London launch of Lavergne Champagne brand in time for Spring!
It was April 11th this year that spring finally arrived in London with the timid sun finally bidding farewell to the devilish North wind. Spring’s return always delights me, but this year the delight was made exquisite, as I had the pleasure of being invited to the launch of the Lavergne Champagne brand, a truly memorable event made more extraordinary by the understated sophistication of the evening.
It takes a certain type of man to launch a champagne brand during an economic downturn and such men are indeed hard to find. It takes a path finder, a genius and a hero. Abraham Lincoln once said “towering genius disdains a beaten path. It seeks regions hitherto unexplored” and the men behind this adventure, Francois Lavergne and Peter Pedrick more than fit Lincoln’s vision.
Francois Lavergne is a modern day Renaissance man, a veritable polymath. He is an academic, engineer and oenologist, founder of the French Oenology Club and former Managing Director of Le Cordon Bleu cooking schools in Japan and Asia-Pacific. It would be easier to ask oneself what Francois hasn’t done or accomplished. Perhaps more importantly for us Francois has his own Champagne house, the aptly named House of Francois Lavergne.
Francois’ partner in this bold venture is Peter Pedrick; a man who can be best described as a gourmand, bon vivant and dyed in the wool epicurean. Peter waved good bye to a successful career as an IT consultant and has dedicated himself entirely to champagne and has founded a company for this very purpose.
The Champagne Collection is the brainchild of Peter’s misspent youth, an idyllic period spent in France wiling away the time indulging his passion for champagne. He quickly learnt that there are many wonderful champagnes produced, often by small houses, but each offering tremendous quality. Peter had always wanted to introduce some of these champagnes to the rest of the world. He developed his knowledge of champagne over a number of years, and whilst his initial plan was always to have a retail business dedicated to serving the finest champagnes alongside many complimentary products his first steps have been to develop the online business and the brand.
Peter and Francois have come together to offer the world exceptional champagnes and the celebration of this portentous union was celebrated with the thrilling evening at The Delaunay Restaurant, an evening that was spent drinking fine champagne, tasting delectable caviar and eating Jacques Genin chocolates. Perhaps Shakespeare had foreseen the event when he wrote “gentlemen in England now a-bed shall think themselves accursed they were not here …” I was there and I would like to thank them both for their generosity, bravery but above all their genius.
Londres, Lancement de Lavergne, la marque de Champagne dans l’air du temps pour le printemps !
C’était le 11 avril de cette année. Le printemps est enfin bien arrivé à Londres avec un soleil timide et dire adieu au vent du nord si diabolique. Le retour du printemps me ravit toujours, mais cette année le plus grand plaisir a été un fait exquis, le plaisir d’être invité au lancement de la marque des Champagnes Lavergne, un événement mémorable, fait encore plus extraordinaire par la sophistication discrète de la soirée.
Il faut un certain type d’homme pour lancer une marque de champagne lors d’un ralentissement économique, et de tels hommes sont difficiles à trouver. Il faut un chemin de connectivité, une collision entre un génie et un héros. Abraham Lincoln a dit: «Le génie très haut dédaigne un chemin battu. Il vise des régions jusqu’alors inexplorées», et met des hommes derrière cette aventure. François Lavergne et Pete Pedrick son partenaire à Londres, président fondateur de CHAMPAGNE Collection UK Ltd ont su plus que s’adapter à cette Vision de Lincoln.
François Lavergne est un homme de la Renaissance des temps modernes, un véritable esprit universel. Il est un universitaire, Ingénieur et Œnologue, fondateur du Club Œnologique français, et ancien directeur général du Cordon Bleu écoles de cuisine, au Japon et en Asie-Pacifique. Il serait plus facile de se demander ce que François n’a pas fait ou accompli. Peut-être plus important pour nous, François a sa propre maison de Champagne.
La Maison porte bien son nom, François Lavergne.
Pete et François se sont ainsi réunis pour offrir des champagnes d’exception dans le monde et la célébration de cette union prodigieuse a été célébrée par cette soirée passionnante au Delaunay. Peut-être que Shakespeare avait prévu l’événement quand il a écrit « Messieurs en Angleterre maintenant ceux au lit se jugeront maudits, ils n’étaient pas là … ». J’étais là, et je tiens à les remercier tous les deux pour leur générosité, leur courage, mais surtout leur génie.
L’accord avec les Chocolats de Jacques Genin et autres douceurs proposées, et le Caviar, fut sublime. Merci !
The Cuvee Champagne Lavergne Brut Classic NV: Blended from Old Vines of Pinot Meunier, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from the soil of the first Counts of Champagne parcels. The Traditional Champagne derived from Old Champagne Estates. A maturation of 6 years minimum that transforms the natural ingredients into sublime champagne with delicate aromas. The wine is a blend of 33% Pinot meunier, 33% Pinot noir and 33% Chardonnay. It is dry, unique and fresh showing the age of the wines. R.D. with a disgorgement date set close to the release date.
On the eye: It is subtle and with a gold colour with very elegant very fine bubbles.
On the nose: There is great depth, with a delicate smell of Japanese nashi and white and yellow flowers, and hawthorn.
On the palate: Expect an aroma of white Peaches, with an excellent length and a good structured finish. A very refined champagne with a great intensity.
