"Champagne! In victory, one deserves it, in defeat, one needs it."
Napoleon Bonaparte (who knew well both victory and defeat)
“Champagne is the one thing that gives me zest when I feel tired”
Brigitte Bardot
“Too much of anything is bad, but too much Champagne is just right.”
Mark Twain
“My only regret in life is that I didn’t drink enough Champagne”
John Maynard Keynes
“Remember gentlemen, it’s not just France we are fighting for, it’s Champagne!”
Winston Churchill
With a history dating back over 300 years and adoring fans ranging from Napoleon Bonaparte to John Maynard Keyes to Brigitte Bardot, champagne is unique. The U.N. gave the Champagne region of France world heritage status in 2015.
But did you the know the beloved bubbles were originally not so in demand? The bubbles were once unwelcome and considered by winemakers to be a sign the wine had gone bad.
Now champagne and its trademark bubbles are used to christen boats, celebrate huge sports wins (like the French national team’s win guaranteeing their place in the World Cup), toast happy couples at weddings, and the celebration of life events large and small.
To be Champagne, the wine MUST come from the Champagne region of France. Champagne Salon and Champagne Delamotte are two of the most well respected houses in the region. The two joined forces in 1988.
Champagne Delamotte was founded in 1760, making it the sixth oldest Champagne house. Nicolas Louis Delamotte assumed management of the House of Delmoatte in 1828 and hosted spectacular events, including the coronation of France’s last King, Charles X. Today just ten people manage the annual production of 750,000 bottles. The golden rules for the business: ensure a consistent quality by purposefully limited production and maintain at least three harvests in the cellars at all times. The wine is truly a labor of love for the small production team, which offers four bruts: Delamotte Brut, Delamotte Blanc de Blancs Vintage, Delamotte Blanc de Blancs, and Delamotte Rosé.
Champagne Salon is one of the most exclusive and most prestigious makers of Champagne. The first known vintage was 1905. The 1928 vintage of Salon was unanimously accepted by connoisseurs and the requirements have remained constant every since: only in exceptional years are the great vintages made, a feature unique to Salon, with limited production and traditional Vinification.
Champagne Salon is rare on all counts: always a single harvest, single cru, single grape variety, and only produced in the best vintages. In the 20th century, only 37 vintages were declared with an average production of 60,000 bottles per declared vintage.
