Effervescence Unleashed: Champagne Widows: First Woman of Champagne, Veuve Clicquot and the Breathless Brut

In order to help kickoff the BevFluence Effervescence Unleashed program I participated in a book-sparkling wine collaboration between Rebecca Rosenberg's Champagne Widows: First Woman of Champagne, Veuve Clicquot and the Breathless Brut from Breathless Sparking Wines.

The historical novel follows the life of Barbe-Nicole Clicquot and her role launching the famous internationally recognized sparkling wine house. Rosenberg researched not only Barbe-Nicole early life, marriage to Francois Clicquot, his tragic death, but also Barbe-Nicole's difficulties overcoming his death, making champagne, and the Napoleonic Codes preventing women from owning a business.  Rosenberg fills in the historical facts with dialogue and a writing style that provides insights of personal struggles as well as the geo-political and technological situation of that period. These conditions reverberate to the American historical experience if one contemplates the early 19th century. 

The Champagne region of France is renowned for its sparkling wines. Still, its history is also rich with stories of resilience and innovation, particularly those of remarkable women who transformed the industry. Among these pioneers, the daring widows of Champagne, such as Madame Clicquot and Madame Pommery, played a pivotal role in shaping the modern champagne trade.

The Rise of the Widows
In the 18th and 19th centuries, many women found themselves at the helm of champagne houses after the untimely deaths of their husbands. With limited options, these widows embraced the challenge, often taking on roles that were traditionally reserved for men. Madame Clicquot, for instance, inherited her husband’s champagne house in 1805 and became a trailblazer. She introduced innovative practices, including the riddling process, which clarified champagne, making it clearer and more appealing to consumers.

Breaking Barriers
The contributions of these women extended beyond business acumen; they also challenged societal norms. At a time when women had limited rights and were often marginalized, these widows stepped into leadership roles, demonstrating that they could not only run businesses but excel in them. Their stories highlight the intersection of gender and entrepreneurship in a historical context that is often overlooked.

A Legacy of Innovation
The impact of these pioneering women can still be felt today. The innovations they introduced in production techniques and marketing strategies laid the foundation for the modern champagne industry. The emphasis on quality, branding, and customer experience that they championed continues to influence how champagne is produced and sold.

Sonoma's Breathless Wines was the sponsor for the kickoff event, and have provided their Breathless Brut ($29). This is a blend of 54% Chardonnay, 38% Pinot Noir, 6% Pinot Meunier, and 2% Pinot Blanc made the méthode champenoise -- the secondary fermentation process used by the widow Clicquot and all of Champagne. This is a tight effervescent wine with a savory yeasty and melon profile with a touch of green apple Chardonnay. An even more attractive wine when considering the retail price. 

Q&A with Brut Force Author Peter Stafford-Bow

Peter Stafford-Bow knows satire. And he knows the machinations of most facets in the wine trade. These truths are self evident in the author's initial release Corkscrew: The highly improbable, but occasionally true, tale of a professional wine buyer and its sequel Brut Force. This release once again follows wine buyer Felix Hart as blackmailers put him in precarious situations involving a corrupt wine tasting between old and new world Pinot Noir. Like its predecessor, Brut Force is a compelling read; I found myself leaping into the next chapter -- even as late night drowsiness set in. It is also entertaining, at times silly (don't be surprised if you laugh out loud), but Stafford-Bow keeps the focus on the wine industry throughout the various plot twists. This focus and the author's inherent knowledge of the wine trade led me to submit several questions regarding his background and his highly recommended current release.


1) When did you develop an interest with wine?
I started working in a liquor store while studying at university. At the time, my experience of wine was limited to hosting house parties where we’d buy bag-in-box Don Darius (a cheap, La Mancha red), blend it with brandy and orange juice in a trash can, and tie a ladle to the side of the bin. Not exactly the fine wine end of the spectrum. But the liquor store management were big on training, even for part-time staff, and they persuaded me to study for a basic wine exam. After that, I was bitten. I gave up my ‘proper’ university studies (and the trash cans full of gut-rot) and dedicated myself to wine full time.

