The secrets behind the bubbles by Laurent-Perrier
Monday 06th July
Who is speaking?
Laurent-Perrier is our official Champagne partner and is exclusively served during our iconic High Palms High Tea experience in the renowned Winter Garden.
Laurent-Perrier is the main company of the Laurent-Perrier Group, whose other flagship brands include the houses of Salon Champagne, De Castellane and Delamotte. In 2004, the group has also acquired Chateau Malakoff, with a total of 1,200 grape growers with supply contracts, Laurent-Perrier exports to more than 120 countries.
“Too much of anything is bad, but too much champagne is just right.”
-F. Scott Fitzgerald
The fizz, the bubbly, the champers, the bubbles how we call is the perfect match for any occasion we have to celebrate; to say goodbye to a dear friend at a farewell party, to congrats a colleague on his/her newly announced wedding, to cheers for the 50th Birthday of our aunt or uncle, or even because it has been a long time and the night seems perfect for a treat.
Champagne is definitely a symbol of luxury, it also goes well with any type of food, with an appetizer such as foie gras or a truffle dish or even with desserts and with the favourite of us all..a lovely afternoon tea with freshly baked scones.
The question is what is behind this glamorous drink that we all fancy and why is Champagne so prestigious?
Did you know?
Champagne is named after the region where its grown, fermented and bottled, in Champagne, a region located in the northeast corner of France. It is interesting to know that not any sparkling wine can be labelled as Champagne, the only labels that are legally allowed to have the name “Champagne” are bottled within 100 miles of this region according to the European Law.
The “Maisons” as they are called, located in this region are very prestigious and their lands even more, nowadays the beautiful hills of the Champagne region include 76,000 acres and 319 villages.
What makes Champagne unique and luxurious?
Champagne is made with a specific method called méthode champenoise this is why Champagne wine is different from any sparkling wine. This method is known as “fermented in a bottle” method because there is a two-steps fermentation process; the first step is the fermentation of the grape juice into alcohol and the second step is to bottle the alcohol to trap CO2 gas which forms the trademark bubbles (winemakers call it “Le tirage” step of the process).
High quality sparkling wine is a labor-intensive process. Winemakers must add sugar, yeast, and yeast nutrients, allow time for carbonation to develop in individual bottles and then remove dead yeast cells (this step is called “Le Remuage” or Riddling) to reveal pure Champagne.
The bubbly as we call it also receives its distinguished name because of the grapes used to produce it. The grapes are grown in a mild climate with chalky and mineral-rich soil, the flavour of these grapes is truly unique.
The only grapes that can be used to make Champagne are:
- Pinot Noir
- Pinot Meunier
- Chardonnay
- Pinot Blanc
- Pinot Gris
- Petit Meslier
- Arbane
All grapes that are used in Champagne must be handpicked and pressed in a covered environment.
Laurent-Perrier, a pionneer in Champagne
Champagne Laurent-Perrier was founded in 1812, but the story is really one of modern renaissance. Family-owned yet internationally recognised as one of the foremost names in Champagne, their success can be attributed to challenging conventional techniques, whilst honouring traditional values.
Tradition and innovation are the keywords for a production process rooted in quality and faithful to the Laurent-Perrier house style. A style born out of the vision of one man, Bernard de Nonancourt, who from 1950 created champagnes based on freshness, finesse and elegance. Beyond the style, what defines Laurent-Perrier is his pioneering spirit as an innovator in Champagne.
“There are two key factors to success. Put simply it is: quality of the people and quality of the product”. – Bernard de Nonancourt
Laurent-Perrier is renowned for achieving many firsts – in the late 1950s the House introduced the first multi-vintage prestige cuvée, Grand Siècle by Laurent-Perrier, which represents the epitome of Laurent-Perrier’s ‘art of assemblage’.
Twenty years on, they were the first Champagne House to reintroduce the concept of brut nature champagne, with Laurent-Perrier Ultra Brut. Laurent-Perrier was also the pioneer of the rosé revolution, with the unique Laurent-Perrier Cuvée Rosé Brut, first launched in 1968 – the benchmark rosé to which all others aspire.
There are eight Champagnes in the award-winning range, from the quintessential Cuvée Rosé to the luxurious Grand Siècle.
The Royal Warrant
In 1998, the quality of Laurent-Perrier’s champagnes was officially recognised when HRH The Prince of Wales awarded Laurent-Perrier his Royal Warrant and Champagne Laurent-Perrier remains the first and only champagne house to bear his Warrant.
Laurent-Perrier at The Landmark London
Champagne Laurent-Perrier is served at the world’s best addresses and now in collaboration with The iconic Landmark London.With the same respect for tradition, The Landmark London considers Afternoon Tea an art, and has been perfecting and refining the experience for over a century. Enjoyed since the opening in 1899 in the stunning Winter Garden, there is nowhere more enchanting to indulge in an unforgettable and quintessentially English tradition, now served with the finest Laurent-Perrier champagnes.
Book our Laurent-Perrier Rosé Champagne High Palms High Tea, and indulge in an unforgettable experience in the stunning Winter Garden Restaurant. Enjoy a glass of Laurent Perrier Rosé Champagne (or more), assorted sandwiches, freshly baked scones with jam and clotted cream, French pastries from The Landmark London patisserie and a choice from a selection of freshly brewed leaf teas.
