The Emperor Edition

By Monica Sabbatucci When thinking of bottles in the sea, you’d expect they might contain some cryptic message from the past, but what if you found bottles that contained liquid gold or long-lost champagne? Not just any champagne; perfectly preserved and aged champagne that has lived at the bottom of the sea for decades, some even centuries. Such treasure troves have existed and subsequently produced some of the most expensive bottles of bubbly in the world. These discoveries have also led to a new and innovative process of winemaking, ocean-ageing!   1907 Shipwrecked Heidsieck In 1916, Nicholas II Tsar of Russia, commissioned a...

From how to chill it and which glasses to use, there’s more to serving champagne than we think. There are also some mistakes that are commonly made when drinking bubbly, ones that can impact the best overall experience of a beautiful champagne. We’ve probably all committed these ‘Faux Pas’ before but if you really want to impress your hot date or more importantly, your in-laws, then take note of these Top 5 Faux Pas of Champagne Service.

Written and researched by Monica Sabbatucci Throughout the 1990s, hip-hop became prominent on our radios and televisions and so too did the relationship between it and champagne - one that still stands today. When I looked at how it came to be, I became acquainted with a lesser known name in hip-hop - Branson Belchie who is better known as Branson B. - an early graffiti artist and self-described street entrepreneur. Growing up in Harlem, Branson B. would see a lot of gentlemen from all walks of life; lawyers, doctors, hustlers and gamblers who would all indulge in champagne as their...

Is it true that many of you champagne lovers have tried an array of different champagne styles but not as many as you would have liked? A style of champagne that is rarely released by the Grand Marques - which is disappointing as it can be mind blowingly good - is a Blanc de Noirs or ‘white of blacks.’ A Blanc de Noirs is a white champagne made from either 100% pinot noir or pinot meunier or a blend of both. Both of these grapes are actually black skinned and with clear juice, so its critical that the winemaker must...