A Little About This Blog...
Everyone should be able to appreciate champagne - which is why I set up this blog.
It's more than a diary of my personal champagne journey - of learning, understanding and appreciating. It's a way of sharing my love for this magnificent cuvée in an easy to understand way so that others may be inspired (regardless of how much they know about wine) to delve deeper into their champagne experiences.
So that readers get the most out of sharing my experiences, I have provided links to further reading and other information to support the learning journey.
I hope you too are inspired and enjoy your journey as much as I do mine.
It was a touch past 1pm, raining, cold and windy. My belly rumbled and my body screamed for warmth and comfort. As my husband and I splashed through the puddle-lined streets of Covent Garden in London, we were in search of only one thing - a little place called Champagne + Fromage.
Champagne + Fromage had been on my radar of places to visit in London since it was launched around six months ago. Specialising in small production grower-producer champagnes paired with French fare, its 'champagne plus' concept is simple yet brilliant - a match made in heaven.
As we burst through their parisienne-themed doors, we were embraced by the charming interior of a café, come deli, come enoteca. Decked out with an eclectic mix of rustic timber furniture, blackboards displaying menus and walls lined with champagne and jars of French truffles, rillettes, jams, and confits, it was unpretentious and honest - a place purely focused on its food and drink.
Learning to appreciate champagne - or any wine for that matter - goes beyond what is in the glass. My enjoyment is increased exponentially when I know where it comes from, its history, its production processes and any interesting or quirky stories that go with it.
But this is just the beginning of the appreciation journey. When it comes to champagne, our love and appreciation of it can be taken to a whole other level when paired with complementing or contrasting food.
Champagne and wine with cheese are perhaps two of the best bedfellows you can find because they often share the same terrior - the climate, soil and typography of a given geographical space.
Last night I went along to a champagne, sparkling wine and cheese appreciation course by The Smelly Cheese Shop from Adelaide's Central Markets. The Smelly Cheese Shop is Adelaide's best known and highly regarded suppliers and connoisseurs of cheese from the international market. Fresh cheeses are air-freighted direct from the producers in France, Italy, Spain, Switzerland and the United Kingdom weekly, arriving in Adelaide after only a few short days of transport. And it shows. I find their cheeses to be the absolute freshest in town.
It was a touch past 1pm, raining, cold and windy. My belly rumbled and my body screamed for warmth and comfort. As my husband and I splashed through the puddle-lined streets of Covent Garden in London, we were in search of only one thing - a little place called Champagne + Fromage. 
