We were delighted to welcome a sell-out crowd to this very special event, presented by James Robinson – Champagne and Cognac Ambassador, Pernod-Ricard, “Créateurs de convivialité”.

It was certainly a very convivial atmosphere as we prepared to taste Champagne from Perrier-Jouët and Cognac from Martell…

First up was the Perrier-Jouët Brut NV champagne, fresh and elegant, notes of lemongrass and ctrus on the nose, crisp and dry on the palate with good acidity and a reasonable finsh.

Next was the Perrier-Jouët NV Rosé; definitely fruity on the nose, with subtle hints of strawberry and pink grapefruit, plus brioche and a creaminess on the palate.

Now the Belle Epoque 2004 Brut.  Wow! Fuller nose, brioche, coconut, toasty, buttery, citrus zing, complexity, long finish.  Very classy

Belle Epoque 2004 Rosé; As elegant as the bottle, more pronounced fruit & finish. Well worth savouring, strawberries and red apples, peachy complexity, fine bubbles.

It was evident from tasting the Martell examples that there is a consistent “House Style” to their splendid Cognacs, they all exhibit a well-balanced richness with subtle spicy notes with a smooth finish.  Here are some further observations from our event:

Martell XO – Almonds on the nose, with some peppery notes.  Prunes, stewed apples and figs on the palate, smooth texture and long finish.

Martell Cordon Bleu – Pears and coconut on the nose with notes of cinnamon and sweet spice.  On the palate, orange marmalade, chocolate.  Complex and very smooth. 

Martell Création – Nutty, butterscotch notes on the nose, sweet spice, woody, roasted notes of coffee and chocolate.  As impressive as its iconic  “arch” style bottle, the complex flavours go on and on… 

Martell Jean L’Or – Perhaps best introduced by the words of Martell’s own Cellar Master, Benoit Fil,   “For me, this is the quintessence of Martell cognacs. With the body of the Borderies and the structure of Grande Champagne, L’OR offers a perfect balance between rich aromas and power. It is blended using our oldest eaux-de-vie, aged for over 100 years, yet it remains a model of harmony and the perfect expression of this cognac house’s philosophy.”

On the nose, some aromatics overlay the – by now – familiar style of oranges, fruit and sweet spice.  Ginger notes, caramel, nutty and wooodiness on the palate.  A long, lingering, luscious finish brought this very special evening to a close – how privileged we all were to have experienced such an elegant and rich array of sensational tastes!