7 Course Japanese Dinner ‘Champagne Duval-Leroy & ASDA Style’

A Champagne that I have many good memories of is Duval-Leroy. A house with a famous history and where adversity turned in to success that inspires many still today and who lit up the first movement towards woman making a true mark in the industry.

Champagne Duval-Leroy

“In this family history, Carol is the female lead who has earned respect in a male dominated world.” Taken from Carol is the quintessential lady of Champagne.

 

 

The winery is located at 69 Avenue de Bammental, 51130 Blancs-Coteaux where their award winning Champagne making takes place. I have once visited this location myself along with other wine influencers and was lucky enough to enjoy lunch at the Michelin-starred The Greenhouse enabling us to explore Champagne labels from Duval-Leroy each of which was paired with set foods / dishes. Sitting next to Carol Duval-Leroy was the highlight of the lunch for me, since that meeting my love affair of their Champagnes and respect for this great lady has grown.

Today, Champagne Duval-Leroy holds the following Glass of Bubbly awards:

Champagne Duval-Leroy Femme de Champagne – Gold Medal Meditation 2019

Champagne Duval-Leroy Prestige Extra-Brut – Silver Medal First Date 2019

Champagne Duval-Leroy Rosé Prestige Premier Cru Brut – Gold Medal First Date 2017

 

Champagne Duval-Leroy offers a wide selection of labels to explore to include their world famous Femme de Champagne.

Japanese Cuisine and Champagne

A big thank you goes out to Helge Paasche (Duval-Leroy Sales – London & UK, Norway, Sweden & Finland) for initially arranging a unique dinner with Ginza Onodera, which was focused on the compatibility of pairing Champagne with Japanese cuisine, that was unfortunately cancelled due to Covid-19. I suggested that we keep this theme very much alive and carry out the proposed dinner at Glass of Bubbly tasting room instead and Helge made things happen by sending out the samples to us!

 

Many people will be familiar with Japanese cuisine and will no doubt have Sushi and varied fresh fish dishes in their minds. Adapted for Western preferences, places to dine in order to enjoy Japanese cuisine can be seen around the country and especially in London (Ginza Onodera – Japanese Restaurant, Bury St, London).

“The interior of the downstairs restaurant is  a very modern Japanese fit style being both spacious yet well designed into an area where you have a choice to dine with chefs preparing your food directly in front of you or away from the lively cooking area and within the dining part where your orders are served to you by neatly dressed serving staff. Wine is a strong theme as you walk through Ginza Onodera with high quality displays chilling a wide selection of fine labels (currently 280 wine labels on the menu and a further 93 sake) – A fine staircase leads you downstairs (with a stairlift for disabled guests).” Ginza Onodera

 

Japanese cuisine is focused on dishes usually based on rice with seasonal and regional additional ingredients. The island which is Japan is a maritime nation, surrounded by the ocean and seas. Among its traditions includes a history of rice-farming people using reservoirs and marshes which further installed fish as a primary sauce of food for many which carries on today and sees Japan and Fish being closely associated with regards to cuisine.

 

Cooking Japanese Cuisine at home

Surprisingly, though much of it looking quite glamorous in photos within recipe books, much of Japanese cuisine is both fairly easy to prepare at home and also to find the ingredients to make them. For this article, all the ingredients were purchased from ASDA supermarket from the brown sugar to fresh salmon.

 

7 Course Japanese Dinner with Champagne Duval-Leroy

 

1: Homemade Sushi (Vegetarian & Salmon). Ingredients: Yutaka Nori (roasted seaweed), Yutaka Sushi Rice, Fresh Salmon, Smoked Salmon, Avocado, Cucumber, French Brie, Red Pepper, Sesame Seeds and Light Soya Sauce.

 

Paired with Champagne Duval-Leroy Extra-Brut Prestige

Tasting notes – “Soft apples, citrus, walnut and cream on the nose. Crisp and yellow fruits with a zesty kick in the flavours.”

Food Pairing Notes – “Palate cleansing initially then a zesty mid moment from the Champagne with a savoury salmon in the length. The vegetarian sushi (cucumber, red pepper and French brie) sees the rice drawing in the Champagne quickly then giving enhanced brie flavours and a sweeter appearance from the red pepper.”

 

2: Fresh Salmon. Ingredients: Fresh salmon, cucumber, sesame seeds, dark soya sauce.

