Pairings for February — Champagne
Bill Summerville’s notes on Champagne —
“Let’s Get Lost.”
I love champagne because of its accidental creation assisted by Mother Nature. I also love champagne because of man’s failed attempt to tame her effervescent character and then surrender to her.
For years the monk, Dom Perignon tried to make wine in Champagne without bubbles and in the process created some of the most important rules for making wine. But it was Dom Perignon’s assistant, who convinced Claude Moet that the bubbles were the magic of champagne. And it was Claude Moet who made Louis the XV and his head mistress fall in love with champagne. Mdme. Pompadour said, “Champagne is the only wine that makes me feel prettier.” From that point champagne fueled the Royal Court’s debauchery though the 1700s and right into the revolution. It is said that champagne was the last thing Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette drank before heading to the guillotine.
Like Mdme. Pompadour, I love champagne because no wine makes me feel the same way champagne does. It slows the pace of time; lazy, languorous bubbles, meandering upward. It’s easy to get lost in their journey, forget the world around you and just be. And that is why I prefer pairing champagne with moments, not food, but ordinary, spontaneous moments. They become special because we’ve slowed the pace of time and created our history.
Selections from France44
Bertrand-Delespierre Enfant de la Montagne 1er Cru Brut NV
Pierre Gimonnet 1er Cru Blanc de Blancs Brut
Henri Goutorbe Grand Cru 2013
Selections from North Loop Wines
Pierre Peters "Cuvee de Reserve" Brut Blanc de Blanc
Pierre Peters Champagne style is very sleek and racy with intense mineral and acid masterfully balanced with fruit. The wines exude an energy that invigorates and refreshes the palate. This cuvee is an elite expression from the Cotes des Blancs in Champagne, which is Chardonnay's spiritual home in the region. This Champagne will have the vibrancy to help navigate a longer aperitif session.
Shop →
Gimonnet Gonet L'Eclat Rose
This Champagne house was founded in 1986 by Philippe Gimonnet and Anne Gonet, the descendants of two iconic Champagne families. Their rose is spectacular and is predominantly Chardonnay with a smaller percentage of Pinot Noir. The nose shows berry fruit and roses and the creamy palate offers a burst of raspberry fruit with a long mineral finish. Perfect to compliment a savory poultry course.
Shop →
Dumangin J. Fils Ratafia Champenois
Dumangin J. Fils is the best producer of Ratafia Champenois, a sweet fortified wine from the Champagne region that rarely makes its way out of France. The nose shows notes of tropical fruit and baking spice and the palate delivers raspberry fruit and a rich nuttiness. This excels with a little chill paired with cheeses or chocolate desserts.
Shop →