Coco Chanel, Bette Davis, Oscar Wilde, Madame de Pompadour, Marlene Dietrich, Winston Churchill. A list of famous Champagne fans reads like a line out of Madonna's song "Vogue," and last month marked the 2nd Annual La Fête du Champagne, a celebration of the iconic French wine region whose name is synonymous with glamour.Held in New York City, the event is the brainchild of Daniel Johnnes, Wine Director of Chef Daniel Boulud's Dinex Group, and Peter Liem, American wine critic and world-renowned Champagne expert. Much like Johnnes's Burgundian Bacchanalia "La Paulée," La Fête paid homage to the Champagne region over three glorious days of revelry, featuring many of Champagne's most esteemed producers and world-class Chefs and Sommeliers.
Perhaps the jewel in La Fête's crown this year was a special dinner held at New York's revered Daniel restaurant featuring the wines of Krug Champagne, a house whose wines are often equated to "haute couture" due to their unwavering attention to detail and commitment to excellence. Accompanying his wines was Olivier Krug, representing the 6th generation of the family who founded the legendary House in 1843. Also featured were Chef Arnaud Lallement, Chef and owner of both the 3 Michelin-starred restaurant, A. Lallement, and hotel, L'Assiette Champenoise in Reims and of course, our host for the evening, the esteemed Chef Daniel Boulud. Having had the pleasure of visiting Krug and staying at L'Assiette recently (for more on our visit, please click here), we didn't want to miss the opportunity to experience the duo stateside.
Upon arriving at Daniel on an unseasonably warm November evening, we were greeted with glasses of Krug Grande Cuvée poured en magnum - not a bad way to start any evening! Johnnes and Liem's event had warranted the attendance of many of the industry's best somms, including Boulud's own Raj Vaidya, Michael Madrigale, Edouard Bourgeois and Ian Hood as well as other notable names in the world of wine Master Sommelier Larry Stone, Eric Railsback and Patrick Cappiello among others. Passed hors d'oeuvres paired brilliantly with the Grande Cuvée and primed our palates for the deliciousness to come. As guests mixed and mingled, Chef Boulud playfully cradled a signed jeroboam of Krug Grande Cuvée while Lallement deftly handled a Champagne saber. Both were to be auctioned off later in the weekend to benefit ment'or, a nonprofit organization founded by Chefs Daniel Boulud, Thomas Keller and Jérôme Bocuse at the urging of legendary French Chef Paul Bocuse. The organization is devoted to inspiring culinary excellence and preserving the traditions and quality of American cuisine.
The evening's 5-course menu began decadently (was there any other way?) with a duo of caviar from Chef Lallement. First, a delightful black tin of caviar was accompanied by the classic accoutrements of blinis, crème fraîche and a wedge of lemon. Paired with the course were two Krug Champagnes, the 2000 Clos du Mesnil Blanc de Blancs and 2000 Clos d'Ambonnay Blanc de Noirs. While from the same vintage, the two wines represent a yin and yang of sorts. The Clos du Mesnil is made exclusively from Chardonnay harvested from the eponymous, 1.84 hectare, walled vineyard located in the heart of Mesnil-sur-Oger, one of the most iconic villages for Chardonnay in the Champagne region. The Clos d'Ambonnay, on the other hand, is made entirely from Pinot Noir from the Grand Cru village of Ambonnay. This similarly tiny, walled vineyard plot dates back to 1766 and is located on the southeastern slope of the Montagne de Reims. The two fifteen year old Champagnes showed beautifully and while clearly aging with grace, both are still incredibly fresh and youthful. The Clos d'Ambonnay slightly edged out the Clos du Mesnil in pairing with the first caviar, perhaps due to the wine's richer body and texture which synergized with the luxurious mouthfeel of the sturgeon roe. The second incarnation of caviar featured a decadent quenelle of roe atop creamy potato puree with haddock foam (shown above) which favored the acidity of the Clos du Mesnil Blanc de Blancs.
