Champagne is one of my favourite things. So when I was invited to join one of the small group cookery classes at Quarter Twenty One for a Sunday Blanc de Blancs brunch, I didn’t need any convincing. I was there with bells on.
Blanc de Blancs means white wine from white grapes, and was first served in 1911 at Maxim’s Paris. Young Blanc de Blancs are pale with greenish colouring then slightly flowery, taste of citrus or appley fruit, mineral elegance, and after aeration speak of butter and toast. In the middle years a profusion of ripe exotic fruits; mango, peach and apricot predominate of lemony scents. The feeling in the mouth is creamy and fresh. Mature Blanc de Blancs adopt a golden appearance with aroma of coffee beans, toast and walnuts. All of these characteristics made them the perfect beverage for our Quarter Twenty One Sunday brunch cookery class. We were spoilt with a tasting of three Blanc de Blancs and to make the brunch complete, Quarter Twenty One Chef Michael Robinson and Quarter Twenty One Cookery School Manager Libby Travers divised a delicious menu to compliment: Pain Perdu with Strawberries, Crab and Scampi Omelette, Potato Blini with Smoked Trout and we finished with Asparagus with Hollondaise Sauce.
While John Noble stepped us through the Blanc De Blancs tasting, Chef Michael Robinson was at the cookery school stove showing us how each dish was prepared. I think we all agreed the Crab and Scampi Omelette was a winner, with a very thin crepe like omelette rolled around the seafood mix – itself bound by a flavoursome home-made mayonnaise. I’m so fond of good smoked trout, the feathery light blini and accompaniments nudged ahead for me.
The food wasn’t the only star, with the Blanc de Blancs shining brightly on our Sundays. I learnt lots of interesting bits and pieces about this Champagne style.
Did you know that Dom Thierry Ruinart (1657-1709) was a friend of Dom Perignon? Or that his nephew Nicholas Ruinart founded the house following the 1728 edict of Louis XV, which authorized the transport of wine in bottles? Ruinart BdB was first released in 1959 – it was a very good year. I always enjoy Ruinart.
It was my first taste of Henriot. This is another house founded (in 1808) by a woman – Apolline Henriot, widow of Nicolas Simon Henriot. She sold Champagne from her father’s vineyard in Bouzy – under the name “Veuve Henriot Ainé”. Interestingly Henriot finds its biggest market in Switzerland.
The Henriot Blanc de Blancs is a delicous drop with white vanilla, lightly perfumed honey and lime peel – it is silky, buttery, and dusky.
We finished on a very fine note with my favourite bubbles of the day – the Pol Roger 1999 Blanc de Blancs. It’s a speciality of the house made from 100% Chardonnay from Grand Cru vineyards in the Cęte des Blancs. A very elegant wine, we found florals and nuts in a Blanc de Blancs that was full and strong and dominated by violets, aniseed and almonds.
Quarter Twenty One can I come back from brunch again this Sunday? Please?
Quarter Twenty One
Level 5, Westfield Sydney
Corner Pitt and Market Streets, Sydney NSW 2000 Australia
+61 2 8064 7900
Could not grab feed.
November 15 2011 at 1:43 am
It’s not very often I’m actually IN the photo (see last photo second from the left) instead of taking them. Thanks (a big thanks) to John Noble for the photos in this article.