Sydney Opera House under fire for French wine deal

Sydney Opera House has found itself at the centre of a storm after signing a three-year promotional deal with Champagne House Pommery.

The taxpayer-funded venue has been criticised by a peak wine industry body for choosing to promote Champagne while local grape growers face oversupply crisis.

The NSW Wine industry has condemned the deal, calling it an insult to struggling local winemakers and grape growers at a time when the industry is facing its most challenging period in decades.

"The three-year partnership sees one of Australia's most iconic NSW Government supported venues turn its back on world-class NSW sparkling wine producers in favour of imported French Champagne," NSW Wine said in a media statement.

"The decision comes as NSW grape growers grapple with severe oversupply, with many pulling out vines and struggling to find markets for their fruit," NSW Wine president Mark Bourne said

"The partnership represents a missed opportunity to provide vital market access to local producers who are fighting for survival.

"While NSW grape growers face oversupply and struggle to find markets for their fruit, the Sydney Opera House - funded by NSW taxpayers - has chosen to import French Champagne instead of supporting our world-class local sparkling wine producers.

"This is an insult to the hundreds of families across our wine regions doing it tough, and it's a betrayal of the principle that NSW taxpayer-supported institutions should champion NSW businesses.

"NSW has sparkling wine producers from the Hunter Valley to Orange, the Southern Highlands and Tumbarumba to the Riverina, yet our own state institution has turned its back on them. Our winemakers don't need sympathy - they need customers, and our most iconic venue should be leading the way, not abandoning them when they need support most.

"The partnership creates the bizarre situation where international tourists visiting one of Australia's most recognisable landmarks will be served French Champagne while local producers struggle to survive."

Opera House CEO Louise Herron AM said she was "delighted with the new partnership" - a statement that has been met with anger by a local industry facing unprecedented challenges.

"While Applejack Hospitality's recent takeover of the Opera Bar has been a welcome return to showcasing local wines, this decision by the Sydney Opera House Trust undermines those efforts and demonstrates an outdated view of what taxpayer-supported venues should be doing to support local business," NSW Wine said

The decision follows the Art Gallery of NSW's partnership with Tasmanian producer House of Arras, raising serious questions about whether NSW's premier cultural institutions are committed to supporting the state's wine industry, the statement said.

"As we all strive to build more sustainable businesses, it's staggering that the Sydney Opera House feels proud and compelled to import sparkling wine from the other side of the world when it could be supporting businesses from any of our 16 wine regions," Bourne said.

"Taxpayer supported institutions have a responsibility to lead by example. This decision sends a terrible message not just to our industry, but to every NSW business that expects state venues to support local enterprise when it matters most.

"NSW Wine is calling on the Sydney Opera House Trust to reconsider its decision and demonstrate genuine commitment to supporting local producers during this challenging time for the industry."

* NSW Wine represents wine producers across the state's 16 wine regions, advocating for the industry and promoting NSW wines domestically and internationally.

Investing in Champagne: the good, the bad and the bubbly

Australians are prodigious drinkers of Champagne - even more so over the Christmas period when a glass or two of bubbles is de rigueur for many.

Wine broker Langtons has just released Australia's largest allocation of luxury Champagne and is promoting it as an investment.

Australia is consistently landing in the top 10 markets for Champagne globally and Langtons believes "the local fine wine market is expected to mimic overseas success with Champagne making it a key collection and investment category for fine wine enthusiasts".

My advice is to always buy wine you want to drink down the track, not merely as as an investment. To my palate Champagne does not improve with age. Others disagree. 

“When it comes to cellaring, Champagne is a category that deserves more of the spotlight here in Australia," says Michael Anderson, head of auctions at Langtons.

"As we’ve seen overseas, Champagne has an impressive ageing potential which sees the wine develop with grace to place itself as a wine category regularly fetching eye-watering prices under the hammer.

"We can expect to see Champagne rise up the ranks in the secondary market here in Australia, with savvy investors already purchasing sought-after bottles to cellar away for future auctioning."

Overseas, avid collectors are displaying an ever-growing interest in rare cuvées, prestige bottlings, and late-disgorged releases and most recently, non-vintage (NV) Champagnes are also joining this list, Langtons says. 

We shall see. 