While the first two Champagnes were crafted from one grape and one vineyard from one year, the next duo were quite different. The Krug 2000 is a blend of the three classic Champagne grapes (43% Chardonnay, 42% Pinot Noir and 15% Pinot Meunier) from a variety of carefully selected plots from only one year. It represents a pure expression of the 2000 vintage, an exciting, chaotic year dubbed gourmandise orageuse or "stormy indulgence" by the house. The Krug Grande Cuvée (recreated in 2000) on the other hand was a blend of 118 base wines from 10 different years; the oldest vintage was from 1990, the youngest, 2000. Every bottle of Krug Champagne now features an iD code on the back which, when entered into the Krug website, provides a wealth of information on the wine including tasting notes from Chef de Caves, Eric Lebel, grape varieties used, disgorgement date as well as serving temperature and food pairing recommendations. Some wines even include a musical pairing which for the Krug 2000 is Keziah Jones's song "Lunar" - how's that for attention to detail? The two wines paired deliciously with Chef Boulud's Scallop Saint Jacques with fennel, espelette pepper and orange sanguine.
Chef Lallement's next offering was a succulent, perfectly cooked Halibut with Oignon Paille Vin Jaune which was paired with only one wine, the 1988 Krug Champagne. In contrast to the 2000, the '88 is predominantly Pinot Noir (50%), followed by Chardonnay (32%) and Pinot Meunier (18%) and the bottle served at the dinner was one of only 200 bottles kept at the House until 2015, well after the vintage was released, to gain "additional refinement and complexity." The wine's rich body and opulent, yet elegant flavors of apple galette, hazelnut, mandarin orange and spice made a delightful accompaniment for the delectable halibut. Krug's passion for his family's wines was evident throughout the dinner as he commented on each course, sharing details about Krug history and founder Joseph Krug's unwavering dedication to excellence. "The good house should offer two Champagnes of same quality with the same level of production...there is no hierarchy." He also shared, "There are times you might be tempted to keep elements of mediocre quality and it might work when you blend, it might work out but you should never rely on this option! Otherwise you might...lose your reputation. At Krug, there is no compromise on quality!"
Our final savory course of the evening was Chef Boulud's Veaux de Lait with Quenelle aux Ceps and Sabayon au Champagne paired with the Krug Rosé en jeroboam. This particular bottle was a blend of 56% Pinot Noir, 30% Chardonnay and 14% Pinot Meunier, bottled in the Spring of 2014, after resting quietly in the Krug cellars for eight years. The heady aromatics of this Champagne never cease to release a surge of endorphins into my bloodstream, with fragrant notes of wild strawberry, freshly baked brioche and spice! Skin-fermented Pinot Noir imparts the wine's seductive pink color which, together with its fine, lively bead of bubbles, is the vinous equivalent of a strip tease. On the palate, this wine delivered everything it promised and the pairing was exquisite. When commenting on this particular cuvée, Krug expounded on a comment made by a certain celebrity who has been very forthcoming about her infatuation with Krug Rosé Champagne. Of course I'm talking about my own personal idol, Madonna, who has confessed her guilty pleasure is enjoying Krug Rosé and french fries. To hear Krug's comment on this, please watch the video below - I agree with his perspective 100%!To cap off the evening, we enjoyed the Krug Collection 1985 en magnum paired with a generous wedge of Vivace, a small production, mixed-milk cheese from fromage goddess Soyoung Scanlan's artisanal Andante Dairy in California. The delightful cheese had a thin, bloomy rind encasing a dense, rich paste which echoed the luxurious, nuanced texture of the Champagne. This offering displayed the beautiful patina of age with notes of toffee, honey, gingerbread and spice with a hint of white truffle and hazelnut on the lengthy finish. Aged Champagne is always a special thing but aged Krug is something else entirely - it is surely what is served as you are ushered into the pearly gates!As far as wine events go, La Fête du Champagne's decadent Krug dinner was truly a food and Champagne lover's mic drop moment. After kicking off the weekend with this heavenly dinner I couldn't help but wonder how the other events would compare. Thankfully, this wonderful dinner, while the highlight, set a standard of excellence which was sustained throughout the weekend by a variety of well-curated events and seminars, but more on that later this week.Cheers,
Coco Chanel, Bette Davis, Oscar Wilde, Madame de Pompadour, Marlene Dietrich, Winston Churchill. A list of famous Champagne fans reads like a line out of Madonna’s song “Vogue,” and last month marked the 2nd Annual La Fête du Champagne, a celebration of the iconic French wine region whose name is synonymous with glamour. Held in New York City, the event is the brainchild of Daniel... Read More
The post La Fête du Champagne: Krug Dinner at Daniel feat. Special Guests Olivier Krug & Chef Arnaud Lallement appeared first on The Glamorous Gourmet.
