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CHAMPAGNE NEWS
After a long and cold winter in the Southern hemisphere we are now seeing vine bud throughout our wine regions, a welcome and very late heralding of Spring.
Again, it has been a month of many champagne tastings with many good bottles drunk...perhaps the most outstanding the 08 Pol Roger.
When rumours surfaced that the 08 blend was more than reminiscent of 1914, which was harvested by the women and children while bombs were falling, and with the men away fighting, extra intrigue was added to what I had merely thought of as an outstanding vintage. Invitingly fresh with apple and pear aromas, the palate is nothing short of thrilling - crunchy attack, superb tension, extreme length. This champagne can be cellared for many years. Buy lots, and experience its evolution.
Kaaren Palmer
Champagne Editor Galaxy Guides |
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The 2017 champagne harvest
was successfully completed early, and was all over by mid-September, with permitted yields of 10,300 per hectare plus 500 kg per hectare drawn down from the storage of reserve wines from prior years. Weather in the earlier part of the season was sunny and dry. Although there was rot in vulnerable areas, no doubt caused by the previously reported hailstorms just prior to harvest, many healthy grapes were carefully selected and made it to the press. The Comité Champagne expects the outcome to be promising. Jancis Robinson’s worthwhile blog reports on the occasion, and visits nine of the major Houses....click here to read the article.
Moreover, there’s another excellent article by Jancis Robinson on the release of the latest Salon, along with tasting notes on sister house, Delamotte.....click here to read the article.
And perhaps next year, you can enjoy the harvest spirit in Champagne, and attend this amazing tasting reported on by The Drinks Business...click here to see the article.
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Champagne editor's note: I should point out that Jancis Robinson charges an annual fee for full access to her site but given the depth and breadth of the content it seems a modest fee. KP
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The grimace shows the effort at Champagne Larmandier-Bernier, whose enchanting champagne is on pour at Australian Gourmet Traveller's Australia’s Top Restaurant 2017, Orana, in Adelaide, South Australia.
Photo copyright © champagne importer Victor Pugatschew of the keen palate....to visit Victor's web site and see Victor's champagne range
please click here
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The Ten Year Anniversary
of the South Australian Springfield Champagne Club was an affair to celebrate last month. Congratulations all round, ladies and gentleman. The word is out that a few other groups are springing up. Basically, each of us takes turns to host, and we delve into the complexities and intricacies of champagne based around varied topics. The next event, for example, will examine different expressions of Blanc de Blancs, and include some venerable bottles collected over the years. It’s a relatively sober, educational affair during the serious part of the tasting, with fine palates and increased and increasing knowledge around the table. We haven’t had one visitor who doesn’t want to join!
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Fun along the tasting journey, photo courtesy of Anthea Greig
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Vue de Monde
has installed a vending machine, a rather darkly positioned item, in their foyer. Who would ever have thought that the words ‘vending machine’ and ‘Dom’ would be mentioned in the same breath?! click here to read the full story.
And, if you’d like to read about the latest release of Dom, 2006, here’s the tasting rundown from the time-eating and fascinating Tasting Book website: please click here
May I humbly suggest that instead of decanting away those palate-enhancing bubbles, that you open the bottle an hour prior to tasting, and keep said bottle on ice. The suggested glassware is excellent. KP
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Biodynamic and organic
producer, Champagne Francis Boulard’s Les Rachais 2008 wins coup de cœur, literally ‘heart-striking’, in the respected RVF (Revue de Vin de France). The Australian distributors are ANONYMOUS WINE at Heidelberg West in Victoria.
Tel: 0488 777 831
Wonderfully full information on
Francis’ and Delphine’s exemplary website:
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Champagne Competitions
The Buyer reports on the Champagne & Sparkling Wine World Championships (CSWWC ). Three specialist judges, all wines tasted blind, surprising and unsurprising results....click here to read the article.
The Drinks Business reports on the Champagne Masters, a blind tasting with a formidable panel of judges including no less than five (!) MWs and a Master Sommelier. Well worth an inspection....click here
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Tyson Stelzer
launches his 2018–19 Guide in person with a champagne cocktail party at The Ed, Monday 9 October, 6–8pm.
click here to book and I’ll see you there!
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from Ann Oliver
There's currently a lot happening with new web sites for both Kaaren and myself. Kaaren will move to www.kaaren-palmer-champagne.com and Galaxy Guides will rebrand as www.cuisine-extreme.com
Whilst both sites will remain permanently intertwined Kaaren and I will have separate blogs that will enable us to post more instantaneous content. Galaxy Guides is an old fashioned web site that requires coding for every entry...free of this shackle posting content will be so much easier. In the coming six weeks there will be very limited new content on www.galaxyguides.com and weekly postings will go straight to the new data base.
We have started to video new recipes and techniques and plan a cuisine-extreme YouTube TV that will be linked to the new site and promoted via instagram and twitter. A new facebook page cuisine-extreme will also be put in place.
Yes, a lot happening but very exciting...there are bound to be glitches so cut us some slack, and, if you see mistakes that we have been missed please email me...grammar, just plain wrong...whatever!
Kaaren and I look forward to a new an exciting phase of our role in the world of food and wine and al the surrounds.
Ann Oliver
food editor and publisher galaxy guides
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Signs of Spring at last, vine bud at Coates Wines new cellar door which will be open to the public in a couple of weeks. If you are a fan of Burgundian whites their 2016 Reserve Chardonnay is amazing...delivered to your door click here
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Coorong mullet escabeche Port Lincoln mussels, fennel, wood sorrel... Coriole Vineyards....chef Tom Ried
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Gazander oysters, charred cucumber, bonito (4)....Botanic Gardens Restaurant Adelaide....chef Paul Baker
Images unless otherwise stated copyright © Ann Oliver 2017
text copyright © Ann Oliver and Kaaren Palmer 2017
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