibrant acidity and a hint of sugar are most adaptable to this. Thus if we opt for champagne with sushi, I would not go for extra brut, rather a normal level of dosage and I do have a slight preference for blanc de blancs and fresher Chardonnay driven styles. The notion of Pinot Noir or sensation of red wine together with fish doesn’t appeal to my palate.” maki Maki is a roll wrapped in seaweed, nori, and filled with vegetables, fish or shellfish. The seaweed highlights the bitter qualities of the drinks, such as oakiness and tannin. In terms of harmonious taste combinations, it is best to avoid oaky and oxidative style wines and champagnes with maki. Since the nori seaweed gives structure to the taste of the sushi, a stuctured Pinot Noir dominant champagne may form a good match with it. Maki is best accompanied by brut or sec champagnes with more than six grams of residual sugar per litre. The slight sweetness of the champagne also supports the sweet ingredients, carrot and crab, often used as maki fillings.

Uraki The commenTs of The world’s besT sommeliers: gerArd BAsset ms, mw, mBA, oBe Hotellier, Hotel TerraVina, Hampshire, UK “The Best Sommelier in the World 2010”, ASI “Of course, there are many types of sushi. However, for the classic tuna, salmon or other firm fish sushi a blanc de noirs champagne or any other energetic champagne can be wonderful.” Fi n e C h a m pa g n e & Fo o d Uraki can be counted as maki, because it is also a roll wrapped in seaweed, but the rice is around the seaweed. The best known uraki sushi is the California roll said to have been developed in the United States in the 1960s by Chef Ichiro Mashita from the Tokyo Kaika sushi bar in Los Angeles. California rolls, flavored with toasted sesame seeds and avocado, are best paired with slightly creamier champagnes, such as blanc de blancs or chardonnay-dominant champagnes. Again, it is better to favor champagnes with some residual sugar. 71 nigiri Nigiri sushi differ from maki sushi, because instead of rolls they are like sushi cakes topped with fresh ingredients ranging from fish to scallops and boiled crabs. Although nigiri sushi do not have seaweed, which brings out the bitterness in wines, the ingredients on top of the sushi rice represent a mild sweetness, which is why brut champagnes with some residual sugar are a better match to them than dry champagnes. A nigiri subtype is the gunkan sushi, a rice cake wrapped in seaweed with roe or tamago, an eggroll sushi wrapped in nori seaweed. With them it is advisable to select a sec champagne with slightly more residual sugar. The commenTs of The world’s besT sommeliers: isA BAL ms Head Sommelier in Restaurant The Fat Duck, Berkshire, UK ”The Best Sommelier of Europe 2008”, ASI “My past experiences tell me that when it comes to sushi there is nothing better than a good sake, hot or cold, whichever you prefer. Champagne of course would be a natural choice when I don’t have the opportunity to drink sake.”

history of sushi Sushi has a long history. The traditional Japanese treats hark back to the 7th century, when it was customary in Far East Asia to preserve fish by salting it and curing it with fermented rice. The fish were cleaned, salted and filled with fermented rice, until months later they were eaten without the rice. This food became popular in the Nara period and there are still some slightly modified sushi, the nare sushi, made in the same fashion. Today the fish are salted and put under a weight in wooden containers to cure without rice. Finally the salt-matured fish are served with rice. The nare sushi served today are a mixture of two eras in Japanese sushi culture, merging the pickled fish of the Nara period and the fermented rice that became popular in the Muromachi period. In the Muromachi period in the 15th century were born the nama nare sushi, which combined fermented rice and fish, unlike before. The flavor of the ingredients became more important than preservation of the fish. One of the most popular sushi treats was fresh fish wrapped in rice called seisei sushi. The kind of sushi increasingly popular in western countries in the past few decades can be traced back to the Edo period in the 19th century. Fermented rice was no longer used in Edo, current Tokyo, and its taste was imitated by adding rice wine vinegar to the cooked rice. There was a need for fast food in the busy city and stalls selling easy-to-eat finger food, rice treats, filled with fresh fish and vegetables, began to appear on the streets. The traditional sashimi, raw fish and meat, were combined with rice for the first time in Japan in the late 1820s. This gave birth to the Edo sushi, the most popular sushi in the world today. Hanaya Yoheini, a Tokyo chef in the early 19th century, is said to have developed them. chirasi Chirasi is a sushi portion served in a large bowl with a host of various fresh ingredients from fish to shellfish and vegetables on a bed of rice. There is no nori in chirasi and crispy dry blanc de blancs champagnes high in acidity would be a good match for them. 72 The commenTs of The world’s besT sommeliers: enrico BernArdo Restaurateur, Il Vino & Goust Restaurants, Paris & Courchevel, France “The Best Sommelier in the World 2004”, ASI “Champagne and sushi is a great combination. The effervescence of the champagne balances perfectly the sweet taste of raw fish. The purity of the champagne aroma (unlike wood-aged wines) respects and exalts the delicacy of sushi.” Inari Sec champagnes are also good matches to inari sushi. The fried tofu lining the rice cake brings out the sweetness and to balance it out, it is good to choose a champagne with more than ten grams of residual sugar. Sec-type champagnes are safe choices, but sweeter brut champagnes also work with inari.

The commenTs of The world’s besT sommeliers: “I do like champagne with sushi very much. However, it’s not as super easy to combine the two as it seems. As a general rule, brut champagnes work better than extra brut or brut nature champagnes. It depends on how much soy sauce is used – the more soy sauce is involved, the better it works with aged champagne. The type of fish used in Sushi is also relevant. You can also play with glasses of different shapes. If you have different champagne glasses available, you can serve drier champagne, extra brut or brut nature, from a flute to bass or octopus. For Uni (sea urchin roe), Otoro (supreme tuna belly with high fat content) and scallop I use richer champagnes, such as vintage bruts or non-vintage ones with higher content of reserve wines.” Oshi Fi n e C h a m pa g n e & Fo o d ALdo sohm Head Sommelier in Restaurant Le Bernardin, New York, US “Best Sommelier in the World 2008”, World Sommelier Association 73 The preparation method of oshi sushi, popular in Japan’s Osaka, differs from that of the sushi rolls and cakes best known in western countries. There is more rice in these tightly pressed sushi and the dominating taste is sour rather than sweet. This is why even the drier extra brut champagnes work with oshi. The internationalized sushi culture has given champagne an opportunity to stand out as not just an incomparable drink for special occasions, but also an outstanding wine for meals. Sushi served as snacks bring many flavors to the table and offer a wide variety of choices in matching them with champagne. When selecting a champagne to sushi, residual sugar is a better guide than champagne type. The driest champagnes are best served as aperitif, since they are too tart for sushi. Beyond that it depends on how much money one wants to spend on the champagne. There is plenty of choice in non-vintage, vintage and prestige cuvée champagnes. >

74 sieck d i e H r e p with PiCamus n a l l e v A si is Editor Ecsellar master Rég Pinot Noir being picked in Verzenay per-modern su ’s on nd ha C & t oë M Tanks in winery in Montaigu

Harvest vins clairs tour 2013 Text: Essi Avellan MW Photos: Essi Avellan MW & Michael Boudot Fi n e H a r v e s t and 75 I t is all hustle and bustle in the vineyards as I drive through the Marne river valley to reach Epernay and start my harvest tour. On this particular Monday in early October the sun is shining and the harvest is proceeding swimmingly. But the season has not been easy – on the contrary, actually. I am here to visit some of the region’s most interesting and reputable producers to observe the progression of the harvest. Later, I will return to the area to taste some of the resulting base wines. How will the 2013 vintage taste? My first stop is at 11, avenue de Champagne, and Perrier-Jouët’s gorgeous Maison Belle Epoque, where cellar master Hervé Deschamps sums up the major weather patterns of the year. ”After a cold and prolonged winter, spring started late this year resulting in a delayed lifecycle of the vines. Cold temperatures and heavy rain hit Champagne in June, bringing hailstorms that affected 15 hectares owned by PerrierJouët and our sister house, G.H. Mumm. The region was also affected by widespread coulure and millerandange, which slightly reduced the yields,” says Mr Deschamps. This year July and August were blessed with sunshine and warmth – according to the mean-temperature, this season was record-breakingly hot. Veraison, or change of colour the bunches experience, took place at the end of August, after which the warm weather continued. The season’s weather patterns meant a late start for the harvest – September 24th in Aube and the following day in the Marne. ”We picked our first G.H. Mumm vineyards in Chouilly on the 27th of September, followed by Cramant on the 30th and from the 1st and 2nd of October in the Montagne de Reims,” remembers Hervé Deschamps. As it is October 7th today, the harvest is well on its way. Hervé Deschamps takes us to see the action in the press house and View to the lighthouse of Verzenay vineyards in Côte des Blancs’ Cramant, an epitomic source of grapes for the Belle Epoque cuvée. ”To date, the quality looks promising, particularly for the Chardonnays as they are showing a potential alcohol of over 10 per cent in most of our vineyards. Acidity levels are also good, with pH levels between 2.97 and 3.04,” Dechamps summarises. After we end our tour of the PerrierJouët vineyards in Cramant, I continue my exploration in the very village and

