Katrina Holden, former editor of National Liquor News and Drinks Trade, and now founder and ‘Chief Editorial Officer’ of Sip Your Style (a great new Australian website about the flavours and faces of drinks and style) invites author, educator and media personality Champagne Jayne to The Bentley in Sydney’s Surry Hills to chat about the historical role of women in the champagne industry and Jayne’s own recent international winning streak, over a sparkling flute of Champagne Lancelot Pienne (a deliciously fresh blanc de blancs grower champagne from Cramant).

Learn more about Sip Your Style: http://www.sipyourstyle.com.au

Learn more about Champagne Jayne: http://champagnejayne.com/speaker/

Learn more about The Bentley: http://www.thebentley.com.au

Thankfully since the Vichy government instituted the National Day of Mothers (Fete Des Meres) in 1945, French mums now receive flowers, cards and perfumes, and usually a grand family dinner in their honour. Champagne is of course the wine of choice at these annual celebrations all over the world.

Here are my recommendations to celebrate your mum with two of Australia’s best value champagnes on the market:

Champagne Duperrey Brut Rose

A blend of all three classic champagne grape varieties, relative newcomer Champagne Duperrey is without doubt the best value NV rose champagne currently on offer. Deep salmon pink in colour and  inviting to the eye, with intense summer fruits on the nose, followed by strawberry & cherry flavours & zippy acidity on the palate and a nice winey after taste. This little pink number is great with pan fried salmon fillets or any tomato based pasta dish. Fresh & funky with broad appeal – and retailing at less than $45  - Champagne Duperrey Brut Rose is perfect for a mothers day sparkling treat.

Champagne Lanson Gold 2002

Grape Variety: 35% Chardonnay, 50% Pinot Noir, 15% Pinot Meunier.

2002 is recognised as one of the best recent vintages in Champagne and this bright vibrant youthful cuvee from Lanson represents fantastic value for money. Bright green gold hues, butter & honeysuckle on the nose and granny smith fresh acidity & delicious length on the palate – reminds me of lemon sherbet sweeties from childhood. A stylish champagne to match with any celebratory seafood dish to spoil mum and a bubbly bargain at only $56.95

Both these champagnes are available at discounted prices online!

Learn more at www.champagnejayne.com.

Have Champagne Jayne as a special ingredient for your next event. E:info@champagnejayne.com

What would your mother think if you told her that after a series of anonymous text messages inviting you to a family style dinner with the Godfather you just decided to follow instructions and proceed to a secret address?  The invitation declared “There’s one rule, leave the gun take the cannoli.” Crikey I thought, will this be a memorable Sex and the City style Sydney moment or more like Blighty’s Blind Date?

Fortunately I’d already heard good things about one of Sydney’s most innovative young  guerilla dining outfits (headed up by the savvy @msdarlinghurst) and I was suitably delighted to arrive to the warm welcome of a traditional Sicilian Spritz (a refreshing cocktail combining orange bitters, prosecco and soda water) and relaxed easy table talk conversation right from the get go. Sante!

Overrun by Greeks, Germans, the Spanish and then the French during its turbulent history(before being united with the rest of Italy in 1860), Sicily is in fact the largest island in the mediterranean, renowned for its almonds, citrus fruits, olives and its interesting rustic wine styles (Sicily actually produces more wine than New Zealand, Austria and Hungary combined but until recently was only known for its fortified wines).

However Sicily is probably most famous for being the birth place of the Mafia as recounted in that multi-oscar award winning 1970′s classic movie “The Godfather” and hence the need for an authentic local venue to host our secret foodie feast….

Caffe Sicilia delivered in spades – there were rather swish looking gold masks dotted around the nicely laid out communal tables and plenty of suited and booted real Italians gliding happily around the place. I’m glad to report that I didn’t spot any guns or gangsters at this popular one year old Surry Hills restaurant, located at the Paris end of hot Sydney eat street – The Crown St precinct as I like to call it.

