The war about champagne continues. New means allowed and this must be the first time the destructions of false bubbly is available on video . What a scoop! Should be spreading round the web like virus and ads for viagra. Whether it will stop people from buying American champagne is more doubtfull, isn't it?
The war is a war. One one side the winegrowers of Champagne and their white collar officials, who say that true champagne is only produced in the French region with the same name. On the other side, you find several American producers of sparklers. They claim, that champagne is just a sparkler and it can originate from everywhere where sparkling wines are produced. Such as California.
And the sunny westcoast state was the point of origin for 3.288 bottles of bubbly with destination Nigeria, Africa. Unfortunately for André Champagne Cellars Belgian customs found the bottles before, and in Belgium - in fact all over the EU - the bottles were illegal. Since within the EU you are not allowed to use geografical designations for your product, unless it actually originates from the appropriate region.
Fight for decades
The fight about the right to use the word champagne is an old one. The view of the EU is, that words like champagne, porto and Stilton cheese designate products from certain regions. Therefore they cannot be applied for products, that has been produced elsewhere. In the US the view is, that these words rather designate certain types of products. For instance champagne is a sparkling wine. The difference in definition has been discussed for decades in international trade organisations like GATT and at the moment the WTO.
And the discussions continue. The latest deal from spring 2006 ensured, that only American producers, that all along have sold their wines as champagne, can continue. But not in countries that acknowledges the geographical designations, not even as transit, as the example from Belgium clearly demonstrates.
At a press conference yesterday Bruno Paillard, one of the CIVC-presidents, said, that the customs all over Europe has destroyed more than 14.000 bottles of illegal champagne from countries like Argentina, Russia and Armenia, since the rules came into force. The CIVC is the common organisation of champagne houses and winegrowers. Amongst many duties it works with the defense of the appellation, that is the name of champagne.
11 January, 2002
09 January, 2002
Super position
Pruned Meunier-plants in Loisy-en-Brie.
Our pruning has finally begun. Alain has found a guy in Vertus, who is now doing some of the job.
With his girlfriend he has pruned the first Meunier-vines following the 3-9-6 system.
And that would be the end of it if not monsieur or maybe madame leave the vines with superposition.
Superpositioning
If you translate to Danish or English the wrong way superpositioning sounds great. But we do not really like the phenomenon, since it is strictly forbidden in the AOC-laws. Which is also why it is the fast and easy way to fail your exam in pruning.
When you attach the two bows, one young wood will be placed above the other. This is superposition, and we do not like it.
Diligent readers of this blog may remember to have heard the word a few times before. I have written about it rather thoroughly, since it was part of my method to learn how to avoid it.
The problem is buds, that lye on top of each other. When you prune for instance Meunier followong the 3-9-6-method - the Vallée de la Marne that is - you will eventually bind two bows at the fence. One on top of the other. It is important that the buds of the young bow end before the buds on the young part of the old bow start. In this way you avoid that the branches, that will grow from the buds in the spring, will disturb each other.
To prioritate right
To avoid this you need to abandon the principle of 3-9-6 a bit and instead leave only the possible amount of buds. A question about the right prioritation really. No superposition is more important than the correct amount of buds. And this our friend does not follow.
He failed his exam anyway. But then, so did many others, and not all of them very justified, it seemed. So for me failing the exam does not necessarily mean that you do not know how to prune. You just need to be told, I guess.
Our local machine pool has delived wooden chops between the rows, and that makes it a lot easier to work in the wet winterseason.
We plan to begin pruning the other plot with the cordons next weekend.
På dansk
Copyright: The copyright for text and photos at bobler.blogspot.com belongs to Solveig Tange. You may use my articles, photos or parts of them for non-commercial use and if I am credited as the author. Feel free to link to this site but not in your own frameset please.
08 January, 2002
Islands celebrated euro with champagne
The Mediterranean island-states of Malta and Cyprus have joined the euro. The island bigwigs said hello and goodbye with champagne in their glasses. I could be tempted to say: What else?
Cypriots and Malteses can prepare themselves for daily brain gymnastics. The psychological crossing from one currency to another is rather immense, when the calculations are not just the purchases of two weeks of holidays somewhere but instead cover your complete life with everything from toothpaste to flatscreens.
Seven years after the euro succeeded the French franc, many shops still put their prices in francs. And personally I still - after four years in France - convert from euroes to the Danish currency "kroner" and "oerer". Otherwise I just don't get the prices right.
When it comes to the price of the very official toast of Malta and Cyprus, I don't know whether the big champagnehouses sponsor this type of events. If not, they should. Since it cultivates the image of champagne in the most guilded way, you could possibly want, if you happen to be in the field of marketing champagnes.
