Lily Bollinger was once asked "When do you drink
champagne?", and she replied: “I only drink champagne
when I'm happy, and when I'm sad. Sometimes I drink it when I'm alone. When I
have company, I consider it obligatory. I trifle with it if I am not hungry
and drink it when I am. Otherwise I never touch it - unless I'm thirsty.”
In the words of Madame Bollinger, champagne does not need
an occasion and I believe it to be true. Once you fall in love with it, you
will not be a fan of anything else…unless you are me; I love a good glass of
Pinot Noir too.
The aspect that makes luxury brands stand out are the stories
behind the brands. Story-telling is a major component of brand building when it
comes to luxury brands; it is no longer about convincing a consumer to make the
purchase but to rather be a part of the story. The stories behind brands such
as Dom Pérignon and my personal favourite, Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin are ones
that warm my heart. The controversy between rapper and businessman Jay Z and
champagne brand Cristal and his game-changing acquisition of Armand De Brignac
is a story for the history books.
Some champagne houses document and account their successes
to strong and powerful women who are nothing short of audacious. Women such as
Madame Bollinger, Madame Perrier, Madame Clicquot Ponsardin, Madame
Guiliano who is the Former spokesperson, CEO and President of Clicquot
Inc. (LVMH) and our very own Madame Vika Shipalana (Prestige Director at Pernod
Ricard – GH Mumm is one of their prestige brands).
Before we get into my favourite champagne brands, below is
a crash-course on the terms that leave us confused:
Champagne
Champagne is exclusively made using grapes grown in the
French region called Champagne. It also involves a second bout of fermentation
within the bottle.
Method Cap Classique (MCC)
Method Cap Classique is South Africa’s answer to champagne.
The method of making MCC is basically the same as that of champagne. The only
difference is that the grapes are not from Champagne in France. South Africa’s
MCC does give French champagne a run for its money in some instances.
Cuvée
In the context of champagne, the French term cuvée refers
to the first-pressed and best juices of the grapes used. The term also connotes
prestige or quality. The term is however not regulated and can easily be
misused. Out of the context of champagne, cuvée refers to the blend of more
than one grape or wine from special vats or barrels.
Below are the brand stories of my favourite champagnes.
Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin
(Pronounced Verve Klee Koh)
This is one of my faves. I am in love with the brand and
the story behind it. This champagne was made by a woman and then later on
successfully marketed by another woman across the globe. Veuve means
widow in French. Madame Clicquot was born in 1777 in Reims. She was the
daughter of Baron Nicolas Ponsardin. Madame Clicquot went on to marry the son
of the founder of Maison Clicquot; which had a diverse portfolio that included
the production of champagne. After the death of her husband, Madame Clicquot
became the first woman to take over the reins of a champagne house. According
to the Veuve website, “Madame Clicquot invented the ‘table de remuage’
(riddling table) to clarify champagne, and innovated the very first blend of
rosé champagne.”
“House of Veuve Clicquot motto one quality, the finest. Champagne is a wine of legend. The entire
history of the Veuve Clicquot House is marked by mythical wines, all of which
respect the demand for quality that was the force that drove Madame Clicquot.
True to this heritage, the House is proud of its motto: "Only one quality,
the finest". A short lineage of just 10 Cellar Masters has led this quest
for quality, thereby ensuring the continuity of the Veuve Clicquot style:
strength and complexity. Veuve Clicquot priors itself on excellence and
quality. Only the juice from the cuvee (the first and most noble pressing) is
used.” – Veuve
Website
Another iconic woman behind the brand was author Mireille
Guiliano. She was the spokesperson of the champagne and the President and CEO
of Clicquot, Inc. (LVMH). The champagne’s brand image grew under her leadership
and increased its market share in America from one percent to 25 percent.
After a long relationship with the brand, Mireille Guiliano
went on to write a book that every woman should read. It is one that I often
refer to; “Women, Work & the Art of Savoir Faire: Business Sense &
Sensibility”.
Today the brand is celebrated across the world and has one
of the most distinctive brand communications strategies that sees the brand
hosting high-end events with strategic partners all over the world.
Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin holds a Royal Warrant from Her
Majesty the Queen of England. This means that it is one of the companies that
supply the British Royal Family with champagne. The brand falls under the
prestigious luxury brand group LVMH.
Moët et Chandon
(Pronounced Mo-wett)
The pronunciation of this brand is always a debate at the
dinner table. I, myself, have been involved in such a debate recently.
People love to pronounce it as “mo-way” while the champagne house
pronounces it as “mo-wett”. I believe that it is because "mo-wett"
feels harsh on the tongue and doesn’t sound as “luxurious”. We tend to ignore
the Dutch origins of the founder Claude Moët who created the champagne brand in
1743. The brand was initially known as Moet et Cie. After Pierre-Gabriel
Chandon joined the company in 1833, the name was then changed to Moët et
Chandon.
Claude, his grandson Jean Remy Moët and Pierre-Gabriel Chandon
grew the brand to become one of the largest champagne producers that sells
approximately 28 000 000 bottles a year.
Moët is also a co-owner of the luxury goods conglomerate
LVMH (Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy).
In 1842, Moet marketed its first vintage. Their best
seller, Brut Imperial was launched in the 1860s. Moët then gave birth to their
best known label, Dom Pérignon named after the Benedictine monk who was known
as the “Father of Champagne”.
Moët et Chandon holds a Royal Warrant from Her Majesty The
Queen of England. They are the proud champagne suppliers of the British Royal
Family.
Dom Perignon
Moet et Chandon named their prestige cuvée after the French
Benedictine monk Dom Pérignon. The monk made important contributions to the
production and quality of champagne. He avoided processes such as
refermentation during wine making and a book on his wine-making rules was
written by Canon Godinot.
There is a misconception that Dom Pérignon was blind. This
is not true. The myth started from his referencing of conducting “blind tasting
of the wine” which involved him tasting the grapes without knowing the source
of the vineyard. He did this to avoid influencing his perceptions.
Dom Pérignon is a vintage champagne meaning that it is made
only in the best years. Tom Stevenson (The British Wine Author) believes that “All
vintages need at least 12 years ageing to nurture Dom Pérignon's signature
silky mousse".
There are only 5 million bottles produced in each vintage.
It comprises of 60% Chardonnay and 40% Pinot noir.
Dom Pérignon is one of the most prestigious champagne
brands in the world and is enjoyed on special occasions. I have kept a bottle
at home for the past three years. I am not sure whether it is because I am
trying to save it for another 12 years or I am just an alcohol hoarder.
Laurent- Perrier Cuvée Rosé
I was introduced to this champagne on my birthday and I can
safely say that I have never tasted a better rosé than this one. Laurent-Perrier
created an absolute stunner that is so smooth, intense and seductive. It made
me wonder what on earth I was drinking before I encountered it
The La Cuvée Rosé was created in 1968 by the House of
Laurent-Perrier. The House of Laurent-Perrier was founded by Andre Michel
Pierlot in 1812 who then sold it to his cellar master Eugene Laurent who ran it
with his wife Mathilde Emilie Perrier. After her husband’s death, Mathilde
named the company Veuve Laurent-Perrier as veuve means widow. Under her
leadership the champagne house sold 50 000 cases. After a few catastrophes
during World War I, in 1949, Bernard de Nonancourt became the owner of one of
the largest family-owned Champagne houses. To this day, the de Nonancourt
family still retains majority ownership.
A partnership between Laurent-Perrier, Hugel and Perrin saw
the creation of JEROBOAM Co. in 2003. This group is a fine wine distribution
network which solely markets such wines and champagnes in Japan.
Laurent- Perrier received a Royal Warrant from HRH the
Prince of Wales.
Armand de Brignac (Colloquially known as
Ace of Spades after the logo)
The champagne brand is produced by the Champagne Cattier
team. The Armand de Brignac Gold Brut is sold in its metallized gold bottle
that is finished off by hand. On the 5th of November 2014,
rapper and businessman Shawn Carter (Jay Z) acquired Armand de Brignac.
The Cattier team is led by father and son Armand de Brignac
winemakers Jean-Jacques and Alexandre Cattier. The champagne is made in the
village of Rilly-la-Montagne, in the Montagne de Reims region of
Champagne. It is made of the following grape varieties; Chardonnay, Pinot
Noir and Pinot Meunier.
