The Jewel of the Universe
There are many things and events in life that can make you go breathless from happiness: Watching a wedding couple glide up to the altar.
My hunt for new champagne experiences has brought me to the most beautiful and exciting places. My favourite memories are linked to the moments when I enjoyed well selected champagnes in harmony with the beauty of nature. For a long time I have been analyzing why a certain champagne tastes best at a particular time in a particular place. Travelling to optimize champagne experiences is the starting point for the book. I have called this concept CHAMPAGNE HIKING.
There is an increased understanding that all of our senses contribute when we experience pleasure. Factors such as location, company, and mood will affect the overall experience. When attending play or concert, this has long been a matter of course, but within the world of gastronomy this is a fairly recent realisation. This revolutionary idea is championed by fantastic food creators such as Heston Blumenthal, at The Fat Duck. As the guests take the first bite of a wonderful seafood dish, they might be offered sounds of waves hitting the shore, seagulls shrieking, and a light mist smelling of the sea. If he could, he would move you to the beach where the oysters were collected. While physical transportation is impossible, the divine champagne in the cooler bag will momentarily move your being the to the optimal location, one bottle at the time. And I will tell you how.
’Champagne Hiking is an invitation to enjoy discovering new spaces, a journey that will take you to new places, further afield, higher, deeper, stronger, right to the beating heart of Champagne, within each one of you. The sensations created through the tasting are liberated and amplified, through a new relationship with nature.’
THE CONCEPT ‘Champagne Hiking’ is available in as a new app [both for iOS & Android]
IN THE NEW APP You will find; 14,000+ unique tasting notes & scores by Richard Juhlin [you can put in your own tasting notes], You can enjoy ’Champagne Hikings’ [post your own hikings, build champagne clubs with friends, follow leaderboards, read the book Champagne hiking, listen to all the chapters in the book, post them on social media etc].
FUNCTIONS IN THE APP
THE CHAMPAGNE LIBRARY The site feature Richard’s own ranking system [ including ratings of 14,000+ champagnes ] Learn the language of champagne connoisseurs worldwide with the vintner’s alphabet from Henri Abelé to Vranken. The Champagne library is the ideal tool to select and buy the champagne best suited to your own nose and palate, due to the vivid and comprehensive descriptions of the champagne houses and the individual wines and vintages.
THE CHAMPAGNE GUIDES
To sum it up in one sentence: ‘The environment impacts the wine experience.’ On the surface, Champagne Hiking is easy. Take your bottle, and drink it outdoors. Yes, it is this simple, but there is also a myriad of details that have to work together to create maximum enjoyment. You see, all of your senses play their part.
Of late, there is an increased understanding that all of our senses contribute when we experience pleasure. Factors such as location, company, and mood will affect the overall experience. When attending a play or a concert, this has long been a matter of course, but within the world of gastronomy this is a fairly recent realisation. This revolutionary idea is championed by fantastic food creators such as Heston Blumenthal, at ‘The Fat Duck’. As the guests take the first bite of a wonderful seafood dish, they might be offered sounds of waves hitting the shore, seagulls shrieking, and a light mist smelling of the sea. If he could, he would move you to the beach where the oysters were collected. While physical transportation is impossible, the divine champagne in the cooler bag will momentarily move your being to the optimal location, one bottle at the time. And I will tell you how.
Relax, Richard! Let go of everyday pursuits. Take a deep breath and ground yourself. Good, I knew I could. Nice to do nothing. Just exist. Nah, not like that. Not just exist. Live intensely in the moment. Be observant. Stay in the present. Take part. In short, be alive.