Harvest and vins 76 similar to 2012. We will be able to make vintage and prestige cuvée quality.” Further south in Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, Rodolphe Péters of Pierre Péters is busy with the harvest. ”Tomorrow, the 8th, will be the last day of picking and at this point I am pleased, as the parameters of potential alcohol and acidity/ pH are excellent. The crop is quite healthy but there are some traces of botrytis. But this might not only be a bad thing. In 2002 botrytis also brought about some complexity.” Indeed, gluconic acid, product of botrytis and a measure of crop health, is reported to be slightly elevated in 2013, even if it remains under general perception thresholds. Filling the presses in Perrier-Jouët press house at Cramant visit Champagne Guiborat, a newly discovered grower for me, whose wines have very much impressed. I am received by Karine Fouquet, wife of Richard Fouquet, the fifth-generation proprietor. The house’s eight hectares are located in Cramant, Chouilly and Mardeuil. With all the Chardonnays already picked, Richard is in Mardeuil finishing the Pinot Meunier harvest. Here, the mood is equally positive, and Karine says: “After the spring and summer we were worried but eventually we received a healthy crop with a fine balance of acidity and sugar.” Next, I am about to change the scale from Guiborat Fils’ 20 000 bottles to De Saint Gall, the super cooperative of the Côte des Blancs and Union Champagne brand, whose 1000-plus growers possess some 1200 hectares of vineyards, situated largely in the area’s greatest Grand Cru and Premier Cru villages. Here, Cédric Jacopin, the cooperative’s young cellar master, has a very positive opinion about the production of the entire Côte des Blancs region: ”This will become an excellent Chardonnay year, a problem for some Pinot Noir. There was excessive rain in early September, especially in the Côte des Bar. This is a challenging year to make red wine for rosé production and we have cut our production by 30 per cent,” Demarville says at the house’s red wine vinification centre in Bouzy. But the rest is good news and I witness the cellar master’s smile get even wider as we taste samples from the fermentation vats in their Reims cellars. From Veuve Clicquot I make my way to J. Lassalle in Chigny-les-Roses, where three generations of women work together to run the winery. I am fortunate to meet them all – Olga, Chantal and Angéline – although it is the young, sympathetic Angéline who has been at the helm since 2006. This 16-hectare property’s vineyards lie within a small radius and are cultivated using all three major champagne varietals, with the majority under Pinot Meunier. “This is a big quantity, high sugar year. We have just started picking Pinot Noir and it looks healthy. However, for us it is not a great Chardonnay year, and we do not yet know whether Pinot Providing a challenge I intend to spend the following day focusing on Pinot Noir, and what better place to start than Veuve Clicquot, the region’s number one Pinot Noir focused brand? Ahead of the tour, cellar master Dominique Demarville has invited me to meet him at the Clicquot press house in Verzy, in the Montagne de Reims. I am greeted by a smiling and relaxed winemaker, a good sign for the harvest. ”I am very positive. Botrytis is not such a big problem in case selection has taken place. Dilution and a lack of sufficient structure might be Press work at Veuve Clicquot

clairs tour 2013 Antoine Paillard serves us a harvest time snack a few months wiser I return to the region in the spring to discuss and taste the still base wines, vins clairs, with the cellar masters before they make the final blends. At Champagne Roederer, cellar master Jean-Baptiste Lécaillon describes the year’s Chardonnay as ’classic’: ”The terroir comes through beautifully in the wines and the cru characters are clearly identifiable.” But he also adds that 2013 has also been a real winegrower’s vintage. ”There is a real difference between those who have successfully tended to their vines and those who haven’t. But it has equally been a wine producer’s vintage.” Fi n e H a r v e s t we will make Cuvée Angéline and Spécial Club,” Angéline sums up. Indeed, the yields for the dark-skinned Pinot Noir and Meunier grapes are opulent. The official appellation yields for the 2013 harvest, 10 000 kilogrammes per hectare, are easily attained, even surpassed, around the region. This will be a good opportunity for many to stock up the Réserve Individuelle by the permitted 3100 kg/ha. I am due to end my afternoon with a visit in Bouzy at Champagne Pierre Paillard. This is Pinot Noir heartland, famous for its still red wine, Bouzy Rouge, and the red wine which is used in the production of rosé champagne. I am about to get a very hands-on experience, as Antoine Paillard hands me an apron and rubber boots after the tour of the winery: ”Do you want to help, we are just starting to sort the Pinot Noir grapes for our Bouzy Rouge?” In this challenging Pinot year, the Paillards have borrowed a sorting belt from their friends and are setting it up so that they can make their final selection at the winery and sort out any rotten bunches. I am happy to join the sorting for the rest of the evening in the hope that my efforts might help to make even a small difference. 77 Pinot grapes at Pierre Paillard in Bouzy Lécaillon also has news to report: “For the first time, we have been able to use an indigenous yeast extracted from our historical Pisserenards parcel at Verzenay. We are seeing really amazing results in intensity and aromatic purity. This is the fourth in-house yeast we have produced and used over the last ten years.” As Cristal is made in most vintages, epitomising the quality of the house’s vineyards and its level of craftsmanship, I am not surpriced to learn from Lécaillon that a 2013 will also be made. The Chardonnay is also of top quality for Benoît Gouez, cellar master at the region’s leading champagne house, Moët & Chandon. “There is a beautiful Burgundy character of richness and texture in the wines,” Gouez says as we sit in his car on our way to their impressive new winery in

Veuve Clicquot cellar master Dominique Demarville 78 Montaigu, just beyond Epernay. But outside Chardonnay there is heterogenity to him: “The Pinot Noir from the Epernay area, such as Aÿ, is superb but due to the higher or uneven yields the maturity in some Montagne de Reims villages, such as Bouzy, is a little bit behind, yet superior to the average. The Côte Emptying the vat at Veuve Clicquot des Bar region suffered from considerable rain and in many cases the potential alcohol and ripeness remained modest. Some Meuniers encountered ripeness and rot problems, too. Finally, the difference between the greatest and the weakest is huge in 2013.” As we enter the carefully landscaped winery building, whose first part was opened in 2012, I am blown away by the size of this super-modern winery and its 20 million-bottle capacity. Dedicated to the production of Brut Impèrial, this winery will solve any space problem the ever-expanding house may have recently had. I am not surprised to learn that even the most demanding ecological issues have been taken into consideration in the design. Gouez explains how not a grain of soil has left the property but has been fully utilised on site. In addition to many technical and ecolocigal innovations, it is the massive blending tanks, with a capacity of 6000hl, that have me nodding in approval. They are a key factor in guaranteeing the non-oxidative character and fine consistency of Brut Impèrial. With an extraordinary 800 wines on hand during blending time, I assume Gouez is still well on his way to crafting the final champagnes. But instead he takes me by surprise by telling he has already finished – and it is only late February. “There is no reason to wait. The faster we work, the better we capture the wine,” he states. “Depending on your vineyards and sourcing, the 2013 will be a good year, but not great. What comes to us, we will make Grand Vintage this year,” he states. Six weeks later I am back in Champagne at Piper-Heidsieck, with its wizardof-a-winemaker Régis Camus, who is yet to finalise his blends. ”An unusual vintage as we have not had an October harvest for over twenty years in Champagne. But it is a new puzzle every year. I have just finished the blend for the non-vintage but my question still is whether to go for a vintage or to replenish our stock of reserve wines”, Camus summarises. By now, the decisions have been made and the wines are being bottled and taken into the cool darkness of the cellars for their second fermentation ageing. We will now need to wait a minimum of three years for the first vintage champagnes of the year to emerge, but for a whole decade or more to assess the quality of the vintage’s best wines. In the meantime, the growers and winemakers will start preparing for another harvest. > Vins Clairs tasting at Moët & Chandon

JOIN THE CLUB! Richard Juhlin, by many regarded as the world’s foremost champagne expert, has sampled and evaluated close to 7,000 champagnes. At www.champagneclub.com, members of The Richard Juhlin Champagne Club can login and, using a personal code, access Mr Juhlin’s unique digital library where all evaluated champagnes are listed, described and rated from 0 to 100. More than the sheer size of this vast database, its uniqueness also lies in Mr Juhlin’s vivid use of language and his ability to recognize and pinpoint not only the present but also the future state of the champagne at hand. The latter means that he awards the champagne an additional grade, where he estimates the potential greatness, with optimal aging. As soon as Mr Juhlin tries a new champagne, his tasting notes are downloaded into the database and made available to club members. The database engine allows for di erent ways of searching for a champagne, such as alphabetically, by producer, top 100, etc. On the website, the member password will also give access to Mr Juhlin’s travel articles, descriptions of champagne producers, suggestions on where to dine, and much more. Membership in The Richard Juhlin Champagne Club gives you access to the on-line member pages – but it also includes you in a global group of people who truly love champagne and who can expect to bene t from more and more advantages as the club grows. In several cities the member card already grants its bearer advantages at “champagne friendly” restaurants, special presentations of hard-to-find champagnes, online tastings, etc. In four Scandinavian cities there are also exclusive Richard Juhlin Champagne Bars, as well as annual Richard Juhlin Champagne Dinners o ered to members boasting the special black membership card. News and information is continually updated on the website and made available to members in 43 countries around the world. Join The Richard Juhlin Champagne Club at www.champagneclub.com for only 75 euro annually - and use the bonus code ’FINECHAMP’ for a VIP discount INFO@CHAMPAGNECLUB.COM | WWW.CHAMPAGNECLUB.COM

““ LL ee D Do om ma a ii n n ee LL ee ss C Cr ra ay y èè r r ee ss ”” o on n ee o o ff t th h ee m mo o ss t t Today, Today, more more than than ever ever before, before, Le Le Domaine Domaine Les Les Crayères Crayères reaffirms reaffirms the the desire desire and and determination determination to to be be aa living living celebration celebration of of Champagne Champagne –– the the region, region, the the beverage, beverage, and and the the lifestyle lifestyle itit embodies embodies –– both both for for Reims Reims and and for for the the world. world. What What we we have have to to offer offer isis unique: unique: our our five-star five-star hotel hotel ««Le Le Château Château», », our our gourmet gourmet restaurant restaurant ««Le Le Parc Parc», », our our new new brasserie brasserie ««Le Le Jardin Jardin», », our our superb superb setting setting so so close close to to the the city city centre, centre, in in the the very very midst midst of of Champagne Champagne and and its its consummate, consummate, celebrated celebrated beverage… beverage… Member Memberof ofRelais Relais& &Châteaux Châteaux Member Memberof ofLes LesGrandes GrandesTables Tablesdu duMonde Monde Email: Email:contact@lescrayeres.com contact@lescrayeres.com www.lescrayeres.com www.lescrayeres.com

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I visit Champagne several times a year and each season has its own charm to me, but the harvesting weeks are still my favorite. When the vines are at their best, the vineyards are filled with workers picking the precious grapes. There is plenty of life even outside the immediate surroundings of the vineyards, since the grapes have to be pressed as quickly as possible into juice. The winemakers work around the clock, following the harvesting, since the few September weeks dictate the outcome of the entire wine year. Fi n e D i s c ov e r i n g C h a m pa g n e Discovering D iscovering Text: Essi Avellan MW Photos: Michael Boudot 83 C Champagne Discovering Champagne • Part 6 FINE Champagne 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 concentrate on planning the trip.

