Well, here it is the 29th - time for our virtual tasting. (See invitation here.) Sally and I sat down Tuesday evening before dinner with our crackers, salmon, capers, onion and a bottle of Veuve Clicquot given to us by a client, determined to fight our way through this challenge. Needless to say, it was quite enjoyable and we had several good laughs as we compared notes along the way. The following are my notes and impressions as we went through the cracker, salmon, capers and onion progression. (Please add back links to your tasting blog post in the Comments section of this post.)
An impression that held true through the entire progression was of femininity and a slight sweetness. This became interesting when, after the progression, I sat down at my computer to take a look at the Veuve Clicquot website. More on that later…
Champagne: pears, ginger, citrus, sunflowers, polished, yellow, sun filled apartment
Source Unknown
Source Unknown
October 2011 Architectural Digest
Cracker: beige, smoother, biscuits, Sally’s lemon meringue pie, soft country interior
Source: Design Sponge
Source: Unknown
2010 Dec/2011, Jan Cote Ouest
Salmon: expansive, rounder, orange, modern, jazzy, Keith Jarrett, smoke/fog filled valley in the early AM, Hudson River School painting
Keith Jarrett, jazz pianist. Source: Unknown
Source: Unknown
Frederick Edwin Church
Source: Style by Saladino
Capers: more expansive, taste smoothed out, round and feminine, Sancerre, green fields, now I can see the vineyards, rose petals, Chopin concerto, Parisian apartment
Source: August 2011 Architectural Digest
Source: Unknown
Source: Axel Vervoordt, Timeless Interiors
Onions: most expansive, more feminine, soft lavender, floral, quiet elegance, Saladino, southern plantation, Charleston, French villa
May 2011,Country Living, British Edition
Source: Style by Saladino
Source: Axel Vervoordt Timeless Interiors
Source: Axel Vervoordt Timeless Interiors
After Sally and I finished our notes, I sat down at the computer to explore Veuve Cliquot. This was where things got interesting. In 2010, a ship wreck dating from the 1780′s was discovered and a quantity of intact bottles of champagne were removed. Further research established that a number of the bottles came from Veuve Clicqout and were probably part of a shipment of champagne from Loius XVI to the Russian court. This led to exploring the wines of the French Court. Their tastes were quite varied. As I was poking through all the various wbsites, I came across Château de Louveciennes, a small chateau given to Madame du Barry by Louis XV.
Madame du Barry. Source: Wikipedia
During her stay at the chateau she commissioned the design and construction of a small music pavillion in the new Neo-classical style by Claude Nicolas Ledoux.
Pavillion exterior from reflecting pond. Source: Unknown
Pavillion interior. Source: Unknown.
Image from Wikipedea
Image from Wikipedea
Image from Wikipedea
Thus, we conclude the First Annual Virtual Champagne and Food Tasting. Through it’s twists and turns, I thoroughly enjoyed putting the post together. Hope you’ve enjoyed reading it!
Cheers,
I like the way you enjoy champagne! You have so made me look at food differently now. It’s going to be interesting to know what the husband thinks about when he’s enjoying cocktail hour at our home!
It’s very easy to sit down at the kitchen island or counter and quickly down a meal or a snack. Sally and I do it far more than I care to admit. These days life seems to move at a pace that makes you feel like you’re always trying to catch up. Time (and raising your children) are one of the few things you can’t get or take back. I look forward to hearing about your leisurely cocktail hour with your husband.
Cheers,
John
perhaps I need to linger a bit and articulate the complexities of champagne but I simply drink it and enjoy it without a lot of fuss..but when you wake up every morning and one of the staff brings in your breakfast in bed accompanied with champagne, well, it becomes a bit routine (did I just say that?)…
fun way to enjoy life’s little pleasures..
best,
maureen
Ah Maureeen, you make me laugh! Thank you!
(My eggs benedict were a little cold this morning… Ruined the champagne…)
I encourage you – the next time you have a glass of champagne, sip it a little more slowly, savor it the way you might a beautiful interior and enjoy the journey.
As an aside, I think that most champagnes are served too chilled. Too much chill masks the flavors of the wine. Sally and I found that as the wine in the glass warmed ever so slightly and had time to breathe that the full flavors of the wine came forward.
Have a wonderful New Year’s weekend.
John
Hi John, I just awarded you the Liebster Blog Award on my latest post!
I’ll keep you posted about wine hour!
Congratulations!
Debra
Thanks for the Award!!! WOW!!!
Looking forward to the wine hour report…
Cheers,
John
I absolutely love your zest for life and imagination…bids you well in your life’s work. I fear I drink mine too fast…to de-stress my day. I’m feeling the need to stop and smell the roses here…savor the moment more…maybe tonight! Happy New Year. Mona
Thank you for your words of support, Mona.
Sally and I are looking forward to 2012 with optimistic hearts and minds.
I hope you do slow down tonight and savor the moment.
It’s food for the soul, mind and imagination.
Happy New Year!
John
I love this whole post!
Most of all I love the little “pavilion” of Madam DuBarry’s!!
It is so interesting; We lived in a house that must have been very influenced by that “pavilion” in Pasadena! I will find a picture of it! The woman who built it travelled all over France looking at “pavilions” with her architect when she was going to build it!
She was very influenced by Cyril Connolly’s book, “Les Pavillions”!
And now, at our French “mas” We have the same floor plan (almost) with two sphinx at the front door of “Madam DuBarry”!!
I wrote a blog about “sphinx”!
Thank you for all that!
Delighted you enjoyed the post so, Penelope.
Sally and I would love to see the picture of your former house.
It must have been magnificent!
I’m going to look on Amazon for the book you mentioned.
Sounds like a good addition to our design library.
Time to go find your sphinx post.
Cheers,
John
John and Sally, Wonderful post! I love how the pictures you chose look just like Veuve Cliquot tastes. Amazing. We’ll get our submission up after the 1st, and then link back to yours. We tasted a fabulous Cabernet Franc from a winery in Clifton, VA. This was an absolutely fabulous idea. Please do more!
Maybe once a month? I suppose I could fight my way through it…
Maybe next time I’ll do a local champagne from Westport Farms Winery here in Massachusetts.
Can’t wait to read your Cabernet Franc tasting experience. It has such a rich history.
Cheers,
John
This is fantastic, John! What wonderful images and pairings. There’s a great book about the history of Veuve called the Widow Cliquot. After the French revolution and the death of her husband, she gave rise to the VC empire. Great read!
Stacy,
Thanks so much for stopping by! I am going to swing by the library and ask to them locate the book for me. ( I have soooo much reading to do…) From what I was able to gleen via the internet, Mme. Cliquot was a remarkable woman. Today, there is a Business Woman of the Year award given in in her name in France. Loved your most recent design resolutions blog post.
Cheers,
John