Every Friday TheChampagneSommelier will ask 5 questions about 5 coeur de bouteilles to friends and Champagne lovers from near and far. This week we had a bubbly chat with architect & champagne lover Martins Pilens ! Merci Martins !
BIO
[You can follow Martins Pilens on instagram here]
Which Champagne would You treat your parents or in-laws?
‘Larmandier-Bernier ‘Vieille Vigne du Levant’. Not necessarily an exact vintage. This blanc de blancs from an old vines vineyard in Cramat is so rich, textured and vivid. Gives plenty to talk about and loves to be enjoyed very slowly, as the evolution in the glass is truly extraordinary. ‘
Which Champagne would You treat your lover?
‘I have tried to surprise my wife with cool, rare and fancy champagnes. However the only one she is guaranteed to be happy about is a bottle of Pertois-Moriset ‘L’Assemblage’. It caters to your desires. In my point of view this is the best price / value champagne out there. ‘
Which Champagne would You treat your boss?
‘I have always been my own boss so here is my favorite bottle of all time – Emmanuel Brochet ‘Les Hauts Chardonnay’ 2008 which is one of the few examples of champagne being much more than champagne. Coincidentally Emmanuel and I share a passion for the same car. An old Defender.‘
Which Champagne would You treat yourself?
‘I treat myself by ordering champagne blindly at places where I trust the sommelier. Otherwise I go for unknown names or bottles I have not tried before. Always something new. Often, the expectations are not fulfilled, but when they are, it feels like hitting the jackpot. Recently I’ve enjoyed a bottle of champagne Clandestine ‘Les Semblables Boreal.’
Which Champagne would You treat a dream guest, and why?
‘Designer Dieter Rams would be my dream guest. A design icon, a perfectionist who has inspired me over many years and infected me with a love for details. Ideally, I would like to invite him to my champagne cellar and let him pick a bottle after a tour. Alternatively I would choose a bottle of ‘La Closerie Fac Simile’ from Jerome Prevost. This bottle is an ultimate symbol of perfection to me. Great winemaker, picturesque vineyard, simple yet modern winery, outstanding label and last but not least – the champagne itself. If you ask me this is the best rose champagne ever made, especially pleasant with a few years of bottle age. ‘
What piece of music would you listen to drinking wine with Your dream guest ?
‘Definitely a full LP from Philipp Glass starting with the Metamorphosis II on vinyl, played on the wall mounted audio system designed by Dieter Rams, of course.’