Champagne PLANNING A TRIP TO CHAMPAGNE F 84 ebruary and March are the key visiting months workwise for me, because then I get to taste the vin clairs, the nonsparkling base wines of the new vintage. The cellar masters develop the wines of each vintage within a three-month period, when the base wines and various blends are tasted every day. If you want to learn about Champagne’s regional differences or the impact of various wine-making techniques on the base wine, you should time your visit to this season. In terms of weather, it is not as inviting a time to visit, so the cellars feel more comfortable than the outdoors. In April, spring arrives in Champagne, the vines begin to grow and the scenery turns green again. The entire summer until the end of July is a good time to visit to see the daily growth of the vines and the grapes. In August Champagne goes on a well-deserved holiday, preparing for the harvesting season, so it is not a good time for a visit. Another quieter period is from mid-December to the end of January, when many big champagne houses close their doors. When planning a trip, it is advisable also to check out possible national holidays, because France has feasts and days off almost every month and they upset the rhythm. River Marne runs through the city of Épernay Direct routes to Champagne Why Champagne? Arriving to Champagne via Paris airports, it is easy to take the train from the centre of Paris or from the Charles de Gaulle airport north of Paris. From Charles de Gaulle, the fast TGV train takes you straight to Reims in 45 minutes. It is slightly confusing that some trains go to the center of Reims and some to the station of Champagne-Ardenne, which is ten minutes from the center. But there are regular links between these stations and it is also easy to get to Épernay by train. Champagne is naturally the region’s key tourist attraction and main industry – a resource keeping the wheels of economy rolling. But there is more to experience in Champagne than its divine drink. Many Roman ruins, such as Porte Mars in the heart of Reims, tell about the long history of the region. The most visited monuments are still the underground Gallic Roman crayères, where millions of champagne bottles are now stored. When visiting areas outside the cities in Champagne, a car is a necessity, which is why I often rent a car at the airport and drive there. It takes about an hour and a half, all on toll roads. The road side bars in France are surprisingly poor compared with the French food culture in general, so I like to drive all the way into Champagne without stopping. Churches and the majestic Notre-Dame de Reims cathedral in particular testify to the golden era of Reims in the past; a time when French kings were crowned in the city and the celebrations continued in the neighboring Palais de Tau. You don’t even have to enter the cathedral to enjoy it. The landmark is equally impressive from the outside. Both World Wars had a significant impact on the region, so there are many museums and monuments dedicated to them. World War I destroyed much of the old glory of Reims, whereas Châlons-en-Champagne and Troyès were saved and have much to offer to friends of architecture and history. In the end of World War II Germany surrendered to the Allied forces in Reims on 7 March 1945. For those interested in war history, Salle de Reddition, which celebrates the event, is a must. Gastro tourism Wine buffs usually live to eat, so I’m assuming that a wine tourist is also a gastro tourist. I remember one trip to Champagne with champagne experts and foodies Charles Curtis and Timothy Hall, when we spent at least as much time selecting a restaurant for lunch and dinner by leafing through the Michelin Guide as

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Champagne we did in choosing the vineyards we wanted to visit. We spent all car trips talking about food and restaurants! Despite its appetizing name, for some reason Champagne does not have as strong a gastronomic tradition as many other regions in France. But thanks to champagne tourism and the champagne houses’ promotional events, the region has a surprising number of top restaurants in comparison to its population. There is only one restaurant with three Michelin stars and one with two stars, but one-star places come in opulence. 86 Since the region’s own food culture is not dominant, the restaurants serve many both national and local classics. As one might guess, the main emphasis is on ingredients particularly suited for champagne. Although in terms of its geographical location Champagne might not seem to be a seafood paradise, but it is such a good match to the region’s wines that restaurants serve it. A weekend can be launched by oysters and champagne at the Reims Saturday market. Friends of scallops and lobster will be happy here too. Many also wait to taste goose liver and champagne, the perfect combination widely served in the region. I like the way it is natural to drink champagne throughout the meal in the region. The local sommeliers don’t really need a corkscrew here! Sometimes the champagne houses serve a red bordeaux with meat, but I would rather stick to champagne when visiting the area. After all, a wine tastes the best where it comes from. If you give it a chance, you will notice how well a full-bodied champagne goes with the region’s popular protein dishes, carpaccio and duck. The top restaurants in the region are experienced in matching champagne and food. For example, the luxury restaurant Les Crayères offers changing theme menus based on champagne from various champagne brands. As one might assume, the champagne lists are often extensive. The prices are not outrageous and there are wines to every taste. The selection of older vintages is surprising- ly modest, however, which is a shame, since you would think champagne could quench the thirst of even more demanding champagne fanatics. On the other hand, there is not a bar in Champagne, where they wouldn’t serve champagne by the glass. To Champagne, but where? The distances in the Champagne wine region are not great, but you waste time driving back and forth. To make the most of a limited time, it makes sense to plan the route well. Champagne can be roughly divided into four sub-regions: Montagne de Reims, Vallée de la Marne, Côte des Blancs and Aube. This article follows the above-mentioned division and I recommend using this division when planning the trip to avoid too much driving. Reims and Montagne de Reims The biggest city in the region, Reims, with close to 190 000 inhabitants, is an excellent place to visit and a recommended base for those dreaming of a busier cultural and entertainment scene. To me it has become like a second home town; I like its social atmosphere, which is nevertheless quieter than that of bigger cities. Reims is also the home of many champagne houses from Veuve Clicquot to Ruinart, Taittinger and Pommery. The city has most of the region’s major tourist attractions and a great many of the best restaurants. The city of Reims is surrounded by Montagne de Reims, home to many small wineries known for their Pinot Noir champagnes. Champagne’s best hotel, Les Crayères, is in Reims. Its luxuriously peaceful ambiance seems like a true oasis. My own ”second home” is the reasonably priced Hôtel de la Paix. I fell in love with its central location and friendly atmosphere years ago. The hotel bar’s key attraction is its excellent bartender Erol Özdemir, whose masterful flairtending skills get you hooked from your first visit. There is currently one restaurant I like more than any other in Champagne, L’Assiette Champenois, which is in the village of Tinquex right outside of Reims. Its owner-chef Arnaud Lallement is worthy of his three Michelin stars, the last of which he just acquired a few months ago. It is not a molecular kitchen, although Lallement’s food is very innovative. L’Assiette’s ambiance is relaxed, which I like more than the stiff and formal. The ultra-sophisticated classic-style restaurant Le Parc de les Crayères, L’Assiette Champenois’ longtime rival, is now headed by chef Philippe Mille, who was quickly awarded two stars for his excellent modern French cooking. Trailing these two there are a number of excellent restaurants. Some of them have one Michelin star. Le Foch and Le Millénaire in Reims are sure bets, but very traditional options. Le Grand Cerf outside the city serves food that is at least as good. These top gastronomical names are followed by a host of interesting and modern restaurants serving simpler quality food. In Reims I like best the orientally flavored Version Originale and Au Cul de Poule a bit outside the city center, which has a wonderfully relaxed local atmosphere. There are many brasseries and bistros in the city. One favorite of is Le Jardin, the elegant second restaurant by Les Crayéres. The classics include the highly traditional Brasserie de Boulingrin, champagne-like elegant Café du Palais and the rustic and casual Bistrot Henri IV. Vallée de la Marne A half-an-hour drive south of Reims takes you to the small village of Aÿ, which is the home of a few famous champagne houses, such as Bollinger, Deutz and Ayala. The Marne valley continues tens of kilometers west of Aÿ as farm land mostly dedicated to Pinot Meunier. There are several small producers worth a visit in the area and a few quality restaurants and places to stay. East of Aÿ is the city of Châlons-enChampagne, which is a good day-trip destination for those interested in architecture, history and gastronomy.

