For our big 40thwedding anniversary this past June we held a fairly large party taking over a local Italian restaurant for the evening. We told guests that gifts were unnecessary but, as things go, some people ignored our request. Lucky us. I’d have to say that 100% of our friends and family in attendance know we are wine and spirit lovers, so it seemed that was an easy gift to give.
Fast forward to tonight, when I decided to open up a special bottle of Champagne, that was a gift from a friend at the party: Champagne Castelnau Le Chemin du Roi Brut. (The champagne glass set in the fancy box shown in the photo was a gift too!)
I had seen this particular Champagne before; its shiny silver bottle, with a large gold cross and gold foil capsule attached, but I didn’t know the story behind it, so off to Google I went. I learned that this particular release was “Created by 50 Cent, each bottle comes with a 14 karat rose gold-plated symbol of the King” according to LP Wines.
Fancy! Now, let’s get down to tasting it.
A lovely nose and flavors of creamy French Brie cheese, toasty brioche bread, yeasty French bread, green Granny Smith apples, as well as tropical fruits, sandy/dusty earth, some brine, and a zingy mouthfeel with an endless finish.
I later paired the wine with a cheese and charcuterie board and the Brie I had chosen brought out more sweet fruit notes in the wine. I love a food and wine pairing where the food and the wine change because of it. Makes people pay attention. As winemaker and educator Wes Hagen once told me, “wine is just a wet nap for the mouth” something to refresh the palate between bites. But Wes and I both agree, it should be more. This wine is more.
An hour later, as we finished the bottle, it remained unchanged. I have never sought out celebrity brands, though I do find some interesting. And if they smell and taste good I’m happy to spread the word. So, check out Champagne Castelnau, with or without the celebrity designation. And let me know your thoughts.
From the website:
The knowledge and skills acquired over more than a century by the men and women who craft the champagnes is passed on with patience and passion.
Cellar Master Carine Bailleul painstakingly interprets this consistency and depth of knowledge in the Castelnau champagne collection. Her mastery of slow ageing further augments the process, to reveal the champagne’s delicate bubbles and natural patina.
Since its establishment in 1916, Champagne Castelnau has always focused on nuance. Assertive and exacting, emotion is embedded in its DNA. The story began when a handful of passionate individuals came together to create a champagne brand defined by delicate, generous and distinctive style.
https://www.champagne-castelnau.com/our-champagnes/
Eve Bushman has a Level Two Intermediate Certification from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust (WSET), a “certification in the first globally-recognized course” as an American Wine Specialist ® from the North American Sommelier Association (NASA), Level 1 Sake Award from WSET, was the subject of a 60-minute Wine Immersion video (over 16k views), authored “Wine Etiquette for Everyone” and has served as a judge for the Proof Awards since 2022 (submit via https://proofawards.com) Cellarmasters, LA Wine Competition, Long Beach Grand Cru and the Global Wine Awards. You can email Eve@EveWine101.com to ask a question about wine or spirits. Follow on Instagram and Facebook.