Cypriots and Malteses can prepare themselves for daily brain gymnastics. The psychological crossing from one currency to another is rather immense, when the calculations are not just the purchases of two weeks of holidays somewhere but instead cover your complete life with everything from toothpaste to flatscreens.
Seven years after the euro succeeded the French franc, many shops still put their prices in francs. And personally I still - after four years in France - convert from euroes to the Danish currency "kroner" and "oerer". Otherwise I just don't get the prices right.
When it comes to the price of the very official toast of Malta and Cyprus, I don't know whether the big champagnehouses sponsor this type of events. If not, they should. Since it cultivates the image of champagne in the most guilded way, you could possibly want, if you happen to be in the field of marketing champagnes.
Taittinger is back
Members of the Taittinger-family have bought 37 percent of the shares in the champagnehouse with their name.
The head of the family, Pierre-Emmanuel Taittinger, says that he still looks for "friendly capital" for the last 43 percent of the shares, reports French media.
So what is "friendly capital"? My bid - after some years of reading about the unfortunate tries of several international giants to buy their way into French heritage is - as a minimum - that seller sympathizes with the intention of the buyer, the actual as much as the presumed.
The annual production of Taittinger is 4,5 million bottles of champagne, which is enough to be number seven amongst the big producers. Amongst the most mentioned and praised assets of the house are their 290 hectares of vines in the best areas.
The head of the family, Pierre-Emmanuel Taittinger, says that he still looks for "friendly capital" for the last 43 percent of the shares, reports French media.
So what is "friendly capital"? My bid - after some years of reading about the unfortunate tries of several international giants to buy their way into French heritage is - as a minimum - that seller sympathizes with the intention of the buyer, the actual as much as the presumed.
The annual production of Taittinger is 4,5 million bottles of champagne, which is enough to be number seven amongst the big producers. Amongst the most mentioned and praised assets of the house are their 290 hectares of vines in the best areas.
07 January, 2002
Sharp new year
2007 promises rather keen in Verzy.
In the middle of last December the nice, old man with the big white beard skipped a champagne sabre over the edge of his sledge as he rushed over the Montagne de Reims... No injuries. The weapon was properly packed up.
I think this idea of the old man was rather inventive. And certainly unexpected.
Wine in the streets
Our local - and regional - party of the wine, the Saint Vincent, is coming up soon.
Alain and I will be presented with our diplomas, now officially capable of pruning the vines. The local guild will unfortunately do the party on a monday, which for us will mean a modest participation of claqueurs, most are working.
While we wait for free wine in the streets on January 22nd, we enjoy the sales of more than 320 million bottles already by the end of October. It seems likely that the total of the year may even pass the 327 million necks of the Millenium.
Our new year
It will be time to start the re-establishment of our new, sadly mistreated plot. For a start, prune it in a way, that approaches the theory books.
We will also have to work with the idea of obtaining our own champagne brand in a more concrete way. The bigger amount of grapes, we can harvest this year, will bring more income, which makes it more realistic to begin thinking about a life with champagne full time.
For she who owns everything (almost): Own sabre!
The new ownership of my own weapon has displayed another difference between my current and the former country of residence. In France it is a right to possess this kind of thing... I Denmark you need a permission from the police to keep swords, sabres and similar effects in your private home. This I know from the little sister who technically does not possess her own weapon, since ice axes don't count. The other little sister has her own sword, thus police permission to keep it.
Happy New Year.
På dansk
Copyright: The copyright for text and photos at bobler.blogspot.com belongs to Solveig Tange. You may use my articles, photos or parts of them for non-commercial use and if I am credited as the author. Feel free to link to this site but not in your own frameset please.
12 December, 2001
Meet the Yellow widow in Illum
More than 12 years ago I saw my first champagnebar. It is situated in Reims, just across the street from the big, central Place d'Erlon, and it is not excactly high tech. Actually it reminds me more of the kind of little more or less stationary chariots where you buy your hotdogs in Copenhagen. Just a little bit more Art Déco chic since this after all is France. Anyway, it is not sausages but champagne à la coupe, they hand over the counter.
There are lightyears between this and the ultratrendy space, that Copenhagen department store Illum has introduced to fit the galloping Danish consumption and the luxury trend of the time. However only in December. Danes still mainly drink champagne in the Christmas- and New Year's-season as it is anyway quite general all over the world.
It is the French behemoth of luxuries LVMH (Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy), who is behind the initiative. Which is why you can only buy the champagnes of LVMH, and only some of them. Names as Ruinart and Krug, that also belong to this economical giant of the champagne, are not available.