2) In Corkscrew, the main character, Felix Hart, becomes a supermarket buyer and retains that occupation in Brut Force. Are his experiences anecdotal to any events you experienced as a supermarket buyer?
Yes, I’ve based both books on my experience of buying wine for supermarkets in the 1990s and 2000s. The main plotline in Corkscrew is based on real experience. We used to find stowaways in containers of Italian wine quite frequently – you’d receive a call from the depot saying a bunch of Afghans wearing bobble hats had just leapt out of a shipping container full of Pinot Grigio and legged it out of the warehouse. I lived in Cape Town for a while and the South African adventures in Corkscrew are based on my time there.

3) The plot lines in both books are very complex with multiple twists that require extensive resourcefulness and imagination. Do these attributes come naturally to you?
That’s very complimentary of you, thank you. I hope the plots aren’t TOO complex! I love spy thrillers, especially John le Carré, so maybe I’ve brought a little of that to my novels.

4) In Brut Force! the plot begins with Hart's Pinot Noir vine that he planted in his backyard. How prevalent is Pinot Noir in actual English vineyards?
Pinot Noir is quite widely planted now, thanks to the focus on sparkling wine made from Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. South-East England is less than 200 miles from the Champagne region and the soil is the same geological formation as that in Champagne – i.e. chalk – so that’s what English vignerons are concentrating on. The total area under vine in England is only 5,000 acres, so still tiny compared to the US or European countries, of course. Around one quarter of that is Pinot Noir.

5) People may be surprised that there is a vibrant English sparkling wine industry. Are there any estates you recommend?
Yes, most English sparkling wine is excellent quality – it’s all Traditional Method (i.e. Méthode Champenoise). Good estates include Hambledon (their rosé is superb), Camel Valley, Hush Heath (who make the Balfour brand) and Hoffman & Rathbone – though that last one is very boutique.

6) Moving along with the plot in Brut Force!, there's a blind tasting between new and old world Pinot Noirs. Did you conduct a similar tasting to get a sense in your mind what Hart would experience?
I didn’t set up my own tasting, but there are lots of people doing similar ‘face-offs’ these days. Just last month, at a posh London hotel, there was a Champagne versus English Sparkling blind tasting, with several eminent Masters of Wine in attendance. The French won, I believe, but it was pretty close. Perhaps the English will triumph next year…

7) In both books, you discuss wine regions such as South Africa or in Brut Force!, Pinots across the globe. Did you travel to these locations in order to research - obviously Burgundy but also New Zealand, Germany, California, or Oregon?
I’ve been lucky enough to travel very widely during my career. I’ve been to every major wine producing region, and plenty of minor ones too! So yes, with hindsight I consider my whole drinking career to have been literary research…

8) Staying with wine regions, do you have a personal favorite(s)?
That’s a tricky one. I love the rolling hills of Beaujolais, while the picturesque villages and vineyards of Tuscany are wonderful too. Central Otago in New Zealand is gorgeous, but the breath-taking scenery of South Africa’s Cape probably takes the top slot for sheer beauty.

9) Brut Force introduces organic wine fanatics. Do you have an opinion on organic, biodynamic, or natural wines?
Yes – Organic is good, Biodynamic is better, and non-intervention, Natural wines are best! Of course, you have to know what you’re doing in the vineyard and winery. But any movement that respects the environment, minimizes additives, and allows the true nature of the wine to shine is on the side of the angels in my opinion.

10) The characters in both books are quite distinctive, from Hart to his companions to his adversaries. Do you follow a process when creating each character or are they based on actual acquaintances?
I wouldn’t say there’s a process, as such. All the main characters are based on a real person or, more commonly, a combination of people – usually work colleagues or wine trade folk. Many of the characters in the novels are thoroughly despicable, of course, whereas in real life most people are reasonably pleasant, so that’s where I have to make a few dark tweaks – for legal as well as artistic reasons!

Book Review: Wine Folly: Magnum Edition: The Master Guide

The Wine Folly: Magnum Edition: The Master Guide ($21), written by Madeline Puckette and Justin Hammack ,reflects many of the features that make their Wine Folly website so popular.  The book utilizes info-graphics and photos to simply yet clearly explain wine topics such as grapes and regions.  The book is most suited for wine novices but also provides easily accessible references for more experienced wine consumers. The book starts with Wine Basics such as how to taste and store wine in addition to how it is made. After a section on Food & Wine Pairings, the book guides readers through dozens of grape varieties and styles of wine -- such as the different categories of sparkling and dessert wine.  This section is quite informative as it includes information on the grape's lineage, tasting profile, serving recommendations, where it grows, and similar grapes. A nice quick and easy reference.

