"People forget that Champagne is a wine. It's not just a toast." - Alice Loubaton, wine importer
Ah, Champagne. Is any other wine so universally loved yet still a bit of a mystery? Alice Loubaton imports Champagne and other French wines via her company Loubaton Imports and wants us to remember that Champagne is more than just the perfect toast - it is a wine that pairs beautifully with food. Alice should know - before starting Loubaton Imports in 2013, Alice spent 33 years at Sopexa directing marketing campaigns for France's wine regions. She was even honored with the prestigious title of Officer in the French National Order of Agricultural Merit.
Listen to our lively podcast conversation to hear Alice's vast knowledge of all things Champagne; including the labor intensive production process which requires a second fermentation in the bottle, the best glassware for serving bubbly, and how to pair it with food. When selecting wines to import, Alice focuses on family-owned French wineries with great stories that use sustainable methods to produce small quantities of high quality wines. One of the most compelling winemakers in her portfolio is Champagne Marion-Bosser - for five generations the women in the family, mothers and daughters, have run this Champagne house in the famous village of Hautvillers. Maybe you haven't heard of Hautvillers but I'm certain that you know one its most famous past residents - Dom Perignon. Hautvillers is where Dom Perignon created Champagne as we know it today. Alice told me that upon his discovery Dom Perignon beautifully exclaimed,"Come quickly! I am drinking the stars."
Watch the video to see Alice demonstrate, with a bottle of Champagne Marion-Bosser Premier Cru Brut Tradition ($44.99), the proper way to open a bottle of bubbly. Alice beautifully describes the aromas and flavors of this elegant Champagne and offers pairing suggestions. Cheers - here's to drinking the stars!
