Think now of setting off on a journey to visit two of the most romantic cities in the world: from Verona, the city of Romeo and Juliet, to Paris. Imagine a train’s black carriages waiting for you on the tracks: you may feel a biting wind blowing mingled with smoky gust. There are distinguished businessmen from different countries, accompanied by sophisticated women wearing white ermine fur on their shoulders and intoxicating perfume. The restaurant coach offers fine porcelain and silver cutlery on the table, velvet chairs and exquisite art deco furniture. There is no doubt that an unforgettable travel experience is going to win you over.

And what is that wine flowing with sparkling glamour that lifts everyone’s spirits? “Madame et Monsieur, bienvenue à bord du Venice Simplon-Orient Express, nous sommes heureux de vous accueillir à bord avec une flûte de Champagne…”
Of course, it’s Champagne! The symbol of France and the most appreciated wine in Paris in the 20’s.

Along the way from Verona to Paris, while drinking Champagne on board, you’ll better understand the reason why Champagne was as deeply loved at that time as it is nowadays: it’s not only because of its sparkling joy due to the vivacious bubbles or the brilliant colour and its golden nuances, but most of all, it’s because of its allure and ability to create a cheerful mood. Over the years, Champagne has never stopped making people fall in love with its elegance and intrigue. And this is thanks to the passion and commitment of the winemakers who have made it.

Madames and Monsieurs, it is my pleasure to introduce you to Laurent Lequart Champagne, a family estate located in Passy-Grigny, in the heart of the beautiful Vallée de la Marne. This vineyard has been cultivated in clay-limestone and clay-sandstone soils, with love and great respect for the environment, for five generations. Since 1988, Laurent has cultivated wine sustainably and his engagement has been rewarded with two important certifications: HVE (high environmental value) and VDC (sustainable viticulture in Champagne). They work 11,400 hectares, mainly focused on the typical grape variety of the Vallée de la Marne: the Pinot Meunier, a fruity and elegant variety with its delicious flavours and bouquet of citrus fruits.

And here are two magnificent Champagnes that will transport you to Paris in a second with their vibrant bubbles!

Champagne Laurent Lequart – Blanc de Meunier 

100% Pinot Meunier
This wine opens with fine fruity aromas such as peach and plum, embellished by cedar peel.
It’s refined with embracing notes of butter and brioche. In the mouth, accents of pear and balsamic nuances. The flavour is creamy yet crisp, citrus fruits on the finish which conquer the palate with its undeniable elegance.

This Champagne won a Gold Medal in the Sea Breeze category at the Glass of Bubbly Awards 2021.

Champagne Laurent Lequart – Réserve 

100% Pinot Meunier
This Champagne is designed to age beautifully. With a beautiful golden colour, it is rich yet complex, it exudes white stone fruity notes with a touch of citrus. In the mouth it offers the freshness of a fruit salad, juicy apples and buttery flavours, marvellously combined with creamy hues.

This Champagne won a Gold Medal in the Gastronomic category at the Glass of Bubbly Awards 2021.

Having a glass of Champagne while listening to good music is always an excellent choice, especially if the wine and the music chosen for the occasion match nicely. Charleston, the music that evokes Champagne’s liveliness due to its sparkling rhythm, was certainly the soundtrack that accompanied la joie de vivre in Paris in the 20’s, marking people’s life with a touch of craziness. But suddenly, I can hear another sound… the unmistakable ‘choo-choo’ sound of a train’s locomotive! Hurry up, the Orient Express is going to leave… allez allez, on y va, Paris nous attend!

The Venice Simplon Orient Express passing through the Brenner Pass, Austria

My dear fizz lover, I hope my story has transported you to Paris in the 20’s, making you feel part of that marvellous world.

It only remains to me to wish you Joyeux Noël and bonne dégustation…

Merry Christmas!

Distributor of Laurent Lequart Champagne:
James Nicholson Wines
https://www.jnwine.com/

Find Stefania on Instagram:
@Stefania.wine
@Finefoodfizz

Photo credits:
Venice Simplon-Orient-Express photos: Martin Scott Powell
Featured & Champagne photos: Tania Volobueva

The problem lays both in those trying to imitate and / or to copy (counterfeit) products – It is all well and good producing something not quite too dissimilar such as copying colours / shapes / fonts / logos so to tempt in buyers simply drawn in by the look, many times these products are challenged and in court eliminated from the market. There is nothing wrong by producing a competitor to a leading brand, how close you sail to copying them will depend on how exposed you are legally should you be seen as replicating with financial gain.

