Eight of these lists in his book about the great wines and great economies of the world , Robert Parker , and the two brands we have added to this list at their own discretion , one - "The Hollywood brand ," and another - "the most sports and adrenaline ."
Champagne - sparkling wine produced in the French region of Champagne grapes established method of secondary fermentation in the bottle of wine. The name of the drink takes its name from the Champagne region, where the given region. While the term "champagne" is often used sparkling wine producers in many countries and areas (for example, in California, Canada and Russia), to use it only in relation to wine produced in the Champagne region. Under the auspices of the "Committee Interprofessionnel du sparkling wines" (fr. Comité Interprofessionel du Vin de Champagne) developed a comprehensive set of rules and regulations for all wines from this region.
These rules are designed to ensure the production of high quality product . The regulations marked the most suitable place for growing grapes , the most suitable grape varieties . Although this code is permitted for use in the production of 7 different grape varieties , the vast majority of champagne produced as monosortovoe or assamblyazhnoe of the three most famous : Chardonnay (fr . Chardonnay), Pinot Noir (fr . Pinot noir) and Pinot mёne (fr . Pinot meunier).
It is also determined by the rather long list of requirements , defining the main aspects of grape growing . Among these rules : pruning the vines , the harvest of the vineyard , the degree of pressing the grapes , the minimum period of aging on the lees . Only if the wine meets all these requirements , may be placed on the bottle the name " Champagne " . The rules developed by the Committee of sparkling wines , approved by the French " National Institute of denominations of origin » (INAO).
Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin
Women - forward. The most famous in the world of "women's " brand of Champagne - Veuve Clicquot. In the early 19th century, the heroic 27 -year-old widow Clicquot , nee Barbe Nicole Ponsarden , took the legacy of her husband's winery mediocre - and lifted it to unprecedented heights. She filled his remarkable product of 18 km underground, buying them from the city and turning it into a wine cellar . She is the author of the method of cleaning up champagne crystal transparency , which is still used by winemakers all over the world.
She invented the bridle wire pull on the plug - liquid in the bottle is under pressure , 3 times higher than the pressure in a car tire .
She took as an ally even ... space. Visit the Solar System " Comet 1811 " presented to the widow of a great idea - to send to defeat Napoleon Russian ship with a party of 10,000 bottles of " wine comet " - Champagne Harvest 1811 with caudate asterisk on the label. And that was the beginning of many successful commercial relations between the widow and the far north of the empire .
This woman lived for 88 years and deprived indifferent to winemaking family legacy by passing his flourishing business to those who worked with her until the very end - his manager and friend , Eduardo Verde , whose descendants have strengthened after her death, the glory of the brand - Today the brand is one of the most known , it is drunk in 150 countries ..
Some interesting facts:
According to legend, a flashy color label was coined widow personally the most .
And today, this Champagne house attracts the best design brand designers such as Karim Rashid , so the cost of the best wines in an exclusive package could amount to tens of thousands of dollars .
Moët & Chandon
This black ribbon with gold border , sealed with red round stamp under the neck of the bottle , they know everything. It was invented in 1886, and has since remained unchanged recognizable detail of design branded products Moet & Chandon.
For 250 years, the company produces one of the most famous and prestigious brands of champagne . From the beginning, the house Moet & Chandon is one of the main providers of official royal courts . At the time it was delivered wine of Louis XV, and Napoleon Bonaparte himself called at the estate when they are in the Champagne region .
Among the clients that Moet Chandon and delivers its wine was Thomas Jefferson , and the king of England , Edward VII loved it so much champagne that went all over the place , accompanied by a servant , who bore him a basket with two-three bottles. Today, the house Moet Chandon and has Royal approval as a supplier of champagne British Queen Elizabeth II.
In modern times, the stars of pop culture and Moet & Chandon champagne is actively developing the world of cinema. For nearly two decades, it is the official champagne Moët award " Golden Globe "
the company held a sensational press campaign with a choice of "persons champagne house Moet Chandon and " - he became a rising Hollywood star Scarlett Johansson . Champagne house Moet & Chandon - the largest producer of champagne in the world. It produces up to 30 mln . Bottles per year , twice the volume of its nearest rival - Veuve Clicquot . Due to the large " circulation " is a fairly democratic prices .
