I had the pleasure of trying the Lanson Gold Label 1999 the other day while I was in Champagne with the CIVC. Lanson is well known for their non-vintage champagnes but their lesser known vintage wines are the ones to wait for. Lanson makes their wine in a different style to many of the grandes marques in that they don’t let...
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Champagne and a boat ride down the Thames. Then High Tea and Gin. Perfect. If only we lived in a sunnier clime. As it was, we were greeted with torrential rain when we arrived at the Hotel du Vin in Henley. But not to worry, rather then have champagne on a boat, we were warmly seated on the leather banquettes of their lounge,...
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London has the longest champagne bar in the world, situated in St. Pancras Station. Searcy’s runs the bar in St. Pancras but it’s not the only champagne bar they have, they also have a series of champagne bars across the capital, in such diverse locations as train stations, upscale malls and even across the street from...
read moreThere seems to be a campaign on to decant champagne. I was at a lunch recently with Michel Drappier where he was presenting his unsulfured champagnes and the conversation got around to the idea of decanting champagne. Now, as readers of The Winesleuth know, I’m a big fan of decanting wines and truth be told, in order to make...
read moreA few summers ago in the south of France, the bartenders of St. Tropez noticed that guests were adding ice to their champagne to combat the intense heat of those hot Mediterranean afternoons. Word got back to what the punters were doing and a bright spark at Moet & Chandon realized that while you can’t stop people from...
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