Our delightful hosts for the evening Alex and Donna from Secret Foodies danced skilfully between tables and courses ensuring  group conversation bubbled along effortlessly, whilst the Caffe Sicilia kitchen team presented an enjoyable 5 course menu showcasing fresh produce and small dishes from their homeland. My favourite dish of the night was the seared fanned 30 day aged sirloin steak with a burnt rosemary and green peppercorn oil, served with Lyonnaise potatoes – I loved the cute presentation of this meat and potato plate with a twist and the ingredients were melt in your mouth and nicely flavoured. As an added bonus I also got to meet a host of lovely fellow ex-pats on the night and enjoyed sparkling conversation and simple food in pleasant company. What a great way to go out to dinner on your own. On my way home it felt like I’d just been at an extended family dinner – and most importantly that I would be happy to do it all over again soon.

Juicy Details:

For more information about more upcoming Secret Foodies events click here

For more information about Caffe Sicilia click here

Did you know that if you dine at Caffe Sicilia during the month of May – you can help a great cause as you tuck into italian classics in a relaxing European style setting.

‘OzHarvest Menu’

(Available in May) Three courses for $60 per person

$30 from each $60 menu sold, which is the equivalent of providing 30 meals to those in need, will be going to OzHarvest

Entrée Rolled homemade egg pasta, filled with prawns and cuttlefish, baked in thyme and Chardonnay wine reduction

Main Pork belly “Confettura” in Sicilian spices and herb infusion, served on parsley and vinegar potato puree with homemade Sicilian mint jelly

Dessert Sicilian pistachio tart with a mascarpone mousse

Add a glass of Tasca d’Almerita Regaleali Bianco 2010 (Sicily) glass of Terre di Ginestra Calatrasi Nero d’Avola 2008 (Sicily)

$ 60 per person / $ 75 per person with wine (min 2 people)

Fore more information about Champagne Jayne click here

]]> http://champagnejayne.com/sicilian-secret-spritz/feed/ 0 http://champagnejayne.com/intercontinental-taste-sensation-in-sydney/ http://champagnejayne.com/intercontinental-taste-sensation-in-sydney/#comments Fri, 04 May 2012 00:55:04 +0000 jayne http://champagnejayne.com/?p=5576

Given that the Intercontinental hotels brand was born from Pan American World Airways (the famous 20th century airline pioneer world renowned for its exceptional levels of service) perhaps its no surprise that its local ambassador on Macquarie St now offers a tasting room where Sydneysiders can enjoy the delights of a private supper with a twist.

For these one-off luxury dining experiences, 20 guests are seated at a long communal table in a private room within the Cafe Opera restaurant and their taste buds transported to the heart of Champagne. The first event (May 16th 2012) features an impressive selection from Champagne Ruinart, the oldest house which first opened its doors in 1729. A five-course French inspired degustation menu is presented by InterContinental Sydney’s executive head chef Tamas Pamer and executive sous chef Julien Pouteau, with each dish finely matched to champagne by Moet Hennessy’s resident connoisseur Greg Williams. This is a sensory experience to die for. Guests can choose to extend their luxury experience with an overnight stay in one of Intercontinental Sydney’s Club Intercontinental guest rooms and suites

Now that’s what I call a massive Mother’s Day Gift!

Juicy Details

Where: Tasting room at Cafe Opera, Intercontinental Sydney, 117 Macquarie St, Sydney NSW2000

When: 6.30pm, Wednesday May 16th, 2012

What: $290 per person, including 5 course champagne and food matching degustation. Luxry overnight stay from $450

Bookings: 02 9240 1396 

Dig The Dirt On Champagne

Travel in signature style with well known author, speaker and independent reviewer Champagne Jayne on the back roads and byways of the ancient Champagne region in search of new discoveries, as you meet the most talented makers and experience the incredible stories behind the bubbles of this iconic luxury brand (and then impress your friends with your new found knowledge when you get home).

