veuve clicquot

Polo in the Park Returns to London's Hurlingham Club

On June 4–6 Polo in the Park, a three day celebration of international polo, will return to the grounds of London's famed Hurlingham Club. Last Year, the inaugural Polo in the Park played host to 25,000 spectators as polo returned for the first time in 70 years to its historic home at Hurlingham. Model and polo player Jodie Kidd (above) helped found the event, which also includes lavish entertainments such as a Veuve Clicquot Champagne Garden. This year teams from New York, Moscow, Barbados, Geneva, Milan, Durban and Sydney will compete against each other according to new rules adapted especially for the event. The new format of "high-octane polo" aims to "introduce the adrenaline fueled sport of polo to a new city audience, but also of making the sport faster and more exciting for TV and event spectators."

Tags: equestrian, horses, Hurlingham Club, Jodie Kidd, London, polo, UK, Veuve Clicquot

Can Champagne and Hot Dogs Be A Perfect Match?

by Amy Cortese (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Wine

When it comes to Champagne, the French have got it right: they drink it all the time. In the US, we tend to save it for special occasions, like weddings or New Year's Eve. That's too bad. Because Champagne is truly one of the most versatile wines.

That's probably what Jeffrey Pogash had in mind when he organized a Champagne and hot dog tasting the other day. Yes, the lowly hot dog sharing the table with the most prestigious of beverages!

And these weren't just any old Champagnes. Pogash, director of communications at Moët Hennessy USA, the wine and spirits division of luxury purveyor LVMH, brought along some bottles of Krug and Ruinart, along with the more amply-produced Dom Pérignon, Moët & Chandon and Veuve Clicquot.

Then again, these weren't your standard issue dirty water dogs, either. The tasting was held at Bark, a year-old Brooklyn joint that features artisanal hot dogs made from locally raised pork and beef (none of the nasty bits either -- we're talking shoulder and jowl) braised in smoked lard butter and stuffed into natural casings. In fact, all the ingredients used at Bark, from the pork to the cheese to the heirloom baked beans, are sustainably, lovingly even, from the sound of it, produced by some earnest local soul.

Still, could these haute dogs stand up to some of France's finest bubbles? An 8-course tasting menu (nine, including dessert) would tell.

Tags: Bark hot dogs, champagne, krug, krug champagne, Moet Hennessy, Ruinart, Veuve Clicquot

Continue reading “Can Champagne and Hot Dogs Be A Perfect Match?”

How to Pour, Store and Pair Champagne

by Carrie Coolidge (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Wine

To be sure, champagne is the beverage of choice during the holidays, but do you know at what temperature it should be served? How should it be stored? What is the difference between vintage and non-vintage Champagne? Veuve Clicquot, the esteemed French winemaker, answers these questions and more.

What is the difference between a vintage and a non-vintage Champagne?
By law in Champagne, France, you cannot display a year on the label of a bottle unless all the grapes which make up the Champagne in the bottle have been sources from one single harvest, in one single year. This is known as a vintage. Wine connoisseurs seek vintage champagnes; non-vintage blends are not as attractive and should never go for more than 10% over the regular current price, according to Veuve Clicquot.

Why buy a magnum?
Magnums, which are twice the size of a regular bottle (750 ml), are optimal for aging wine: during the aging process, the wine is "breathing" even through the cork.

Best vintages
According to Veuve Clicquot, the best vintages in Champagne since the turn of the 20th century, include the following years (from most recent to oldest); 1998, 1996, 1990, 1989, 1988, 1985, 1979, 1976, 1969, 1969, 1955, 1949, 1947, 1943, 1934, 1929, 1921, 1918, and 1904.

Pouring temperature
The pouring temperature of Champagne will vary depending on the kind you will be serving. Young non-vintage champagne, with no year on the label, should be poured around 8 degrees Celsius (46 degrees Fahrenheit). Mature wines, on the other hand, such as vintage Champagne, should be poured between 12 to 14 degrees Celsius (54 to 57 degrees Fahrenheit).