Unrest in Champagne as workers strike

There is unrest at some of the major Champagne Houses with workers going on strike this week over pay rates and job security.

Workers at Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy Champagne houses in Reims walked out - and employees from Pernod Ricard’s G.H. Mumm and Perrier-Jouët joined the strike action, industry website www.just-drinks.com reported.

The protests highlighted growing discontent among staff in the LVMH wine and spirits arm.

Unions says that cost-cutting measures are putting jobs and livelihoods at risk.

While Pernod Ricard employees were also involved in the Reims demonstrations, the strike action from LVMH staff comes at a turbulent time for the group’s drinks division.

LVMH’s wine and spirits business is under financial strain following years of expansion. The Financial Times has reported the division made a loss of €1.5 billion in 2024. 

The downturn is blamed on aggressive price increases, underperforming acquisitions, and a costly push into direct-to-consumer channels. Sales have dropped back to near-2019 levels.

Pernod Ricard workers, meanwhile, protested outside the Mumm cellars.

Stéphane Levasseur, secretary of the economic and social committee at Mumm, told Just Drinks that around 60 Mumm employees took part in the strike.

He cited two key reasons for the stoppage: a failure to secure wage increases in annual negotiations and concerns over the “potential sale of Mumm by Pernod Ricard to another buyer”.

“There will certainly be other strike movements in the coming weeks,” Levasseur said. "And these will be amplified if the sale of Mumm Champagne is confirmed.”

Image: Milton Cogheil, Scop.io 

Champagne exports dip in key markets

Is Champagne in crisis?

Exports to several major markets, including the UK and Australia, dipped dramatically in 2024.

Imports of Champagne to the UK fell by almost three million bottles in 2024 – taking the market back to its size in 1997.

The total amount of Champagne sent to the UK in 2024 was 22.3 millon bottles, down 12.7% on the year before.

And in Australia, the number of bottles arriving fell to 7.29 million, a drop of 17.6%.

The only years when UK shipments to the UK have been lower than in 2024 were in 2000 – when the country was overstocked from an excessive amount of Champagne imported in advance of Millennium celebrations – and 2020, when the first wave of Covid-related lockdowns took their toll, trade media outlet the drinks business reported.

But the market performance of 2024 means that the UK retained its position as second-biggest export market for Champagne behind the US, while Australia ranks No.7.

The Comité Champagne has said that the political and economic climate that has led to a reduction in sales.

Shipments in 2024 - as opposed to consumption - were also negatively impacted by an excess of stock in the market at the start of last year, as sales over the festive period in 2023 were not as high as expected.

In 2024, Champagne shipped a global total - including the domestic market - of 271.4 million bottles, which was down 9.2% compared to the previous year.

While 80% of Champagne is sold in eight countries, new markets such as Canada, South Africa and South Korea are showing growth, the Comité Champagne says.

The top 10 markets are: 1. US, 2.UK, 3. Japan, 4. Germany, 5. Italy, 6. Belgium, 7. Australia, 8. Switzerland, 9. Spain, 10. UAE.

Image: Andrii Omelnytskyi, Scop.io

Are wine drinkers falling out of love with high-end Bordeaux and Champagne?

Is the world falling out of love with premium French wines?

The value of French wine exports has fallen for a second year even as shipped volumes crept up, with consumers favouring more affordable bottles, British wine magazine Decanter has reported.

Data shows that Champagne exports slumped, while demand for more modestly priced sparkling wines increased.

Foreign buyers favoured more affordable bottles from the Loire Valley and Provence over high-end Bordeaux wines.

The value of wine exports fell 3% to €10.9 billon last year, French wine and spirits export agency FEVS said.

That remains the third-highest on record, as greater export demand for regional bubbles and still wine without a geographical denomination partly made up for dipping sales for Champagne and Bordeaux.

The volume of export shipments increased 0.7% to 124.1 million cases, relatively stable.

French wine exports overall faced a double impact from inflation and economic uncertainty, and a shift away from the most expensive wines to more affordable options, FEVS president Gabriel Picard told Decanter.

"There is undoubtedly a shift in consumption patterns, and maybe the end of a phenomenon of ultra-premiumisation," Picard said.

