In some circles, adding ice to champagne is the height of déclassé, but in the South of France, it been de rigor for quite some time. Champagne on ice is even said to be the drink of choice for Brigitte Bardot during her heyday. To meet the demand for this way of drinking champagne, a few select and progressive maisons have tackled the trend head-on and created champagnes specifically designed to be drunk on ice.
“Several years ago, champagne served over ice—known as a ‘piscine’—was becoming more and more popular, particularly in the summertime hotspots around the South of France,” says Moët & Chandon’s Chef de Cave Benoît Gouez. “Of course, nobody wants to drink warm champagne in the summer, but as a winemaker, I was concerned about the effect the ice has on the wine: It dilutes the champagne and totally breaks the balance that I—and my fellow Chefs de Caves—work so hard to achieve. So I was inspired to create a cuvée to be served over ice, and in 2011 Moët Ice Impérial was launched.”
Following the groundbreaking launch of Moët Ice Impérial demi-sec cuvée, Pommery got on board with its Royal Blue Sky NV, and later, Veuve Clicquot launched their Rich Collection, which is designed to be drunk on ice and also with a garnish, such as a twist of grapefruit peel or a wheel of cucumber.
This new batch of bubbly differs from the usual brut, which wouldn’t work on ice. The dosage (sugar content) is higher, which actually harks back to the eighteenth century when champagne was made to be much sweeter than it's made today. (In fact, Veuve Clicquot calls its new range "Rich" as an homage to this historic details, as champagnes that were blended for greater sweetness were traditionally described as “rich.”)
“[The dosage] has been deliberately and carefully chosen to give the wine its structure and personality, and to help create and maintain the champagne’s perfect balance when it meets ice cubes,” says Gouez of the design of Moët & Chandon Ice Impérial. “The dosage is 45 grams per liter.” (For comparison, most bruts have less than 12 grams of sugar per liter.)
But dosage is not the only thing that gets considered when formulating ice champagne. “I start by selecting the wines, specifically with what they bring to the party,” says Gouez. “Around 20- to 30-percent of the blend is selected reserve wines to round out intensity, richness and consistency. But it is the dominance of Pinot Noir and Meunier in the blend that really gives this champagne a richness that the presence of ice actually amplifies.”
Perfectly enjoyed on the Côte d'Azur (or in your own backyard), here are the ice champagnes to clink and sip this summer:
Gouez recommends drinking this ice champagne with precisely three large ice cubes in a Cabernet glass for the perfect balance of water and wine.
With notes of juicy, bright fruits, Moët Ice Impérial Rosé has a slightly lower dosage (38 grams of sugar per liter), as compared to the Moët Ice Impérial Blanc (45 grams of sugar per liter), so one less ice cube will not go amiss.
To best enhance Veuve Clicquot Rich, try pairings or garnishes of pineapple, grapefruit zest, cucumber, celery or peppers.
Compliment Veuve Clicquot Rich Rosé’s notes of red fruit with ginger, pineapple or lime.
“Royal Blue Sky for us is a modern way of drinking champagne,” says Vranken Pommery UK CEO Julien Lonneux. “It’s refreshingly served on the rocks and therefore perfect for balmy summer evenings on the Riviera. [It's a] delicious aperitif to be enjoyed just before lunch at a rooftop pool or beside the sea.” Drink this demi-sec with five ice cubes in a wide-rimmed goblet glass to bring out the notes of figs, toasted almonds and honey.