87 Fi n e D i s c ov e r i n g C h a m pa g n e

In Vallée de la Marne the selection is more limited. Relais de Reuilly deep in the western valley is my favorite for dining and staying overnight within a 20-kilometer radius. The one enjoying an authentic Chambre d’Hôtes milieu chooses La Havre de Percheron, where one gets to be a part of a real champagne family. In the village of Dizy to the east is the hotel and restaurant Les Grains d’Argent, my new favorite, which is under the command of the energetic and elegant Annabelle Hazard. Châlonsen-Champagne further east is worth a visit just for the excellent Jacky Michel restaurant at the Hôtel d’Angleterre. It makes sense to plan the visits regionally. Two visits per day is a nice and easy pace. 88 Épernay and Côte des Blancs Épernay in the meeting point of Champagne’s sub-regions is the real champagne capital, which literally lives on champagne. The hills of Côte des Blancs south of the city produce the region’s finest Chardonnays with the best aging potential. The region’s small villages have a number of small quality producers worth a visit. Épernay’s biggest attraction, avenue de Champagne, is Champagne’s Champs-Elysées with such houses as Moët & Chandon, Pol Roger, Perrier-Jouët and De Venoge. In comparison to its population, the city has many wine stores and Madame Salvatori’s 50-year-old boutique is a must. The small-grower owned C Comme Champagne is a down-to-earth champagne bar where you can taste the cuvés of local producers. This nice small town of 26 000 inhabitants has recently been invigorated by a host of new restaurants. Traditional Les Berceaux and a newer challenger La Grillade Gourmand compete for the title of best restaurant in town. The restaurant La Briquetterie a little outside the town is also excellent. Out of the brasseries, Table Kobus and Les 7 represent the best Champagne Épernay in the meeting point of Champagne’s sub-regions is the real champagne capital, which literally lives on champagne. quality. Another elegant option is La Banque with its champagne bar. Villa Éugene on Épernay’s avenue de Champagne is a charming small hotel and the cozy Chambre d’Hôtel Parva Domus is on the same street in an excellent location. Those seeking the peace and luxury of the country choose the Relais & Châteaux hotel Le Briquetterie in the neighboring village of Chenay. The hotel’s new spa is one of the few in Champagne. Ten minutes from the village of Champillon on the other side of the city is the luxurious Royal Champagne, where even Napoleon liked to stop, with outstanding views over Épernay and the region’s vineyards. There are a few places to recommend for eating in the wine villages of Côte des Blancs: the highly elegant hotel and restaurant Les Avisés of champagne icon Anselme Selosse in Avize, the fine dining level Le Mont Aimé in Bergeres-les-Vertus and the more relaxed but ambitious Le Mesnil. Chambre d’Hôtes Le Clos Margot at Champagne Doyard is exceptionally stylish and individual. Aube Beyond its core regions Champagne has satellite areas, such as Sézanne reaching south of Côte des Blancs and further out Aube, which is near Chablis in Burgundy. The drive to Aube from Épernay is a hundred kilometers. The quiet and beautiful small villages, such as Les Riceys, which is famous for its rosé wine, and Charles de Gaulle’s home village Colombey-les-Deux-Églises are charming. The city of Troyes is an interesting stop, although its life does not revolve as totally around champagne as in Épernay or Reims. Valentino is known for its top gastronomy and l’Illustre is perfect for a more rustic taste. The dynamic duo of small hotels, Le Champ des Oiseaux and La Maison de Rhodes, are the best places to stay in Troyes. Tips to a wine traveller The journey into knowing a single wine entails tasting, but also an idea of where it grows, what happens in the cellar and the role of the human touch. A good visit covers all these aspects. It makes sense to plan the visits regionally. Two visits per day is a nice and easy pace. Three or even four visits are possible in theory, but I would rather focus on quality than quantity. If one visit turns out to be the best, it is a pity to have to rush on to the next one. A tasting takes less than an hour, but a proper visit usually takes more than an hour and a half. The list of places to visit should be based on your own preferences; which houses would you like to see? But make sure to include something new and surprising too. I like to combine different types of producers. Alternating visits to grower-producers, cooperatives and champagne houses keep the mind fresh. Plan the trip carefully beforehand and book the visits at least a couple of weeks before departure. E-mail is the most convenient way to book visits and the contact information can be found on the producers’ web sites. The glamour of champagne houses Champagne differs from France’s other wine appellations or regions where the wines are known and classified according to their origin. 80 per cent of the trade is in the hands of major champagne houses, which means a handful of wine brands known all over the world. When studying champagne, we most probably first run into the brands of Moët & Chandon, Veuve Clicquot, G.H. Mumm, Pommery and Lanson. These houses receive champagne friends to their cellars with great hospitality and the glamour attached to a luxury product.

une Famille, un Clos, un Premier Cru Une trilogie fondée sur les liens familiaux et la passion d'un terroir 5, rue du Mesnil • 51130 Vertus Tél. : +33 (0)3 26 52 16 30 • Fax : +33 (0)3 26 52 20 13 info@champagne-veuve-fourny.com • www.champagne-veuve-fourny.com L'abus d'alcool est dangereux pour la santé, à consommer avec modération.

The vast number of growerproducers are the beauty of champagne. There are charming personalities among both growers and négociants. Cyril and Maxence Janisson welcome you to Janisson Baradon 90 It is easy to enter the big houses, because the tours are run professionally and visitors do not need to know French or be wine buffs. The tour and tasting most often costs between ten and thirty euros and the point is not to profit from them, but to offer wine lovers a chance to get familiar with the house and its products. The champagne houses do not want to compete with local vendors or their own recommended prices, so the prices at the wineries are not significantly lower than in town. Branded coolers, glasses and clothes are sold as souvenirs. Although there are similarities to visiting the major houses, each one is still different and has its own mood and special features. Taittinger’s cellars in the ruins of the St. Nicaise monastery have a solemn atmosphere pregnant with history. Pommery’s fabulous, Disney-like castle is a work of art both inside and outside. The art exhibition in its cellars lures you back every year. Joseph Perrier’s cellars on the slopes are charmingly old-fashioned and authentic with their mechanic equipment. Lots of small farmers Experienced wine lovers may sometimes find the highly organized visits to champagne houses too touristy, especially if there are several of those in day. Although the houses are the most visible part of champagne, the whole picture is different. Out of the 15 000 small farmers in the region, over 2 500 produce wine under their own name. A traveler touring Champagne will quickly notice the dozens and dozens of producer names along the roads and in street corners. Even for someone who thinks of himself or herself as a champagne connoisseur, many of the names are not familiar. The vast number of grower-producers are the beauty of champagne. Visits to the champagne houses focus on the presentation of their grandiose history or the cuvees, and vines or work on the vineyards remain distant concepts. This all changes when visiting a grower-producer. The grower probably comes straight from the vineyard to the meeting and returns there when the meeting is over. The grower knows the vines almost individually, since they’ve been in the family for generations. Language can become a problem with the grower-producers, since some are shy to speak English and some don’t speak any foreign languages. Either way, they appreciate a guest’s attempts to speak their language. The tours are far from robotic marketing speeches. The style is often down-to-earth, although there are charming personalities among both growers and négociants. A few wine enthusiast questions and the grower might begin to lecture on his philosophy in detail... Visits to a grower-producer are usually free, but a visitor should keep in mind it is a small business with limited resources. If the wines are good, buy a few bottles to reward the host’s efforts. Many producers now sell al- most their entire production from the cellar door and the prices are excellent. Without the margins of wine shops and mediators you can get good champagnes for as little as 15 euros. If you’re travelling by plane, ask if the producer can ship the champagne home to you. An open door winery does not require an advance booking, but if you want a more professional and informative visit, it is advisable to book the visit and tell them what you are after. I rarely go to a winery without a booking, because I’ve realized it makes it easier for both parties and I also think it’s polite. A call fifteen minutes before knocking on the door does not count as an advance booking. Many find it rude, because the growers are always busy and sudden visits are difficult to factor in. Co-operatives Co-operatives are the third power in the region besides the champagne houses and the small producers. Some of them produce wines only to their farmers or champagne houses, but some have their own production under their own brand. If you want to understand the full reality of champagne, you should also visit these. Many are genuine wine giants with oil-refinery like cellars that are far from vineyard romanticism. Nicolas Feuillatte, a cooperative producer that has risen to one of the major champagne sellers, is a recommended place to visit. Its ultramodern cellars do not try to hide volumes, but rather showcase them

AT P I P E R- H E I D S I E C K , T H E M O S T N OT EWO RT H Y C O LO U R IS NOT THE RED, BUT THE GOLD. Piper-Heidsieck’s Winemaker is elected Champagne Winemaker of the Year*. For the sixth time in eight years, Régis Camus has been crowned by the prestigious International Wine Challenge UK. Beyond the talent of the man, it is the uncompromising quality of the Piper-Heidsieck wines, awarded year after year, that dazzles. www.piper-heidsieck.com * Winemaker of the year in Champagne category, Septembre 2011.

with pride. This is the reality in many other major houses too, although they want to show tourists only the romantic side of production. One address to bear in mind is Mailly Grand Cru, an interesting single-village cooperative in Mailly-Champagne whose doors are open for tastings nearly every day, even on selected Sundays, a rarity in the region. A few words of warning 92 The vineyards are used to changing schedules of visitors – or late arrivals. In France it is not customary to arrive too early, which is as much a faux pas as being late. Fifteen minutes is not a problem, but if your delay is longer, it is polite to call the hosts and let them know. Keep in mind, though, that lunch is sacred to the French and it is not appropriate to visit many places between 12 and 13:30. The visiting etiquette is the same as on any visit. Be grateful for what you’re offered, but don’t make any demands. If you want to taste a particular wine or follow a theme, let them know when you book the visit. If the host enjoys your company or sees that you appreciate the wines, he might open some special bottles. They are true rarities we don’t see every day. Producers always need a good excuse to taste and share these historic bottles. A wine enthusiast is the perfect excuse. For some reason many French wine producers are still slightly condescending to a visitor at first. It might even feel that he is testing you. If you manage to get the host’s approval by your questions and comments, he often becomes friendlier and more generous about the bottles he opens. I find this attitude negative, because in many cultures it is taken personally and the visitor does not feel at home. Fortunately this attitude is losing ground. The new generation is more skilled in languages and share information without unnecessary arrogance. It is likely that the host will ask your opinion about the wines. If you like them, say it with passion. If you don’t like the wines, you have a bigger problem, since I have come to realize many winemakers actually do not want feedback on their wines even if they say so. It is understandable, since the wines are like their children. There is always something positive to say about the wine to get out of an awkward situation, after which you can cautiously bring out the negative quality too. In Champagne they don’t usually expect the wine tourist to spit the wine. During a visit you taste many wines, so it is sensible to learn to spit them. It is not polite to get drunk on a visit, so leave the champagne drinking to later. > Champagne My favorite events in Champagne: La Saint-Vincent Throughout the region, January The patron saint of winemakers, SaintVincent, is celebrated on January 22, when all champagne villages arrange an official feast to bless the new wine. The whole village often gathers to a religious service and a joint meal. LeS FLânerieS MuSicaLeS de reiMS Reims, June-July A several-week long music event invades the streets and restaurants of Reims. There is quality classical music and entertaining jazz in the program for each day. www.flaneriesreims.com HabitS de LuMièreS Epernay, December The Habits de Lumières winter festival brings color to Épernay’s main street avenue de Champagne. The ten champagne houses on the street dress up according to the year’s theme and serve champagne and gastronomic and cultural treats in their yards. Past themes include The Swinging Sixties, La Mode (fashion), La Fête (Feast) and La Cinéma (cinema). In ten years this three-day festival has become the year’s key event in Épernay. habitsdelumiere.epernay.fr ”The giant picnic at the end of the Flâneries Musicales is the best event of the year. Over 10 000 people gather to Parc Pommery to listen to a free outdoor concert that ends with impressive fireworks. Five per cent of the population of Reims are there!” Vianney Gravereaux Champagne Salon-Delamotte’s Export Manager Vertus is one of the charming small villages of Côte des Blancs