Our latest Fast & Fabulous recipe was inspired by the post-Thanksgiving nirvana of leftovers! Nothing's better than leftovers, am I right? This recipe for Roasted Chicken, Sage, Mushroom & Caramelized Onion Salad can handle just about any leftover you have on hand: chicken or turkey, sage, mushrooms, cranberry, onions and even gravy if you're feeling particularly decadent. Bring. it. on!!!As luck would have it, this dish also pairs brilliantly with any leftover wine you might have on hand - you can even use a leftover white wine to deglaze the pan! A Pinot Noir is especially delicious if you choose to add the dried cranberries but a Chardonnay with a kiss of oak would also be crazy delicious. Then of course there's sparkling wine, don't even get me started! Just have fun and make it your own and stay tuned for the Champagne deliciousness we have in store for you this December.Cheers,
"Roasted Chicken, Mushroom, Sage & Caramelized Onion Salad"Makes 4 servings2 cups pearled barley1/4 cups plus 2 Tablespoons good olive oil2 yellow onions, chopped2 cups chopped cooked chicken or turkey1 lb. mixed mushrooms, purchase pre-sliced & then roughly chop1/4 cup chopped fresh sage leaves1/2 cup dry white wine1/2 cup dried cranberries or cherries (optional)Kosher salt & freshly ground black pepperLemon wedges for serving1.) In a saucepan, cook pearled barley according to package directions until just tender, about 30 minutes. Drain and place in a large bowl.2.) In a large skillet, heat 2 Tablespoons olive oil over med-high heat. Add onion and saute until tender, approximately 5 minutes. Then, reduce heat to medium-low and cook until onions are light golden brown, approximately 10-15 minutes.3.) Increase heat to med-high again and add mushrooms to the pan with the onions. Saute until mushrooms are cooked and lightly browned, approximately 10-15 minutes. Then add chopped sage, chicken and dried cranberries to the skillet and stir well to combine. Cook until just heated through and add mixture to barley in the large bowl.4.) Return pan to burner and add wine to the pan. Bring to boil over med-high heat and stir well, getting all the browned bits off the bottom of the pan. Cook for an additional 3-5 minutes, until liquid is slightly thickened and then pour over the salad. Stir well to combine and season liberally with Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. 5.) Serve in large bowls, drizzled with olive oil with lemon wedges.
Our latest Fast & Fabulous recipe was inspired by the post-Thanksgiving nirvana of leftovers! Nothing’s better than leftovers, am I right? This recipe for Roasted Chicken, Sage, Mushroom & Caramelized Onion Salad can handle just about any leftover you have on hand: chicken or turkey, sage, mushrooms, cranberry, onions and even gravy if you’re feeling particularly decadent. Bring. it. on!!! As luck would have... Read More
The post Fast & Fabulous: Roasted Chicken, Sage, Mushroom & Caramelized Onion Salad appeared first on The Glamorous Gourmet.
As we kick off December, or Champagne month as I like to call it, I thought it only appropriate to go with a fabulous, sparkling wine-related Wine Word of the Week like dosage! Who knows, during this time of year it just might come up in casual, wine-related conversation and THEN who will look like the wine expert?Sparkling wines like Champagne which are made using the méthode traditionnelle undergo a process called disgorgement which happens after the wine has undergone its secondary fermentation (for more info on the méthode traditionnelle, we've got ya covered here). In the video below, Winemaker Keith Hock of California's acclaimed Schramsberg Vineyards "disgorges" a bottle of sparkling wine, and as you can see, a small amount of wine is lost when the temporary crown cap is removed. To replace the lost wine, a mixture of cane or beet sugar and wine is added to the bottle which is referred to as the dosage, or liqueur d'expedition. In addition to filling up the bottle, the dosage is also important because it determines the level of sweetness of the finished wine. As a reference, in order of least to most sweet, those levels are:(1) brut nature or sans dosage: no sugar is added(2) extra brut: less than 6 grams/liter of sugar is added(3) brut: the most common style, less than 15 grams/liter of sugar is added(4) extra dry or extra sec: 12-20 grams/liter of sugar is added(5) sec: slightly sweet: 17-35 grams/liter of sugar is added(6) demi-sec: 35-50 grams/liter of sugar is added(7) doux: very sweet, more than 50 grams/liter of sugar is addedFor Champagne, these levels are set forth by French wine law but in the US these terms have no legal definition. Suffice it to say for most New World sparkling wines like those from California, the term "Brut" on the label generally means the wine in the bottle will be crisp and dry. Keep in mind, even a dry-tasting sparkling wine has a little sugar in it to balance the wine's naturally high acidity.For previous Wine Words of the Week, please click here and if you have a wine word you'd like to learn more about, please leave it in the comment section below!Cheers,
As we kick off December, or Champagne month as I like to call it, I thought it only appropriate to go with a fabulous, sparkling wine-related Wine Word of the Week like dosage! Who knows, during this time of year it just might come up in casual, wine-related conversation and THEN who will look like the wine expert? Sparkling wines like Champagne which are made using the... Read More
The post Wine Word of the Week: “Dosage” appeared first on The Glamorous Gourmet.