Flight of birds purposefully travelling south interrupts the crispy calm I have finally achieved and reminds me that winter will be here all too soon. Mild winds still caress my stubble and soften my clean shaven and tense temples. Swallows singing their summer songs still drown out the tambourine rattle of aspen leafs and the willow’s theatrical murmur. I am listening to wonderful, melancholy Nordic music I recently ignored! I tilt my head back, compressing the rigid neck muscles to the maximum, and look straight up. Up above is the ice blue sky, on the one hand, close by and harmonious, while at the same time in a paradoxical way attracting infinite depth from the atmosphere, into the unknown. I find comfort in the clouds, dancing across the sky as seductively as during the age of dinosaurs or champagne monks. I am witnessing a drama in constant flux. Time, this fascinating and inevitably frightening concept, ever-present witness to our coming and goings. I close my eyes, and the moment passes and is transformed into history. Everything is either unborn, alive or dead in the eternal universe. At the moment I am alive. I live with intensity and strength, with an enhanced level of consciousness that only the right mood, reflection and a slight champagne inebriation can mobilise.
My nostrils are large as satellite dishes; capturing every detail expressed and communicated by my 1975 Florens-Louis. I can almost smell the seafood that lived in the Paris basin inland sea 30 million years ago. I can certainly follow the scent memory, to the hills of Champagne and the fragrances of the billowing French landscape, highlighted by the sunshine, wind and rain. Equally razor-sharp and crystal clear is the scent of the Gallo Romanesque chalk cellar in Reims, where the bottle has been aged for as long as most of us went to school. The golden bubbles dance as vividly as the swallows in the sky and turn into a firework of aromatic joy and colour in the mouth. It is a magic combination of time, space and the beverage of life!
One hour ago, I withdrew from the party games in our cosy cabin in Roslagen and sat down on a cold flat rock next to an ordinary Swedish lake to find inspiration for this introductory text. The pattern is always the same. I am slightly unfocused at the beginning of the Champagne Hiking. Soon though, I become very watchful and present. As time passes, my thoughts turn to the philosophical and nostalgic. I think back on the journey I have undertaken since I first fell in love with champagne 30 years ago, and somewhere I feel as if I have come full circle. Returning to where it once started, with the intoxicating enjoyment and creation of unforgettable champagne memories. If I have come far, the beverage and the district of Champagne have travelled to the moon!
A hundred years ago, a bottle of champagne would fetch the price of a year’s salary for the ordinary worker. Today, a cleaner can pick up a weekend bottle of Laurent-Perrier for the equivalent of half a day’s work. Champagne has been democratised, and interest in the world’s most spectacular wine is growing dramatically. The same is true about travel. Difficult to believe as it may be, 70–80 years ago most of the people in the world never travelled abroad. Only the richest and most privileged could afford to spend their holidays in a foreign country. And even for this western elite, Asia, Africa, and South America were only fantasy worlds they read about in Tintin or The Jungle Book. Air traffic has revolutionised our travels to such a degree, that our neighbour may very well be on vacation in Mongolia, Suriname, or Delap Uliga Darrit. It is almost disheartening to realise that there are hardly any locations on our planet that we can’t visit. The fact is that any destination is only two days away from the nearest airport. Our understanding of nature and wonders of the world created by human kind increases every time our neighbours tell us gripping stories, or when media shower us in delicious images from the most spectacular corners of the Earth. An unfortunate downside of this easy access to the world is that some of the most desirable locations have been run over by tourists in such quantities that the magic is lost. For this reason, I have tried to avoid the worst tourist traps on my champagne-fuelled dream journey around the globe and instead searched for locations that can facilitate champagne contemplation in the truest sense of the word.
This book will in an unexpected way show you that travels and champagne is a difficult combination to beat. The journey can be half across the world or a short walk into the back garden. My trip this time was a kilometre long walk to a safe and familiar natural oasis, but the time-travel I did in my mind was as immense as it was dramatic.
Richard Juhlin
and a 1975 Florens-Louis, Sandikafjärden in Östhammar, September 2017
All chapters from the book to read or listen to online
There are many things and events in life that can make you go breathless from happiness: Watching a wedding couple glide up to the altar.