Dom Pérignon
This label is a "shield" is known worldwide . Moet and Chandon produces an exclusive vintage Champagne since 1936 .
Named in honor of the famous brand in the wine industry of the person - a Benedictine monk Pierre Perignon , who lived in the 17th century . The house - an appeal to the spiritual person in France. He is credited ( the French, the British think differently ) thank the invention of sparkling foam drink - no one had not thought of as the usual ragtag wine turn into a wonderful new drink. Perhaps he was not absolutely first, but certainly was at the forefront of production technology of champagne, which in general is inherited and our contemporaries. He owns the idea of secondary fermentation of the wine of the Pacific, the selection of a mixture of white wine and soaking it in thick-walled bottles and capping bottles cork. As a thirty-year-old Pierre Perignon cellars led Benedictine abbey Oviglio, saying it will create the world's best wine. And he did it - rumors of superior quality sparkling beverage monastery reached Versailles. Wines from Dom Pérignon steel delivered to the royal court of Louis XIV, «Sun King."
Modern Dom Perignon , Moet and Chandon from , made in accordance with the traditions established by the legendary monk - to create the best wine in the world. Its quality is that the wine is probably not need additional advertising .
Nevertheless , manufacturers recently attracted to work on the image of the brand Karl Lagerfeld. The campaign was extremely successful and brought the brand to a new level of popularity. And also became a model example of wine branding , and - some cult event in the world of fashion and lifestyle - Lagerfeld drew to a photo shoot with the House Perignon catwalk star - Eva Herzigova and Claudia Schiffer . Through the idea of action : Dom Pérignon - magic drink , liberating sexual fantasies
There exists in all the three wines:
Dom Perignon - Dom Pérignon, Dom Pérignon Rose and Dom Perignon Oenotheque
Louis Roederer
The whole world knows this brand for its most famous wine - Louis Roederer Cristal. "Luxury wine", "stunning quality" - uses such epithets at him, Robert Parker. And of course, this is the most prestigious and most expensive of sparkling wines in general. "Royal drink" - it was first produced in 1876 specifically for Alexander II. Until the Revolution the house Louis Roederer was the official supplier of wine to the court of the Russian Emperor. More than 60% of its production goes to the Russian Empire. His name - Cristal received because delivered in a custom-made Alexander II crystal bottl
In today's "gold" the appearance of the bottle with an elegant script font and monograms on the label - supported association with the royal crown, aristocracy, elegance and richness. Worldwide, it is considered a luxury drink that is meant for the winners and leaders. Policy champagne house Louis Roederer also differs aristocracy and independence - yet no international corporation failed attempts to absorption - it is almost the only house in Champagne, which remains in family ownership.
The value of production of champagne houses again was confirmed in July this year - at an auction in the US bottle of Champagne Louis Roederer Cristal Rose 2002 was sold for $ 12,000 . Proceeds from the auction went to support contemporary art. What is symbolic - a wine with such a history , the level of prestige and at this price - not so much wine as such, as a subject of high art
Champagne house produces not enough wine for the family business - up to 3 mln . Bottles per year, which , however, is 10 times smaller than the Moet and Chandon . And Louis Roederer Cristal - only 500 thousand bottles for the whole world
Piper-Heidsieck
This wine is known as a wine Hollywood. Almost from the beginning of the Oscar award ceremony it accompanies these celebrations .
It was a drink of Marilyn Monroe , and she repeatedly captured foktokameroy with a glass of champagne in hand . And it often was champagne - Piper-Heidsieck.
In 1965, Piper - Heidsieck created the biggest bottle of champagne in the world - 1 m 82 cm, which corresponds to the growth of American film actor Rex Harrison . The bottle was designed to celebrate the receipt of Harrison Oscar for her role in "My Fair Lady " , where he played with Audrey Hepburn . Giant bottle contained a volume of 64 ordinary bottles with magnificent vintage champagne Piper-Heidsieck Brut harvest 1959. Piper - Heidsieck scored a new design and PR move - together with Christian Louboutin , he released a limited edition gift set - a bottle of his wine , accompanied by the elegant ladies' shoes with crystal heels, that simultaneously sends us to Cinderella and the romantic tradition to drink champagne out of shoes ladylove .
