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THE WINE COLUMN
The Pink
Princess
Helena Nicklin tells how she fell in love with the captivating Cuvée Elisabeth Salmon Champagne, toasting the birth of her daughter
A
little wine knowledge is a life skill. Just like a love of couture, cars or certain sports, a shared love of wine opens doors and connects people. I’ ve seen it happen. After all, a little information about what you’ re drinking can enhance the pleasure enormously and there’ s nothing quite like sharing your new-found knowledge over a glass of bottled history, culture, romance and art, all blended together. In these features, I’ d like to introduce to you some of the classics; the famous names that wine lovers get excited about and how they first bewitched me. If these wines were clothing, they’ d be bespoke Anderson & Sheppard suits...
I fell in love with the most elegant pink champagne I’ d ever tasted – Cuvée Elisabeth Salmon – toasting the birth of my first-born daughter with my husband.
Antoine Roland-Billecart, from the sixth generation of champagne makers
You could be excused for thinking that it may have been the euphoria of drinking again having abstained( mostly) for nine months, but every time I’ ve sipped it since, I’ ve been captivated. This is the champagne that women want to be and men want to be with. It’ s that beautiful, shy girl in a lace dress at the drinks party that boys are afraid to talk to because they know she’ s also extremely clever and well-connected. It’ s the elegant ballerina in soft satin shoes making complex twists and turns looks effortless.
Made only in the best vintage years and always 50 % Pinot Noir, 50 % Chardonnay, Cuvée Elisabeth is pale and aptly salmon-pink with the most delicate, fine bubbles you’ ll ever see. It has layers of wild, red berry fruit, subtle spiced brioche, minerals and fresh fig; a wealth of intricate flavour but whispered, never shrieked.
This legendary wine came to be, back in 1818, when grape-grower Nicolas François Billecart had visions of becoming a champagne winemaker of note, so teamed up with his friend Louis Salmon to combine their vineyards. Nicolas fell R
SAVILE ROW STYLE MAGAZINE 51