"Bit of a cock-up on the catering front". We turned up for a free champagne tasting at Upstairs at Ronnie's (courtesy of Mary's membership) to be told that there had been a mix up and the tasting was actually Thursday. We were invited in anyway for free champagne and nibbles on the house and asked if we would like to return the next day. "Yes please".
London. Thursday 28-January-2016.
This time all was in order for the champagne tasting proper presented by a champagne "ambassador" from the drinks company. They presented four champagnes:
- Moet Imperial NV - one third each of chardonnay, pinot noir and pinot meunier. Dosage of 9 gm per litre.
- Moet Rose NV - 10% red wine in the blend.
- Veuve Clicquot Yellow label - 50/55% pinot meunier.
- Veuve Clicquot Rose.
All full glasses, none of your tasting measures so it was a slightly boozy tasting.
We know all about the manufacturing process having done tours of a numbers of champagne houses over the years. However did I learn some interesting factiods about Madam Clicquot:
- She invented the process of riddling whereby the bottles are rotated and tilted to get the yeast sediment to the neck for removal.
- She introduced the concepts of a vintage champagne - up then it had all been blended NV, as most still is.
- She introduced the first rose champagne which, unlike most rose which is made by leaving the white grape juice briefly on the red skins, she made by blending red and white wines post-fermentation.
We had a pleasant chat with the neighbours at our table, on champagne, Italy and bands or artists we had seen. We then stayed on for food from the bar and live music. We stumbled home late. Dirty job but somebody has to do it.
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