The Emperor Edition

An Australian Christmas Feast with Champagne Pairings 🥂✨ An Australian Christmas is a unique celebration of summer flavours and festive tradition, perfectly complemented by champagne. From fresh seafood like prawns and oysters paired with Pierre Gimonnet Blanc de Blancs, to honey-glazed ham matched with Billecart-Salmon Brut Rosé, each dish finds its ideal bubbly companion. Barbecued lobster or salmon pairs wonderfully with Taittinger Brut Réserve, while roast turkey and cranberry sauce shine alongside Pol Roger Brut Réserve. Desserts like pavlova and trifle are elevated with the sweetness of Pol Roger Rich Demi-Sec, and even the iconic Christmas pudding finds a match...

Over half a century of environmentally respectful farming is at the heart of Yves Ruffin. His three hectares situated Avenay Val d’Or and Tauxières were converted to organic farming 50 years ago, a move that went against the trends of the time. He was a pioneer, one that ignored and challenged the critics during a time when winegrowers and technicians didn’t take into consideration the impact their actions were having on the environment. Yves’s son, Thierry, carried on his tradition and contributed to developing alternative cultivation methods. In 2007, his wife, Sylvie, succeeded him and still today continues production with...

The adventure of this family of winegrowers began with Sadi Malot at the beginning of the 20th century. The son of a Champagne grower with an odd first name was so named because he was born on the day of the assassination of the President of the French Republic, Sadi Carnot (1887-1894). Unfortunately, Sadi Malot was mobilised in the First World War and died at the front. His brother, Socrate Malot, decided to pay tribute to him by naming his eldest son after him. Today Cindy Malot is the fifth generation and she runs the estate with her family. Cindy...

The House of De Sousa has one of the most exciting stories of Champagne. Manuel de Sousa, a Portuguese, fought alongside his French brothers in WW1, survived Verdun and started a family in Avize after the war. Antoine, the eldest son, began working in the cellars of Champagne Lebrun. He returned after WW2, met his future wife Zoémie Bonville, and founded their own champagne house with her. Their son Erick got into winemaking in the 90s, abandoning pesticides early on and producing biodynamic wine from 2010. The family runs just over 9 hectares, most of which in Avize but also...