Champagne mon amour
Chardonnay accounts for 31% of all grapes in Champagne and it grows particularly well on its chalky terroir. It is championed for elegant, fragrant wines bursting with floral, citrus and tasty mineral notes.
Champagne is one of the world’s strictest regulated wine regions. By law, all grapes have to be harvested by hand.
He elaborates, ‘The pace of climate change is a huge challenge for our vineyards; at a few of them, we initiated public projects in favour of biodiversity, that spark curiosity and attract other wine growers who want to learn about it. It allows us to share our expertise in viticulture and push the conversation forward. After all, sustainability is a team sport.’
Ruinart’s sustainability efforts don’t stop there: its eco-designed Second Skin packaging reduced its carbon footprint by 60%, and stylishly wraps around its flagship Blanc de Blancs, arguably the world’s most popular champagne made from 100% Chardonnay. It tastes crisp yet smooth, and I love its aromatic freshness bursting with juicy pear, white peach and gingered citrus. I call it the soulmate of seafood because the two pair so well.
While that Blanc de Blancs is all about consistency, Ruinart has now released a new one called Blanc Singulier, which reflects a year’s particular moods of nature, and is a witness to the evolution of climate. The first release is based on 2018 and has no dosage; yet it tastes round and charming, with notes of fresh white fruit, candied citrus and floral spices. A contemporary champagne reflecting the signs of our times. Liquid zeitgeist, you know.
Its third and top Blanc de Blancs is the Prestige Cuvée Dom Ruinart and represents the pinnacle of Panaïotis’ craft: a true masterpiece with its deeply chalky, elegant richness. Its upcoming release is 2013, which I believe is the most electric yet, and it was aged in the beautiful crayères – the ancient white chalk cellars are a UNESCO World Heritage Site and open to the public. A must-visit when in the region; just don’t forget your cashmere sweater, as it is chilly down there.
As if these cellars weren’t magnificent enough, Ruinart decorated them with specially commissioned contemporary art. Ruinart is famed for its art engagement, particularly the Carte Blanche programme – an annual art collaboration showcased at major art fairs such as Art Basel and Frieze, and its 2024 edition Conversations with Nature highlights the maison’s ongoing dialogue with nature in the Champagne region. After a week-long trip to Champagne and my sixth harvest, it is time to drive home – or better – glide home. Because that is how smooth long-distance travel in the fully electric Audi SQ8 e-tron feels. I can’t help but admire its quietly intelligent driving experience, its navigation also guiding us to high-speed charging stations along the way. Like Ruinart, Audi is heading tastefully into the future, planning to introduce only fully electric models from 2026 onwards.
As we cross the border into Switzerland, we decide to round off our trip with a cheeky stopover at the legendary Hotel Les Trois Rois in Basel. It is a lighthouse of deluxe hospitality and knows how to infuse fantastic service with human warmth, perfectly demonstrated by its charismatic General Manager, Philippe D Clarinval. We treat ourselves to a night in its wonderful River Junior Suite, and a delicious dinner at the in-house brasserie, enjoying our schnitzel and seafood risotto paired with a bottle of Dom Ruinart 2010. Here’s to a tasteful future. Santé!
An estate lovingly renovated in a Lombard style provides a platform for one of the most sensual chefs in Switzerland to demonstrate his skills. His name: Federico Palladino. His accolades include a star in the Michelin Guide as well as 16 points and the title of Aufsteiger des Jahres 2024 (Up-and-comer of the year 2024) from Gault Millau. Palladino, who also cooks for the after-school care facility next to his restaurant, combines the quality consciousness and finesse of haute cuisine with the feel-good factor of an Italian mama’s kitchen. For example, his signature dish is spaghettoni with smoked Gotthard butter, burnt Amalfi lemon and gilt-head bream sashimi.
The pasta comes from Massimo Mancini, the only producer in Italy who grows the durum wheat used in his products himself, as Palladino knows that there should also be no compromises when shopping for ingredients. The egg pasta is, of course, home made – and extremely popular. Leading the way in the popularity stakes is the bottoni with its different seasonal fillings, closely followed by the taglioni which contains 30 egg yolks per kilo of pasta. It would be too boring for Palladino if all he did was act as a steward of the culinary heritage of his Italian homeland. Instead, he takes the grand classics of Italian cuisine and turns them upside down and inside out, albeit without corrupting their heart and soul. We were blown away by his interpretation of vitello tonnato, comprising a piece of braised veal tongue with a robust jus, carne cruda made from veal fillet, a tuna foam and pickled caper leaves.
Palladino is also masterful in his preparation of poultry, roasting quail and pigeon breast to a perfect pink colour and adding a glaze made from locally sourced honey. At the magical Osteria Cuntitt, coffee is something that is not only made in a machine, it is also used to make a mousse that forms the basis of a wonderful dessert together with salted caramel, caramel brittle and milk glacé. Fantastico!
Words Dan Roznov
Photos Dan Roznov & Mathieu Bonnevie
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