Producing counterfeit items is of course a whole different crime and this is purely to deceive the buyer as well as financially effecting the original producer. From Picasso’s to Lamborghinis, counterfeits exist which makes who you purchase from and what authenticity they come with ever so important.

We must also consider that detection is becoming harder as better counterfeiting methods evolve. We are not simply talking about a plastic counterfeit Rolex watch here, counterfeiters are producing replicas that are only detectable by the makers themselves fooling most consumers. Though many fake items are relatively cheap, the more expensive items that suffer from counterfeiting could be costing consumers £1,000’s.

Fake Champagne

Even in the wine sector, the subject is rife with many news stories on seized counterfeits. These can be smaller discoveries such as a handful of bottles rebranded in a restaurant to more professional set ups of 1,000’s of bottles produced on factory lines. Most occasions it is a cheaper Champagne or sparkling wine (even perry) that is the substituted expensive Champagne – Bottles and labels to include capsules and corks are slightly easier to reproduce on mass and of usually good enough quality to fool most consumers.

“A restaurant owner in West Bromwich is to be interviewed by officials following the seizure of 16 bottles of fake Moët & Chandon from his restaurant.” source thecaterer

Counterfeit Wines – A big problem in the wine industry

Some wineries are trying to combat the forgers by increasing the security in production of their wines to include trackable bottles, chips under labels and tamper proof capsules. Authorities to include the le Comité Interprofessionnel du vin de Champagne continue to work tirelessly to worm out fraudsters and protect the identity and quality of Champagne with global investigations frequently in process.

The biggest problem, and one which the FBI suffered when investigating Rudy Kurniawan, is that wineries are likely not want to get involved with court cases and of course the exposure and publicity for having fake wines out under their name – Sometimes wine professionals / buyers are also not wanting of the potential negative to their career PR.

How to spot fake Champagne:

Depending on how and why you are coming by a fake Champagne, be it you have purchased in bulk (ie for a wedding) or acquired a vintage Champagne at auction or maybe simply you are about to enjoy a glass at your local restaurant – There are ways to spot fakes:

• Taste – If you are familiar with Champagne and especially if you know the quality and standard of the label you are being served then you should be able to spot a problem. This would not be a fault as in the wine being corked, it would be that you can taste the difference and especially if served a lesser quality Champagne or another sparkling wine substitute such as a Cremant / Cava / Spumante etc.
• Bottle – Many finer Champagnes will come in a specially shaped bottle so make sure you are familiar with the latest design or the design relevant to the vintage.
• Packaging – Check the packaging to include label (back and front) and the neck of the bottle (foil / capsule / cork). Real Champagne will have the name of the producer on the label and also address to at least include the name of town or village. Check the likes of fonts / colours / logos as many copies are just a tiny bit different. Check also for the Professional Registration Code – NM or RM in the lower corner of the label followed by numbers.
• Showing it’s age – Does the bottle show it’s age especially if it is a vintage of many years ago. Does it look all too new or maybe it looks falsely worn / dirty / damaged? Study the bottle carefully and question anything that does not quite add up (especially if paying out big money).
• Weighing everything up – Sometimes you need to go with what your head says and then again sometimes it is a gut feeling that decides for us – Either way, if in doubt or it’s the good old too good to be true situation then politely decline the purchase. You should weigh up all the facts such as who you are buying from, the price, the rarity of the wine(s), the condition it is presented to you in.
• Check online – Many finer wines are spoken about online to include photos and videos. A quick check of the Champagne in question will likely bring up results in your search engine so take time to compare images and other relevant facts that are shared – At least take your mobile phone with you when purchasing Champagne.
• Second opinions – Sometimes you may wish to get a second opinion. If you are making a big purchase then the vendor should not have a concern if you are wanting of a second opinion.

Not only is the wonder of Avenue de Champagne above for you to admire, the real treasures are in fact underground were countless old chalk cellars cross beneath you containing over 200 million bottles. As you take a walk up the well maintained streets you will get the chance to admire a fine selection of architectural delights with many famous Champagne houses having chosen this location for their head office, many will be open to public visitors and there are plenty of opportunities to enjoy a glass of Champagne with many providing table and chairs for guests in their grounds.