"Products with higher added value, at least the core of the range, have held up rather well or even progressed, for example in the case of sparkling wines, whereas the very expensive Champagnes have tended to decline."

Shipments to the UK, the second-largest export market for French winemakers, increased 5.4%, while the value of exports fell 3.9% to €1.4bn.

The value of French wine exports to China slumped 17%, and wine trade with Singapore and Hong Kong also declined.

Champagne, which remains France’s biggest wine export by value, had a tough year in 2024, with shipments falling 9.7% to 12.4 million cases and export value slipping 8% to €3.86bn.

By contrast, sparkling wines from other regions, including Crémant de Loire and Crémant d’Alsace, saw export volume rising 8% to 10.3 million cases, and the value jumping 9.5% to €426m.

Bordeaux exports fell 4.5% in volume to 16.6 million cases, while the value slipped 1.4% to €5.28bn.

The Loire Valley reported higher export volumes in 2024, while Provence also sold more wine abroad.

"We see that the mid-range tends to be more resilient, that goes for the reds and the whites," Picard said. "The other trend that we see is there tends to be some sort of decline in consumption of reds, and good resilience or progress for the white and rosé wines."

Image: Andrii Omelnytskiy, Scop.io

Summer, tennis and Champagne - with sweeping views

Summer, tennis and Champagne. Sounds like a pretty nifty combo.

The Sheraton Melbourne Hotel is celebrating summer, and the Australian Open, at its rooftop Terrace Bar in Melbourne's CBD in a partnership with Champagne house Piper-Heidsieck.

So think bubbles. chef-crafted bites (I think they mean snacks), and tennis live on TV.

Running until February 28 from 3-10pm daily (tough if if the match you are watching goes late) guests can watch the Australian Open live while enjoying views of the city.

There is a daily $20 Piper-Heidsieck Champagne Brut special, or a daily 'AO' happy hour from 4-6pm with an “Australian Open Cocktail” featuring Piper-Heidsieck.

This spritz combines elderflower, gin and Piper-Heidsieck Champagne for $20.

The Terrace Bar features a table tennis set-up (they are different sports, people), inviting guests to challenge friends or enjoy a casual game between sips of bubbly.

The Grand Slam Special is a $30 package that includes a glass of Piper-Heidsieck Champagne and s dish from a special menu (a small charcuterie board, perhaps, torched Hervey Bay ccallops:with corn pico de gallo and baby coriander; or sliced Prosciutto and stracciatella accompanied by fresh basil, olive oil, and focaccia.

The Sheraton is part of Marriott Bonvoy, the official hotel partner of the 2025 Australian Open, and is also offering special accommodation packages.

See https://www.marriott.com/offers/ace-escape-off-134135/melsi-sheraton-melbourne-hotel 

Drink Tasmanian ahead of Champagne: winemaker

Winemaker Tom Wallace is urging Australian wine lovers to give local sparkling wines a go over the festive season.  

With cool-climate sparkling wines from Tasmania earning global attention, Wallace is encouraging drinkers to sample wines like his Pirie range. 

Wallace is marketing “a truly Australian celebration” as an alternative to Champagne.

"Pirie is made from 100% Tasmanian grapes from our vineyard in the Tamar Valley,” Wallace says. “Our cool climate produces grapes with incredible acidity, giving the wines a unique tension and persistence that forms the backbone for excellent sparkling wine."

 

Wallace is passionate about crafting exceptional sparkling wines that showcase the unique terroir of Tasmania.

“What excites me most about making Pirie is the opportunity to capture the essence of Tasmania in every bottle. The cool climate and pristine environment contribute to the distinctive character of our wines."

The Pirie range includes Pirie NV ($35), above, and Pirie 2020 Vintage ($55). 

 

“Forget Champagne this Christmas and do yourself a favour and celebrate with award-winning Tasmanian sparkling that everyone will enjoy,” Wallace says.

The Pirie range is named after regional wine icon Dr Andrew Pirie. See pirietasmania.com.au 

Mumm delivers a new world of flavours

You need to make sure you are buying the right Mumm when you step into your local bottle shop.

G. H. Mumm & Cie is a Champagne House that was founded in 1827 in Reims.

Famous for its Cordon Rouge label, Mumm is one of the largest Champagne houses and is owned by Pernod Ricard.