 

Paired with Champagne Duval-Leroy Fleur de Champagne Brut 1er Cru

Interesting fact: The Fleur de Champagne is the first ever certified 1er cru Champagne to be released from any house, as the cru system was made official shortly before its release.

Tasting notes – “Elegant nose. Honey on toast, soft citrus and apples. The flavours are dry initially with soft zesty citrus and yellow fruits. A pleasing smooth length. A Champagne ideal for those relaxing moments.”

Food Pairing Notes – “A punchy Champagne that comes alive in the pairing. Initially, it is a bubbly and zesty hit to the palate though tones down quickly to leave silky salmon flavours with a long creamy chalk length.”

 

3: Shallow Fried King Prawns with Ginger. Ingredients: King prawns, olive oil, fresh ginger, garlic, egg, flour, red pepper.

 

Paired with Champagne Duval-Leroy Brut AB (Agriculture Biologique)

Champagne Duval-Leroy was the first house to produce a certified organic Champagne.

Tasting notes – “The aromas make you think this is more than just an NV Brut! The nose is most welcoming with so many expressions including garden mint, almond, soft yellow fruits and much more. A dry and zesty character in flavours with green fruits and a dry chalky length.”

Food Pairing Notes – “A nutty and citrus pairing. The king prawns are shallow fried so a lot less greasy in texture allowing the Champagne to enhance the flavours rather than simply combating the oily elements. A light savoury king prawn flavour with sea breeze and dry green fruits expressed.”

 

4: Steamed Spinach with roasted sesame seed dressing. Ingredients: Baby spinach leaves, sesame seeds, olive oil, light soya sauce, brown sugar.

 

Paired with Champagne Duval-Leroy Fleur de Champagne Brut 1er Cru

Tasting notes – “Elegant nose. Honey on toast, soft citrus and apples. The flavours are dry initially with soft zesty citrus and yellow fruits. A pleasing smooth length. A Champagne ideal for those relaxing moments.”

Food Pairing Notes – “A citrus burst initially then allowing the spinach to show which is then quickly taken over by toasty sesame seeds. A nice balance here between the dish and the wine.”

 

5: Pan-seared Salmon in brown sugar sauce with noodles and spinach. Ingredients: Fresh salmon, baby spinach leaves, brown sugar, ginger, olive oil, fresh noodles, dark soya sauce.

 

Paired with Champagne Duval-Leroy Grand Cru Femme de Champagne

Tasting notes – “A calming aroma. Soft sherbet, yellow fruits and subtle honey in the background. Yellow and green fruits with dry citrus added in flavours. A zesty and zingy character.”

Food Pairing Notes – “Zesty burst initially. Both the dish and the Champagne are a relaxed burst of flavours so compete equally in the palate. You are left with pleasing BBQ style flavours from the salmon in the length.”

 

6: Japanese Fruit Sandwich (Fruit Sando). Ingredients: Sliced bread, strawberries, kiwi, squirty / whipped cream.

 

Paired with Champagne Duval-Leroy Rosé Prestige

Tasting notes – “Soft chalky red berries and raspberry aromas with a touch of pink grapefruit. Relaxing and crisp red fruit flavours. Pink rose petals, raspberry pastry with a chalky rose blossom in the length.”

Food Pairing notes – “The sharper fresh fruit flavours blend well with the Champagne to allow raspberry to shine through with a creamy length. Another delightful balance here.”

 

7: Ginger Doughnuts. Ingredients: Egg, milk, flour, brown sugar, ginger, olive oil.

 

Paired with Champagne Duval-Leroy Rosé Prestige

Tasting notes – “Soft chalky red berries and raspberry aromas with a touch of pink grapefruit. Relaxing and crisp red fruit flavours. Pink rose petals, raspberry pastry with a chalky rose blossom in the length.”

Food Pairing Notes – “Touch of dry red fruits initially then into sweeter pastry flavours with a soft ginger touch in the length.”

 

Throughout all the pairings I found that the Duval-Leroy Champagne labels neither overpowered or ruined any of the flavours from the dishes. Each worked in harmony with the foods they were paired with enhancing over neutralising.

To purchase Champagne Duval-Leroy labels please visit the following official distributors:

Amathus’ online shop: www.amathusdrinks.com/20000209/our-brands/wines/duval-leroy

Hedonism (Vintage labels): hedonism.co.uk/