Dom Perignon statue

“It is said that the Avenue de Champagne is one of the most expensive locations to insure thanks to not only the glorious buildings on the street level, but also the storage of millions of bottles of Champagne beneath with many cellars under lock and key containing rare older vintages“.

Stood in the grounds of the Moet et Chandon building (one of the first you come to as you start your journey up Avenue de Champagne) you will find the statue of Dom Perignon which is one of the most photographed spots and especially for selfies with the great man himself.

Each side of the street you will find Champagne houses alongside some private apartments, offices, hotels and private homes.

The immaculately presented and maintained Avenue de Champagne

“I have many great memories of visits to Epernay and Avenue de Champagne with pre booked private tastings and dinners. Even on days that I have not planned anything, a walk up the avenue I often see and speak to some of the Champagne house owners – I remember a great afternoon sat exploring vintages with the now deceased head of Champagne Michel Gonet, Mr Michel Gonet himself.” Christopher Walkey

Not only are fabulous Champagne houses located on the Avenue de Champagne, many side streets leading off and beyond contain great labels and equally as impressive to visit.

One of my drives down the Avenue de Champagne – Enjoy this memory with me!

Located in what many say is the capital of the Champagne region, Epernay, Avenue de Champagne is well worth a visit and offers great wine tourism opportunities from guided tours of the area to private tastings in the cellars. The town holds many hotels, restaurants, bars and is easily accessible by road and train.

This of course expands out to hot tubs and Jacuzzis which even when manufacturers do their marketing they will regularly show people enjoying them whilst indulging with wine.

There is something of the high society lifestyle, romance and self indulgence when it comes to a glass of Champagne in the bath! Many of us, those who prefer their baths over a shower, see this time as some me time, where you can catch up on apps on your phone, read some pages of that book / magazine, listen to some music, have some fragrance candles, bath bombs, plastic ducks and more.

Many bubble baths / bath bombs are named Champagne in fragrance as they know the synergy between baths and wine is strong thus excellent marketing opportunities to explore. Just a quick search on Google for wine bath bombs deliveries countless examples with rosé wine being one of the most popular options.

Champagne on ice in the Bath!

There is also the opportunity to enjoy Champagne from a bath! Sometimes at parties, such as releases of new Champagne labels, there will be a bath full of ice and ready to pop bottles.

Those steaming hot baths really call out for some chilled Champagne no? What better thirst quencher than a glass of Champagne in the bath… but we must consider here dehydration which will happen if you combine hot baths:

“Sitting in a hot tub with hot water and steam causes you to sweat just like sitting in a sauna might. Hot tubs mimic the effects of mild exercise by opening up your circulation and increasing your heart rate. Just like you take precautions to stay hydrated while working out, you should do the same when soaking in a hot tub.” source backyardscape

Those of us who spend that bit longer sitting / laying in a hot bath and topping up with hot water will know fully well how if you do not have a glass of water or similar next to you to drink (during) then you can start to feel faint and especially when it comes to getting out and drying yourself. Bathing in water above 39C (102F) can have various physiological effects on the body that may lead to some serious consequences.

Here is where enjoying Champagne in a bath needs to be a careful consideration and certainly should be accompanied by another non alcoholic drink such as water.

• Do not use water above 39C (102F).
• Make sure you have a bottle / glass of water accessible.
• Do not consume too much Champagne / alcohol in a hot bath.
• Do not leave any candles burning in the bathroom when it is unattended.
• Remember that strong fragrances such as from bath oils / bombs / salts / candles can reduce the aromas and flavours from your Champagne.
• If taking a bottle of Champagne to the bath with you then think about placing it in an ice bucket or cooler sleeve as the room can get hot and steaming and heat the contents of the bottle / glass!
• Try not to use any glass in the (use plastic glasses if possible) and take care when pouring from the glass bottle.
• Make sure your bottle is pre opened prior to getting into your bath for safety reasons.

Anyone who is asking such as question must have a very good lifestyle and a healthy weekly budget on drinks! It is rare that any of us will need to ask about weekly limits on Champagne, more than likely the weekly limits on alcohol as a whole will be what we research. Champagne is a drink that we indulge in now and then – special celebrations, events, parties and more come to mind.

If we take a look at the amount of Champagne bottles imported to the UK and the population, we can work out the very basic average bottles drunk per person – Approx 30 million bottles imported divided by 67 million the approximate UK population equals around 0.44 bottles per person. Now of course this is no good when we want to look at the actual amount of people drinking Champagne as we must take out ages 0-16 (three quarters of the UK population is 20 years and over), and also those who do not drink alcohol or those who do not like Champagne, those for religious reasons and medical ones too.