“In the 1950s, Nelly Cattier, mother to
Jean-Jacques, discovered a character in a novel she was reading, called ‘M. De
Brignac’. She found the name noble and registered it for use on a new wine in
the future. It was long forgotten, and during the creation of this new tête de
cuvée from the house in the early 2000s, Jean-Jacques decided to pay tribute to
his mother by adopting this special name.” – Armand de Brignac Website
The brand yields approximately 60 000 bottles a year.
Armand de Brignac champagnes have won various awards all over the world,
including the Gold Medal at the 2015 San Francisco International Wine
Competition.
Armand de Brignac won the heart of hip hop culture after
the fall out between Jay Z and Cristal. Jay Z then went to feature bottles of
Armand de Brignac champagne in his video “Show Me What You Got” in 2006. In
2014, he acquired Armand de Brignac.
Armand de Brignac and Pop Culture:
“In June 2011 Mark Cuban spent $90,000 on
a 15-liter bottle (10 magnum bottles) of Armand de Brignac in celebration of
the Dallas Mavericks' NBA Championship. A week later, the Boston Bruins
"one-upped" the Mavericks' celebration by purchasing a 30-liter
bottle of Armand de Brignac—dubbed the "Midas"—for $100,000. At the
time of the purchase, the Midas bottle was one of six bottles released to date
worldwide. It is the largest bottle of Champagne available in the world and is
only made by Armand de Brignac. In late June 2011, an American gambler by the
name of Don Johnson reportedly spent £120,000 on a bottle of Armand de Brignac
Midas champagne at the One For One nightclub in London, to break the world
record for the most expensive bottle of champagne ever bought. In total Johnson
spent £170,000 ($271,000) on drinks in one night” – Wikipedia
Louis Roederer – Cristal
Cristal was created in 1876 for Alexander II of Russia and
was viewed as the first prestige cuvée. Louis Roederer shipped a third of
Cristal to Russia in the middle of the 19th Century as the
Russians were fond of champagne then. Because the Tsar was afraid of
assassination, he instructed Louis Roederer to change the colour of the bottle,
which was initially dark green, because he wanted to ensure that there was no
bomb hidden inside. Louis Roederer then commissioned a Flemish glassmaker to
make a clear lead champagne bottle with a flat bottom. The champagne was then
coined Cristal from thereon.
The 2000 Cristal vintage champagne is made of 55% Pinot
Noir and 45% Chardonnay. Cristal produces around 300 000 to 400 000 bottles
annually.
Cristal used to be the go-to champagne for hip hop stars.
It was loved by and featured in the videos of Raekwon, 50 Cents, ASAP Rocky,
The Notorious BIG, P Diddy and Tupac Shakur. When the Managing Director
of the champagne brand was interviewed by The Economist in 2006, he had a few
choice words about the association of the brand with hip hop culture. When he
was asked whether he thought the association with hip hop culture would harm
the brand, he was quoted saying “that's a good question, but what can
we do? We can't forbid people from buying it. I'm sure Dom Pérignon or Krug
would be delighted to have their business.” This led to the champagne
brand being discarded by hip hop stars. Jay Z was quoted saying that he would
never drink nor promote the brand ever again. This led to the brand losing its
position and stature in hip hop culture.
Louis Roederer is a holder of Her Majesty the Queen of
England’s Royal Warrant. They are one of the preferred champagne suppliers for
the British Royal Family.
Krug Grand Cuvée
About three years ago on my birthday, I was at a restaurant
where a friend of friend overheard the waiter mentioning that it was my
birthday. They subsequently ordered me two bottles of Krug Grand Cuvée and I
must say that it was stunning. To be honest, I don’t think that my palette was
ready to experience it the way that I would have today but I do remember that
it was crisp and fresh with lingering tastes of honey and light almond notes. I
would recommend this for any celebratory occasion as it is quite easy to have
more than one glass or bottle of it.