The final section relates to Wine Regions and covers most of the major wine producing countries and sub-regions although lovers of Croatian and regional American wines will be disappointed.  Interestingly (and happily) Hungary was covered and the above photos show the layout used for the regions. The guide provides the major grape varieties and major sub regions within that country displaying the information through info-graphics and maps. A second page suggests wines to explore as well as focuses on the country's signature wine. For Hungary, they've provided appropriate exploration wines by augmenting Tokaji Assu, Furmint, and Egri Bikaver with the lesser known Egri Csillag and Somlo Juhfark.  However, I do quibble with the use of grape names where in the map and Varieties chart they utilize the Croatian term Graševina for the Hungarian Olascsrizling where the broader term is Welschriesling. The Varieties chart also includes the term Blaufränkisch instead of the Hungarian Kékfrankos. Readers may get confused because they will never find a Hungarian wine labeled Blaufränkisch or Graševina - but I understand they intended to utilize a broader term.

Finally, for larger countries with regulations regarding labels and classifications, the book presents a readable guide. Italy is pictured above and the Reading a Label section provides the naming methods and term definitions --  an accessible guide for all levels of consumers. The Wine Classification section is also handy for Italy as the book explains the DOG and DOGC classifications.

The Wine Folly: Magnum Edition: The Master Guide is a worthy collection to any wine library as an easy resource. If readers are expecting more in depth coverage, go elsewhere, but for an accessible and clear introduction to grapes and regions - this book will suffice. Cheers.

Book Review: Corkscrew The highly improbable, but occasionally true, tale of a professional wine buyer

For Christmas I treated myself to Corkscrew: The highly improbable, but occasionally true, tale of a professional wine buyer and my first impression is that, yes, it is an improbable story. But, as we all know, life is stranger than fiction and Peter Stafford-Bow's ties up all the improbably events into an ending worthy of a Seinfeld show. The story of Felix Hart's rise to wine buying summit starts a little slow, but over time I noticed I was reading longer into the night as I became entangled with the plot. Lesser covered regions are heavily involved in the plot and there's a wide breadth of wine consumed so readers will gain more insight into wine - particularly during the Worshipful Institute of Ministrels of Wine tasting test of 180 wines. To sum, this is a fun, interesting, and mildly suspenseful read.  Cheers.

Book Review: "Wines of Vermont"

I have a soft spot for wine books that focus on the history of wine within a specific state *, so I was very enthusiastic about purchasing the recently published Wines of Vermont written by Todd Trzaskos. Full disclaimer, Todd is a friend that I've known for a number of years. And on occasion he has provided me with a couple of his excellent homemade wines that Deirdre Heekin mentions in the book's forward. That being said, this is an excellent resource, not only with it's portrayal of the past and present wine environment in Vermont, but more importantly, expanding upon the Green Mountain States' geography, history, culture, and agricultural industry. It's this expanded coverage which separates Wines of Vermont from similar books and provides an underlying basis for the rise of Vermont's unique wine culture. 

theCompass view of
Vermont's 30+
wineries & cider houses

The book starts with a detailed review of Vermont's geography from the birth of it's mountains, to the limestone soils, to the consequences of past glacier activity. One interesting fact is that the Taconic and Green Mountain ranges "represent the eroded remains of some of the first mountains on earth...".  Part II delves into Vermont's wine culture, from it's shared heritage with Quebec to the rise of the Farm to Table movement. Part III augments the Farm to Table culture by describing the plethora of fruit agricultural products grown in Vermont, finishing with a detailed description of wine grapes. Pay close attention to the Minnesota breeds. Part IV encompasses the Farmers and Winemakers who gave birth to and advanced the Vermont wine industry. I had expected the book to start with this topic, but by holding back this information, Trzaskos provides the reader with a clearer understanding of the risks and rewards experienced by these industrious entrepreneurs.  Who in their right mind would plant Pinot Noir in the shores of Lake Champlain? Or bases their winery operation on native yeast fermented Marquette and La Crescent?  The Wines of Vermont reveals this information and much more and forces the reader to admire and appreciate "the people from the little state of Vermont".