“In 2017, the majority of men (aged 16 years and over in Great Britain) who had drunk alcohol in the last week, but had not binged, had drunk normal strength beer, stout, lager or cider (56%); almost a third had drunk wine or champagne (31%), and just under a sixth had drunk spirits (16%). In contrast, the majority of women who had drunk alcohol in the last week, but had not binged, had drunk wine or champagne (60%).” source drinkaware

Champagne will usually be 12.5% (of alcohol) though you do get some stating 12 or 13%

It is stated by several respected health organisations that the safe amount of alcohol to consume per week is 14 units (one unit equals 10ml or 8g of pure alcohol). Some, usually those found more readily at supermarkets, bottles of wine will state how many units it contains or each serving contains which enables you to work out how many glasses you can enjoy. Otherwise mostly you will be presented with the alcohol level and the size of bottle which you then need to work on the unit value otherwise known as being the Alcohol By Volume (ABV).

How to work out the alcohol unit value in a bottle of standard bottle of wine: (ABV x ml) ÷ 1000 = units

Champagne will usually be 12.5% (of alcohol) though you do get some stating 12 or 13% so do check the bottle in your hand to make sure. The standard bottle size of Champagne is 750ml so with these two details we can work out the units that it contains: (12.5 x 750) ÷ 1000 = 9.375 units

One standard bottle of 12.5% Champagne contains 9.375 units of alcohol.

So, the good news is that you can enjoy just under one and a half bottles of Champagne per week to be within the health and safety guidelines – 1.493 bottles!

“Even though Champagne is French, the idea for a Global Champagne Day began in the USA in 2009. It was initiated by an American blogger, Chris Oggenfuss who wanted to honour the wine of kings.” source thereisadayforthat

A search online and especially social media for #ChampagneDay will deliver millions of results as globally people share their Champagne moments with the world. We may not need a special occasion anymore in order to enjoy Champagne, be here is a chance for unity globally as the universal word of Champagne is celebrated.

Champagne Roger-Constant Lemaire Select Reserve Brut

22 of October 2021 – Glass of Bubbly enjoys a bottle of Champagne Roger-Constant Lemaire Cuvée Sélect

To purchase this Champagne please contact the winery directly here – This grower Champagne house is looking for a UK distributor.

Today the art to saber bottles of Champagne open is still very popular both for entertainment purposes and also professional with a dedicated order that recognises and practices the opening of Champagne bottles by saber – Confrérie du Sabre d’Or. Each year there seems to be an attempt to beat the world record of Champagne bottles sabered:

“The most champagne bottles sabered in one minute is 66 and was achieved by Ashrita Furman (USA) at the Sri Chinmoy Centre, Jamaica, New York, USA, on 2 August 2015.” source Guinness World Records

Be it at a party or at home, for the sheer experience or to impress, many of us love to see a bottle of bubbly open by way of saber. Not only will a blade be used, there are many videos shared online showing people improvising with other tools such as Champagne flutes, mobile phones, shoes and more. The outcome of many acts of sabrage are successful, though we do see many costly mistakes.

We must also be prepared for when a sabrage goes wrong and this we should address before we run through the process of how to saber. Many times accidents do occur and this will usually be down to the bottle breaking not as we expect or the pieces ejected from the bottle when sabered hitting other objects or persons. We can not always guarantee that a bottle will saber exactly as planned, we have to take in to consideration that on occasions it will not so be prepared for this!

Once you know the risks then you can decide if performing a sabrage is for you. To carry out the process the following steps you should take:

• Choose a bottle of sparkling wine (ideally traditional method). This will not work with a still wine which comes most times in a weaker bottle.
• Chill the bottle down in the fridge – Do try not to use a warm bottle for sabering.
• Find a suitable location to saber, ideally outside with an area that you can safely point the bottle towards which will not cause damage to person or property.
• Extra precautions can include goggles, safety gloves and a choice of clothing that you are comfortable covering with Champagne!
• Take off the foil at the top of the bottle.