On occasion, I suffer from a bout of the Scandinavian “Jantelag” (Tall Poppy Syndrome) and almost feel ashamed over my enjoyable job as an expert on scents
Have you seen the warm and memorable feel-good film, The Bucket List, starring Morgan Freeman and Jack Nicholson? Two terminal cancer patients, with completely different backgrounds,
Napoleon supposedly said ‘In victory you deserve champagne. In defeat you need it.’ Legendary champagne widow, Lily Bollinger had a similar idea: “I drink Champagne when
It is always nice to travel light. I have Champagne Hiking friends that bring stuff for a week as they embark on a tour. I, on the
There are of course a number of details that will determine how a wine moment is perceived. To make this complex process easier to grasp,
Now that I have shared my favourite Champagne Hiking locations, it is high time for you to try your wings if you have not already done so.
Who? Solo Hiking = When you hike on your own. Pair Hiking = Only you and a friend. Multi Hiking = Champagne Hiking with more than two participants. When? Winter
Once you have read my advice in the first part of the book, on what you should consider before Champagne Hiking, it’s time to choose champagne and
Lidingö, Sweden Champagne: Henriot ‘Millésime‘ Time: May to September. From late afternoon to sunset. ‘What’s more natural than starting our champagne adventure with my champagne oasis. My
Sweden Champagne: Louis Roederer ‘Rosé Millésime‘ Time: A warm, sunny and windless day, from mid-May to the beginning of September. From lunch to sunset. There is nothing
Fårö, Sweden Champagne: Cattier ‘Clos du Moulin‘ Time: May to September. From an international perspective, I would champion Gotland as Sweden’s most interesting and beautiful landscape. The white,
The Åland Islands, Finland Champagne: Veuve Clicquot ‘Cave Privée Rosé‘ Time: June to August. If you are interested in champagne, you probably know that divers in 2010
Finland Champagne: Krug ‘Vintage‘ Time: Any sunny day, May to August. Finland might not be the first country that springs to mind where wine is concerned, but
Norway Champagne: Philipponnat ‘Clos des Goisses’ Time: A sunny day in July, in the afternoon. I love Norway! Not only because my sweetheart is from Norway, but
Norway Champagne: Henriot ‘Cuve 38‘ Time: Any sunny day, May to August. Sweden has produced a large number of great athletes. Many of them significantly greater than
Lofoten, Norway Champagne: Bruno Paillard ‘Blanc de Blancs‘ Time: June to August. Lofoten (Lynx’s foot) has long been a dream destination for me, and we were finally
Lofoten, Norway Champagne: Charles Heidsieck ‘Champagne Charlie‘ Time: June to August. Norway has many gems but Lofoten, with its northern lights and midnight sun, is a treasure
Lofoten, Norway Champagne: Bollinger ‘R.D.’ Time: June to August. Do you always have to make a physical journey to make a Champagne Hiking? Can we not travel in
Iceland Champagne: Jacquesson ‘Vauzelle de Terme‘ Time: June to August. When the self-sacrificing collective of the Icelandic football team created a sensation in UEFA EURO 2016, many
Iceland Champagne: Moët & Chandon ‘Grand Vintage Collection‘ Time: June to August. Have you heard of the ‘Rainbow Mountains’ in the north-west of China? If not, Google
Iceland Champagne: Agrapart ‘Cuvée Venus‘ Time: June to August. ‘And then – then I finally saw the Cherry Valley! Oh, the valley, white cherry blossoms everywhere. White
Iceland Champagne: R.H Coutier ‘Millésime‘ Time: June to August. It may seem strange that it is almost walking distance between three of the Icelandic locations in this
