I am in my office and finding it very difficult to focus on the backlog of work in front of me – piled up after being all consumed over the last few weeks with my preparation for the Vin de Champagne Awards. What an amazing experience it has been. I was selected as a finalist…
Tasting the Stars
Harvest time – hard work and anticipation of the bubbles to be
September is a hive of activity in champagne. The anticipation of the harvest, followed by the shear hard work and organisation around the event is a heady time. Harvest dates are set by the Comité Interprofessional du Vin de Champagne (CIVC) and change yearly depending on the weather conditions. Interestingly, the harvest dates are not…
An honour and a test that will have the bubbles rising
I have not quite come down to earth yet! Last week I received some news that was an honour, but also very overwhelming once the reality hit. Early on Tuesday morning, I received a call from the Champagne Bureau in Sydney telling me that I had been selected as a finalist in the Vin de…
So much more than just a name
Recently I was involved in an on-line twitter discussion about choosing a champagne for a special occasion, in this case a hen’s night. It was an interesting discussion all round, where the point was well taken that the ‘bad’ ‘champagne’ that the people in question had experienced in the past was not champagne at all,…
Left with some fabulous memories
It’s already a week since I returned from my ‘Fabulous Ladies Tour of Champagne’ and I am having trouble even believing that the whole trip happened now that I am back to cutting lunches and making beds! So much happened in that last week that it whirled by in an instant. Following our trip to…
I’m in a Champagne State of Mind!
Well. Here I am! I’ve been pinching myself daily, but I am in the little village of Rilly-la-Montagne, in the Montagne de Reims, sipping Tsarine Rose champagne in a claw foot bath. We have been clocking up the champagne experiences since I arrived in Europe last Monday and every day has had at least one…
Fabulous champagne escapades!
I am continually getting signs from the universe that champagne is in fact magic! Otherwise, I can’t explain the series of events that has resulted in me about to pack my bags and head to the hallowed grounds of Champagne in two weeks time. On business. In the company of THE most fabulous lady in the…
Mellow or Malo – learning the lingo!
Have you ever been at a champagne tasting and heard someone very knowledgeably say “This has a bit of Malo in it”? Then have you continued to sip your glass and wonder what on earth it is that they are talking about? “Mellow?” you would be forgiven for wondering. But none of us really want…