Find the weak point on the bottle – The Seam

• Find the weak point of the bottle which is the seam line.
• Take off the cage (from this stage onwards please point the bottle in a safe direction).
• Run your striking tool (blade, blunt object, glass etc) along the line of the seam to get a practice in.
• Gently perform the action again though this time striking the top rim of the bottle making sure you get a clean strike. If you are using a heavy blade then you can afford to do this at speed. If you are using a lighter and non conventional tool then you might which to perform softer strikes.
• Once you have successfully performed the saber then you can pour the fizz into your glass.
• Please discard all of a failed sabrage even if half the bottle remains in your hands as the risk of glass splinters in the wine increases. It is also advisable to check the neck of a successful saber to make sure there are no shards.

However, where ever and with whomever you enjoy your Champagne, there is a simple way to get the most of out each glass, let me show you how.

First and foremost, Champagne is a drink to be enjoyed, if you’re not enjoying it, then you’re not drinking it right, so if the way you enjoy Champagne is just to drink it without needing to spend time over the aromas or flavours, then just drink, enjoy it how you want to enjoy it, but if you’re looking to find a little more of an experience from each glass, keep on reading.

Buying a Bottle

In the supermarket or from an online merchant, we focus on two very important things when we buy, how much it costs and what the bottle looks like, we start by deciding our budget, after that, we start looking at the bottle, the shape of it, the label on it, is it sleek and black or bright and colourful, does the name of the winery stand out, do I like the look of the font they used, is it clear what this Champagne is? All those questions, plus more will rush through your mind consciously and subconsciously as you narrow down which bottle you like the look of.

Opening a Bottle 

After chilling down your Champagne, either in your fridge or an ice bucket, you’re going to want to open it, so you have to decide after you take off the wrapping around the cork, will you control the pop, trying to make a whisper sound, will you let the cork fly down the end of your garden hoping for a big popping sound or will you do the cool, but dangerous saber strike, opening your bottle with the flat side of a big knife.

Controlling the cork when opening the bottle will give you the best chance to keep all of the Champagne in the bottle, if you can control the cork and open it with a whisper sound, then that shows you know a thing or two about Champagne, but if you’re with friends then letting the cork fly is a cool exciting moment which could make the Champagne taste a little better, not because letting the cork fly does anything to the Champagne, it’s because it can do something for you at the moment, your mood influences your tasting experience, the happier you are the more positive of an opinion you will have tasting your Champagne, then sabering the bottle is one step further, you just have to be careful with any broken glass and if done wrong, you could end up losing the whole bottle.

Discovering What’s In Your Glass 

You may smell and taste your Champagnes and think that all Champagnes smell and taste the same, it’s ok if you do, most people can think the same, even I did when I first started. But I can say for sure that they don’t, think for just a second that Champagne is just like Chocolate, we have a lot of different Chocolate brands out there, and you’ve most likely tried a few, such as Smarties, Twirl, Galaxy and many more and with every Chocolate brand, each has their own unique taste, their own recipe which makes then different.

Some Chocolates do taste similar because, at the end of the day, most Chocolate is made from the cocoa bean, butter, sugar and milk, it’s the same with Champagne, most Champagnes are made from the Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier grapes, but it’s where the grapes are grown, when they are harvested, what the weather was like, how they press the grapes, how they store them, age them and bottle, plus more, that goes into making a Champagne, so the final result from one producer would very seldom be the same result from another one.

Champagne has its own unique flavours and aromas, like Nutty, Brioche, Toasty, Buttery, Oaky Yellow/Green Fruit and Floral characters, which can do identified in a lot of Champagnes, but one may have high acidity with a prominent nutty character and another may taste creamy with floral and buttery character, so let me try and help you identify what’s in your glass.

Pour Your Champagne Into Your Glass And Letting Discover What Secrets It Holds

The Dancing Bubbles 

Champagnes come in a few different colours, normally all around the yellow to golden scale, unless you buy a Rosé Champagne which will range from pink to red, the colour can tell something about how the Champagne has been made, just like the bubbles can, but I’m not going to tell you about the technical side, I just want you to look, take a moment to get lost in them, as Dom Pérignon once said: “Come quickly, I am tasting the stars!”, you could be looking at them as well.

The Aroma of your Champagne 

When first trying to identify different aromas from a Champagne, it can be very difficult, the more you do it, the easier it would get, but sometimes you need a little help, a visual stimulus can help you, put the glass to your nose and breath in, you can close your eyes if that helps you focus, just try and pick out one of the pieces of food you see on the image you have, do you smell brioche? how about butter or burnt toast?

Maybe you get something completely different which isn’t on the list, just write down or tell yourself what you get, if you still can’t get any aromas, then try and describe how it smells, is it strong and powerful, subtle or elegant, is it zesty and zingy, does it make you feel relaxed or alert, even these descriptions are useful.

