Marika Vida used to spotlight excellent female winemakers with these great dinners when she was the wine director at the Ritz, and she’s now doing a SOMM Series to continue the tradition. And what a revival last week, with an all-Taittinger dinner with Vitalie Taittinger, who recently took over as President of her family’s Champagne house.

Vitalie emphasized Champagne’s ability to connect. “More than ever it’s important to promote culture, gastronomy, to promote the excellence and to fight for a world you really want to live in,” she said. I couldn’t agree more. One of the best things about emerging form he pandemic is being able to share incredible wines and dinners with people again. And this one was exceptional.

For the first course, Executive Chef Oscar Gonzales crafted an incredibly inventive dish of two oysters and caviar, sprinkled with dried sea bean and plankton dust. The briny powdery topping was so perfect for not just the oysters but the hint of saline in the Brut La Française.

Next we had the Millésimé 2015 . The Millésimé Champagnes are only made in the best vintages, and we were lucky to taste this as it’s much rarer than some of their other wines. This vintage (which was 50% Chardonnay and 50% Pinot Noir) has delicate white floral notes and white peach that dance around each other. What a pairing with the lusciousness of the sea bass with tapioca and smoked trout roe.

Then we moved on to the Prélude Grand Cru (also 50% Chardonnay and 50% Pinot Noir), which is made from their best Grand Cru vineyards. It was full of deep baked golden apple and brioche, fresh and rich at the same time. Proving Champagne can hold up to hardier entrées, the deeper notes easily stood up to the lamb with porcini, stracciatella and spinach purées.

by the way…flute or regular wine glass?
Regular glass! With its acidity and complex flavor layers, Champagne is perfect for food. It’s very tough to sniff a wine’s bouquet with a narrow flute, so a regular white wine glass is the ideal way to experience Champagne—which, after all, is a wine.

Want to be the first to get the monthly newsletter recommendations? Woo hoo, sign up here!