French kings were anointed with champagne. During the 17th, 18th and 19th century European royalty spread the message of the unique sparkling wine from Champagne and its association with luxury and power. The leading manufacturers devoted considerable energy to creating a history and identity for their wine, associating it and themselves with nobility and royalty. With the emergence of the middle class, champagne became a symbol of upward mobility and luxury. Since their earliest days the noble wines from France’s Champagne region were synonymous with wealth, luxury, power.
Champagne is made from a blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, or Pinot Blanc grapes.
While there are many kosher sparkling wines from wineries around the globe, until recently there was no kosher champagne that could compete on an equal footing with those brands famous throughout. The Drappier cellars date from the 12th century, however the Drappier family only took over the estate in 1808 and hasn’t stopped making champagne since.
Recently we partook of a feast worthy of such a noble wine…
Champagne Drappier - Carte Blanche Brut, wrong shape glasses, but even these did not detract from our enjoyment of the champagne! Photo by: Irving Schild
On a recent evening, my good friend – photographer and teacher Irving Schild (whose work has graced our pages many a time before) – and I came to my co-blogger SYR‘s home where we enjoyed some superb dishes she graciously prepared from Geila Hocherman‘s Kosher Revolution, a cookbook we reviewed on these very pages.
We started the meal with an incredible Peshwari Challah (page 190), Geila based this recipe on a pashwari naan – an Indian bread filled with nuts and raisins – to which she added pistachios, coconuts, spices and a touch of honey. Very aromatic and full of flavor! We then proceeded with a Coconut-Ginger Squash Soup (page 61), Duck Breast with Port and Figs (page 89) and Braised Lamb Shanks (page 106); we finished it with the Maple Pecan Pie (page 170) As a potable, to wash it all down, we had a bottle of Champagne Drappier Carte Blanche Brut (purchased earlier in the day at Gotham Wines and Liquors). In the glass, it exhibited a beautiful clear light gold color, with a persistent stream of pinpoint bubbles, this fine Champagne presented us an inviting aroma of milk chocolate and fresh apples. Mouth-filling and creamy, it offered fresh apple-jelly and toast flavors with crisp, pleasantly cleansing acidity. By the way, to allay any fears… this Drappier is mevushal.
A meal we will long remember!
CS
The Kosher Scene 
Regardless of the legal requirements for labeling, extensive education efforts by the Champagne region and the use of alternative names by non-Champagne quality sparkling wine producers, some consumers continue to regard champagne as a generic term for white sparkling wines, regardless of origin. The laws described here were intended to reserve the term as a designation of origin.
In the European Union and many other countries, the name Champagne is legally protected by the Treaty of Madrid (1891) designating only the sparkling wine produced in the eponymous region and adhering to the standards defined for it an Appellation d’origine contrôlée. The right was reaffirmed in the Treaty of Versailles after World War I.
This legal protection has been accepted by numerous other countries worldwide. Most recently Canada, Australia and Chile signed agreements with Europe that will limit the use of the term Champagne to only those products produced in the Appellation of Champagne in these countries. The United States permits wineries to to use the semi-generic champagne label on their sparkling wines but does not allow new producers to use the term.
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I came here from the KFWE 2012 post, I was wondering how the Drappiers compare to my favorite Champagnes, Laurent-Perrier and Pommery. I’ve had a number of Champagnes that are not worth their cost. (The cost of the Kosher version, the cost of the non-Kosher version may be good for what you’re getting.)
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I’m afraid I can’t answer about the non-kosher champagnes, having never tasted them, I am sure however that Drappier or Laurent-Perrier would allow them name to be used on kosher offerings if these were not on par with their regular selections. Let’s face it, if the kosher Drappier was inferior to a regular Drappier it would only drag down the manufacturer’s illustrious name, same goes for Laurent-Perrier.
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