The classic Yellow Widow, as the Veuve Clicquot-Ponsardin is popularly known in Denmark, is not difficult to find in December. It is still the sure and often also lonely brand, you will find if you buy your wines in supermarkets such as Foetex and Kvickly in the days before Christmas. So this is just another possibility of trying the lady, even a lot of Danes do not even like the taste. In Illum they can try out the Moët & Chandon instead or even upgrade to a Dom Pérignon. Prices per glass according to AOK begin at 75 kroner(10 euros).
På dansk
There are lightyears between this and the ultratrendy space, that Copenhagen department store Illum has introduced to fit the galloping Danish consumption and the luxury trend of the time. However only in December. Danes still mainly drink champagne in the Christmas- and New Year's-season as it is anyway quite general all over the world.
It is the French behemoth of luxuries LVMH (Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy), who is behind the initiative. Which is why you can only buy the champagnes of LVMH, and only some of them. Names as Ruinart and Krug, that also belong to this economical giant of the champagne, are not available.
The classic Yellow Widow, as the Veuve Clicquot-Ponsardin is popularly known in Denmark, is not difficult to find in December. It is still the sure and often also lonely brand, you will find if you buy your wines in supermarkets such as Foetex and Kvickly in the days before Christmas. So this is just another possibility of trying the lady, even a lot of Danes do not even like the taste. In Illum they can try out the Moët & Chandon instead or even upgrade to a Dom Pérignon. Prices per glass according to AOK begin at 75 kroner(10 euros).
På dansk
Copyright: The copyright for text and photos at bobler.blogspot.com belongs to Solveig Tange. You may use my articles, photos or parts of them for non-commercial use and if I am credited as the author. Feel free to link to this site but not in your own frameset please.
11 December, 2001
Champagne the granny way
The appellation champagne is defended tooth and nail by the lawyers of the organisation of the champagne industry, the CIVC. It is easy to understand - for me anyway - that they do not want to share name and glory with sparkling wines from other parts of the world. It is more complicated for my mind to follow for instance their wish to eliminate champagne as the name of a colour.
I should like to know how these interpreters of clauses would react to this charming application of one of the inhabitants of a true Granny's garden.
"If you want to prepare Champagne, you will only have to add two teaspoons of this must and mix it with a bottle of French wine, bottle it and shake it well". (My translation).
The mentioned juice is made of white currant. A berry, I mainly know from old gardens, especially in the white version. Some people think, that champagne is sour dishwater. I wonder if that could be an effect caused by the juice of the currant?
The recipe originates from the "Handbook of the Housewife", 1903. You will find the entire recipe here (is it not typical that it will be in a Norwegian webpage that a thing so inadmissible will turn up?) ;-D
På dansk
I should like to know how these interpreters of clauses would react to this charming application of one of the inhabitants of a true Granny's garden.
"If you want to prepare Champagne, you will only have to add two teaspoons of this must and mix it with a bottle of French wine, bottle it and shake it well". (My translation).
The mentioned juice is made of white currant. A berry, I mainly know from old gardens, especially in the white version. Some people think, that champagne is sour dishwater. I wonder if that could be an effect caused by the juice of the currant?
The recipe originates from the "Handbook of the Housewife", 1903. You will find the entire recipe here (is it not typical that it will be in a Norwegian webpage that a thing so inadmissible will turn up?) ;-D
På dansk
Copyright: The copyright for text and photos at bobler.blogspot.com belongs to Solveig Tange. You may use my articles, photos or parts of them for non-commercial use and if I am credited as the author. Feel free to link to this site but not in your own frameset please.
09 December, 2001
Esca up in smoke
Cut branches burn in the brouette, Loisy-en-Brie.
The day after the tornado is quiet and beautiful. Decembersunny and made in heaven to go work in the vines.
Alain spends most of the light hours of saturday in Loisy-en-Brie in the very extreme end of the Côte des Blancs to get rid of Esca-infested Meunier-vines in our two plots.
It is some weeks ago now, that he spent some hours spraying the diseased plants with red colour. Today it would have been impossible to distinguish diseased plants from healthy ones. Once grapes are gone and leaves fallen, the naked branches look quite alike no matter their condition.
Alain removes all branches so that only the stump remains. The entire root is a different story that cannot be removed without the intervention of a lot more horsepower, so for the time being they are left where they are.
Red alert: An Esca-diseased plant to be removed.
The two plots all together make up a bit more than one hectare. In one day Alain removes almost 70 percent of the diseased plants. There are a lot more in the new plot, that we have received back in a rather poor condition.
We would have preferred to see no more Esca in the old plot, since we used quite some time last year to remove diseased plants with roots and this year to replant more than 400 replacements.
But this is not how it all went, and it is a destiny we share with a lot of others that inside and outside Champagne fight this infectious disease as well. It is spreading rapidly these years because of the warmer weather and because the chemical to fight it has been forbidden in some years now.