PIPER-HEIDSIECK CHAMPAGNE - LE RITUEL - BY CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN
The company Piper-Heidsieck has made a festive red and gold colors - recognizable and evocative colors of the brand , and very successfully used in the design of your corporate identity - and the label of the wine , and all the associated advertising prodkutsii and the official website of the company.
French fashion house Jean- Paul Gaultier (Jean Paul Gaultier) created for the company Piper-Heidsieck champagne new design Cuvée Brut, which is presented at the 64th Film Festival in Cannes, France .
G.H. Mumm
Style label MUMM easily remembered by a diagonal red ribbon - a symbol of the Legion of Honor - which adorned her wine in the 18th century, one of the first owners of the house champagne . This logo mark is recognized immediately on the shelves of wine shops , and commercials. And on the balloons , which the company likes to run promotional purposes.
Generally , MUMM - the wine of adrenaline , extreme sports , travel and discovery. Throughout its history the company G.H.MUMM sponsoring various events associated with technical breakthroughs and achievements in sport humanity. The company's slogan - " The courage and the pursuit of extraordinary discoveries .
At the beginning of the last century, the company has carried out its first sponsorship project : the famous explorer Captain Charcot's "cross" his ship " Le France" , breaking his board a bottle of champagne MUMM Cordon Rouge. July 14, 1904 on an ice floe in Antarctica Captain Charcot and his team observed a glass of champagne MUMM Bastille Day .
When you see a broadcast of the Formula 1 , note how champagne is poured each other winners . This year, the company announced the launch of a limited series of GH Mumm F1 box "Limited Edition", which became part of the collection champagne "Formula 1 " of Mumm, official sponsor of the races.
And recently, it got kind of artistic champagne advertising support - the light produced extraordinary glass Mumm- balls - something an average between the size of the bubbles of champagne and balloons , airships .
Mumm Presents Bang My Head exclusive movie
Krug
Quality and endurance - so it would be possible to formulate a creed champagne house Krug. " They are very strict and conservative policy of keeping the wine for many years before the release of its sale seems almost incompatible with the pace of the modern world " - shocked Robert Parker - " but luckily , it provides them with the highest quality , maturity and complexity . "
These people do not pursue quantity. House publishes annually about 100 thousand bottles of it in the 300 (!) Times less than the volume of production mastodon market champagne - Moet & Chandon and.
The area of its own vineyards, the company is extremely limited - only 20 hectares, and it is the best buys grapes from 56 hectares still the best vineyards in Champagne. The mixture is fermented in small oak barrels and then aged in bottles for at least 6-8 years. This provides a unique recognizable difficult wine lavor and the ability to further the noble aging in the bottle. Wines of Champagne houses - one of the most " long-playing " , the quality remains the same or even improved over time . It's the fault of so-called " late realization" , as they can withstand 30 or 40 years. This is a wonderful facility for long-term investments in the wine. Robert Parker , taste Krug 1947 harvest , said it was the most outstanding champagne. he had ever tasted .
Ha wine auction in Hong Kong for a bottle of 750 ml is even more old wine - champagne one thousand nine hundred twenty-eight from the collection of Krug Collection - paid $ 21,200 - and , thus, it was the most expensive of when - or sold sparkling wines . According to experts of the auction house Sotheby's Serena Sutcliffe , the wine - one of the best champagnes in the history of winemaking.
GREGORY PORTER X KRUG CHAMPAGNES
American singer Gregory Porter describes the emotions he felt when tasting Krug Champagnes and présents the playlist he created to pair with each Krug Champagne.
Pol Roger
Founded in 1849 by Paul Roger Champagne house Pol Roger is still in the possession of the family, opposing the universal process of mergers and acquisitions of small family businesses large holdings such as LVMH. Today, the house is managed by two great-grandsons of the founder , dobivshmisya in honor of his great-grandfather even changing his name - now it is spelled with a hyphen - Pol -Roger.
It - one of the best companies of the Champagne region , and one of the best champagnes in the world . Robert Parker , chief wine critic of the world, assesses its extremely enthusiastic : "If there is any one vintage Champagne Brut, which clearly can claim to be one of the greatest wines in the world , it is - Pol Roger.»
