Lovely bubbly

Dec 4 2009 by Helen Savage, The Journal

One sound reason to hope that Champagne sales will stabilise here is that Fiona is convinced, as I am, that a lot more people are beginning to discover that one of the best ways to enjoy Champagne is as a wine with food.

"At home, we don’t drink Champagne all the time, of course," she said, "but when we do, more often than not it’s with food. Our Lallier Rosé is great with turkey, it really brings out the flavours and George Vesselle’s Cuvée Juline is fantastic with crusty French bread, a rough pâté – and gherkins."

I can well imagine it. The other week I was treated to leeks in a vinaigrette sauce, partnered with a fantastic Champagne – and it worked a treat. Acidic foods tend to make rather sharp wines seem more rich and soft. And I shall be drinking Champagne with my turkey this year too. I’ve been specially saving a precious bottle given to me by a very kind producer.

Fiona hasn’t given up on the corporate market.

There are still clients who enjoy a deliciously different fizz to enjoy or to give as presents, especially as Lovely Bubbly will provide bottles with personalised back labels.

But in an effort to boost retail sales, Fiona has put her experience of events management to good use and regularly takes stands at food and drink fairs across the nation. One effective sales strategy at such events is the opportunity to enjoy a guided tasting of four different champagnes for £10.

Lovely Bubbly prides itself on establishing a close working relationship with the producers whose wine they import and has therefore not tried to expand its range too quickly.

Fiona and Mike now offer 20 wines from six houses. Fiona wants to add a good ‘blanc de noirs’ (a rich white made entirely from the black grapes Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier), but La Chapelle Instinct Premier Cru (£27.50), which has an unusually high percentage of the very fruity, slightly spicy Pinot Meunier is a great substitute, with bags of rich, quite soft, spicy fruit.

I found that it was a terrific partner for a rather spicy, slightly sweet takeaway dish of mussels with basil cooked by my wonderful local Chinese restaurant, The Golden Swallow, in West Percy Street, North Shields.

Another wine I’ve just enjoyed very much is Legras et Haas Brut Tradition. At £34.99 it’s not cheap, but it does contain a very high percentage of the finest Chardonnay grapes from the Grand Cru village of Chouilly, which gives it a delicious, clean, white peach-like elegance and a distinctively dry chalky finish. It was perfect with simply grilled fresh white fish.

Fiona thinks that it’s an ideal summer wine, but I’d be happy to drink it at any time. The supermarkets may have some mad Christmas offers, but Lovely Bubbly offers great Champagne at fair prices all year long.

Wine of the week

Champagne Nicolas Feuillatte Brut, £12.99 Morrisons (special offer)

Creamy, fresh, young champagne, with plenty of juicy, peachy fruit – a soft, rich, satisfying mouthful and all for less then half its normal price. Try it with Northumberland cheeses.

Wine extras

AS well as my wine of the week, Morrison’s have slashed their prices on a huge range of fizz in the Christmas run-up .

Moet & Chandon, once £28.88, is on offer at £14.39, Lanson Black Label, 75cl, is down from £26.98 to £13.45, and, glory be, Bollinger Special Cuvée, usually £35.99, is £17.95 – as long as stocks last. The Bolly is a superb wine – rich, buttery and complex, balanced by refreshing acidity. These are genuine reductions but prices can’t last. The offer price of the Bolly, for example, barely covers the price of growing their (very expensive) grapes, never mind the cost of turning them into wine.

If Champagne still seems too pricey, Monistrol Cava Brut is down from £11.99 to £4.99, as is Monistrol Cava Rose, and it’s the same for Extra Codorniu Cava. Prosecco Villa Chiara Bianco, clean and not too dry, is down from £9.99 to £4.95, and Prosecco Villa Chiara Raboso Rosato, with a big hint of raspberry, is also now £4.95.