 
The Mumm brand has expanded over the years, however, with iterations from California, Tasmania in Australia and New Zealand - with wines from both Marlborough and Central Otago.

Australian wine drinkers can now sample sparkling wines from all four countries with the arrival of Mumm Napa Prestige Cuvée under Mumm Terroirs collection label.

Mumm Napa Prestige Cuvée is crafted from a blend of 49% pinot noir, 46% chardonnay, and small amounts of pinot gris and pinot meunier by head winemaker Tami Lotz.

All the fruit comes from the Napa Valley, about 80km north of San Francisco: a region renowned for its diverse soils and microclimates.

Kristy Rutherford, marketing director for Pernod Ricard Australia, said: “We’ve seen the remarkable growth of super premium sparklings from the new world in the last few years.

"Mumm Marlborough Brut Prestige reached shelves in 2020, followed by the popular launch of Mumm Tasmania in 2022, and more recently the expansion into Central Otago with the Mumm Central Otago Blanc de Noirs and Mumm Central Otago Pinot Noir."

I thought the Napa Valley sparkling was well made with definite brioche-like intensity on the palate. It is very food friendly.

“The US has been in love with Mumm Napa sparklings for 40 years now, and we are thrilled to welcome Mumm Napa Prestige Cuvée to the Terroirs collection in time for the Australian summer season,” Rutherford said.

It would be a great choice for a wine options game but at $45 I think a lot of Australians will prefer the more elegant Tasmanian option.

Mumm Napa Prestige Cuvée is available now at Vintage Cellars, Liquorland, First Choice and independent liquor stores nationally.

A sparkling idea: become a Champagne Specialist

Few wine regions do promotion - or education - better than Champagne.

The Champagne Bureau recently revealed the dates for its new Champagne course - the Champagne Specialist Program.

The course is a professional Champagne training program that has been created by a dedicated education department of Comité Champagne, based in Épernay.

To present the program, the Champagne Bureau has partnered with two of Australia’s most respected wine training institutions - Sydney Wine Academy and Adelaide Wine and Spirits School.

The Sydney courses will run from Monday, September 2, to Monday, September 30, at TAFE NSW in Ultimo, while in Adelaide they will run from Monday, October 28, to Monday, November 11, at TAFE SA in Adelaide.

“We are excited to bring this specialised program to Australia," said John Noble, director of the Champagne Bureau.

“Australia has a dynamic wine and hospitality industry, and we believe that this program will enrich the knowledge and skills of our professionals, helping them to better serve and understand Champagne.”

The course is part of Comité Champagne’s new global education platform and is aimed at wine professionals and hospitality industry personnel who want to develop their Champagne knowledge and skills. But serious Champagne lovers might also enjoy.

As well as providing in-depth knowledge and expertise about the Champagne appellation, the international program includes modules on viticulture, winemaking processes, and the art of Champagne tasting.

The program also emphasises the importance of sustainable practices and the preservation of the Champagne terroir.

On completion, participants will be awarded the title of ‘Champagne Specialist’ recognised globally as a mark of excellence in Champagne education.

More information is available on the Champagne Specialist Program website, or by contacting info@champagne.com.au.

Image: Andrii Omelnytsky, Scopio. 

Mumm releases a still table wine

Here’s a weird one.

Mumm is one of the highest-profile Champagne Houses and has recently begun making sparkling wines in prime regions around the world.

But now Mumm is releasing a still wine - a Central Otago pinot noir, the first table wine crafted for the Mumm Terroirs collection.

The Mumm Central Otago Pinot Noir 2021 is the second release in the Mumm Terroirs collection from the New Zealand South Island wine region, following the inaugural release of its sparkling Mumm Central Otago Blanc de Noirs NV in 2023.

Made from 100-percent hand-harvested pinot grapes from the Lowburn sub-region, it is matured for 16 months in French oak.

Mumm’s New Zealand chief winemaker Jamie Marfell said: “We’ve long worked alongside grape growers in the sub-regions to recognise the best vineyard and sites and the 2021 vintage provided us with excellent conditions and fruit to produce this wine.

“Creating a fine wine rather than a sparkling wine, speaks to the pioneering and innovative nature of this collection which is dedicated to showcasing pinot noir. at its pinnacle of quality in the bottle.”