Pairing Champagne with food
What can Champagne be served along with? Champagne goes well with pasta salads, sea food, oysters, shrimps, light fishes and antipasti. It also goes well with a cheese course as well as with many desserts.

How long can you keep Champagne?
Veuve Clicquot says non-vintage champagne should be enjoyed upon release, but may be stored for up to two or three years. Vintage Champagne can age longer; from 10 to 25 years depending on the style of each vintage.

How to store Champagne
Veuve Clicquot recommends Champagne be stored in the same manner as any regular fine wine. It should be kept at a cool and continuous temperature, which is ideally 10 to 12 degrees Celsius (50 to 54 degrees Fahrenheit) or at most between 7 to 15 degrees Celsius (45 to 59 degrees Fahrenheit). In addition, Veuve Clicquot recommends a high humidity (over 75%), good ventilation and darkness to create the best conditions.

What is the best way to open a bottle of Champagne?
Remove the foil and the wire cage. Next, slowly twist the cork back and forth about a quarter of an inch, while allowing the pressure inside the bottle to force it up. Do not pull the cork out of the bottle; it should be gently released.

Check out the video below from the Food Network, for a few more tips on chilling, opening and pouring champagne.

Tags: awards-main, awards-module, awards-promo, champagne, luxist-awards, main-pedia, veuve clicquot, VeuveClicquot, wine-pedia

Ten Champagne and Cigar Pairings for the Holiday Season

by Tom Johansmeyer (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Cigars, Wine

Nothing compares to the perfect pairing of champagne and a cigar. Too often, cigars wind up with dark liquors, their natural partners. Rum, port, scotch and cognac are the norm for an after-dinner smoke -- not champagne. With the holiday season coming, of course, the preferred beverage will likely bubble, so finding the right cigars for the top libation will be crucial.

Fortunately, Vin Lee, CEO of the Beverly Hills Cigar Club, has agreed to help us out. As you prepare for the new year, take a look at the cigar and champagne pairings that he recommends, with both ubiquitous and rare products on the list. Lee says, "In this day and age, not everyone can afford a $50 cigar and a $300 bottle of champagne," said Lee. "Complementing a wonderful glass of champagne with a great cigar for the holidays is something everyone should be able to enjoy."

BHCC's 2010 Top 10 Champagne and Cigar Pairings are:

Tags: beverly hills, BeverlyHills, bollinger, champagne, chandon, cigar, cigar aficionado, CigarAficionado, cigars, cigarshop, cristal, davidoff, deutz, domaine carneros brut rose, domaine chandon, DomaineCarnerosBrutRose, DomaineChandon, fuente, fuentes, moet, moet and chandon, moet et chandon, MoetAndChandon, MoetEtChandon, montecristo, perrier jouet, PerrierJouet, rocky patel, RockyPatel, veuve clicquot, VeuveClicquot, wine enthusiast, wine spectator, WineEnthusiast, WineSpectator, zino davidoff, ZinoDavidoff

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Prince Harry Triumphs in NYC Polo Match

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits, Events, Sports

A couple weeks back we wrote that Prince Harry would be competing in in the second annual Veuve Clicquot Manhattan Polo Classic during his first official visit to the U.S. In the match, which took place this past weekend on Governor's Island, the Prince's Sentebale polo team triumphed over Ralph Lauren's Black Watch, captained by Polo model Nacho Figueras, five goals to four. VIP spectators at the historic event who enjoyed afternoon tea prepared by Sandro Micheli, executive pastry chef at Adour Alain Ducasse at The St. Regis New York, included Madonna and her male model pal Jesus Luz, Kate Hudson, Louis Vuitton designer Marc Jacobs, Donna Karan, Chloe Sevigny and LL Cool J.

