Veuve Clicquot Rich the first champagne for mixology

For a person who never cooks, and the last grocery shopping dates back to when I thought that Dragon Fruit was something that I absolutely needed to try after fake-cooking on the Restaurant City game on Facebook, going shopping to prepare for a Veuve Clicquot mixology class, in this case called Clicquology, was an adventure. It was fun learning how different fruits and vegetables are named in French, and for no particular reason pamplemousse, which is grapefruit, became my favorite word of the day and the whole experience turned into a Franch learning class. On my shopping list I had le poivron bell pepper, le céleri celery, ananas pineapple, concombre cucumber, and the pamplemousse. These are the main ingredients for the preparation of the Veuve Clicquot Rich.

[caption id="attachment_9950" align="aligncenter" width="1050"] Don't get fooled by the image, I don't really know what I am doing[/caption]



[caption id="attachment_9976" align="aligncenter" width="1050"] Vreni Frost, German Blogger, and her favorite ingredient the Pineapple[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_9952" align="aligncenter" width="1050"] Marcus Troy, Canadian blogger, seems at loss in the exotic fruit department[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_9951" align="aligncenter" width="1050"] Veuve Clicquot Rich[/caption]

Veuve Clicquot Rich recipes

I’m sure that fine wine connoisseurs might object to having ice on their champagne but if you have ever been partying the night on the French Riviera for sure have experiences the common practice called piscine, pool, that refers to a large glass of champagne served with ice. Inspired by this popular practice; Veuve Clicquot has created a cuvée that can be perfectly mixed with ice thanks to its particular blend. Veuve Clicquot Rich is was developed with a high percentage of Pinot Noir and Meunier to give the wine more structure so that it can uphold the ice, while citrus notes offset the sugar.

The mixology class was easy, making a champagne cocktail with Veuve Clicquot Rich requires just 3 simple steps: add ice, desired fruit/vegetable and pour the champagne. No fruit syrups, no special mixing tools and no counting parts of this and that. In collaboration with bartenders Veuve Clicquot has identified the main ingredients this special blend tastes best which are pineapple, pink grapefruit (just the peel), cucumber, celery, pepper, and bergamot tea. But I wanted to try it myself by creating my very own cocktail inspired by a strawberry mojito. The result was nice, but I'd suggest sticking with what the recommended ingredients so as to get the best tasting experience. My favorites ingredients are Cucumber and Grapefruit and you need to try all to really decide on yours.

[caption id="attachment_9967" align="aligncenter" width="1050"] My strawberry mojito inspired Veuve Clicquot Rich cokctail[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_9969" align="aligncenter" width="1050"] The Veuve Clicquot Mixologist teaching us how to prepare Veuve Clicquot Rich with bergamot tea[/caption]





[caption id="attachment_9974" align="aligncenter" width="1050"] Veuve Clicquot Rich tea making process[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_9972" align="aligncenter" width="1050"] Veuve Clicquot Rich with sliced bell pepper[/caption]

Veuve Clicquot Cellars Visit in Reims

Part of the trip discovering Veuve Clicquot Rich in Reims was a special visit to the Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin cellars and learn more on how Champagne is made. Even though the brand itself is one of the largest and most famous ones in the world, looking at their process and the atmosphere in the wine cellars you can breathe tradition and history. The tour is also available for tourists (needs to be pre-booked online) and through it everyone can learn how Veuve Clicquot (the woman that founded the house) contributed to the brand we have today and to the whole Champagne world that we have today.

[caption id="attachment_9958" align="aligncenter" width="1050"] Veuve Clicquot cellars main entrance[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_9963" align="aligncenter" width="1050"] Veuve Clicquot cellars map.[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_9962" align="aligncenter" width="1050"] The region of Champagne where Veuve Clicquot vines are located[/caption]













[caption id="attachment_9959" align="aligncenter" width="1050"] Portrait of Madame Clicquot.[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_9966" align="aligncenter" width="1050"] In the early 1800's, Champagne was not the limpid liquid we have today. The second fermentation occurs in the bottle, the dead yeast cells left the wine cloudy. Madame Clicquot of Veuve-Clicquot found a way to clear champagne by shaking the bottles and slowly turning them upside down, so that the yeast sediment could be removed. The dead yeast can now settle in the neck of the bottle and can be removed. This process is called riddling.[/caption]

Reims, France the capital of champagne. The small town is a typical french town for its architecture and style, but behind wooden doors, high walls and under the pavements of the city lies a world dedicated to the most appreciated bubbles in the world. Behind one of these doors you can find the Hôtel du Marc, the former home of Madame Clicquot, and now a 6 bedroom villa opened only to the guests of the Veuve Clicquot house of champagne.

Built in 1840, it has incredibly survived through two World wars and after renovations by french designer Bruno Moinard, the villa is a beautiful place where guests can feel at home. As a guest of Vueve Clicquot it was my home for the 3 days I spent in Reims discovering the world of champagne, and a welcoming place to people who find joy in the finest things in life like design, food and wine.

The reason of this visit was to discover the new champagne of the Veuve Clicquot Rich. A new experience of serving and sipping champagne that makes it the perfect summer choice. In a next post I'll be writing more about it, while for now I wanted to show the amazing photos of teh design in Hôtel du Marc.

[caption id="attachment_9906" align="aligncenter" width="1050"] Veuve Clicquot Rich Hôtel du Marc[/caption]







[caption id="attachment_9903" align="aligncenter" width="1050"] Hervé Van der Straeten mirror[/caption]











[caption id="attachment_9896" align="aligncenter" width="1050"] The Japanese room Hotel Du Marc[/caption]



[caption id="attachment_9894" align="aligncenter" width="1050"] ''Cadre de Vie'' Pablo Reinoso Hôtel du Marc[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_9893" align="aligncenter" width="1050"] Charlotte Olympia Veuve Clicquot Collaboration[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_9892" align="aligncenter" width="1050"] Veuve Clicquot Book - A novel cookbook for all celebrations[/caption]







[caption id="attachment_9910" align="alignnone" width="1050"] Jugnet+Clairet Chandeliers at the Veuve Clicquot Atelier[/caption]

It has become a yearly appointment, I have to go back to Florence at least once a year. Most of the time it is for work, and sometimes and I can squeeze in a long weekend of relax. I have my own list of things to see and places that I haven't visited yet because I've taking it slowly every time. During this last visit the mission was to go around and try to get lost in the streets. This way I discovered an amazing place 'The Rose Garden' by created in 1865 by Giuseppe Poggi, who also has designed the famous Piazzale Michelangelo.

Florence it is not just a city, it is an experience. This time I got an experience even with my stay, which was at an artist's apartment booked with Solo Affitti Vacanze, which was located in the very center of the city, behind the famous Duomo. A perfect location for shopping, visiting museums and partying. But what struck me more was the inspiration that the apartment and its interior design gave me during the stay. Surrounded by oil paint supplies like brushes and palettes it looked like an invitation to try my artistic skills, skills that I don't have for sure but that I didn't know I wanted to have. My walls at home are white with no paintings on, so seeing the creations by the artist that owned the apartment I started thinking of giving it a try.

I'm back now from Florence and haven't acted yet on my desire to try painting, but now that I'm looking again at the photos that desire emerges again. Experiences like this are unique, that is why I have stopped booking hotels and I am renting every time someone else's home.  Entering someone else's world and this time it felt like I was the artist for those 2 days spent in Florence.

 Check out the trip video recap #007MissioneVacanza

*This post is written in collaboration with Solo Affitti Vacanze.