The new release will join the Mumm Terroirs collection, which celebrates wine regions including Northern Tasmania, Marlborough, Central Otago and Napa in California.

Mumm Central Otago Pinot Noir 2021 is available now for an RRP of $80 in selected Australian venues, and online at vntnr.co.

I’ll let you know when I’ve tried it.

Ski set get premium Champagne experiences

Champagne is always a popular drink with the ski set, so a new collaboration between Champagne House Pommery and Thredbo Resort, Australia’s premier year-round alpine destination, makes sense.

Located in the heart of Australia’s highest mountain range, Thredbo’s European-style village and  experiences create the perfect backdrop to enjoying a bottle or two of bubbles.

As the resort officially opens for the winter season, guests can indulge in Champagne Pommery cuvées at various venues across the resort.

The Thredbo Long Lunch presented by Pommery kicked things off with over 200 guests enjoying Pommery from sabred magnums, served through a bespoke ice sculpture luge.

Very fancy.

A series of Kareela Supper Club events presented by Pommery will run throughout winter.

Guests will be transported across the mountain via a gondola and snowcat under the stars on Saturday nights, before arriving at the Kareela Hutte restaurant. From the deck, diners will enjoy the Flare Run and Fireworks Show from mountain top while imbibing.

“We are thrilled to partner with the beautiful Thredbo Resort," said Inge Fransen, CEO of Vranken-Pommery Australia.

"In our history, we have always aligned with industry players who share our commitment to creating premium experiences and considering the environment as our greatest source of inspiration.

"As the home to Australia’s premier year-round alpine destination, Thredbo’s first-hand offering for its guests and its dedication to preserving and protecting its environment makes the partnership a perfect match.”

Founded in 1836, the Champagne house has a rich heritage. The Champagne Pommery estate features 18kms of art galleries hollowed out into the chalk cellars that house over 20 million bottles of Champagne.

See www.champagnepommery.com and www.thredbo.com.au.

Champagne producer seeks a cutting edge

The Champagne industry is hugely competitive.

You have Champagne houses owned by global conglomerates, family businesses and grower-producers all looking to sell to the same consumer base.

A point of difference can be a key selling tool - and Maison Duval-Leroy hopes to cut through by appointing French fencing champion Manon Apithy-Brunet as its official sabreuse.

The art of sabrage (the flamboyant technique for opening a Champagne bottle with a sabre) has been attributed to the Hussars who fought under Napoleon Bonaparte. 

They are said to have used this method of opening bottles when celebrating their victories.

Now, leading website the drinks business reports that artisan producer Duval-Leroy has launched a video filmed at the Château de Vaux-Le-Vicomte, 50km south-east of Paris, showing fencing champion Apithy-Brunet and Louis Duval-Leroy (the sixth generation of the family) perfecting the art of sabrage.

Duval-Leroy says mastering the art of sabrage calls for “a suitable weapon, a steady hand, finely-honed skills and a certain flair”, so naming sabre champion Apithy-Brunet to represent the Champagne house worldwide was “an obvious choice”.

Apithy-Brunet, who just happens to be very glamorous, is a two-time European sabre champion, Olympic teams gold medallist and will compete in the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Check out the video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t8EF04WfWnE  

Here's a bizarre marketing idea: Champagne and burgers

Sometimes you have to wonder who thinks up some of the weird marketing ideas that get foisted on the public.

The latest is a "brainwave" of pairing Champagne with burgers on the Gold Coast.

Champagne and oysters, maybe; Champagne and crab sandwiches, certainly. But Champagne and burgers? Meh!

This summer offering from The Langham, Gold Coast, is a summer partnership with Champagne House Veuve Clicquot: a Champagne and Burger Pairing Pool Bar Takeover "that promises to redefine luxury on the Gold Coast". 

There is also some gushing in the press release about how "the iconic yellow hue of Veuve Clicquot's label will infuse the décor, creating a vibrant and opulent atmosphere that resonates with the brand's rich heritage."

Was someone actually paid to write that rubbish?

Anyway, from now until mid January 2023 (I think they mean 2024, but who knows?) the Pool Bar will "undergo a transformation into a retro-chic oasis".

So pair your burger with Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label. Perhaps a Lobster Banh Mi Slider - which is not really a burger and actually sounds like a decent idea.