Iceland Champagne: Veuve Clicquot ‘La Grande Dame Rosé‘ Time: June to August. Iceland is not known as a country with a fauna of dangerous animals, but the
Zealand, Denmark Champagne: Ruinart ‘Dom Ruinart Rosé‘ Time: Afternoon to sunset, April–October. The world-famous Danish philosopher Søren Kierkegaard said: ‘Gilbjerghoved will always remain one of my favourite places. This
Zealand, Denmark Champagne: Perrier-Jouët ‘Belle Epoque Rosé‘ Time: Throughout the year. As you know, I have tried to avoid restaurants and instead focus on locations in nature
Jutland, Denmark Champagne: Deutz ‘Amour de Deutz Rosé’ & ‘William Deutz Rosé‘ Time: Afternoon to sunset, April to October. Jutland is a beautiful, windswept and arid part
Jutland, Denmark Champagne: Dom Pérignon Time: A sunny day, June to August. While collecting locations for my joyful Champagne Hiking, one of the first types of nature I
Northern Ireland Champagne: Léclapart ‘l´Apôtre‘ Time: April to September. When Pål and I planned our travels for this book, we didn’t always manage to book flights with
Ireland Champagne: Delamotte ‘Collection‘ Time: April to September. We should have been completely exhausted after our mammoth day, but felt shamelessly alert and enthusiastic as we euphoric
London, UK Champagne: Pol Roger ‘Vintage‘ Time: April to September, depending on the weather. The British are masters when it comes to picnics and champagne. In between
France Champagne: Dom Pérignon ‘Rosé P3‘ Time: April to October. Is there a more regal and Francophile place to enjoy champagne, than at the castle where the
Paris, France Champagne: Moët & Chandon ‘MCIII‘ Time: April to October. Half an hour after leaving Versailles we arrived at the world’s most iconic structure, in tough
Paris, France Champagne: Lanson ‘Noble Cuvée Blanc de Blancs‘ Time: April to October. After such an intense and upsetting day, we weren’t that keen on drinking the
Champagne, France Champagne: Dom Pérignon ‘P3‘ Time: April to October. The British were the first to deliberately produce sparkling wines, and the first French sparkling wine did
Champagne, France Champagne: Krug ‘Clos du Mesnil‘ Time: April to October. Krug’s 1.87 hectares small, walled Chardonnay vineyard in the heart of Le Mesnil-sur-Oger is no Angkor
Champagne, France Champagne: Clos des Goisses ‘Juste Rosé‘ Time: Afternoon to sunset, April to October. The first time I heard of Champagnes steepest hill, was when Christian
Champagne, France Champagne: G.H. Mumm ‘R. Lalou‘ Time: Afternoon to sunset, April to October. It was here, in the heart of Champagne, that the seeds of our
Champagne, France Champagne: Louis Roederer ‘Cristal Rosé‘ Time: All year long, if you are bestowed the rare luxury of a personal invite by Louis Roederer. Get ready for
Champagne, France Champagne: Pommery ‘Clos Pompadour‘ Time: April to October. Les Crayères is one of the world’s foremost champagne oases. To me, the elegant castle and the divine
The Moselle Valley, Germany Champagne: Louis Roederer ‘Blanc de Blancs‘ Time: May to September. The Moselle Valley is the reason why I became a champagne expert. My
Bavaria, Germany Champagne: Pommery ‘Louise Pommery‘ Time: May to September. Having just returned from the Balos Beach (Crete) I jumped behind the wheel of my new BMW
Zermatt, Switzerland Champagne: Veuve Clicquot ‘La Grande Dame’ Time: At noon, June to August. I know nothing better than to travel with my children. This time, just
Zermatt, Switzerland Champagne: Selosse ‘Substance‘ [Watch Anselme Selosse in the Champagne Master Class explain his philosophy on winemaking. Click here.] Time: In the morning, June to August.