SUGGESTED DAY PROGRAMMES ReiMs AND MoNTAGNe De ReiMs First day, Reims You can easily spend the whole first day in the city of Reims visiting famous Champagne Houses and the most important sights. second day Exploring the Marne river valley 9.30 11.00 9.00 11.00 12.00 14.00 16.00 19.30 20.00 94 Visit at Champagne Veuve Clicquot Exploring Notre Dame de Reims cathedral and the nearby champagne shops Le Parvis and La Vinocave Lunch in one of the little restaurants of Boulingrin, for example Version Originale Visit at Champagne Pommery. The modern art exhibition which is on display part of the year is also well worth seeing. Visiting the cryptoporticus built by ancient Romans on Place du Forum and Hôtel Musée Le Vergeur. Finishing the afternoon with a glass of champagne at L’Epicerie Au Bon Manger. Aperitifs at La Rotonde bar of Les Crayères Dinner at Brasserie Le Jardin of Les Crayères Staying overnight in Reims at Hôtel de la Paix second day, Montagne de Reims The next day you can tour Montagne de Reims and dine outside the city of Reims, and enjoy the dinner also a bit outside of the city in the region’s current number one restaurant – L’Assiette Champenois. 9.00 11.00 12.00 14.00 15.00 17.00 19.00 Visit at Champagne Nicolas Maillart in Ecueil and a drive along the villages of Montagne de Reims to Mailly-Champagne Tasting at Champagne Mailly Grand Cru Lunch at Le Relais de Sillery Visit to Le Phare de Verzenay wine museum Visit at Champagne Penet-Chardonnet in Verzy (On summer weekends) a glass of champagne in Perching Bar, which is built up on trees, and a walk in the forest of Faux de Verzy Aperitifs and dinner in the three Michelin star restaurant L’Assiette Champenois Staying overnight in Reims at Hôtel de la Paix Aÿ AND VALLÉe De LA MARNe First day You can spend the first day in the centre of Vallée de la Marne area touring the villages between Hautvillers and Mareuil-sur-Aÿ. 9.00 11.00 12.00 14.00 16.00 18.00 19.00 Visit to Champagne Jacquesson Visiting La Cave des Filles wine shop Lunch at Les Grains d’Argent Exploring the village and monastery of Hautvillers and the grave of Dom Pérignon Visit at Champagne Philipponnat Visiting Philipponnat’s unique Clos des Goisses vineyard on the outskirts of Mareuil-sur-Aÿ Aperitifs and dinner at Royal Champagne Staying overnight in Royal Champagne 12.00 14.00 16.00 19.00 Marne river cruise from Cumières to Boursault and back A drive along the north shore of river Marne towards Dormans Lunch in the one Michelin star Le Relais de Reuilly Visit at Champagne Dehours Visit at Champagne Tarlant Aperitifs and dinner at La Briqueterie Staying overnight in La Briqueterie ÉpeRNAy AND CôTe Des BLANCs First day It is easy to spend one whole day in the city of Épernay 9.00 10.30 11.00 12.00 14.00 16.00 19.00 20.00 Visit at Champagne Moët & Chandon A walk along avenue de Champagne Visiting Champagne De Castellane’s wine museum and tower admiring the scenery Lunch in the bustling La Table Kobus bistro Visit at Champagne Janisson-Baradon Visiting the nearby Champagne Leclerc-Briant vineyard, where you can with prebooking descend by rope to the deep cellars and practice opening a champagne bottle with saber. Aperitifs in La Banque wine bar Dinner at La Grillade Gourmand Staying overnight in Villa Éugene second day Exploring the sub region of Côte des Blancs 9.00 11.00 12.00 14.00 16.00 20.00 Visit at Champagne Pierre Gimonnet in Cuis A walk in the village of Le Mesnil, stopping to admire Krug’s Clos du Mesnil plot and Salon’s Le Jardin vineyard Lunch in Le Mesnil restaurant Visit at Champagne Veuve Fourny in Vertus Visit at Champagne Doyard in Vertus Dinner at the restaurant Le Mont Aimé in Bergères-les-Vertus Staying overnight in Doyard’s Chambre d’Hôtes Clos Margot AuBe 10.00 12.00 14.00 16.00 18.00 20.00 Visit at Champagne Drappier Lunch Visiting the museum in Charles de Gaulle’s old house and his grave Visit at Champagne Serge Mathieu A city tour in Troyes Dinner at the restaurant Valentino Staying overnight in Hotel Le Champ des Oiseaux

Enjoy responsibly – www.moet.com

Bubbles and other treats – A journey to the French Riviera 96 Text: Jaana Rinne Photos: Ralf Örn T he French Riviera is a destination for the senses. The nose celebrates in the perfume smells of Grasse and the Bellet wine region, the palate enjoys the top restaurants in Mougins and the eye rests on vistas ranging from the turquoise sea of the Cote d’Azur to the art of masters like Picasso.

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98 champagne lover will quickly notice the bouquet of the French Riviera. It is a smell that consists of the salty Mediterranean wind, garlic paste aioli, crispy wine and grilled fish. In the restaurants around the Cours Saleya square in Nice the smells of flowers delight the nose. The old town’s cobbled streets are filled with lively talk by four in the afternoon. The wines of Provence are also at their best: as aperitifs when the sun softly sets into the sea. Côtes de Provence, Cassis and Bandol as well as Bellet in the Nice hills produce a fresh rosé, white wines and red wines. Bellet is playfully called France’s only urban wine region. Château de Cremat is the best known of the estates. Coco Chanel was inspired by the estate’s logo and it influenced her own CC logo. Chanel often visited the Riviera. Villa Pausa in Roquebrune-Cap-Martin was her summer home since the 1920s and she toured the coast actively. Parisian Chanel influenced the fashion trends of her day. When she got tanned on the Riviera, it became fashionable and desirable to be tanned. Chanel 5 was launched in perfume town Grasse on 5 May 1921. Coco Chanel invited colleagues to her store on Rue Cambon and sprinkled Chanel 5 into the air. Chanel’s first perfume was a phenomenal success. Inspired by Chanel’s perfume other French brands like Dior and Guerlain also ventured into Grasse. EnchantEd by pErfumEs and lav lavEndEr On the streets of Grasse I quickly notice I’m in a kingdom of the nose. The smells in the air turn the rainy city into an exciting scene from Patrick Süskind’s novel Perfume. ”Süskind lived in Grasse for a year when writing the novel. He was a very eccentric man who withdrew into a world of his own imagination,” the Grasse tourist office tells me. In the novel Perfume the hunt is for a virgin smell, but the Perfume Museum, Musée International de la Perfumerie, gives a concrete idea of the history of the Grasse perfume business and the uses of perfume. A detail in religious rituals gradually develops into a neutralizer of bad smells and over time, a tool of seduction over a period of 300 years.

On the streets of Grasse I quickly notice I’m in a kingdom of the nose. Fi n e D e s t i nat i o n Grasse was long known for quality leather gloves. In those days perfume was produced to neutralize the bad smell, a by-product of leather manufacturing. Even the term bouquet used for evaluating wine and champagne initially referred to the smell of a bouquet of different wild flowers. A visitor to the perfume factories of Fragonard, Molinard and Galimard is taught to mix her own perfume. It is also an opportunity to test the hidden capacity of your nose. The process even highlights the common features of champagne and perfume: both embody beauty, therapy and seduction. In Grasse, a visitor should stay overnight at Le Mas Candille, because the former olive-tree farm and current five-star hotel is a genuine paradise of good smells. The hotel has a huge garden, where the calming smell of lavender makes you drowsy. The luxury hotel has its own smells ranging 99 from the spa lotions to the food in the hotel’s Michelin-starred restaurant. In an opulent setting, Le Mas Candille is full of Provence’s charm. The views over Grasse and to the nearby Alps from among the olive trees are impressive. Le Mas Candille, surrounded by old cypress trees and ancient olive trees, encompasses not only the farm house Le Mas, but also modern La Bastide and La Villa Candille. The farm house built in the 18th century has 39 bedrooms and seven suites. At Restaurant Candille, which has a Michelin star, the meal begins with pink champagne. The dinner, enjoyed in the darkening Provence night, is all about respect for the art of slow cooking. The night proves the hotel’s high standard. Sleep on the hills above Cannes is perfect. The sunrise with colors and light nourishes the soul, and after breakfast, the body is ready to explore the medieval village of Mougins, which is a short walk from Le Mas Candille.

