Every Friday TheChampagneSommelier will ask 5 questions about 5 coeur de bouteilles to friends and Champagne lovers from near and far. This Week we took a bubbly chat with Austrian Champagne lover Philipp Reinstaller Merci Philipp !
Estimated reading time: 4 minutes
BIO
Philipp Reinstaller
My name is Philipp Reinstaller (28) and I’m from Kufstein, Austria. I moved to London in 2016, after having spent 3 years in Munich, working at Restaurant Tantris. It was here, when I started my first job as Commis Sommelier at Dinner by Heston Blumenthal, having the pleasure to work with Stefan Neumann MS and Vincenzo Arnese for nearly 5 years. Since June 2021, I’m at the Head Sommelier at Trivet Restaurant in Bermondsay, London. A Michelin starred, a la carte restaurant founded by Chef Jonny Lake and Isa Bal MS.
[follow on Philipp Reinstaller here]
Which Champagne would You treat your parents or in-laws?
Eric Rodez ‘Zero Dosage’
50% Pinot Noir, 50% Chardonnay from Ambonnay vinified in 80% oak barrels and no added sugar
‘This is one of my favourite grower champagnes. I was actually lucky enough to meet him couple of years ago and listen to him speaking about his ideas on biodynamic farming, water management and how the 1984 vintage nearly ruined everything was very special. A tasting with lots of champagne and lots of emotions. Also, how can parents or in-laws refuse champagne, produced by a former mayor of Ambonnay??’
Which Champagne would You treat your lover?
Champagne De Sousa ‘Mycorhize’ 2017
100% Chardonnay vinified in 225l barrles using 80 year old vines from Les Hauts Nemery, Avize, extra brut
‘When I first met my partner couple of years ago, she used to tell me that she doesn’t like Champagne, except Comtes de Champagne. I quickly realised, she does like champagne, she just has an expensive taste. She also likes Krug for example. So, I was trying to find full bodied, richer expressions of Champagne, ideally Chardonnay and I remembered that during my time in Munich we used to serve Champagne de Sousa Cuvee 3 A by the glass. Thats why I would treat her with this single vineyard expression, which also uses 25% of reserve wines.’
Which Champagne would You treat your boss?
Roses de Jeanne, Cedric Bouchard La Boloree 2016
100% Pinot Blanc planted in 1960
‘If your boss is Isa Bal, you need to bring out the big guns.J okes aside, I know that he really likes the wines of Cedric Bouchard and I believe he is one of the best producers at the moment. Having previously worked as a Sommelier in Paris, he returned to Champagne in 2000 and started to make wine from Lés Ursules (1ha north facing vineyard, handed down by his father). He is focusing on single varieties, single vintages and zero dosage, all based in the Côtes de Bar.’
Which Champagne would You treat yourself?
Salima & Alain ‘Cordeuil Les Charmottes’ 2015
35-year-old Pinot Noir vines with zero dosage
‘Another producer from the Côtes de Bar. This is a wine I discovered on a recent tasting and it has absolutely blown me away. Incredible freshness and balance, powerful but with so much tension and tightness. Its a young champagne house (first vintage 2011), working with 4ha of vines situated in Noe Les Malles, home to the highest slopes in Champagne. As I still owe my friends an Austrian lunch at my place, this is what I would serve with Wiener Schnitzel.’
Which Champagne would You treat a dream guest, and why, and who’s is Your dream guest?
Gosset ‘Celebris Rose’ 2008
72% Chardonnay, 28% Pinot Noir
12 years of lees ageingfrom oldest wine house in Champagne
‘Gosset will always be very special to me, as it was the first Champagne house I ever visited and I remember we had a 1979. 2008 is only the 4th release of Celebris Rosé in the last 25 years. Only produced in exceptional years and in limited quantity.
Anthony Hopkins would definitely be my dream guest. It would be an absolute pleasure to host him. He once said that he expects nothing but accepts everything. Can’t think of a better guest. I also would like to challenge him, on what works better with liver – Chianti or Celebris Rosé.’
‘I ate his liver with some fava beans and a nice Chianti‘
Hanibal Lecter
What piece of music would you listen to drinking wine in question 5 ? ]
Starting with “And the waltz goes on” by the man himself and finishing with Die Antwoord “Never Le Nkemise 1
