Launch of Moët Chandon Brut at Skyye

Last week, I was invited to the launch of Moet Hennessey - Chandon Brut at Skyye Bar, and having a crazy work week, I decided to drop by for a bubbly or two.

As I entered the bar, I was greeted by two gentlemen by the door who were pouring out glasses of chilled sparkling wine to the guests. I really liked this, as I've been to launches of beverages before where I've practically had to chase the bartender for getting a drink. 

Don't you just love being greeted with bottles of sparkling wine?

Skyye was at its beautiful best as always, and underwent a French makeover to suit the Chandon launch. The décor included elements of French whimsy, inspired by the idea of creating genuine connections. From custom created miniature topiaries to a giant screen depicting French windows opening out to floating parachutes, the ambience was a translation of the Chandon ethos.

The visuals were stunning! They brought a piece of France right to Bangalore!

Personally, I liked the wine. Light, heady and delivered a nice punch. I must admit, this was a first for me for a Moet sparkling wine, I've always been a red wine drinker and stick to my Merlots and Shiraz. The aroma was strong on notes of apples, pear and some citrus. I liked the texture and for me, there was a perfect balance of bittersweet (although some might think it's too sweet) flavours. The Chandon Brut was quite refreshing, and could be a possible favourite drink for me, particularly in the coming summer.

Some might ask, what's the difference between a sparkling wine and champagne? Aren't they both bubbly?
Well, yes they are. But to keep it simple, a sparkling wine can be called a champagne if and only if it comes from the region of Champagne in France. The French are pretty touchy about their wines and champagne, and sparkling wine produced anywhere else in the world doesn't earn itself the name of a champagne. Ergo, all champagnes are sparkling wines, all sparkling wines aren't champagne.

Fun fact: Sparkling wines like Champagne actually have the same health benefits as red wine, since bubbly is often made with both red and white grapes. In fact, Champagne was found to have as many of those beneficial polyphenols as a cup of hot chocolate. I found more reasons to drink a glass of this bubbly now. ;)

A bit about the history of Chandon: 
In the late 1950s, Moët & Chandon, the world’s leading Champagne House since 1743, began exploring the potential for producing world class sparkling wines outside of the Champagne region, under the ‘Chandon’ name. The first Chandon Estate was created in 1959 in Argentina.
Following in the pioneering steps of the founders and continuing its search for new winemaking territories, Moët Hennessy Estates & Wines determined that the Nashik region had the potential to produce world-class, premium quality sparkling wine. Chandon is the first offering from Moët Hennessy to be made in India. Combining the centuries-old sparkling wine-making practices of “methode traditionnelle” with the finest local grapes, Chandon will be available in two variants:  Chandon Brut and Chandon Brut Rosé.

While conversations flowed at the chic soirée as guests sipped their flutes of Chandon Brut, the appetizers did the rounds. With delicious bite sized portions that complemented the wine perfectly, I indulged myself quite extensively with the food. Here are a few pictures from the night:

Yes, that's wood, Parmesan crackling, red pepper and bread - all on one plate. Not only was this delicious, but scored very high on brownie points for presentation. :)

Cheesy Chicken Tarts that I loved. Perfectly sized so that you can wolf down a dozen of them.

Chicken and Mushroom Wontons topped with chilli paste and boy, were they delicious or what!

I LOVE oysters! And these were topped with Harissa paste and I added a squeeze of fresh lemon to create flavours that were beyond delicious. 

And we finally ended the night with an assorted cheese platter with nuts and blueberry preserve. I ensured that I guarded this long enough to get my hands on as much as cheese as I could.

All in all, it was a fun night with lots of conversations, refreshing wine and yummilicious food. Two thumbs up for the Chandon Brut, this will definitely make it into my collection for a ladies night in.

Pricing:
The Chandon Brut with its fruity flavour and taste is priced at Rs.1,200 and will be available in select stores in the city soon.