Every Friday TheChampagneSommelier will ask 5 questions about 5 coeur de bouteilles to friends and Champagne lovers from near and far.
Anton Panasenko is a dear champagne loving friend & one of Russias finest sommeliers. Anton is the wine director of Burgundy.ru a fine wine importer in Russia – 3/4 of the portfolio is Burgundian wines.
Which Champagne would You treat your parents or in-laws?
‘Some higher dosage bruts in non-oxidative style. Could be an RM, could a NM… The style rules, not the label.’
Which Champagne would You treat your lover?
‘My lover is my wife, she adores almost every kind of champagne, but for a special occasion I would open for her some ’Comtes de Champagne’.’
Which Champagne would You treat your boss?
‘There are many options. E.g. ’Cuvée Alexandra’. Or my last bottle of 2006 Roses de Jeanne ’La Haute-Lemblée’. Or, for a very special occasion, even the special duo of ’Synesthésie’ 2006 and 2007 from Champagne Collard-Picard!’
Which Champagne would You treat yourself?
‘Nothing fancy if I will drink it just on my own – any great wine deserves a great company. And with a great company we would open several bottles of absolutely various styles: Frerejean Frères, André Beaufort, Selosse, Pierre Péters, Cristal, Salon, Krug… Hopefully sometimes Dom Pérignon ’P2’ 1996, too – I really like this vintage.’
Which Champagne would You treat a dream guest, and why?
‘A vertical of Krug ’Clos d’Ambonnay’, because this is a dream itself!’