If you are having a real burger, however, go Beaujolais, or Burgundy. In Australia that means a gamay, or a pinot noir.   

Anyways, the package, including a glass of Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label and the gourmet burger pairing, is priced at $65. Additionally, the daily happy hour from 4pm to 5pm offers a glass for $35 and a bottle for $175.

For more information on The Langham, Gold Coast's upcoming events, please visit: https://www.langhamhotels.com/en/the-langham/gold-coast/offers/.

Saffire, sparkling wines and a special weekend

So you really want to splurge on a special weekend designed to captivate lovers of sparkling wines? 

Champagne expert Tyson Stelzer will bring Billecart-Salmon and premium Tasmanian sparkling houses together for a special weekend at luxury resort Saffire Freycinet next year. 

Seven of Tasmania’s finest sparkling wine makers will feature over two nights, August 16-18, 2024, with the highlight a Billecart-Salmon Nicolas François vertical tasting masterclass. 

This is a rare chance to explore the past and present of the greatest prestige cuvée of Billecart-Salmon; featuring vintages 2008, 2007, 2006, 2002, 1998 and 1996 poured from magnums.

Stelzer (below) said it was a rare privilege to bring together the finest prestige cuvée of Billecart-Salmon alongside the best sparkling winemakers of Tasmania for the special weekend.

“Cuvée for cuvée and vintage for vintage across history, I rate Billecart-Salmon’s prestige cuvée Nicolas François as one of the top three sparkling wines in the world," he said. 

"Provenance is everything in Champagne and tasting six of the greatest old vintages back to the legendary 1996 direct from the museum cellar of the house in rare magnum format is a unique privilege."

Guests will also meet seven of Tasmania’s premium sparkling winemakers from producers Apogee, Bellebonne, Clover Hill, House of Arras, Kreglinger, Lowestoft and Wellington & Wolfe, and will taste 25 of the state’s finest wines including the House of Arras E.J. Carr Late Disgorged Méthode Traditionelle and Bellebonne Blanc de Blancs.

A weekend highlight is an interactive masterclass with House of Arras with Australia’s most-awarded sparkling maker Ed Carr. 

Produce-driven menus in Palate Restaurant and barbecues on the terrace will complement the free-flowing premium sparkling wines and Champagne. A tasting menu has been designed by very talented chef Paddy Prenter for the gala dinner.

“Guests can expect beautiful seafood with oysters coming from Melshell oyster farm in Dolphin Sands, Tasmanian rock lobster from our surrounding waters and octopus from the north of the state at Stanley," says Prenter. 

"The exceptional Wagyu beef from Robbins Island is unparalleled and perfection garnished with Tasmanian truffle, along with aged lamb loin, and farmed venison from Springfield Farm.” 

Saffire GM Patrick Barrie.“Tyson says: has a loyal following for our winemaker events here at Saffire, and in 2024 we are taking this weekend to a new level."  

All this luxury won't come cheap. 

All-inclusive rates on the Saffire Sparkling Weekend start at $7,500 per suite for two guests. The Saffire Sparkling Weekend is now open for bookings. 

See www.saffire-freycinet.com.au/sparklingweekend , or call (03) 6256 7888. 

Mumm takes a step into the unknown with Central Otago sparkling

You need to keep your wits about you when you visit a wine retailer nowadays.

When you see a bottle with a G.H. Mumm label, you may expect you are getting a bottle of sparkling wine from one of the world's most high profile Champagne Houses.

But the House of Mumm is a wide- ranging beast.

The Pernod Ricard-owned brand, which dates back to 1827, also has a range of Mumm Terroirs sparkling wines that extends from Marlborough in New Zealand to Tasmania

The Mumm Terroirs series celebrates wine regions known for producing pinot noir, building on Maison Mumm’s almost 200-year history of crafting pinot noir-forward wines

Now G.H.Mumm has announced the release of Mumm Central Otago Blanc de Noirs; the latest addition to the Mumm Terroirs collection.

It is the first time a Champagne house has worked in the Central Otago region to produce a sparkling wine.

As you'd expect, the wines is a bold, flavoursome release that has an RRP of $60. It is not just an aperitif, it can be enjoyed with full flavoured dishes.

