Clicquot Rose launch

Having read my last couple of blog entries I was beginning to wonder if I was giving the wrong impression about life at Eriska as every third one seems to focus on alcohol but my recent experience had to be reported as it will live in my memory for years to come. I was kindly invited to witness the world launch of a new Champagne by the Champagne house Veuve Clicquot. I met the group at Waterloo on Monday lunchtime for a magical mystery tour and we set off to Paris on the Eurostar with the promise of Paris in the springtime, sunshine and warm weather!

As we sped through the French countryside the newspapers were full of the riots and strikes affecting the French and the storm clouds began to grow. As we dismounted the train in Paris the sky was dark and it definitely was not the Paris in springtime I had imagined however the evening was only young. After a quick assent of the Eiffel tower to hear the plans for the new product- still no sight of sound of it, we boarded buses and were taken to the river where we boarded a boat. Once we were all aboard we were blindfolded, the light dimmed and the boat set off up the river. All 300 guests from around the globe were given a box and the event began this was to be sensory introduction to the new champagne.As we were instructed to open the first box and explore the contents we were told about the structure of wine and found a representation of the wines complexity then the second box where an explanation of taste and found a petit four then the third box and found a container with a cream which helped introduce us to the smell. Throughout the experience the music and blindfolds increased the expectation so when we all finally received a cool glass in our hands we were ready for the whole picture.

A great way to introduce the world to Veuve Clicquot Non Vintage Rose . Then a canape dinner as the boat drifted back downstream passed the landmarks we had passed blindfolded and back to the first pier where we had to decant to a lower boat which could continue the journey as the river was too full for the first and we continued on the journey and as we passed arranged on the banks were a variety of typically Parisian Romantic Scenes- we were told-  a couple spotlit dancing on a pier, two lovers spotlit on a balcony, a band alight in white on the shore and so the show continued until we dismounted at our destination where after re-sampling another glass of the new champagne we reborded our bus back to the hotel. It was a truly memorable experience and a great privilege to have been invited to enjoy- now I suppose I will be expected to not only stock the wine but encourage other to try- fortunately this should not be difficult as it is a great adventure and I hope will be a success for them as they have put a great deal of thought and time into such a new product- but maybe next time I should recommend Eriska in springtime as we had sunshine and clear blue skies on Monday!!