Mixed serves a "crime" against Champagne, says leading house

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Published on Friday, 02 December 2011 14:39

Written by Laura Heywood

The president of Champagne Taittinger has criticised other houses for trivialising Champagne by recommending it in a mixed serve.

Pierre-Emmanuel Taittinger spoke out against marketers who "promote Champagne with orange juice or ice". "I'm totally against it", he said, "it's a way to banalise Champagne".

Taittinger described mixed serves as "a crime" against a wine that should be heralded as "the top of sparkling wine production".

Speaking at a vertical tasting of Comtes de Champagne in association with The Institute of Masters of Wine, Taittinger went on to disparage the current trend for serving Champagne in wine glasses. He blamed "new marketers" for pushing the trend and said Champagne Taittinger should always be served in a traditional flute.

At the tasting Taittinger spoke out in favour of keeping retail prices down in the UK market in order to ensure consumers aren't put off by too high price tags. "Champagne has to remain affordable," he said, adding that the house will strive to ensure the price of Comtes de Champagne remains within consumers' means.

Taittinger heralded the house's non-vintage style as "one of the most well known non-vintages in the world" - something it is particularly proud of given the wine is unusual among its peers because it is Chardonnay dominated. The Brut Reserve NV is a blend of 40% Chardonnay, 35% Pinot Noir and 25% Pinot Meunier.

"The UK has been for many, many years in favour of Pinot Meniner and Pinot Noir. Its been even more diffucult to establish the name of Taittinger because we are different," he said. According to Taittinger, Chardonnay dominated blends "stay younger than others".