* Two recent books are Richard Leahy's Beyond Jefferson's Vines: The Evolution of Quality Wine in Virginia and Regina McCarthy's Maryland Wine: A Full-Bodied History (American Palate).

Mike Colameco's Food Lover's Guide to New York City

We had hope to use Mike Colameco's Food Lover's Guide to New York City this past weekend in a trip to NYC for the The 2009 Food Network New York City Wine & Food Festival. Since our travel plans were interrupted, we decided to proceed with a book review anyhow. For foodies, it is an invaluable resource containing almost 350 pages of restaurant information within the city. In fact, Mr. Colameco has dined at each establishment multiple times, most of the time unannounced. And the restaurants encompass a wide range of styles, from $5 hot dogs to $500 meals. For more decadent types, the book contains another 30 pages of listing for bakeries and chocolate shops.

But for our purpose, the primary value is the directory and description of New York City's Wine Bars and Wine Shops. This is the type of compendium that we have been thinking of developing and Mr. Colameco has beaten us. The book contains information on 17 wine bars - which includes Flute a champagne bar we visited during one of our past trips to the city. For each wine bar, Colameco not only describes the location and wines, but also the types of food served. Readers can determine which establishments utilize an enomatic system; which specialize in French wines or South American wines; and which provide mouthwatering desserts.

The beauty of traveling to NYC, is that you can purchase almost anything in the city, regardless of season. Want tulips in December, no problem. Want a French wine from Languedoc, or a Moldovan wine - no problem. New York wine shops carry the widest selection of wines and Colameco points you to their location - plus a nice description of each. One we frequent, Astor Wine & Spirits was listed first - for alphabetical reasons.

One day soon we will travel back to New York City and this book will most definitely be in our possession at all times. Thanks Mike for a great resource.

Book Review: "California Wine for Dummies"

We recently received a copy of California Wine For Dummies and after reading it, found that it is a great resource for both novices and self proclaimed experts. Part I introduces California wines to the reader by briefly describing the history of wine making in the state, the wine regions, the grape varieties used, and how to decipher the label. These topics are worthwhile for the reader particularly during the discussion regarding the differences between "varieties" and "varietals" as well as "estate bottled"and "estate grown".

However, parts II through IV were the useful for us. Instead of focusing on the wine region, the authors focus on each grape variety and then discuss in which regions they are grown and how they differ depending upon that region. Particularly why wines made from the same grape may differ depending on the temperature variation between regions. They also list their favorite wines made from each variety as well as why wineries may blend certain grapes. Great information.

In between they offer interesting information such as Wente Vineyards Estate Winery being the first vineyard to plant Chardonnay in California and why Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon are blended. And not only do they discuss the major grapes (Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir, and Zinfandel), but they discuss other grapes such as Petite Sirah, all the Rhone varieties, the other Bordeaux grapes, Tempranillo, Tannat, and even Napa Gamay (Valdiguie). Sparkling and dessert wines are also included. It was nice to see that
Ridge Vineyards was noted a few times particularly how they blend their Zinfandel as well as our favorite Petite Sirah from Foppiano Vineyards.

This book would also serve as a nice companion on a wine touring trip to California. The authors discuss some of the towns in the major regions, suggest places to stay and wineries to visit. The final chapters actually discuss what to expect when visiting a California tasting room and special attractions and excursions.

Like we said previously, we highly recommend this book from novices to self proclaimed experts. Its also an easy read. One of us finished the book during a 2 1/2 hour plane ride and the other during a short afternoon on the beach. We will also be seeking out the earlier release: Wine For Dummies

WineWise

We recently received a copy of WineWise a new book written by Steven Kolpan, Brian H. Smith, and Michael A. Weiss, all CIA Professors in Wine Studies at The Culinary Institute of America (CIA). It is the size of a standard coffee table book - but without the standard fluff usually associated with these publications. Instead, WineWise contains volumes of facts in an easy to read format. It starts by explaining why some wines cost more than others - siting geography, grapes, wine making methods, and of course, what the market will bear. The introduction also describes brands versus "terrior" and introduces appellations. One fact we never recognized was that different regions in Europe use different bottle styles. For instance bottles from Burgundy, Rhone, and Bordeaux will all be shaped differently - giving the consumer an easy target for selecting from that appellation. The next two chapters discuss actual wine grapes and we were happy to see Riesling and Gewurztraminer profiled in the Major White Grapes section and Zinfandel and Grenache profiles in the Major Red Grapes section. In addition the writers include small notes on wine production in several American states, outside of the big three.