Tags: Madonna, New York, NewYork, polo, Prince Harry, PrinceHarry, Ralph Lauren, RalphLauren, St. Regis, St.Regis, Veuve Clicquot, VeuveClicquot

Prince Harry to Play in Manhattan Polo Match

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Wine, Events, Charity, Sports

On May 30 Britain's Prince Harry will play in the second annual Veuve Clicquot Manhattan Polo Classic during his first official visit to the U.S. Last year we told you about the launch of the Manhattan Classic, the first polo match to be played in NYC in 70 years. For this year's event the famed St. Regis hotel is offering an Aficionado package, including a stay at the ultra-luxe hotel, VIP seating at the match for two guests, and brunch the next day with Nacho Figueras, captain of Ralph Lauren's Black Watch polo team (and a Ralph Lauren model).

The St. Regis will feature its renowned Afternoon Tea at the polo match, and Sandro Micheli of Adour Alain Ducasse at The St. Regis New York has created a special menu for the occasion. At the match taking place on Governor's Island, the Prince will play opposite Black Watch on a team captained by Nick Roldan. Veuve Clicquot is donating proceeds from the event to American Friends of Sentebale, a charity supporting at-risk children in Lesotho, Africa, founded by Prince Harry and Lesotho's Prince Seeiso.

[via JustLuxe]

Tags: Alain Ducasse, AlainDucasse, British royalty, BritishRoyalty, champagne, Manhattan, polo, Prince Harry, PrinceHarry, Ralph Lauren, RalphLauren, St. Regis, St.Regis, Veuve Clicquot, VeuveClicquot

Veuve Clicquot Ice Jacket 2

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Gadgets, Spirits

Famed French champagne house Veuve Clicquot is known for many innovative products designed to enhance the experience of enjoying their world-class wine. The latest addition is a nifty new version of their thermodynamic Ice Jacket. The high-tech isotherm sleeve is tailored to the shape of the Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label bottle and designed to keep it at the perfect temperature. The high-tech fabric with leather detailing highlights the vibrant Clicquot Yellow color. The Ice Jacket can maintain the champagne at an optimal tasting temperature for up to two hours, and it comes with a customizable leather-trimmed label as well as a leather tab at the bottle neck ensure a snug fit.

[via JustLuxe]

Gallery: Veuve Clicquot and Design

Tags: champagne, Veuve Clicquot, VeuveClicquot

Veuve Clicquot Dry Blizzard Concept

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Decor, Gadgets, Spirits, Wine

Famed French champagne house Veuve Clicquot is known for inspiring a wide variety of interesting accessories to enhance what's already a luxurious quaffing experience. The latest example is merely conceptual but the company should seriously consider producing it in our opinion. French industrial designer Thomas Lemaire came up with the innovative tribute to one of his country's finest products. The Dry Blizzard consists of a high-tech cooler and champagne flutes ensuring the wine is always perfectly chilled.

The super-sleek cooler uses dry ice and a battery-powered fan to circulate cold air around the bottle, dispensing with wet, messy melted ice. The system keeps the champagne at the optimum temperature and also prevents the label from coming unstuck in icy water. The three-part flutes are also designed to keep the Veuve from being warmed by your hand. Double-walled glass insulates the contents, while an aluminum grip for your fingers also keeps unwanted heat at bay.

Gallery: Veuve Clicquot Dry Blizzard

Tags: champagne, design, France, veuve clicquot, VeuveClicquot

The Classicist: Polistas - For Polo Players, By Polo Players

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Apparel, Sports, Men's Style, The Classicist

Enthusiasm for the noble sport of polo and the luxurious lifestyle it entails has never been more in evidence. It seems the economic downturn has done little to dampen it, perhaps because polo's roots are so steeped in class and tradition. Over the past several months we saw Veuve Clicquot stage the first polo match in New York City in over 70 years; St. Regis inaugurate a major new International Polo Cup; the Snow Polo championships take place in Aspen and St. Moritz; and the first Desert Palm Nations Polo Cup in Dubai. Polo player Johnny Lynn (above) saw it all coming. In 2001 he founded Polistas, the first true polo lifestyle brand, made for polo players by polo players, and now he's opening up branches all over the world.

