Glass of Bubbly
The Re-birth of Piper-Heidsieck
Some interesting dates in the re-birth of Piper-Heidsieck. 1997 – The red label of the Cuvée Brut is launched. Symbolises enthusiasm, passion, excellence and extravaganza. 1999 – Cuvée Spéciale is dressed by Jean Paul Gautier, the first time a House has asked a fashion designer to dress a bottle. 2002 – Régis Camus becomes head…
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The History of Piper-Heidsieck
Interesting dates in the history of Piper-Heidsieck. 1785 – Florens Louis Heidsieck founded the house in Reims. 1800 – Christian and Charles-Henri Heidsieck join their uncle. 1815 – Christian’s cousin, Henri-Guillaume Piper is involved in the family business. 1828 – After their uncle’s death, Christian and Henri-Guillaume Piper take over. Henri promotes the wine and…
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Charles Heidsieck
Charles Heidsieck was founded in 1851 by the legendary Champagne Charlie himself. Charles-Camille was a dashing figure in Champagne, known as a dandy and a gentleman who travelled extensively selling his champagnes to the royal courts of Europe and American high society. He famously purchased the underground cathedral-like chalk cellars under Reims, originally dug out…
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Billecart-Salmon
Founded in 1818 by husband and wife Nicolas François Billecart and Elisabeth Salmon, the Billecart-Salmon House is rich with history. For nearly two hundred years, the Billecart family has been handing down the secrets to making exceptional champagne from generation to generation. Heirs of an ancestral savoir-faire, the whole family knows that it is their…
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Prosecco outsells Champagne in 2013
Prosecco outsold Champagne in 2013 by 307 million bottles to 304 million bottles, according to figures released by OVSE, the Italian wine observatory. Champagne is the most famous, revered and imitated of all sparkling wines so has Prosecco replaced Champagne as the world’s favourite sparkling wine? Sparkling wine is no longer just enjoyed at times of celebration…
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Carpenè Malvolti Prosecco DOC
Established in 1868, Carpene Malvolti is one of the most prestigious wineries in Veneto. Carpenè Malvolti was the first company to submit quality Prosecco to the sparkling process and a brand that is a leader in this field both in Italy and abroad. Carpenè Malvolti Prosecco DOC is produced from selected grapes and through a careful…
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Nino Franco
The Company: Antonio Franco founded the “Cantine Franco” winery in Valdobbiadene in 1919. Valdobbiadene is located at the foot of the Prealps, in the Veneto region, near Venice in the Northeast of Italy and is famous for the Prosecco vine and wine production. This area is designated as the Prosecco Superiore DOGC zone. This winery…
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Champagne Collet
Created in 1921, Champagne Collet in Ay is the oldest society of Champagne growers and takes its name from its founder. The company’s origins go back to the Champagne Revolution in 1911 when winegrowers in Champagne took action against a number of producers who decided to mix grapes coming from other wine growing regions with…
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Styles of Champagne
Styles of Champagne vary enormously. The use of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes generally prevail over minorities such as Meunier, and more often than not white and red grapes are blended. Exceptions are labelled Blanc de Blancs (100% Chardonnay) and Blanc de Noirs (100% Pinot Noir). The latter tends to be fuller bodied, as does…
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