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102 Mougins is a half-hour drive from Cannes. It offers a much wider and deeper cultural treat than its glittery cousin on the coast.

spectrum of art from traditional sceneries to strictly conceptual art. Picasso, Cocteau, Leger and Man Ray were followed into Mougins by money. Picasso came to Mougins in 1936 and to the horror of the hotel owner, painted straight on the walls of his hotel room. Later Picasso returned to Mougins for thirteen years, which is where he also died in 1973. The level of gastronomy is at least as high as that of art in Mougins. The village’s annual food festival, The Stars of Mougins, testifies to this each fall. During the international Gastronomy and Lifestyle Festival the glamour is guaranteed by over two hundred chefs, nearly three hundred Michelin stars, thirty three-star chefs, 23 countries and 23,000 guests. Mougins offers a reasonably priced meal in almost any of the village’s restaurants, but it also provides a chance for high-level snobbery. Alain Ducasse and Roger Vergé raised the village’s L’Amandier restaurant to the top in France in their day. Now L’Amandier attracts a new generation of chefs. The restaurant is now headed by Denis Fétisson, who was named the rising star of gastronomy in 2006 and awarded with the Jacquart Trophy. Three years ago Fétisson, who moved to Mougins from Courchevel’s two-star La Cheval Blanc, also established a restaurant of his own, La Place de Mougins. Fi n e D e s t i nat i o n thE most bEautiful villagE Mougins with 20,000 inhabitants is one of Europe’s most beautiful villages. It is a safely guarded secret that has managed to stay hidden. Mougins lives in legendary stories about ”Picasso’s 1960s flings in the former hotel decorated by flowers, Man Ray going crazy in this block, Edith Piaf getting drunk in that Alain Ducasse restaurant and Catherine Deneuve being radiant all around.” Mougins is a half-hour drive from Cannes. It offers a much wider and deeper cultural treat than its glittery cousin on the coast. During the film festival Mougins is packed with film directors and film stars. Elizabeth Taylor and Catherine Deneuve are regular visitors. In Mougins it’s easy to understand why the film crowd and other artists have always fallen in love with this small village. Mougins is sophisticated like a luxury bag that gets better over time and whose logo is elegant. The village redefines luxurious life: modern luxury equals no cars and artisan shops and art galleries instead of Louis Vuitton and Chanel stores. Cars are not welcome to the clam-shaped ancient Mougins. The four-wheel vehicles are left in a parking lot outside the village. It is wise, since there is so much to see around every corner of a narrow Mougins street that it would be impossible to digest it all from a car. First, there is plenty of art. There are many galleries on every street. All galleries are not as good, but they display a wide 103

104 art and pastry Antibes perfects a visit to the French Riviera. Pablo Picasso’s Night fishing at Antibes tells more about the artist than fishing. The moon is drunk and the woman eating ice cream has a blue tongue. The noseless sailor fishing with a fork seems to have run off a scene in a horror film. This is where Picasso put up his easel in the 1940s. The painters’ route on the coast highlights the works of not only Picasso, but also those of Henri-Edmond Cross, Raymond Peynet, Eugene Boudin, Henri Harpigniet and Claude Monet. The artists present different visions of the shore. The interpretation of primitive artist Peynet is fascinatingly different from the vision of impressionist Claude Monet. ”How beautiful it is here. You can almost swim in the blue sky,” said Monet about his life in Antibes. Monet came to Antibes in 1888 for a few days, but could not leave. Picasso, in turn, lived in the Grimaldi palace for six months. The Picasso Museum showcases the lifestyle of the artist who lived on the French Riviera for fifty years, especially his love of sea urchins and his relationship to the young Françoise Gilot. There is much more to see in Antibes than the glorious seafront. Its flower-filled old town, harbor and fortress are shown in the works of world-famous artists who have lived in the city. Antibes and food are tightly connected. There are many Michelin-star restaurants from Le Figuier de Esprit to Christian Cottard’s Patisserie. Cottard, who cooked three Michelin stars in Monaco’s Louis XV with Alain Ducasse, can be called France’s best pastry chef. This chef is now conquering Tokyo. Cottard, who only needs a few hours of sleep per night, is opening a shop there. And if you’re wondering what the bouquet of Antibes would be, it is sugar. The smell around 49 rue de la République is irresistible; why not enter the sweet world of Patisserie Cottard? And the taste of the city of flowers is naturally champagne, the perfect match to pastry. >

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E N J O Y C H A M P A G N E L A U R E N T- P E R R I E R R E S P O N S I B LY.

“All my life I have sought the simplicity of a single line.” ANTOINE wATTEAU

Lambo Success through 108 Text: Pekka Nuikki Photos: Lamborghini C ompetition is a good thing. It generates new things and creates progress. It produces winners. In the world of car manufacturers, competition is the bread and butter. It keeps product development going and ensures the creation and adoption of innovations. Audi wants to top Mercedes-Benz and BMW aims to be better than the others put together. The most classic example of competition between auto makers is the Mercedes S Class, which is seen as a watershed in automotive quality and product development. Whenever the latest model in

rghini Fi n e L i f e s t y l e Persistence 109 Lamborghini Aventador the series is released, competitors work to surpass it by coming out with even more advanced models. This in turn makes the engineers at Mercedes-Benz work even longer days and so it all goes round. This results in ever better, safer, more ecological and more forward-looking cars. There are many winners and one of them is the consumer: you. But what happens when a tractor manufacturer decides to challenge the sovereign of the automotive world – no less than Ferrari, the pioneer of motor racing – and build a sports car to top them all?

LAMBORGHINI HISTORY 110 If the excellence of a car were measured simply by what people will pay for it, then the Ferrari 250 series from the 1960s must contain by far the best cars in the world. The prices paid for these specimens are on an entirely different plane to those of other vehicles. Not everyone has always agreed on their superiority, however; perhaps least of all the Italian diesel tractor manufacturer Ferruccio Lamborghini. On a warm spring morning some fifty years ago, Ferruccio turned up on Enzo Ferrari’s doorstep to knock insistently on the door. He had decided to express his dissatisfaction with his car in person, directly to the CEO. Enzo, who was well aware of his position and for whom clients were just a tool for funding the company’s racing cars, gave the guest a frigid welcome. Ferruccio was not satisfied with the quality of his Ferrari. Especially the clutch and the power transmission were continuously causing problems. Enzo, amused, responded that Ferruccio seemed to know much more about tractors than he did about sports cars, and casually showed him the door. This caused Ferruccio’s Italian blood to boil as he exited. He swore to himself he would build a better sports car than Enzo’s. This gave birth to a competition that has benefited many, but above all Ferrari – because they if anyone needed a challenger. That challenger remains its arch enemy to this day. Ferruccio

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Ferruccio kept his promise and set up a car factory bearing his own name, next to his tractor plant. His objective was simple: to beat Ferrari and to do it soon. He decided to build better sports cars and to treat his customers better, whatever the cost. The first Lamborghini sports car was presented already in the following year’s Turin Auto Show. It was no coincidence that the model number of Lamborghini’s first road car followed but had to surpass Ferrari’s model, being named 350GT. On its release in 1964, it was better made, faster, quieter and more controllable than the similar yet more expensive Ferrari 250 GT. Unfortunately it Ferruccio himself paid the highest price for the car, as for every model 350 that was manufactured, he lost USD 1,000. Ferrari’s Tamer 112 The 350 GT is the precursor of all later V12 Lamborghini supercars. Motor engineer Giotto Bizzarrini, who had designed Ferrari’s legendary GTO engine, now created a completely new, 12-cylinder aluminium engine to go beneath the bonnet of the 350 GT. Its performance was completely breath-taking in relation to the standards of the day. With 3.5 litres, it was bigger and more powerful than the comparable Ferrari. It produced a full 360 hp, which was enough to give the concept car a top speed of 280 kilometres per hour. The 350 GT production model, launched the next year, was slightly tamer at 280 hp, but even that was enough to beat Ferrari with a top speed of 256 kph. In addition to the superior engine, the car had a modern five-speed transmission (the Ferrari only had four gears), as well as four camshafts (compared to Ferrari’s two). Ferruccio could quite confidently claim to have won the first round. In the next round, Ferruccio went straight for the knockout by presenting one of the most beautiful cars that had ever been seen. The sleek styling of the Lamborghini Miura captivated the audience at the 1966 Geneva Motor Show. Its power characteristics followed the same principles of the 350 GT, but the now four-litre, 12-cylinder V engine was placed transversely behind the cockpit, while the transmission and differential formed a single unit mounted onto the chassis beneath the engine. In this way the car could be very low, measuring just over one metre in height. Its 350 hp made the Miura the fastest production car of its time, with a top speed of 280 kph. It was the first real supercar. With further development over the years, the most powerful version of the engine, the SV, produced 385 hp and was the first Lamborghini to reach speeds of 300 kph. The V12 engine from the Miura was also used in the front-engined Islero, presented

in 1968, as well as in the Jarama 400 GT (where it produced 350 hp) and the futuristic Espada (325 hp). In 1974, the Espada was the first Lamborghini to have an automatic transmission. Leap into Space The first proper generation shift after the Miura took place in the early 1970s. Expectations were high after the sensational Miura. The prototype of its successor, the Countach, was first shown at the Geneva show in 1971, and it was as if it had dropped from another planet. The aggressively angular and dramatic shape drew another gasp from the audience. Ferruccio knocked out not only the public but also Ferrari, whose new- est cars looked modest and outdated beside the Countach. (Appropriately, the Piedmontese word countach means an astonished intake of breath upon seeing a beautiful woman). The sharp, wedge-shaped form of the Countach would resurface forty years later in Lamborghini’s newest supercar, the Aventador. The ultra-modern design by Marcello Gandini, who had also drawn the Miura, suited an expanded five-litre version of the V12 engine. That version blew up during a test drive, however, so Gandini decided to stick to refining the more reliable four-litre model. The 1973 Countach was airy and beautiful without the later 1980s wing or spoiler. The engine was mounted longitudinal- ly behind the driver, producing 375 hp and giving the car a maximum speed of 300 kph. Over the following years the Countach engine underwent a number of modifications based on the initial V12 engine. Many consider the 1985 Quattrovalvole (four-valve) model to be the best and most harmonious Countach. It had an impressive 455 hp. It was also the first Countach I ever got to drive. That moment in all its awfulness has been branded in my memory as an example of how far expectations based on preconceptions can be from actual reality. A friend of mine in London had offhandedly let me have his Lambo for the weekend, even leaving the keys to the kerbside Fi n e L i f e s t y l e Lamborghini 350 GT 113