Vicosoprano, Switzerland Champagne: Duval-Leroy ‘Femme‘ Time: At noon, June to August. The order is different in this book, in reality, Mr Yellowbridge and I woke up in
Bellagio, Italy Champagne: Charles Heidsieck ‘Blanc de Millénaires‘ Time: April to September. After our overwhelming experience at Lake Albigna, Mr Yellowbridge and I had no option but to
Portofino, Italy Champagne: Taittinger ‘Comtes de Champagne Rosé‘ Time: April to October. There is no doubt in my mind that Portofino is home to the world’s most
Italy Champagne: Saint Gall ‘Cuvée Orpale‘ Time: From March to June and September to October. Some twenty years ago I was told by a common friend, that
Sorrento, Italy Champagne: Deutz ‘Cuvée William Deutz‘ Time: April to October. The competition between the Italian locations in this book is as fierce as in the Juventus
Capri, Italy Champagne: G.H. Mumm ‘Mumm de Cramant‘ Time: April to October. ‘It was on the Isle of Capri that I found her … This was true
Provence, France Champagne: Deutz ‘Amour de Deutz‘ Time: From March to October. The French Riviera is undoubtedly the most famous beach strip in the world. Cannes, with
Provence, France Champagne: Guy Charlemagne ‘Mesnillésme‘ Time: From March to October. The Riviera is perhaps the most famous and touristy beach strip there is, but there are still
Provence, France Champagne: Jacquesson ‘Avize Champ Caïn‘ Time: From March to October. The aesthetically inclined people have always been dreaming of an all-embracing master piece. The Greek
Porto, Corsica, France Champagne: Taittinger ‘Comtes de Champagne‘ Time: April to November. Afternoon. The island of Corsica is a fragrant paradise. This is especially true for the
Deia, Majorca, Spain Champagne: Ruinart ‘Dom Ruinart‘ Time: April to October. Majorca has been a favourite destination for Scandinavians and Brits since the first charter flights headed
Andalusia, Spain Champagne: Pol Roger ‘Blanc de Blancs‘ Time: March to June, and September to October. Life is too short to drink Spanish Cava! It is the
Algarve, Portugal Champagne: Claude Cazals ‘Clos Cazals’ Time: April to October. Champagne as the perfect drink of love. A romantic encounter, a tête-à-tête. Yes, I believe this
France Champagne: Selosse ‘Rosé‘ Time: May to September. After dinner to sunset. My honey and I recently made a very exciting journey by car through lesser known
Lithuania Champagne: Krug ‘Collection‘ Time: Afternoon to sunset, April to September. Now the time has come for the eastern parts of Europe. Over the years as travelling champagne
Poland Champagne: Laurent-Perrier ‘Grand Siècle‘ Time: April to September. When I compiled my list of potential locations for this book, I did, of course, focus primarily on
Slovakia Champagne: Vilmart ‘Cœur de Cuvée’ Time: April to September. This Slovak champagne excursion is probably the worst planned ever. Pål and I have a relationship like
Austria Champagne: Selosse ‘Le Bout du Clos Ambonnay‘ [Watch Anselme Selosse in the Champagne Master Class explain his philosophy on winemaking. Click here.] Time: April to October.