The guts of the book, and what differentiates it from other wine books, is their complex insight into global wine regions. Starting with California, the writers discuss several major wine appellations (Napa, Sonoma, Mendocino, etc) their AVA system and any sub-appellations, their climate, the major wine grapes, how to read a wine label from that region, and the major wine producers. This process is repeated for Oregon, Washington, New York, Canada, South America, Oceania, South Africa, France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Germany, Austria, and even Greece. This is a wealth of information. From our recent trip to the New York Food and Wine Festival and a recent wine tasting at Finewine.com, we have become more interested in wine from Sicily. Turning to chapter nine, the book provides a map of southern Italy showing the grape growing areas, plus states the major DOCG and DOC wine regions, grapes, and major producers. From this chapter we were also able to talk about the Falanghina grape and its Greek origin at the Finewine.com tasting. Thanks for the insight. The section on Piedmont wines was also a favorite. The other chapters are just as insightful. Ever wondered where grapes are grown in Chile or Argentina? South Africa? Portugal? The information is all there. We can't wait to finish the chapter on Greece and wish we had the book before our trip to Sonoma and Napa. Is there anything we didn't like, you ask? Yes, its size. This is a heavy book and not easy to carry to a wine store to help read the labels. Maybe it does fit on a coffee table, but keep it within reach - it is a valuable resource.

Book Review - 1000 Best Wine Secrets

One perk in operating a wine blog is we occasionally receive free items to review. Last week we received a new book written by Carolyn Hammond, "1000 Best Wine Secrets". Ms. Hammond's wine writing credentials are impressive. She has written for Decanter Magazine, The Times newspaper, and Wine & Spirit International magazine in London England, as well as Maclean’s magazine, The Toronto Star and The Province in Canada. She also holds a Diploma in Wine and Spirits from the Wine & Spirit Education Trust.

"1000 Best Wine Secrets" consists of, you guessed it, 1,000 facts, broken into several chapters plus an Appendix containing a list of recommended wines that cost less than $20 and a compendium of resources. The printing style displaying 1,000 numbered facts makes it easy to skim the selections looking for topics of interest. But don't just skim this book. It contains valuable information for both the novice and more experienced wine drinker.

In the first two sections, Ms. Hammond gives advice on selecting wine to purchase or ordering at a restaurant and the proper etiquette on tasting and serving the wine. She supplies valuable material such as describing different grape varieties, explaining the differences between Old World and New World wine or American and French Oak barrels, and the value of decanting wine. However the most important advice she gives is #14: trust your own palate.

Section three is the best section of the book and the reason we recommend purchasing it. In these 17 chapters she "Reveals the Flavors of the World", by describing major wine regions in different countries and the grapes and wine that flourish in these regions. The Chapter on French Wine is a must read; Ms. Hammond describes the wines of Bordeaux, Burgundy, Champagne, Alsace, Rhone, and more. I now know the definition of growth wines in Medoc and the Grand Clu classifications in St. Emilion. From France, she weaves her way through Italian wine regions, then Spain Portugal, Germany and Austria. She finishes European wine by discussing Swiss wine as well as Central and Eastern Europe wine and Mediterranean wines. If you've never heard of the puttonyos level in Hungarian Tokaji Aszu or what makes Greek Restsina very interesting, read these latter chapters.

From Europe she discusses American and Canadian wines, then wines from South America, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa. Whereas I thought the information devoted to these regions were interesting, I was a little disappointed with her treatment of American wines. She started by describing California wines, then on to Oregon and Washington wines. She then mentions Idaho briefly, provides an overview of New York wines and then notes two wineries in Virginia. I would have like to see her give a more in depth treatment of Virginia wines (a little bias on our part) and other American wine regions. Her readers are left uninformed of the good wines produced in Michigan, Missouri, Colorado, and elsewhere.

Finally, Ms. Hammond concludes with very interesting wine myths and storing techniques, such as, "if its popular, it must be good". Overall, this is a nice handbook for your wine library. I learned a lot, not only about different wine regions but also why uncorking is insufficient for decanting, what makes Madeira unique, some white wines improve with age, and ..........