The Vines from Champagne 2015

The vines from Champagne 2015: Many of us have gone through interesting changes and Champagne is no exception.

Thank you UNESCO!

After many solicitations and numerous nominations, in July 2015 the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) finally voted to include “The Champagne Hillsides, Houses and Cellars” as a UNESCO World Heritage Site establishing Champagne as part of a listing of the world’s best examples of “human genius, creativity, cultual examples and human interaction with the environment…” 

Needless to say, following the announcement huge champagne-fueled parties in Champagne ensued.

http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1465

Taittinger invades England

Pierre-Emmanuel Taittinger is notorious for his commentary about the positive effects of champagne on the libido. More importantly, he is infamous for his business savvy.

Channeling his ancestor, the crusader Thibaut, Count of Champagne, Pierre-Emmanuel Taittinger championed the family name. In 2006 he fought the great beast Starwood to reclaim Champagne Taittinger, making Taittinger the largest single family owned champagne house.

His latest conquest is claimed across the English Channel. On a former apple farm near Canterbury planting of approximately 40 hectares of  Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Meunier will start in 2017 and the first bottles of Taittinger Sparkling “Domaine Evremond” will be available in eight years.

Crush of 2015

Champagne had one of the hottest and driest years on record between the end of May and the end of August 2015. Normally the harvest is done mid-September but

some places started as early as August 29th.

Champagne houses had to adapt to this precocious harvest by revising their picking circuit but the crush produced clean, high quality clear wines.

Most agree that 2015 will be an excellent champagne year but the Champagne cellar masters have to wonder … Is this the effect of Global Warming?

Champagne is good for you!

2015 brought proclamations all over the web about the health benefits associated with drinking champagne.

According to various sources, some even citing research done on rats who were given champagne on a daily basis (lucky rats!) drinking champagne has some amazing powers.

With fewer calories than wine and the ability to get you drunk faster (apparently) Champagne is said to provide : Cellulite control, improved short-term memory, improved circulation, improved heart-health, lowered risk of stroke, lowered blood-pressure, improved spatial memory…

Also, if you decide to go all the way and soak it in, champagne will improve your skin’s elasticity and decrease redness :

“Soak in this soothing bath suggested by Kristin Fraser Cotte, founder and CEO of The Grapeseed Company: Combine 1 cup powdered milk and 1/2 cup Epsom salts in a bowl; add 1 or more cups of champagne (no need to splurge on the pricey stuff) and 1 tablespoon honey warmed in the microwave for 30 seconds. Stir, then pour into running bath water. When the tub is full, add in rose petals—they’re a natural emollient that hydrates and tones. To double the indulgence, sip a glass while you soak.”

Cleaning up

While the COP21 was going on in Paris the pollution levels hit an all time record in China, and a Brazilian mine disaster bled toxic mud into the river and Atlantic ocean. 

Meanwhile an ecological program in Champagne hit a few marks following a strategy put in place in 2001 : 15% reduction in carbon emissions, the creation of standards and criteria for a certification label “VDC” (Sustainable Viticulture in Champagne) 100% waste-water treatment and 90% of waste recycled.

Vincent Perrin, the Champagne Bureau’s new General Director proclaimed 2015 to be the year of sustainable winegrowing with the aim to convert all the companies in Champagne, either through VDC certification or a self-auditing system.

Organic, Biodynamic, “Vegan”

Thanks to an overwhelming new appreciation for all that is “artisanal” and an awakened interest in what goes into our bodies organic and biodynamic wines in general became decidedly more mainstream in 2015.

Vegan and vegetarian gastronomy got a big boost as well this past year, thanks some amazing chefs featuring plant-based pairing menus and, in part, to the WholeFoods sponsored, high-profile and successful festival:  Seed Food and Wine in Miami 

“Gluten-free”, once hailed as the almighty marketing power tool is now at risk of being de-throned by the word “Vegan” and some savvy champagne houses have caught on, including Duval-Leroy who announced in 2015 that it’s entire range is 100% vegan friendly. 

(Must be noted here any champagne is “vegan”  as long as there are no fining products such as casein, gelatin or egg whites in the clarification process!)