Austria Champagne: Selosse ‘La Côte Faron Aÿ‘ [Watch Anselme Selosse in the Champagne Master Class explain his philosophy on winemaking. Click here.] Time: April to October. I
Austria Champagne: Henri Abelé ‘Collection‘ Time: April to October. After an imperial breakfast, we headed for Zell am See and the next luxury hotel. Grand Hotel at
Slovenia Champagne: Henriot ‘Cuvée des Enchanteleurs‘ Time: April to October. Pål and I made the first trip for this book to Slovenia, and this is where we decided
Slovenia Champagne: Michel Arnould ‘Mèmoires de Vignes‘ Time: April to October. Filled with champagne and wonderful impressions, we walked home with the empty ice bucket under the
Croatia Champagne: Lanson ‘Noble Cuvée‘ Time: April to October. After our second, quieter evening in Bled, we headed for the next climate zone, just a hop, skip,
Greece Champagne: Larmandier-Bernier ‘Vielle Vignes du Lévant‘ Time: April to June, and September to November. Ever since I first saw Roger Moore take a fall from one
Santorini, Greece Champagne: Selosse ‘Millésime‘ [Watch Anselme Selosse in the Champagne Master Class explain his philosophy on winemaking. Click here.] Time: Sunset, March to June, and September
Amorgos, Greece Champagne: Alfred Gratien ‘Millésime‘ Time: Sunset, March to June, and September to October. This scenic destination made the cut by fluke, and we have Pål’s
Crete, Greece Champagne: Pierre Peters ‘Les Chétillons‘ Time: Dusk or after dinner to sunset, March to mid-June, and September to October. Sweat is pouring from my forehead, down
New York, USA Champagne: Lanson ‘Clos Lanson’ & De Venoge ‘Louis XV Rosé‘ Time: April to October. We have left our beloved Europe and crossed the Atlantic
Ontario, Canada Champagne: Bonnaire ‘Collection‘ Time: May to September. Some twin souls are brought together by fate. A perfect example would be principal dancer Brendan Collins and
San Francisco, USA Champagne: Dom Pérignon ‘Rosé P2‘ Time: April to October. When weather permits. My daughter, Stella, and her boyfriend lived and worked for a few
California, USA Champagne: Billecart-Salmon ‘Cuvée N.F.‘ Time: Throughout the year. When weather permits. It would in all likelihood not be a problem produce a book with hundreds
Nevada, USA Champagne: Piper-Heidsieck ‘Rare‘ Time: March to June, and September to November. Given everything you know about me at this point, you might think that Las
Arizona, USA Champagne: Billecart-Salmon ‘Cuvée Elisabeth Rosé‘ Time: March to May, and September to November. It felt surreal when Stella, her photographing boy-friend Freddy and I left
Region de la Antárctica, Chile Champagne: Tasting of three Pinot based champagnes Time: December to March. Next on our list is South America, perhaps the most exciting
Patagonia, Chile Champagne: Paul Bara ‘Comtesse Marie de France‘ Time: December to March. After our striking Road Hiking in the middle of the road, we settled into Punta Arenas’ only hotel
Patagonia, Chile Champagne: Bollinger ‘Vieilles Vignes Françaises‘ Time: December to March. Any other time, the flat tyre would have had us worried throughout the night, but the
Patagonia, Chile Champagne: Drappier ‘Grande Sandrée‘ Time: December to March. Having spent a few days in the stunning Patagonian national park, it dawned on me that this
Patagonia, Argentina Champagne: Gosset ‘Celebris‘ Time: December to March. Have you also been drooling over Youtube, or been amazed by the National Geographic films, depicting gigantic icebergs that come
Brazil Champagne: Perrier-Jouët ‘Belle Epoque‘ Time: April to June, and September to November. With a sense of loss, but also firm belief in a speedy reunion, we
South Africa Champagne: Pierre Gimonnet ‘Vieilles Vignes Collection‘ Time: October to March. After our adventures in South America, we had our sights set on Africa, the Cradle
South Africa Champagne: Dom Pérignon ‘P2‘ Time: October to March. Broke from my divorce some years ago, I tried to pull myself together by travelling. I took
South Africa Champagne: Moët & Chandon ‘Grand Vintage Collection Rosé‘ Time: November to March. As you know, a perfect Champagne Hiking is always a meditative, relaxing moment in total
South Africa Champagne: Dom Pérignon ‘Rosé‘ Time: November to March. When the weather is rough, the seafarer’s last resort has always been faith, hope and charity. Hope
Japan Champagne: Salon Time: April to October. It’s 03.53, in a hotel room in Tokyo. I should sleep, but I can’t. The circadian rhythm is disrupted, and
Kamakura, Japan Champagne: R. & L. Legras ‘Saint Vincent‘ Time: April to October. Another jet-lagged and sleepless night later, we found ourselves without a cicerone. We made
Kyoto, Japan Champagne: Selosse ‘Le Mesnil Les Carelles‘ [Watch Anselme Selosse in the Champagne Master Class explain his philosophy on winemaking. Click here.] Time: April to October.