På dansk
Copyright: The copyright for text and photos at bobler.blogspot.com belongs to Solveig Tange. You may use my articles, photos or parts of them for non-commercial use and if I am credited as the author. Feel free to link to this site but not in your own frameset please.
08 December, 2001
First, second, third...
Champagne is normally a rather expensive pleasure, especially when you buy it at Danish prices. Whether it is shops on the net, distinguished old wine merchants or gastronomical temples, most sell the fizz at rather elevated costs.
Instead why not try a bid for bubbly on an auction on the net?
Right now and a few days into the future, the netauction QXL boasts two auctions of champagne. One - Mumms flagship, Cordon Rouge - is at the moment at a price that as far as I can tell is a bit of a finding in Denmark. (To compare 220 kroner in Billund Lufthavn)
I am less sure, that it goes for second bottle too, even it is in another class - the house of Ruinarts middle level - the "R", in a magnumbottle - and that goes for the price too.
If the price of the bottle and freigth runs up in something more expensive than you initially expected, why don't you comfort yourself with the fact, that you in any case have a true royal taste. Something that surely cannot be bought too expensive?
På dansk
Instead why not try a bid for bubbly on an auction on the net?
Right now and a few days into the future, the netauction QXL boasts two auctions of champagne. One - Mumms flagship, Cordon Rouge - is at the moment at a price that as far as I can tell is a bit of a finding in Denmark. (To compare 220 kroner in Billund Lufthavn)
I am less sure, that it goes for second bottle too, even it is in another class - the house of Ruinarts middle level - the "R", in a magnumbottle - and that goes for the price too.
If the price of the bottle and freigth runs up in something more expensive than you initially expected, why don't you comfort yourself with the fact, that you in any case have a true royal taste. Something that surely cannot be bought too expensive?
På dansk
Copyright: The copyright for text and photos at bobler.blogspot.com belongs to Solveig Tange. You may use my articles, photos or parts of them for non-commercial use and if I am credited as the author. Feel free to link to this site but not in your own frameset please.
07 December, 2001
Big and small enlargements
This little vegetable garden at Verzy could be planted with vines instead of pumpkins and sunflowers.
Enlarge or not to enlarge.
Much is said and written in the local press, in the professional weeklies, and in meetings for wineprofessionals. Should, should not.
On one hand, it is very important to be able to deliver champagne, when the market is there. On the other it is a bad idea to enlarge, if the customers will not continue to demand still more and more champagne.
No guarantees
Guarantees of course cannot be given. It does take a while to enlarge the supplies of champagne: The vines will only grow the maximum amount of grapes after three years, and on top of that the champagne must age at least 15 months. You've got to be some sort of a gambler.
The chairman of the independent winegrowers, Patrick le Brun, cannot stop repeating - it seems - that there so far is a good margin between the current sales of champagne (317 million bottles the last 12 months) and the amount of bottles that will be sold in two-three yeares (360 million bottles).
But when the INAO-responsible in the champagnecapital of Épernay, Eric Champion, says to the local paper l'Union, that "there are no possibilities of development", because all land is already planted, it still gives second thoughts.
And INAO - the ministerial organisation, that controls the AOC's(Appellation d'Origine Controlée) - is currently working on a report of the possibilites of enlarging the territory.
Work of experts
Five experts - a geologist, a geographer, a historian, an agronomist and a expert in plants have since 2003 examined the land in the communes with vines. The report will contain information about the history of each commune and its suitability as supplier of land to grow vines for champagne. The final result is expected in 2009.
It is expected that the deparment of Aube in Southern Champagne will have quite a few hectares acknowledged to join the appellation. Aube had a lot less than the more known - when it comes to champagne - department of Marne, when some vines were replanted in the 1960'ies.
With the very high prices of land at the moment combined with the very good sales of champagne, it is of course extremely interesting to buy some of these hectares. Rather at before- than after-prices.
1.500 difficult hectares
In the meantime 1.500 hectares, already acknowledged for growing vines for champagne but not used, actually do exist.
Well, that is, the land is very much in use. As cemeteries, forests or a small vegetable gardens as the picture above shows.
And if you are more into chewing the seeds of sunflowers or eating pumpkins in the long winter, I suppose you are better off with Grand Cru-vegetables than grapes. But each time I pass this place I cannot help thinking: Who is this person, who undauntedly leaves the bubbles to all the others and grows tomatoes, strawberries and pumpkins instead.
På dansk
Copyright: The copyright for text and photos at bobler.blogspot.com belongs to Solveig Tange. You may use my articles, photos or parts of them for non-commercial use and if I am credited as the author. Feel free to link to this site but not in your own frameset please.
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