Champagne VIRGINIE T. – Interview With Ferdinand Pougatch-Taittinger

The love of Champagne is infinite, a language that everyone can understand, a sparkle that can shine in anyone’s glass, it can connect people, brings them together and places a smile on faces around the world.

In this exclusive feature on Glass of Bubbly, we speak with Ferdinand Pougatch-Taittinger, the co-founder of Champagne VIRGINIE T., let’s discover a little about his life, his journey into the industry and one of his favourite Champagne memories.

It’s Great To Speak With You, Ferdinand, Can You Tell Us A Little About Yourself & How Your Incredible Journey Into The Champagne Industry Began?

“Personally, I can’t remember a life without champagne, and from a very young age I would wander through the pits of Maison Taittinger, owned by my grandfather Claude Taittinger and my mother Virginie Taittinger. My grandmother’s side was not to be outdone, as she owned Piper Heidsieck until 1989.

You could say that my blood is sparkling!

Still, I wanted to learn and free myself away from Champagne, so I spent 6 years in North America, understanding, tasting and taking an interest in what was being produced all over the world. I was also lucky enough to spend several years working for Colangelo & Partners, a pioneering wine PR agency in New York.

In 2014 it was time for me to return home to support my mother and take up the position of cellar master. I had a very clear vision of what I wanted to do, to expand and specify the range. I didn’t want to restrict myself in any way, and I never wanted to make the same wine twice, which is rare.”

Do You Remember Your First Experience With Champagne? When It Was And What Kind Of Label It Was?

“I was 6 weeks old when I tasted Champagne for the first time. I assure you, not a glass, but simply a finger of Champagne. Apparently I didn’t cry, I even smiled, which bodes well for the future.

I can assure you, however, that it was a Comtes de Champagne 1982, an extraordinary vintage, at Christmas in my grandparents’ house in Reims.”

How Rewarding And Challenging Is Managing Your Own Champagne House?

“I’d have to write a book to answer your question.

Without going into too much detail, I have two jobs in our young family business, that of cellar master and that of co-president.

As cellar master, I’m learning and will continue to learn until my last breath. Each harvest, each wine, each parcel evolves with the times and never tells the same story twice.

The difficulty of my job, and what makes it perhaps the most exciting job in the world, is the ability to project myself into the future as if I had a crystal ball. Unlike what I used to do in the States, i.e. judge a wine at a given moment, I now have to judge a wine’s potential in 5 years, 7 years, 10 years and even 12 years for our oldest Champagnes.

Of course, the most glorious thing is to make people happy, or even better, to create a surprise.

Champagne is highly regulated, and some houses have been in existence for 300 years, so it takes a lot of hard work to stand out and create your own style.

As a homeowner, I’d say it’s important to realize that this is my life’s work, and that I’m making decisions not for myself but for future generations. In a society that wants everything all the time and right away, we’re resisting because in Champagne, time is long. My vines are over 60 years old, and some of my cuvées are over 12 years old…”

When It Comes To Pairing Your Champagne With Food, Do You Have Any Favourite Combinations That You Would Personally Recommend?

“Champagne is a fantastic wine to pair. We tend to eat it only as an aperitif or dessert, although it can very well accompany an entire dinner. Moreover, there is not one Champagne but Champagnes. We experience it every day since we have more than 24 different Champagnes in our cellars!

It is a sommelier’s paradise because in terms of pairing they will definitely find what they are looking for.

Personally I find that the objective of a pairing is to elevate both the dish and the wine, which is why I will not necessarily recommend taking similar ones.

An example, our Blanc de Blancs Premier Cru which has aromas of yellow lemon and white flowers would go well with sashimi or oysters but no, I prefer adventure. Take a nice Milanese escalope or fried calamari, you will be in heaven because the acidity and lemon will wonderfully enhance the breading.”

If You Could Choose A Person In The World, Past Or Present, To Have A Glass of Bubbly With; Who Would It Be And Why? What Would You Drink And Why? What Would You Discuss And Why?

“Without hesitation my grandfather Claude Taittinger who passed away 2 years ago. It’s not to talk about malolactic or to discuss about our recent success but simply some small talk about what’s going on in the world. He had, even in his last weeks, a fair and lucid view on Champagne and beyond.

I’ll bring out a bottle of Transmission Brut, the first bottle in our range because that’s the one he’ll want to taste. He always said that we judge the quality of a House at its entry level because everyone is capable of making a few magic bottles …”

Can You Share With Us Some Of The Countries And Locations Around The World That You Can Enjoy A Glass Of Champagne VIRGINIE.T?

“Even though we are by far the most exclusive of the Champagne Houses with a production of only 80,000 bottles, we are now present in 12 countries around the world.

It is an immense source of pride for us to see our Champagne in a three-star Michelin restaurant in Tokyo, but I am also very proud to see us in a small wine bar in Marseille. I like to see my Champagnes accessible to as many people as possible, we do not seek to please only professionals.

Each country has its own distribution network, above all we look for trusted partners who understand our approach. It’s not easy to explain to consumers that the Champagnes will be different every year! Our current Blanc de Noirs is a 2015 vintage blend of Pinot Noir and Meunier. Tomorrow it will be a 2018 vintage, only Pinot Noir Grand Cru from a plot of Verzenay.

England is a good example, we were looking for an importer specialized in the on trade/off trade but we had the chance to meet Private Cellars Ltd, a niche distributor who distributes only to individuals, to wine lovers and we are very happy about it.”

What Future Plans Can Enthusiasts Of Champagne VIRGINIE.T Look Forward To In The Coming Years?

I’m not going to reveal everything to you.

Our mission is to surprise you and you can expect great things in the months to come.

We have just moved into a simply exceptional production site. Located in the village of Verzenay Grand Cru we have one of the most beautiful views in the world, a sea of ​​vines in front of us.

On the Champagne side, we are releasing 3 new vintages next year… and that’s not all.”

Can You Share With Us One Of The Most Memorable Experiences You’ve Enjoyed With A Glass of Bubbly?

“Each glass of Champagne is memorable, time stands still.

It is synonymous with sharing, an ordinary moment becomes exceptional, an exceptional moment remains that way.

Obviously the first glass of Champagne in the maternity ward for the birth of my son Achille was magical, but just as much as last night when my wife and I drank a glass of Transmission Rosé on the terrace of the Chateau de Challerange.”

Thank you Ferdinand, for sharing your story and experiences with us and we at Glass of Bubbly wish you the very best for the future!