The exceptional quality of the vintage wine - its ability to persist for 30 years or more , that can not afford even many great red wines of Bordeaux. This makes Pol Roger is very attractive for wine collectors and wine reliable and profitable investment.
Pol Roger Champagne is known as a favorite of Sir Winston Churchill . Once he said : "I can not live without champagne . After the victory I deserve it , and after the defeat I need it . " And it was not a general remark about all sparkling wines - Churchill was a staunch fan of this particular brand . Company Pol Roger even supplied him his wine in a unique packaging - specially produced bottles volume of 1 imperial pint ( 0 , 57 L). This champagne was served to Churchill his butler at 11 o'clock in the morning hen he woke up
. 
Later, in Churchill's honor , the firm has included in its line of wines special stamp , Cuvee Sir Winston Churchill, the manufacture of which is the very best grapes from the best vineyards of years , and which Robert Parker commends extremely high.
Bollinger
Bollinger - another wine from Olympus with the best wines of Champagne . Experts - Robert Parker , Hugh Johnson , Jancis Robinson and many other wine critics with a worldwide reputation - include it in the top five for quality, along with Dom Perignon, Louis Roederer, Pol Roger and Krug.
And especially the critics distinguish the brand Bollinger Grande Année ( Bollinger Grand crop year ) , it ranked as the most elite brands , with impeccable quality .
All other fans of champagne , paying tribute to the taste Bollinger, know and remember this wine is also a favorite drink like James Bond , which he views with a very aristocratic sips almost half of the more than twenty James Bond films .
On the eve of the premiere of the new film with Daniel Craig Bollinger company decided to support the association - «Bollinger - James Bond " - releasing a limited edition champagne , only 207 bottles. In the case of steel in the form of a bullet engraved "Bollinger 007 " placed a bottle of Bollinger Grande in 1999 .
And another fact of life in the history of the brand, brings him to the brand Veuve Clicquot. Surprisingly, in the history of winemaking has such a phenomenon - "the famous Veuve champagne." Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin, the widow Laurent-Perrier, the widow Pommery's widow Enrio ... Their names have become trademarks. In this list - and the legendary Lily Bollinger. Widowed at 42 years old, Madame Lily Bollinger has directed all his extraordinary energy on improving the technology of champagne production, maintaining the tradition of high-quality brand, which still admired Thomas Jefferson.
Modern house Bollinger heirs retain the tradition of quality - the house is known for its famous " Charter of Ethics and Quality ," which he unveiled in 1992 , and which should be at the expense of output. However, it is paying off - the demand for luxury champagne Bollinger exceeds supply so that it applies to countries in accordance with the established by quotas.
Bollinger Spectre Crystal Set 007
Salon
Salon - one of the smallest of the great Champagne houses , which began on 1 hectare vineyard , purchased in 1911 by a charismatic personality named Eugene Aimé Salon. Having to go to this teacher, fur traders, and many more who cleaved million capital Salon decided to become a winemaker , producing wine, what was not.
It is not difficult to reconstruct his motivation - being frequented the restaurants and the best connoisseur of French wines , salon felt that in wine there is a niche for him - he can create something totally unique wine of unsurpassed quality and extraordinary properties. The idea is to create a wine, firstly, based on Chardonnay alone and , secondly , only during the best yields. In the not very brilliant years of making wine , he did not want to.
And so , for nearly a century he founded in 1921 in the house until 2006 released only 37 millezimnyh wines. Which, of course , from the beginning created them fame luxury drink - an extremely rare, prestigious and expensive . Already his first vintages made his name in the 20s it was the Salon " wine places " in the legendary restaurant "Maxim", the venue of the Paris elite.
After the death of his possession Salon twice resell, and today it belongs to the group of Laurent-Perrier. The new owners are trying to maintain brand Salon, the wine is still made only from grapes of the best years in the last 30 years in the wine incarnated only one of the three crops .
Robert Parker, characterizing the quality of all wines Salon as " undisputed ," especially emphasizes his favorite vintage - the harvest 1990 .
Champagne 101: How To Drink It Like A Pro
Remember that alcohol is harmful to your health =)