According to the website: “Krug Grande Cuvée is the
archetype of Krug’s philosophy of craftsmanship and savoir faire: a blend of
more than 120 wines from ten or more different years. Its exceptional finesse
is the result of a stay of at least another six years in the cellars. Over twenty
years are needed to craft each bottle of Krug Grande Cuvée: the first prestige
cuvee re-created each year, beyond the very notion of vintage.”
The prestigious house of Krug was founded in 1843 by Joseph
Krug. He was known to create champagne that withstood climatic conditions and
the concept of the good and bad year. Joseph was initially employed by
Jacquesson which was the leading house of the time; he then became a partner at
the champagne house. At the age of 42, he founded one of the most iconic and
celebrated champagne brands in the world. From its inception to this very day,
Krug is the first champagne house to create prestigious champagnes every year.
Krug is a Royal Warrant holder of the British Royal Family,
granted by HM the Queen of England.
GH Mumm
GH Mumm & Cie is one of the largest champagne producers
in the world. They are based in Reims. GH Mumm is owned by beverage
conglomerate Pernod Ricard.
In 1761, the Mumm family launched a business as wine
producers and merchants based in Cologne, Germany under P.A Mumm , the owner of
the company.
After identifying the sales potentials in the region of
Champagne in France, the three sons of the owner, Gottlieb, Jacobus and Philipp
Mumm took a bold move and established a branch in Reims with a local
representative, G.Heuser. In 1852, Georges Hermann Mumm, a son of one of the
founders, took over the company, which would henceforth be known as G.H.MUMM et
Cie.
GH Mumm’s brand identity lies in the visionary, bravado and
audacity of its founders. I admire their brand communications strategy that
complements their brand identity. Case-in-point being the appointment of
Olympic gold medalist sprinter Usain Bolt as their "CEO"
(Chief Entertainment Officer). GH Mumm’s presence has grown exceptionally well
in South Africa. It is one of the Pernod Ricard’s Prestige brands that fall
under the leadership of Vika Shipalana. GH Mumm is definitely a brand to look
out for as it continues to increase its market share in South Africa.
GH Mumm is one of the Royal Warrant holders.
Bollinger
“The story began with Athanase de
Villermont, the youngest son of a noble family with a brilliant destiny. A
great soldier who shone during the American War of Independence, he inherited
an extensive estate from his family in the Aÿ area. He immediately foresaw the
extraordinary potential of the wines of Champagne, but as an aristocrat he was
forbidden to become involved in trade. He then met Joseph Bollinger, a widely
travelled German who had left his country of birth to learn about the Champagne
wine trade; and Paul Renaudin, a local man who was fascinated by the world of
wine. The firm of Renaudin-Bollinger & Cie was founded on 6th February
1829. Joseph took care of sales and Paul of the cellar. Athanase had founded a
champagne House that was to endure through the centuries.” – Bollinger Website
At the age of 42, Jacques Bollinger’s wife Lily took over
the champagne house after his death. She was known as a brilliant strategist, a
dauntless businesswoman and she was very innovative. She was also the driving
force behind the original Bollinger R.D Cuvee. Lily, also referred to as Madame
Bollinger, expanded production of the champagne by purchasing more vineyards.
She also loved to travel the world to promote the brand.
In 2008, the family-owned champagne house appointed a
non-family member as their CEO, Jerome Philipon.
Every year, Bollinger saves some reserve wines in magnum
bottles, these bottles are then aged for 5 – 15 years.
Bollinger is one of the Royal Warrant holders.
Champagne brand stories are filled with mythical aspects
and that is where the magic comes from. Champagne should not just be sipped, it
should be savoured and experienced. The bubbles should go straight to one's
head and should have you floating on a cloud. Champagne might be the fountain
of youth... the only problem with that is that you might always find yourself
chasing the golden elixir's final drops in a tall flute.
*Keep a look out for my next post on the
luxury wines of SA and please leave a comment below if you would like for me to
do a write-up on a specific South African wine.
Thank you Molebogeng Maponya for crossing my t's and dotting my i's.
Sources:
All images sourced from the respective
champagne houses websites and other internet sources such as Twitter
Our main products are top grade glass bottle such as vodka bottle, brandy bottle, whiskey bottle, liquor bottle, jam bottle and so on. We also can offer amber glass bottle, green bottle and water bottle. 1000ml glass bottles
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