Lynn, a Canadian-born former financier who plays polo internationally and teaches as well, conceived of Polistas to outfit polo teams with high quality clothing and accessories both for playing in and for après polo. An immediate success, polo and equestrian enthusiasts of all stripes soon gravitated to his flagship store in London's famed Burlington Arcade. The name Polistas is Argentine slang for "polo players" and it is the classic Argentinian polo lifestyle - rugged, laid-back and timeless - that comes through in Polistas' products and attitude. For the past six years Polistas has had a major presence at Harrods and other high-end boutiques worldwide, and has been selected as the official supplier to several major tournaments, including the Veuve Clicquot British Open Gold Cup, The Hildon Queen's Cup, and the Prince of Wales Trophy in the UK.

Gallery: Polistas Polo Style

Founder Johnny Lynn and Polo Babes Outside the Burlington Arcade Store

Prince Charles wearing a Polistas polo shirt

Tags: Argentina, British royalty, British style, BritishRoyalty, BritishStyle, Burlington Arcade, BurlingtonArcade, Equestrian, Harrods, Horses, Johnny Lynn, JohnnyLynn, London, Polistas, Polo, Prince Charles, Prince of Wales, PrinceCharles, PrinceOfWales, Snow polo, SnowPolo, St. Regis, St.Regis, UK, Veuve Clicquot, VeuveClicquot

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Veuve Clicquot & Riva Yachts Gift Box

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Yachts & Sailing, Wine

Back in the summer we wrote about the super-cool collaboration between famed French champagne house Veuve Clicquot and iconic Italian yacht builder Riva. Now Veuve and Riva have teamed up again to produce a new yacht-inspired gift box (above) for a bottle of Veuve Clicquot's exquisite La Grande Dame 1998. Made of mahogany, chrome and black lacquer and modeled on one of Riva's classic Dolce Vita-esque wooden motoryachts - their latest, the $944,000 Aquariva Super, just debuted at the New York Boat Show - the box is priced at $140. La Grande Dame is Veuve Clicquot's prestige cuvée, named after its legendary founder, Barbe-Nicole Clicquot Ponsardin.

[via JustLuxe]

Tags: Champagne, Riva, Riva Yachts, RivaYachts, Veuve Clicquot, VeuveClicquot, Yacht

The Classicist: The History of Veuve Clicquot

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits, Wine, The Classicist

The history of renowned French champagne house Veuve Clicquot is told in a fascinating new book by Tilar J. Mazzeo, who reveals the young widow who brought it to fame and fortune. The Widow Clicquot: The Story of a Champagne Empire and the Woman Who Ruled It is the story of Barbe-Nicole Clicquot Ponsardin, who was "a young witness to the dramatic events of the French Revolution and a new widow during the chaotic years of the Napoleonic Wars."

After her husband Francois' death, Barbe-Nicole, 27, defied convention by assuming control of their fledgling family wine business. With much bravery and good fortune, against all odds and through "dizzying political and financial reversals", she became one of the world's first great businesswomen and one of the richest women of her time. Pictured above is her estate the Hotel du Marc in Reims.

A legend in her native France, Barbe-Nicole's story is not well known abroad. Mazzeo has uncovered many fascinating details about the grande dame of champagne, including the following:

• By her late 30s, Barbe-Nicole was one of the richest women in France, with annual sales of more than $30 million per year. She's credited with having taken champagne from marginal to mainstream and making it synonymous with style.

• As the Napoleonic Wars wound down, Barbe-Nicole risked her entire fortune and ran the blockade with 10,000 bottles of her most precious vintage, positioning herself to corner the huge Russian market the moment it re-opened. She was there weeks ahead of her competitors, selling her champagne for $100 a bottle to the celebrating Russians, becoming famous practically overnight.

• Barbe-Nicole invented champagne-making techniques that shaved months off production time and are still used today. Thanks to her employees' loyalty and a shrewd profit-sharing plan, she kept her method secret for almost a decade, solidifying her market dominance.

