Champagne, Romance and Strawberries

The history between Champagne and romance goes back a long way. Stories of Marie-Antoinette (wife of King Louis XVI) having the Champagne coupe glass modelled on her breasts to Marilyn Monroe bathing in a bath of the famous French bubbly (using 350 bottles) and even many folk saying the drink is a perfect Aphrodisiac.

Champagne usually appears when romance is in the air from honeymoon suites in hotels to a bottle chosen for that Valentines Day dinner, there is something very special about seeing the word C*H*A*M*P*A*G*N*E on your bottle!

There are many different types of Champagne to choose from at varied price points, though for this article I want to focus on rosé Champagne or pink Champagne as many people call it.

What causes the colour in pink Champagne?

The rosé colour in fact comes from the skin contact of the darker grapes used in Champagne production, the Pinot Noir and Meunier. The longer the skin contact then the deeper the rosé colouring will be. Some Champagne houses will add a drop of red wine from the region in order to achieve the rosé colour required.

 

Interesting facts about Strawberries:

Fragaria × ananassa (strawberry) was once symbolic of Venus, the Roman goddess of love, because of its heart shape, deep red colour and purported aphrodisiac qualities (source rhs). They’re loaded with antioxidants, rich in manganese, folate and potassium and a serving of eight strawberries delivers more vitamin C than an orange.

When was Romance born?

Romance has itself a long history, the story of the word begins as the fifth century is coming to a close, and the Roman Empire with it. The ones to enliven the word romance were the inhabitants of Gaul, a region comprising modern-day France and parts of Belgium, western Germany, and northern Italy. source merriam-webster

 

Rosé Champagne and Strawberries.

Some people will say that chocolate is the best pairing for Champagne (many wine professionals will fiercely disagree that they should be paired together), others will vouch for oysters, but there are many that’ll opt for a bowl of strawberries.

The beauty between Champagne and strawberries is that their characters are very similar. Rosé Champagne will be usually made mostly of dark grapes which deliver refreshing red berry fruits such as raspberry, redcurrant and strawberry. Both are fruity, they are crisp and a burst of flavour and high in acidity.

Wimbledon is synonymous with strawberries and Champagne, Lanson rosé being a highly popular choice for many on the day.

Champagne Romance by Roger Brun:

Yes, there is indeed a Champagne called Romance! It is produced by the winery Roger Brun (winemaker Philippe Brun) which is based in Aÿ.

Tasting notes: “Wonderful red berries, mostly fresh strawberry on the nose with added pastry / patisserie delights. Flavours are quite similar delivering that red berry fruitiness yes a smooth and elegant yeasty / pastry edge.“