In the small world of those vinifying in oak casks in Champagne, there is no shortage of news in these days. And particularly from some prestigious names like Selosse, Giraud or Bollinger. But for very different reasons indeed.
For Champagne Jacques Selosse in Avize, thieves broke into the producer on the night of March 21 and stole more than 300 cases of bubbly worth nearly $350,000. They also took approximately 16,000 front labels, 12,000 neck labels and 2,500 caps, which raises the possibility of counterfeits in the marketplace. For Champagne Henri Giraud in Aÿ, the news come from the US wine critic Robert Parker who wrote a few weeks ago on www.erobertparker.com: “That is the way I think Krug SHOULD taste.” A few weeks before the Giraud Ateliers unveil, as a world premiere on the 21st and 22nd of April, the results of 25 years of research on the ageing of wine in oak barrels (read here), this announcement has created some new buzz about the champagne house that produces “Fût de Chêne”. And now Champagne Bollinger in Ay, which has been historically a discreet house, is in the spotlight: his cellar master, Mathieu Kauffmann just left. After the departure of the sales and marketing director, Stephen Leroux (now head of Charles Heidsieck), the French newspaper L’Union announced that Mathieu Kauffmann was leaving Bollinger. He has been Bollinger’s Cellar Master since 2004 as it is still mentionned on their website. He did not want to communicate the reasons for his departure, nor a possible new position.
And of course this sudden announcement will feed the discussions between wine professionals during the tasting of the 2012 vins clairs in a few weeks…
(You can reach the writer at info@vitabella.fr)