Lamborghini 400 GT Jamara 114 Lamborghini Espada vehicle on top of the back left wheel. Such 80s innocence! Having opened the scissor door, it took me a while to work out how to lower myself into the one-metre-high missile. The sense of claustrophobia increased with the tight grip of a twopoint seat belt, which did not come as standard in the Lambo. At least I had a direct and immediate connection with the car – contrary to that with the outside world. Visibility from the car was terrible, and there was no rear visibility at all, really, despite a periscope-like rear-view mirror. The car also lacked air conditioning, for which I would soon curse it. Key in the ignition, a few taps on the gas and off I go – or so I imagined. The V12 started up with a laborious wheeze, after which the cockpit was filled by its deep growl. Now I was completely sealed off from the outside. Clutch down, into gear and kick away from Lamborghini Countach Lamborghini Countach The Call of the kerb; easier said than done. I am still ashamed to admit it took me a whole twenty minutes to get the Lambo out of the parking space and into traffic. The clutch was incredibly heavy and, according to my friend, would not put up with any slippage. Depressing it took a whole lot of strength, and no matter how much I stood on the clutch I couldn’t get the car into reverse. When I finally got the car to shift, I had a problem with the steering. At first I thought the steering wheel lock must still be on, because the wheel wouldn’t turn an inch. The over two metres of width in the body of the car and the widest tyres available for ready money made sure I was drenched in sweat before I could get any enjoyment out of the Lambo. The Call of the Motorway The nearest motorway was ten kilometres away. Navigating the narrow suburban roads, having to stop at countless traffic lights and dodge the gazes of curious onlookers, I managed to stall the car over a dozen times. The clumsy and outlandish Countach was like an escaped circus elephant in the city. All comfort and driveability had been sacrificed at the altar of performance and extreme design, leaving the driver with a knife at his throat. In my mind’s eye I could picture my overheated blood running from my veins into the depths of this me-

Lamborghini Espada chanical monster and boiling around me twice as fiercely. I felt I was at the heart of an erupting volcano. When, an eternity later, I saw the light in the form of the motorway opening before me, I let it all out by putting the gas pedal down with all my remaining strength. Molten lava burst out from the bellowing engine’s core, as if following orders from the god of thunder, leaving a long black scorch mark on the road. The rev counter spun and the world exploded into infinite atoms around me. My field of vision nar- rowed and my mind focused as the pressure on my chest was relieved and my breathing became easier. I managed to bring the raging beast under control and started trying to tame it. The steering closely obeyed my orders and the engine reacted sensitively to every movement of the gas pedal. The only thing I could not subdue was the roaring of the engine, which I could still hear the next day. We learned to trust each other, but that is all. This was no love story beginning, the journey home through the darkening, congested London evening made sure of that. Anyone dreaming of a real sports car should experience the Countach once. After that they might be more than happy with their Mondeo. The Bravest Bull in History A quarter of a century later, I approach Lamborghini’s latest “Countach”, the Aventador, with slight trepidation. Again, it has been parallel parked. The memories come flooding back and a shiver raises the hairs on my arms. I circle the car tentatively, like a matador. The Aventador is aesthetically imposing. Design at Lamborghini means the aggressive beauty of power and the elegance of breath-taking dynamics. From the first glance the Aventador is clearly a Lamborghini, dressed in the brand’s Fi n e L i f e s t y l e The he Mo MoTorway 115

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technology. The most important switch – the ignition – is hidden beneath a red flap. It immediately brings to life the V12 engine of this car, which carries the name of the bravest bull in history. The ignition envelops the surrounding world in a far-ranging low, rumbling sound. The futuristic dashboard, which dominates the interior, also comes to life. Indicators come up on an innovative, state-of-the-art TFT LCD monitor, which is reminiscent of modern airplanes. Having placed the gearbox safely in automatic, I set off. The soundscape is complex and totally selfassured. The sound waves seem to emanate directly from the heat of the 6.5-litre V12 engine, rippling with all of its 700 horsepower. This time, there is air conditioning to keep their scalding glow from distracting the driver. Each of the elements of the Aventador is superior to those of the Countach, the acceleration and speed being from a whole different world (0–100 in 2.9 seconds and maximum speed exceeding 350 kph), but still my memory of the Countach is that it felt faster. In a way it is no wonder, because without the Countach there would be no Aventador. “The Aventador LP 700-4 brings the future of supercars to today. This exceptional package of innovative technologies is completely unique, and its performance is simply unrivalled,” says Stephan Winkelmann, President and CEO of Automobili Lamborghini. “In terms of design Fi n e L i f e s t y l e characteristic and uniquely sharp style. It has extremely strong proportions, clean lines and impeccable surfaces, and every detail is distinguished by intense muscularity. It is an avantgarde artwork, an unbelievably dynamic sculpture all the way from its sharp nose, along the very low hood, up to the unusual back. Every line has a clear purpose and every shape is determined according to the need for speed. The overall look is impressive. Unable to resist the temptation, I lower myself into the car. The Aventador is surprisingly spacious. Unlike my first Lambo, a Gallardo, this one surrounds me with high-quality materials, beautifully finished Italian workmanship, and the latest 117

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AVENTADOR Lamborghini aventador LP 700-4 Fi n e L i f e s t y l e Moottori: V12 60° MPI Huipputeho: 700 hv 515 kW Huippuvääntömomentti: 690 Nm Kiihtyvyys: 0–100 km/h 2,9 s Huippunopeus: 350 km/h coupe Pituus: 4780 mm Leveys: 2030 mm Paino: 1575 kg 119 Aventador: named after one of the bravest bulls in history Following in the company’s tradition, Lamborghini’s new flagship bears the name of a bull – this time a particularly brave specimen from the Spanish world of bullfighting. Aventador entered the fray in the bull ring in Zaragoza in October 1993, earning the “Trofeo de la Peña la Madroñera” trophy for its extreme courage. and technology, the Aventador skips a generation. It is a totally new kind of Lamborghini, but at the same time a direct and consistent continuation of the values of the Lamborghini brand. It is extreme in both design and performance; uncompromising in its quality and technology, and clearly Italian in its style and perfection. All in all, the dynamic nature and technical superiority of the Aventador LP 700-4 make it an entirely matchless specimen in the arena of supercars.” Every Lamborghini is a purist’s dream – a core pared down to essentials. The Countach was an extreme manifestation of that, and the Aventador follows in this tradition but on modern conditions. With this car, the Lamborghini designers have taken their philosophy to a whole new level. Its razor-sharp forms represent a kind of precision and purposefulness that cannot be found elsewhere in the automotive world. >