While I sincerely adore each and every classic Thanksgiving dish from stuffing to sweet potatoes, this year I'll be treating my guests to a delightful "amuse bouche" before we dig into the main meal. This deliciously Decadent Butternut Squash Bisque will prime everyone's palates for the meal to come and, as an added bonus, it can even be prepared well in advance!
I must admit I came late to the butternut squash party. It wasn't until my friend Crissi introduced me to her Mom's recipe for butternut squash purée a few years ago that I became smitten with its silky texture and incredible flavor. There's just something about the way this relatively pedestrian gourd transforms in the presence of butter, cream and a few basic seasonings to create utterly decadent deliciousness! Of course it also doesn't hurt that I was able to snap up these adorable Staub ceramic pumpkin mini cocottes which just happen to be the perfect serving dishes for the soup.
Regardless of what you serve it in, this soup will dazzle your guests with its delicious flavor and luxurious texture. You'll also earn some serious "kitchen cred" for toasting the butternut squash seeds yourself!
For your convenience, you can make the soup and toast the seeds up to three days in advance. Just be sure to stop after puréeing and wait until you reheat it just prior to serving to add the half & half and butter. The seeds can easily be stored in an airtight container at room temperature. I look forward to enjoying this soup all Winter long, preferably paired with a fabulous glass of full-bodied Chardonnay or Viognier - for even more seasonally-inspired white wines, click here.
And if you’d like to receive a decadent morsel of deliciousness in your inbox every Saturday, please sign up to receive my free, weekly newsletter, “The GG Guide to Wine + Food” by clicking here. It’s a treasure trove of seasonally-inspired, Sommelier-selected wines, recipes, pairings + travel tips. xo
PRINT RECIPE"DECADENT BUTTERNUT SQUASH BISQUE"
Makes 6-8 "amuse" size portions
INGREDIENTS
3 Tablespoons good olive oil
1 medium butternut squash, peeled & cubed
1 1/2 cups chopped yellow onion
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped carrots
2-3 garlic cloves, minced
6 cups chicken stock
Kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup half & half
2 Tablespoons butter
Sour cream + toasted butternut squash seeds for garnish (see recipe below)
INSTRUCTIONS
Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.
Place cubed squash on a baking sheet + drizzle with 1 Tablespoon of olive oil. Season with Kosher salt and pepper + toss to coat. Bake for 30-40 minutes, until squash is tender but not browned. Set aside.
Heat remaining olive oil over medium heat in a soup pot. Add onion, celery + carrots + saute for 7-10 minutes, until vegetables are tender but not browned. Add minced garlic + saute for an additional 2 minutes, until garlic is fragrant. Add cubed, roasted squash to the pot + stir to combine. Then, add the chicken stock + bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to low + simmer, covered for 30 minutes.
Turn burner off +, using a hand blender, purée soup in the pot. Otherwise purée in batches using a blender (be careful using a blender with hot soup!). Stir in half & half + season to taste with Kosher salt + freshly ground black pepper.
Immediately before serving stir in butter +, once melted, serve soup garnished with a dollop of sour cream + roasted butternut squash seeds.
"TOASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH SEEDS"
INGREDIENTS
Seeds from a butternut squash, rinsed & dried with paper towels
Kosher or sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Smoked paprika or piment d'espelette (optional)
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Make sure any bits of squash have been removed from the butternut squash seeds + spread evenly on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil + sprinkle liberally with Kosher salt + pepper, toss to coat.
Lightly sprinkle with smoked paprika or other desired seasoning to taste + bake in the oven for 7-10 minutes checking to make sure they don't burn. They're done when they're lightly browned + fragrant. Set aside to cool before using or eating.
Sign up to get the latest on sales, new releases and more …
© 2025 The Wine Atelier