Champagne Jayne’s extraordinary passion for her subject, combined with her inside connections, category knowledge and consummate French language skills, provides you with the equivalent of a backstage pass to the wine industry’s red carpet party – the incomparable wine that is Champagne. Her expertise and commercial independence ensures your journey is full of incredible experiences and discoveries you simply cannot get on any other tour.

Learn What’s Really Behind The Bubbles

For example, you will learn that we aren’t the first people to love traveling through the champagne region. When the Romans set up holiday homes in France BC, Paris was little more than a big village whereas Reims (then called Durocortorum) was already a thriving metropolis of 100,000 inhabitants and capital of Belgian Gaul. Today, of course, Reims is the capital of the Champagne region and home to the majority of the most famous houses.

You will also learn what it takes to make a “Champagne”. This sparkling wine style is unique to the Champagne region and a result of the combined effects of soil, orientation, climate and cultivation practises as well as history and commerce. For any lover of Champagne, the experience of seeing how the wine is made is unforgettable.

Discover Your Personal Champagne Style

On this extensive voyage of discovery you will take in all the important historical landmarks, significant cultural highlights and naturally sample the very finest Champagne producers large and small as you meander through the fascinating sub regions of the kingdom of Champagne on a magical sensory expedition. Optional special ingredients include a private champagne master chef demonstration class and a lesson in how to make chocolate from the local experts. Every tour is personally hosted by Champagne Educator of the Year 2012 Jayne Powell and guaranteed to come with memories that last a lifetime!

3 Day, 5 day, and 7 day Fully Escorted Tours and Bespoke Luxury Travel Incentives to Champagne available on demand. Please email: info@champagnejayne.com to arrange a complimentary consultation to discuss your specific requirements.

New World Frontier Fizz Trails

Along with Tasmania, the Yarra Valley is now recognised as one of Australia’s foremost cool climate wine regions, where since the 1970s artisan producers have been making award winning exceptional sparkling wines from the classic Champagne varieties of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.

Across the ditch, buckets of sunshine, a favourable temperate climate plus the use of the latest winemaking technology have enabled New Zealand’s Marlborough region to produce outstanding sparkling wine wines, now acclaimed throughout the world.

On these New World Frontier Fizz Trails to the sparkling hotspots around Australia and New Zealand, you will meet with award winning sparkling wine-makers, learn the real stories behind the bubbles and tantalise your taste buds on the freshest local produce perfectly matched to the best sparkling wines Australia and New Zealand have to offer…

2 Day, 3 day and 5 day Fully Escorted Tours and Luxury Travel Incentives available on demand. Please email: info@champagnejayne.com to arrange a complimentary consultation to discuss your specific requirements.

The ultimate VIP interactive experience for extra special occasions. Explore the magical world of Champagne and discover its secrets. Champagne Jayne’s engaging & accessible style combined with her extensive effervescent knowledge guarantees to impress. Champagnes on show are expertly matched to culinary delights from around the world using either in-house specialists or celebrity chefs. The matching champagnes will be de-mystified by Champagne Jayne, creating shared longterm memories…

View Sample Champagne Master Class Menu by Mark Best

“If you’re a serious bubbly fan then you must book into a Champagne Jayne Masterclass!”

Trudi Jenkins, Editor in Chief Australian Gourmet Traveller & Delicious Magazines

Add Champagne Jayne as a special ingredient to your next event: Enquire now

Or contact the Champagne Jayne team E: info@champagnejayne.com

Celebrate Melbourne Food & Wine Festival 20th Anniversary in Sparkling Style!

Pamper your palate and discover the secret history of champagne, as you unravel the fascinating stories of the powerful women behind the bubbles.

Hosted literally at the ‘peak’ of fine dining in Melbourne (the legendary Vue de Monde) this truly decadent champagne and food matching sensory journey, expressly designed to celebrate the twentieth anniversary of Melbourne’s iconic Food and Wine Festival, is guaranteed to tantalise your taste buds and delight all your senses.