Tokyo, Japan Champagne: Lassalle ‘Spécial Club‘ Time: April to October. Tokyo is a perplexing city. The biggest city in the world, it is remarkably quiet and calm.
Tokyo, Japan Champagne: Krug Rosé Time: Throughout the year. Some people regard modern, high-tech Japan as an abomination, while others see Japan as a leading country. No
Hong Kong Champagne: Krug ‘Grande Cuvée‘ Time: Throughout the year. Hong Kong is the champagne capital of Asia. In an area smaller than Stockholm live almost as
Hoi An, Vietnam Champagne: Deutz ‘Blanc de Blancs‘ Time: November to February. As I stayed at the fantastic Four Seasons resort The Nam Hai, I realised that I
Vietnam Champagne: Dampierre ‘Family Réserve‘ Time: November to February, at dawn a morning without rain. I almost decided to call the day a loss and return to
Krabi, Thailand Champagne: Louis Roederer Cristal‘ Time: December to March. Those rare evenings with lower humidity, when the temperature has fallen below 28 degrees. If you read the
Singapore Champagne: Moët & Chandon ‘Grand Vintage‘ Time: All year round. On the rooftop terrace during the cooler days otherwise inside the Lighthouse Restaurant. Time has come for
Queensland, Australia Champagne: Diebolt-Vallois ‘Fleur de Passion‘ Time: June to October, weather permitting. Neither one of us having ever visited Australia, and with beautiful butterflies in our stomachs,
Queensland, Australia Champagne: Perrier-Jouët ‘Belle Epoque Blanc de Blancs’ Time: June to October, weather permitting. The next day Alf, and his Range Rover had another fantastic excursion
New South Wales, Australia Champagne: Mumm ‘Collection du Chef de Caves‘ Time: New Year’s Eve. Already as a child, I would get to see images of fireworks from
Victoria, Australia Champagne: Billecart-Salmon ‘Blanc de Blancs Millésime‘ Time: Year-round, weather permitting. After Sydney, we visited the country’s second metropolis, Melbourne. As is sometimes the case, a
New Zealand Champagne: Taittinger ‘Collection‘ Time: November to February. We had finally arrived in the country, by many described as the world’s most beautiful. New Zealandis in principle
New Zealand Champagne: Joseph Perrier ‘Cuvée Josephine‘ Time: November to February on a rare day free of rain. Standing at the end of my bed, Stravinsky’s The
New Zealand Champagne: Gosset ‘Celebris Blanc de Blancs‘ Time: November to February on a sunny day. Mount Cook, like many other places, is named after Captain James
New Zealand Champagne: Laurent-Perrier ‘Cuvée Alexandra Rosé‘ Time: November to February on a rare day free of rain. Fiordland is probably New Zealand most spectacular region, with
Queenstown, New Zealand Champagne: Pommery ‘Louise Pommery Rosé‘ Time: November to February. Pål put the pedal to the metal, driving from Milford Sound towards our final destination, Azur Lodge
Tellus Champagne: Pol Roger ‘Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill‘ Time: A moment of tranquillity, worship and magic. When I ask people where they prefer to do their own Champagne
Tellus Champagne: Veuve Clicquot ‘Cave Privée‘ Time: A starlit sky in the Southern hemisphere, far from the light sources of civilisation. It is said that the gem-studded ceiling
Space Champagne: Bollinger ‘La Grande Année‘ Time: In the future. How about a glass of champagne on earth’s sister planet? Pål and I got the idea as we
I close my eyes, the only sounds a cooing dove, the croak from a crow and the signal from the level crossing gate at the