The Flavours of your Champagne 

Tasting is done in the same sort of way, put the glass up to your lips and take a sip, don’t take a big mouth full, but don’t take too little either, keep the Champagne in your mouth for a little bit, move it around your mouth so it can make contact with the tongue, the roof and the sides of your mouth, this can help to try and identify the flavours, close your eyes if you want, and try and pick out a flavour, whether it be a nutty flavour like a peanut or walnut, a yeasty flavour like bread or burnt toast or a fruity flavour like apples or pears, then either write it down or tell yourself.

If You Need A Little Help – If you’re still struggling to identify anything on the aroma or flavour, then what you can try is to go through one piece of food at a time, for example, does this smell like, green apples, red apples, green pears, yellow pears, or does it taste like bread, toast, burnt toast, french bread, baguette. If the answer is no, move on, if it’s yes then keep note of it.

Doing something like this rushed might not lead to the most fulfilling outcome, so when trying this, make sure you’re not too stressed, you’ve got some time and find a quiet place to try it, either alone or with a friend or two, having other people opinion could help you put your finger on that tasting note you just can’t identify.

Finishing The Glass – All that is left to do now is enjoy the rest of your Champagne, whether it’s simply drinking it or going in for another tasting experience to try and find some aromas and flavours to note down. The way you enjoy your Champagne is up to you, but some Champagnes do hold some wonderful characteristics that are worth the time to explore.

Champagne will need no introduction and for many will be a wine reserved to be enjoyed on its own, that chilled glass of bubbly either at home, at a party or during a well earned venture out to the local wine bar / restaurant. With tens of thousands of labels to choose from via thousands of winemakers, you are both spoilt for choice and also given a lifetime of exploring the aromas and flavours this wine region boasts.

Cigars – Davidoff

Cigars, which is a whole subject in itself with great depth and likewise aromas and flavours, is not always seen to be the ideal companion for Champagne, most would suggest it is whisky which really is its best partner. Nonetheless, Cigars are certainly paired with Champagne by a fair few people with many references online and photos shared such as on Instagram. Each cigar offers relaxation, luxury and sophistication and can each be relatively affordable up to finer and more expensive examples (just like Champagne).

“Every year 6.7 million tons of tobacco are produced throughout the world. The top producers of tobacco are China (39.6%), India (8.3%), Brazil (7.0%) and the United States (4.6%).” source wikipedia

Ratafia Champenois – Jean Goyard

Ratafia Champenois is the ‘other’ famous drink that is made in Champagne, lesser known than the sparkling wine, though nonetheless well regarded amongst those who work and live in this industry sector. Many smaller grower Champagne houses will likely have a barrel or two in the cellar, mostly for friends and family and not available to sell – Others will put more focus on this wine liquor and sell nationally and more so today, internationally. What is Ratafia Champenois?

Ratafia Champenois is a sweet (fortified style) wine with a minimum of 110 grams of sugar per litre and alcohol that can range from 16-22% and aged at least 10 months in tanks or oak barrels.

“Terroir plays an important part in all three (cigars, Champagne and Ratafia Champenois) including the likes of seasons, harvest, production methods, irrigation, blends and much more. Just like Champagne, cigars can be made to perform with different aromas and flavours such as lighter and floral styles which are suited better to Chardonnay wines (and Champagne). Heavy Champagnes can overpower the cigars and likewise for stronger cigars that are paired with lighter style Champagne – you must look to match as best as you can in order for both to complement each other.” Quotes from Roy Sommer FIH (Managing Director UK at Oettinger Davidoff).

“Ratafia Champenois styles vary. You can have a very light and floral style (most likely Chardonnay) though you can have the complete opposite and experience deeper and more intense flavours showing oak, caramel, prunes and more. Just like Champagne, the variations enables you to pair well with a host of accompaniments such as food (cheeses are amazing) and cigars. When paired, and at the same intensity level within each, then the match is perfect and a delight to the palate.” Christopher Walkey

So, do Cigars, Champagne and Ratafia Champenois go well together? Let’s review the tasting notes between myself and three guests who were all new to Ratafia Champenois, very knowledgeable on Champagne and seldom paired cigars with any wines.