Gallery: The Widow Clicquot

Tags: Champagne, France, Polo, Reims, Riva Yachts, RivaYachts, Veuve Clicquot, VeuveClicquot

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Veuve Clicquot Opens Champagne Bar at Harrods

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Wine

Veuve Clicquot has launched another Champagne Bar, this time in a place where you might need a break after holiday shopping, Harrod's in London. The Veuve Clicquot boutique is located on the first floor amid luxury fashion labels. There is also a lounge area with gray and yellow tones and glass topped tables for a more quiet place to contemplate money spent. The full range of Veuve Clicquot Cuvees are available by the glass and by the bottle and there is a small a la carte menu. The Boutique also offers the Veuve Clicquot gifts and carriers.

Source

Tags: champagne, harrods, veuve clicquot, VeuveClicquot

The Classicist: LVMH's Distinctive Vintages

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits, Wine, Books, The Classicist

French luxury goods conglomerate LVMH is best known for its marquee property Louis Vuitton, but the company has also amassed the world's most amazing collection of top-class wine and spirits brands under its Moët Hennessy group. The incomparable portfolio is celebrated in a suitably lavish new book called Distinctive Vintages ($200, right) just out from Flammarion.

Moët Hennessy owns too many luxury brands to list, but to name a few: Hennessy Cognac; Moët & Chandon, luxe Dom Pérignon, Krug and Veuve Clicquot champagnes; Belvedere and Chopin vodkas; Glenmorangie and deliciously smoky Ardbeg single malt Scotch whiskies; and the famed Chateau d'Yquem wine, synonymous with the finest money can buy.

The book focuses on the collection of fine French wines and spirits, personified in three regions that are "as noble as they are prestigious": Cognac, the ancestral birthplace of Hennessy; Champagne, home Dom Pérignon and its confreres; and Bordeaux, graced by the magical Château d'Yquem. It offers both a practical guide to the three regions as well as an explanation of the different vintages and results produced by the famed houses.

Gallery: Distinctive Vintages

Drawing rooms of the hÃ´tel du Marc, Reims

Tags: champagne, cognac, Dom Perignon, DomPerignon, France, hennessy, Louis Vuitton, LouisVuitton, LVMH, Moet, Moet Chandon, MoetChandon, veuve clicquot, VeuveClicquot, Yquem

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The Vintage Veuve Clicquot Bentley

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

Wine scion Edouard de Nazelle, a descendant of one Veuve Clicquot's founders, drives this extremely unique vintage Bentley branded with the famed French champagne house's signature colors. The beautiful one-of-a-kind car, a c.1960 S2 Continental "Flying Spur" with coachwork by H J Mulliner, is painted the same color as Veuve Clicquot's world-renowned Yellow Label bubbly (which is in fact more akin to a mandarin orange), contrasted with deep aubergine. The interior is finished in black leather with beautiful burled wood paneling. The Bentley is very similar to the 1961 S2 formerly owned by Sean Connery which as we reported was auctioned off in June.

[via NOTCOT]

Tags: Bentley, Champagne, veuve clicquot, VeuveClicquot

St. Regis Sponsors Major New Polo Trophy

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Events, Sports

One of the world's most famous luxury hotel brands is getting into the polo game in a big way this summer with the first annual St. Regis International Cup. England and Italy will compete for the prestigious trophy in the inaugural match, taking place this Sunday (the 31st) at the historic Cowdray Park Polo Club in West Sussex, surrounded by the ruins of Cowdray Castle.

Of course, St. Regis isn't about to slack off when it comes to hospitality either. They've partnered with Asprey, Veuve Clicquot and Audi to create the ultimate VIP tent at Cowdray, where a crack regiment of St. Regis butlers brought in from the hotels will cater to the toffs' every need. Even the general public will be able to avail themselves of a bar serving the signature St. Regis Bloody Mary. Damned democratic of them, no?

Tags: Asprey, Cowdray Park Polo Club, CowdrayParkPoloClub, England, Equestrian, Polo, St. Regis, St.Regis, veuve clicquot, VeuveClicquot

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