A Five course degustation ladies lunch designed by Shannon Bennett, matched to five prestige champagnes by Australia’s champagne expert Champagne Jayne (author of “Champagnes – Behind The Bubbles” Winner of Gourmand 2011 Best French Wine Book (Australia) Award …)

Having a champagne lunch with Jayne is an experience no-one will ever forget… and which will have you talking for years. Watch Champagne Jayne in action on Channel 10 The Circle and Channel 7 The Morning Show.

Limited seating available at this special anniversary event – only $295 per person for a five course lunch matched to champagne. View this event in the Festival Program

This effervescent evening will showcase the leading ladies of champagne (past and present day) and includes a relaxed tutored tasting of 5 different grand cru and prestige cuvee champagne styles matched to Fute’s delicious canape menu:

Reception : ‘Champagne Charlie’ Heidsieck

Mushroom Crostini

Bracket A

The Women Behind The Bubbles

Champagne Philippe Gonet Belemnita 2004 (Le Mesnil)

Champagne Paul Bara Grand Rose (Bouzy)

Champagne Pommery Cuvee Louise 1999

Petrossian Smoked Salmon with creme fraiche on toast points

Bracket B

Voted No 1 Champagne in the world

Champagne Armand de Brignac (Gold)

Flute Fries seasoned with Truffle Salt

You can also participate in this fabulous tasting online and learn more about these wonderful champagnes by following the twitter hashtag #IWDCJ12

About Champagne Jayne

Award-winning author and Champagne Educator of the Year 2012, Jayne Powell (aka Champagne Jayne) is a media commentator, independent reviewer and expert in champagne. Her palette remains a ‘free agent’, unrestricted by any brand sponsorship. A fluent speaker in French, Jayne is considered a friend to family members of many of the champagne houses in France and a great ambassador for champagne internationally. Jayne regularly hosts champagne ‘edu-tainment’ nights around the world, and is a sought- after corporate speaker for many of Australia’s Top 100 companies.

About Flute Bar London

Flûte opened in London’s Great Portland Street last December selling 100 Champagnes by the bottle and 25 by the glass. The bar also offers 10 Champagne flights featuring different styles and grape varieties. The chain, founded by Frenchman Hervé Rousseau, began in Midtown Manhattan in 1997, followed by another in Gramercy Park, New York City, in 2000. A third bar opened in Paris’s 17th arrondissement in 2006. Flute London is the fourth bar in this champagne chain!

More information www.champagnejayne.com

All media enquiries Georgia Macmillan E: georgia@georgiamacmillan.com or M: +61 409 643 211

Best Buying Team/ buyer off trade

Majestic

Best Buying Team/ buyer on  trade

Bibendum

Best independent Champagne retailer

Lea & Sandeman

Best mulitple champagne retailer

Waitrose

Best online/direct sales champagne retailer

Wine Society

Champagne venue of the year

Amuse Bouche (Parsons Green)

Champagne educator of the year

Jayne Powell aka Champagne Jayne

For more information about Harper’s Champagne Summit and the social media champagne tweetchat masterclass #CJCS12 please visit www.champagnejayne.com

• To reward and honour those who “cook with words”.
• To help readers find the best out of the 26000 food and wine books produced every year.
• To help book retailers find the best 50 food and wine books of the year
• To increase knowledge and respect for food and wine culture around the world.

In 2012 a total of 162 countries entered the Gourmand Awards and the shortlist for the Gourmand Awards 2012 comprises 71 countries. Winners from 37 countries will be called to the stage on Tuesday March 6th in Paris, with only 5 countries winning three awards or more:

France
USA
China
Australia
Spain

Here are all the juicy details about the best Wine Books in the world 2012:

1. – THE WORLD OF WINE

W-1.1. – Hall of Fame 

Australia – Wine, Terroir and Climate Change, Dr. John Gladstones (Wakefield Press)

W-1-2. – Wine Book Publisher 

Australia – Hardie Grant

W-1-3. – Wine Magazine

France – Terre de Vins

W-1-4. – Wine Book of the Year

China – Fine Drink (Hubei Science and Technology)