Champagne Celebrity & Co (Taiwan distribution)

Cigars used were Davidoff Grand Cru No.5

Champagnes were Champagne Chateau de Boursault Brut NV – Champagne Celebrity & Co – Champagne Roger Constant Lemaire Trianon 1966

Ratafia Champenois used were Jean Goyard (3 year old) – Dumangin et Fils MV027 – Autreau Lasnot – Moutard 5 ans – Dom Caudron Chardonnay

Tasting and Pairing notes selected randomly from guests Leslie Coverdale, Cheryl Mackie and Peter:

Champagne Chateau Boursault – “It’s got a really nice taste, good length of flavours, a little bit of leather and childhood memories of butterscotch.”

Paired with Cigar – “These two pair quite nicely in that they are relatively light. The palate is cleansed after each inhale of cigar leaving the fresh fruity and floral flavours of the Champagne. The acidity is not too aggressive with the wine which enables a smoother balance.”

Champagne Celebrity & Co – “It is quite a relaxing Champagne, soft fruity expression along with a silky chalky style. Time in the glass brings out red berries, flaky pastry and grapefruit with sprinkled sugar on top.”

Paired with Cigar – “For me the cigar over took things a bit too much. The Champagne has character and charm though not robust enough to fully cleanse the palate and I feel you are losing all the care and attention the winemaker put in to making the wine. I prefer to enjoy this Champagne and then after this enjoy the cigar.”

Guests for Champagne, Cigar and Ratafia Champenois tastings

Champagne Roger Constant Lemaire Trianon 1966 – “Oh now this is why it won the best Champagne in the world! This is a cut above the other two Champagnes, it is really expressive with many layers to explore and importantly the aromas and flavours are long lasting. I get mostly yellow fruits, lemon pastry, toast, hints of caramel.”

Paired with Cigar – “These two pair very well. Both are rich and bold in character yet elegant and subtle in the way they show their flavours. Both are ever so relaxing to enjoy.”

Cigar and Ratafia Champenois pairings

Jean Goyard (3 year old) – “Rich flavours and you can certainly get the Champagne characteristics. It gives a dried fruit tasting experience with a layer of golden syrup on top. I am so pleased I have been introduced to this drink.”

Paired with Cigar – “The Ratafia helps to refresh the palate in-between puffs and leaves a mouth-watering cleanse. Both cigar and Ratafia are bold in character and each competes well with the other. I do not feel I am losing anything of each by enjoying them both together.”

Dumangin et Fils MV027 – “Deep and intense flavours. It is a very clever drink in that there are many layers of flavours from prunes to honey with a touch of leathery dark chocolate. A lovely rich colour makes it even more tempting in the glass.”

Paired with Cigar – “To be honest, this is a step up from the Champagne and cigar pairings. The quality and depth of flavours that the Ratafia Champenois hold really works better with cigars, though without doubt I am sure richer and older vintage Champagne could step up to the mark too. Here the Dumangin et Fils holds deep dark characters of prunes, oak, yellow stone fruits, dried apricot, caramel / dark honey, hazelnuts and so much more. In between enjoying the cigar it gives a burst of fruit flavours to the palate livening the palate then leaving the complex layers to showcase themselves in the mid-length to close. This is a fabulous pairing.”

Autreau Lasnot – “Rich dried yellow stone fruits with golden honey.”

Paired with Cigar – “A nice battle between the roughness from the cigar and the freshness and sweetness from the Ratafia. I enjoyed having both together, this made my cigar moment much more memorable. These go well together.”

Ladies and Gentleman can enjoy the amazing Ratafia Champenois flavours

Moutard 5 ans – “Plenty of character shown. Deep and intense and a most relaxing Ratafia Champenois. Golden fruits, honey, touch of oak / freshly cut oak, prune syrup, splash of lemon slices.”

Paired with Cigar – “The Ratafia is intense yet delicate. For me it (Ratafia Champenois Moutard 5 ans) is far better appreciated alone, though saying this paired with the cigar was a pleasant tasting experience for me. The cigar dominated the tasting overall, though it was a nice burst of flavours in between from the Ratafia.”

Dom Caudron Chardonnay – “This tastes young, fresh and of yellow fruits, Quite easy to drink, doesn’t feel to strong on alcohol, medium length in the mouth.”

Paired with Cigar – “Very refreshing when enjoying this Dom Caudron Ratafia in between tasting the cigar. This Ratafia is very yellow fruit and fresh driven which helps to nearly fully clean the palate. I am just missing some very fine well aged hard cheese to accompany this!”