Theme: 2017 Favorite pairing from bubbles and salty snacks…I’ll go first.
Featured Wine: Lanson Champagne and Palmer & Co. Champagne
Fried Chicken x Champagne: our absolute favorite! Champagnes with a racy acidity are a perfect match for the salt, fat, and crunchiness that fried chicken delivers. Can’t splurge for Champagne? Swap in a Cava from Spain or Franciacorta from Italy!
Champagne is about 144 km (89 mi) east of Paris. Reims is the capital of the Marne department and where all coronations since 898 AD have occurred. The local wine, named Champagne after the province, was often consumed at the coronation ceremony & banquet- making it the ‘wine of kings’!
These wines are made solely in the Methode Champenoise or traditional method, where the base wine is rested on the lees for a minimum of 12 months and second fermentation occurs in the bottle. (Second fermentation is what makes the bubbles!) This method is much more labor intensive and costly. Non-vintage Champagne must be aged for a minimum of 15 months (12+ months on the lees and several in bottle) Whereas, vintage Champagnes must be aged for a minimum of 3 years. Seven grape varieties are permitted in the region but the bulk of viticulture centers around three: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Meunier.
Fun Fact:
Wines from Champagne were often Chaptalized by adding beet-root sugar or sugar cane (sucrose) prior to the first fermentation. Chaptalisation is becoming less common due to warmer temperatures year over year. The first fermentation will yield a wine that is 10.5% to 11.5% ABV. After all fermentations, Champagne will have a maximum ABV of 13%.
Lanson Champagne:
Having its name coined by Victor Lanson in 1937 as a tribute to the English royal court, this traditional style of Champagne is a blend of Pinot Noir (50%), Chardonnay (35%) and Pinot Meunier (15%). Made with 40% reserve wines and aged for three times longer than required, Le Black Label Brut presents an elegant freshness that appeals to all drinkers from novice to connoisseur.
Founded in 1760, Maison Lanson remains firmly rooted in France with its Champagnes being enjoyed in over 80 countries. Lanson has served as the official supplier to the British royal family since 1900. In addition to its iconic affiliation with the royal family, Lanson has been the official champagne of the Wimbledon tennis tournament since 2001.
Celine’s Fried Chicken recommendation is: Chicken King on The Plaza