France – Les Ignorants, Étienne Davodeau, Richard Leroy (Futuropolis)

Hong-Kong – Mastering Wine for the Asian Palate, Jeannie Cho Lee, MW (Asset Publishing)

USA – Authentic Wine, toward natural and sustainable wine making, Jamie Goode, Sam Harrop MW (University of California Press)

W-1-5. – French Wine Book of the Year 

*** Australia – Champagnes, Behind the Bubbles-Champagne Jayne, (Arbon Publishing)

China – Cahors, Les Grands Millésimes de Malbec, He Nong (Lijiang Publishing House)

France – Le Guide des Vins de Bordeaux, Jacques Dupont (Grasset)

USA – The Seasons of Veuve Clicquot, Stéphane Gerschel (Rizzoli)

W-1-6. – Europe except France 

Austria – Weinbuch Osterreich, Klaus Peter (Krenn)

France – Vignobles et Vins de Rioja, Jöel Brémond (Presses Universitaires de Dijon)

Italy – Il Vino in Sardegna, Anna Saderi (Ilisso)

USA – Madeira, the Island Vineyard, Noël Cossart, Emanuel Berk (The Rare Wine Company)

W-1-7. – New World Wines 

Australia – Heart and Soul-Australia’s First Families of Wine, Graeme Lofts (John Wiley Australia)

Austria – Chinese Art-Chinese Wine, Gernot Langes-Swarovski, Rudolf Lantschbauer, Cai Yu Lan (Bodega Langes)

Canada – Island Wineries of British Columbia, Gary Hynes (Touchwood)

Finland – Maistuu viinien kanssa Chilen viini Heikki Remes (Moreeni)

W-1-8. – Wine Tourism 

France – Sur la Route des Vins du Rhône, Mauris, Bompas (Hachette Tourisme)

Japan – Drinking Japan – Chris Bunting (Tuttle)

Spain – Turismo del Vino, F. Xavier Medina (Universitat Oberta de Catalunya)

USA – Tasting the good Life-Wine Tourism in Napa Valley, George Gmelch, Sharon Bohn Gmelch (Indiana University Press)

W-1-9. – Guides – VACANT in 2011 

W-1-10. – Professionals 

Czech – Degustacni Prirucka, Jan Stávek (Radix)

France – Voyage au Coeur d‘une Bulle de Champagne,Gerard Liger-Belair (Odile Jacob)

Italy – Ampelografia Universale Storica Illustrata – Illustrated Historical Universal Ampelography (L’Artistica Editrice)

USA – How to Import Wine, Deborah Gray (Wine Appreciation Guild)

W-1-11. – Translation 

Argentina – Wine is a Passion, Alfredo Terzano, Mariana Gil Juncal (Baco Club)

Belgium – 100 Vintages, Michel Chasseuil (Tectum)

Brazil – 210 Coqueteis Essenciais, Evelyn Kay Massaro (Melhoramentos)

France – Les Dernières Vendanges de Merle, William S. Merwin, Luc de Goustine (Fanlac)

THE GOURMAND AWARDS 2012 VENUE

Built at the end of the 19th Century and made famous by likes of Maurice Chevalier and Josephine Baker, The Folies Bergere theatre is the most historical Music Hall in Paris. The Gourmand Best in the World are announced March 6, 2012, starting at 20H30. The awards will be followed by a champagne cocktail, with champagne Gosset and cognac Frapin. The event will be filmed by various television stations, including the China Food Network (special guests at the 2012 Paris Cookbook Fair).

To mark this very special event Champagne Jayne has been asked by the organisers to host a special champagne masterclass for VIP media on the opening day of the Paris CookBook Fair 2012. Follow #PCBF2012 for updates.

For more information about Jayne’s award winning book “Champagnes – Behind The Bubbles” please visit http://champagnejayne.com/champagne-book/

Media enquiries please contact Georgia Macmillan: georgia@georgiamacmillan.com +61 409 643 211