Winemaker Jamie Marfell, who is based in Marlborough, has been creating still and sparkling wines for two decades, including from theCentral Otago region.

“Central Otago is the crown jewel when it comes to premium pinot noir in New Zealand, so I was pretty excited to liaise with the best growers in the region when we decided to look at the region for the launch of our third New Zealand sparkling,” he said.

Each of the sparkling wines in the Mumm Terroirs collection celebrates a region’s unique terroir.

The collection includes last year’s excellent Mumm Tasmania Brut Prestige release and, from New Zealand’s Marlborough region, Mumm Marlborough Brut Prestige and Mumm Marlborough Brut Rosé.

Meet a limited-edition Champagne set that's a work of art

Looking for a bespoke gift for a serious Champagne lover?

Sofitel Brisbane has collaborated with local artist Kerrie Hess to design a limited-edition Perrier-Jouet gift set.

The bad news first: the sets can only be purchased through Sofitel Brisbane and there will only be 200 on offer.

The Belle Epoque gift set is being released as part of the annual Sofitel Wine Days celebrations.

Perrier-Jouët is known for its floral appeal and the Kerrie Hess design pays homage to this, with its floral stylings of a woman’s dress designed in blooms.

“At Sofitel Brisbane, we pride ourselves on blending French savoir faire with local culture, so the opportunity to showcase the distinctive illustrations of Kerrie Hess on collectible Perrier-Jouët gift sets is the perfect embodiment of Sofitel’s inherent joie de vivre,” says the hotel’s general manager Kayte Staraj.

"During our Sofitel Wine Days activation, we will also exhibit some of Kerrie’s artworks in the lobby of the hotel.”

Brisbane-based Hess is a dedicated Francophile who has collaborate with luxe brands including Cartier, Louis Vuitton, and Tiffany.



For Perrier-Jouët, she has created "a delicate, feminine label that celebrates nature, elegance and extravagance".

A gift set including a bottle of Belle Epoque Champagne and two flutes is available through Sofitel Brisbane for $399.

Sofitel Wine Days is a month-long celebration of wine through sommelier classes, wine tastings, exclusive events and surprises.

The Perrier-Jouët collaboration is exclusive to Sofitel Brisbane, with other Sofitel hotels providing different opportunities to discover new wines and flavours.

Sofitel Hotels & Resorts is an ambassador of modern French style, culture and art-de-vivre around the world. It was established in 1964 and is part of the Accor Group.

See https://www.sofitelbrisbane.com.au/sofitelwinedays-2023

Great news for lovers of Champagne

Good news for lovers of Champagne. 

While several parts of Europe have been hit by fierce weather, Champagne is predicting a high-quality 2023 vintage. 

The first grapes were picked in the region last weekend and many other producers have begun, or are about to begin, their harvest. 

The fully manual harvest will cover 34,000 hectares of Champagne vineyards and there are media reports that grapes are "some of the biggest and juiciest" since 2005.

From the beginning of the year to the end of July, the season was particularly calm, with very few bouts of  frost, hail, mildew and powdery mildew." said Maxime Toubart, president of the winegrowers and co-president of the Comité Champagne. 

"Fortunately, the climate has also favoured the exceptional weight of the bunches, more than 220 grams on average, which has never been seen before in Champagne. These numerous and generous bunches will make it possible to select only those in perfect sanitary state."

The enthusiasm seems universal across the region. 

“The Champagne growers and houses will organise their picking circuits in order to harvest high-quality grapes," said David Chatillon, president of the Champagne houses and co-president of the Comité Champagne. 

"Thanks to the numerous grapes, even after sorting to retain only the best, all professionals should easily reach the available yield set at 11,400 kg/ha."

The Comité Champagne is the trade association that represents the interests of independent Champagne producers (vignerons) and Champagne Houses. 

Image: AI by Craiyon

Melbourne winter hotel special is a sparkling affair

Winter in Melbourne can be seriously chilly but Hilton Melbourne Little Queen Street has launched a bubbly package to make the season just a little more bearable.

The heritage-listed hotel has partnered with Champagne House Pommery to launch a "Winter Wonderland" package.

Think a king deluxe room transformed with candles, twinkling fairy lights and white fur-lined walls, along with a bespoke white and cream floral installation by florist Victoria Whitelaw. 