Ferruccio Lamborghini 120 usi ul b , all f s s s cce car ini gh , a su f fast 16– r y o 9 o bo mb er i (1 La untry a lov rghin ue o q i cc s a co y and ambo r mar ne u o a L rr n wa onar be nts c cio Fe i ma a vis erruc spor ed to e twe e r , e h F e t n f Th h . t a f o id e sm on er of cons ists o ints nes into is po ial nd , r y u t e d fo le am indus f man rol , the sn o a 3) ies hi talian an 9 on 19 16 arr test I as a m cars. 9 c e 1 s t l pri clo tha grea . He w s his a e 8 A ento, mey h 2 r g t u s in on di C of cent ng an nat o thi orn sci th s b nazz r all ed as . tie as fa a e w t fo a w, fR ini on radua logn vie rgh lage o passi o in g o B b il in nd a ted Lam the v had y, a itute s pos o e h b t e t in wa ins .H sa of m far dena dy a nical ar he ops a o h o r re M ec rld W nd t to cal al at i m d Wo grou n o r a f ch eer on the in Sec ith eng g the ce, w ur ne rin ree re by Du es, G rce. p e od ir Fo ent tr Rh en sonm p A n n i r a lia ho cIta aS imp rks a ut from a wo ilt tr o d g 6 bu e e 4 n t e i r h 9 h t rt sta hich in 1 tha Sta ease ghini w aid on6: n l r s i e 4 o , r e 19 t is on h his Lamb illag s. I ng er v , cle while farmi i Aft ritish ome h e B s h rmy v siness g the red the to hi a in u ffe and b x e lud e , se , su clo ut of for th ly, inc agna inery in o h a a t c m ly s I e r a e o R id ar m to let the Postw milia ming omp t E c r go on. of elf f fa o ms ion ko eym t reg s lac ed hi rs an iou reli a ser imme i m in fro orgh b . b m jo La ew n s hi om ac o h it nt pi sw sho actor nes. k r i r ith wo ng lt t the lf-bui esel e res w d u i e t e d n c s 4, er tur tru 95 ed he oduc cylind ular s . In 1 9 s c r t d r e 94 p mo onen ct inj i fou In 1 that p e nd from or y r a i m t n c d o pa hree ade e c ith a ni Tra . The l t b m i a s w o, tw were ange ped rgh cilitie al bo h p a y u i c f m e n r u a n n e q Th int s e his, L uctio an a this ny s wa t h , d a t r m ie fte w pro d wi 1960s f ser e. A e an ate so the ngin nto n rew l rer i g e he factu t d e n e n m tio ov rs i anu olu A m ion v racto est m t Sp t g c 0 du 40 ’s big . pro t of t ly n a u t e I f m tp n ou ne o quip ow s o ral e iS h u wa t r i ul de hin ric un ag org e b S m a ri ed , La ic 60 start ring or 9 1 e u e t t e in fac me s. H ca vat 0: eri sines manu r pri d. m o 196 m u , A b he A sf ea trip to ne of ri Sp evice ouris St o i fl l t d a a o a s i r L m ls c e hi ng Aft ded y, Bru itioni ess a nies, faca n n a p si nd an anu exp omp ir co is bu com of m him a o h c T t d tw eam ran new g an l use. r his in m s d not g ia t i r o a t h r he us fil sf s did ind rofit o ful te ear 6y and the p ted t he sta ver. 4 s e f a th i wan rs. T how hini w one o Wi hin copte that, f g l g , r r e y i s bo bo rd hel o do am e him e stu t ing d oL h i a he d T tur ission c t m n ly. uc rm err e had in Ita mly o ns an F pe , o r 2 ,h en t fi ani 96 ed In 1 ssist nessm th fee comp i a o s n g bu tb .U llin old chest n kep trave i a r is the etic m gh. H g u r o e h en ,t und gro sin his ially d an inc nce prov ge s i l e l e m int eti his om s d e u nd val red a . es u e ter t y c a plo od-n hara m e o tc e, g fac he cer r-ofdt ne S tte ar ss an od, fi c ma e o t f c S y suc ood Fa ad or ed his life: g d alre F a n d y h is Sio i enjo to h 8 he une nter t et aS e in 4 a p orgh rough By 19 on th it to or r b F d b . a . s e t ar ce ter sc us Lam orts i st c sport , and ad ra f af a f com and -top olino lia ro nded to es en op e Mig ace e rding win an op iat T ill co er ed F t rM l a i , th es, ac enter bu is of opula ever r I t h p ss ow ilome hic cha ugely 27, h k r, w d a 4 h n b r i de the mbe housa “in a hin 62 u f t ” l g . n l r e l e bo te 19 car d on hims e wa Lam in la erun ini gh th o o h i r s ff g c a r uc car ny di ve bo throu err orts m a , a F r ha L a sp nm ty ow yc f h lding and i reali pears m o n i i y d ap s a tor rt bu often d an n hat es Th to sta ated legen d. W ini ow ne e e h pe d B n h i g e e t r s r cid een ntw mbo cede m nd e a , b s ly er f the La has rsion tricab this: ,M ars one o rious s ve nex i u t d n u ag en ei ene rful J , but ot lux g or pp s com be ve ha powe erati e is n tionin i n f as oo ha n o nd M ely. O cond x is t to o i t r t i o a ith le rb lec is ra col errar comp poo s gea fied w ’ as ,F tis er erim zes es h ther h noth en sa ew F ari fi a v n o s i e t err n t e e t th sa oF h, a nd y is no z n i g n u E i ip ,a eno or air rghin ansh meet i o m r o b k t e r int . Lam wo ands of m isy no uality e de H q . T the 50 G i2 rar

e Th s an. ilder o l u e b r. e r a t-f the a ye res e on t e s t u in n sur d in j ha res erm e wit ry g-t put p plet d n e e a lo tor com lazon the v b ved direc t was n i e o e m h rec tient and i e, e ready der t mdg a t ba nd al rn un ull sy imp plan y n ou r. Bo he b ing pa the ef of com uld b rts ca ved t hrust e t o lo Th l, co wn er i sp l bu rghin ound his o y r f d o r. ang amb s, the sente racte L u e a r r t h s u p c fir f Ta , it re uous no t sig or him impe ed F s . l e low bo t tim fol k s a wa wea and 0s t en e 196 rom a ned m e f th ing f ghte r tir re cess o , aris nd ti tracto : 3 a s s c 7 e a 0 s – u g 7 s 2 w te 197 eady the 19 ispu . A hu ment d t h p n l e n e hel is i ver ark tria Th cris indus US m an go 2. To rruca 7 i , e by my n the Boliv in 19 ss, F n the no e i o e te eco ation ith th minu busin take rges s o t y w t ul s e r n g a l de re ine r ce tor G e ma at the ach s l p e a v 1 e m 5 de lled s in ld th ue ing ld a ce wis rm o so ag st can his fa hini s the S r he colle o lo g te s o ’ d r i t a l n t o als r t r b e fu e e a r h e ss Lam ctu ey Ro time hat to h cio anufa ti. On t to t e hic d n m l m et sa d so ce ,w n e o car Ross per h i n t t 49 ound ess, a rpora nri He ning r o in c s A i . u E a b er e. rem Leim actor n SAM nam l r a é a t i l n n Re in his g Ita origi h tin ts fait mpe der i o n c u e t i th ns l ru stil s nes usi b mter hea lve co son s i a h v his on ter ng riung d wa ointi at h ly he , ep pp i on tablis ca. A er, th iorita n i i t h s F t g e m a a r l a y the L bo ntl din the tate, lived Lam rece Oleo or of s e , he a d ct re are ola and name dire ect 1. He nicar ned a h e 7 h a 2 e ny pa o as t o a 3 t in 19 r in P d op t n e h in a g d w , n e u o To retir bo -gr imeno ad h ine ife e h hy w e Tras arc is l h ll h ed a alt ak ich e L h l l ho w . a w se to s ro i, w of um o hin leeve his g life ia, cl muse r s o bo br te his ack t diUm priva b Lam with tra , t o i n l e al ucc home n, we ith th may r sm r io w Fe t at Ga . His act ds s se, n mo t the is lan iove igno li t l s fe d h Sang Sauv e Col ng d e o t a h am ltiva es of rnet nam ) u ” ti , in e be up . He c varie Ca e eno r th nd unde rasim angu ts e a o p t a S ro r T o d l s g f r e s Me arket cks o wn a hini’ d nal tio iolo, m ne y kno borg foun e s l g a l tt ie Cil ine w (“Bo pular ”. Lam have . o w eno ra p u d and ands i e re im cam r f M ards s b o a r e d w ty the r di T on b Bloo ral a quali e ted n t so , i.e. “ seve topa Ord u r b ra on fine, s g d the He u i w a w . di M have ong rde ini ro) am rgh d awa Lavo ebrues o n e i b l w n lac de 0F am ea ir p io L ator aliere k on 2 n of c the c d ru av tow ac en Fer omm ur (C rt att ome h is f C Labo a hea r eo in h titl rit fo from ried Me way as bu of da dw n sse pa 93, a 19 y . r a zo naz Re Fi n e L i f e s t y l e p. hel to ms se e use ref disas ar er t o t rts t a a l s p of r its kind the inee of ut g e b n y , eran se lo am nel ets hi at m the s onsid a r h a c t g is uild ter, rM ds ini ll h nea orgh nd fin s to b h bet ing a ari b d a c rr de Lam e GT deci ut mu t spen as Fe busih ( e b t u e , l g H o f e bl ith cin tab rd. imsel da it w tor ra profi h n s a r , e st ca mo new do rts ve a he spo at if pensi into th ex n it ing y on tur d e l n u n mo he co or , ) d S b r com .A, i di d a . . c s Sp s an nes br ed hi ghini lly r t r ca star mbo ypica tS T a ni or rghi cio L 963. town p o S b uc y 1 mall a r a m ly r : e 3 M s La ful 196 ccio obili F na, in n a care lant i n g p ru m as io Fer Auto , Bolo locat na w ction , a g u y t e o d l a n e h pa ’Ag hini, t d Bo rn pro in th for ant e g an m es in S mbor ena -mod metr f roo ctor d o a a a e o r r L t t y l M a t s r e u of squ plen ner ’ een . His th 0 w n d w t i 0 d a be dere 50,0 e o ated th h I t . i r s to ds of oc oto s con sted fiel lose also l e m ch a c sh si h s u s t l n a u co le of wa It w i” – ses s d u tor and es. mid sion ctori di Mo to ho n e a fa a r r p r m ex eate ad ho “Te yh h the s also cati. str aries u u and le of a D w ind , sal l d at nd s ve nci mid ry th rati a oti orker l cou t m n o a se aut illed w e loc ange cou ri, Ma k a the th exch r s r e h v nd Fe ug i ga d in ho da Alt alifie rghin ee an qu mbo rant a a hly hig low. L nt gu re oyme e w pl em an 121

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CHAMPAGNE COUSU MAIN DEPUIS 1921 L'ABUS D'ALCOOL EST DANGEREUX POUR LA SANTÉ. SACHEZ CONSOMMER ET APPRÉCIER AVEC MODÉRATION.

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F i n e C o n t e n t s 11 12 14 Fine Editorial Avellan Fine Event Taittinger Fizzes up the FIFA World Cup in Brazil Fine 100 Best Best Champagnes for 2014 Champagnes 48 Fine Estate Perfectly Cut Cristal 57 Fine Champagne 27 Expressions of Cristal 68 Fine Champagne Sushi & Champagne & Food 74 Fine Harvest Harvest tour 2013 82 Fine Discovering Planning a trip to Champagne Champagne 96 Fine Destination Bubbles and Other Treats 108 Fine Lifestyle Lamborghini – Success Through Persistence <<< Return to the coverpage