And while I have not sampled this package, hotel GM Jeremy Healy is one of the best in the business and certain to ensure it is a success. 

The Winter Wonderland package, available to book from now until August 31, includes a complimentary bottle of Pommery Apanage Blanc de Blancs NV and macarons, along with a Pommery embroidered guest robe and sustainable bamboo slippers.

Guests will also enjoy breakfast for two at the hotel’s restaurant Luci, housed in the grand foyer of what was once Melbourne’s Equity Chambers building.

Prices for the package start from $444 including early che-in and late check-out, so share with someone special. 

Luci will serve a Winter Wonderland menu throughout the season featuring steak tartare, popcorn chicken, oysters and caviar, all accompanied by a glass of Pommery Brut Royal NV, with the option to upgrade to Pommery Apanage Blanc de Blancs NV should you wish.

At The Douglas Club, the hotel lounge bar, two limited-edition Pommery-infused cocktail creations will be served. 

The first, Tarte Tatin, is a melange of Pierre Huet Calvados, fino sherry, cinnamon syrup, Reposado, topped with Pommery Champagne; and second, It’s Summer in France, a blend of Australian-made Gospel Straight Rye, Pierre Ferrand Dry Curacao, honey syrup, Pommery Champagne, crystallised verbena and mint.

Bookings for the package can be made online via hilton.com/en/attend-my-event/pommerywinterwonderland

Singapore Airlines gets even more serious about Champagne

Singapore Airlines has launched its new A Celebration of Champagne program, where customers lucky enough to fly in suites and first-class seats will enjoy a third Champagne label served alongside Singapore's signature pours of Krug Grand Cuvee and Taittinger Comtes de Champagne.

Five new Champagne labels will be offered on rotation, with each served for two months.

The program will start with a grower Champagne: Vilmart Grand Cellier d’Or 2018.

Grower Champagnes have gained a strong following in recent years.

Following the introduction of Vilmart Grand Cellier d’Or 2018 in June and July, the following champagne labels will be featured on board SIA flights:

# 2016 Cuvee Volupte, Blanc de Blancs Vintage by Champagne Geoffroy in August and September 2023

# 2018 Multi-Vintage (MV) by Champagne Henri Giraud by Charles Heidsieck in October and November 2023

# Blanc des Millenaires in December 2023 and January 2024

# Extra Brut ‘VP’ Grand Cru by Champagne Egly-Ouriet in February and March 2024

SIA has upgraded its wine choices post pandemic with 53 Burgundy labels in its selection, up from 48 before the pandemic.

Yeoh Phee Teik, Senior Vice President Customer Experience, Singapore Airlines, said: “We have gone to great lengths to source and select these Champagnes from artisanal growers and boutique vineyards, and we are excited to be able to offer them to our customers.

"These Champagnes, together with our extensive Burgundy cellar in the sky, are part of our continuous effort to enhance our in-flight wine offerings.”

For more information see www.singaporeair.com.

Sparkling Champagne sales figures in Australia

Times are tough, we are told, and consumer spending is down.

Also, Australia now produces some of the best sparkling wines in the world.

But sales of Champagne in Australia continue a remarkable upward trajectory.

Champagne exports to the Australian market reached an unprecedented 10.5 million bottles in 2022 - up by 6% when compared to 2021 and ahead of all previous records.

Australia is currently ranked as the sixth-biggest export market for Champagne in the world – in both volume and value.

The Brut Non-Vintage style remains the most popular category of Champagne in Australia and makes up 88% of all imports.

Analysis shows that all Champagne categories grew in volume when compared to 2021 including rosé and vintage Champagne.

One of the key trends reported by the Champagne Bureau is a growing demand for lower dosage Champagne.

The relaxed style of contemporary Australian dining, with small plates and a selection of tastes, is seen an ideal opportunity for wine-savvy consumers and sommeliers to pair different styles of Champagne with cuisine.

“The Champagne shipments to Australia in 2022 show that we are a dynamic and evolving market for Champagne," says John Noble, director of the Champagne Bureau Australia.

"It has become clear that adventurous Australian consumers are searching for some of the lesser-known and more boutique styles of Champagne that are now becoming available.”