Home Archive Subscribe About Contact     Draped in Drappier By Radhika Puar Champagne Drappier is family owned and now managed by the 7th generation, Michel. I had the chance to meet him as he presented a specially planned dinner where some exceptional cuvées of Champagne Drappier had been paired with the modern Indian options at Varq at the Taj Mahal New Delhi. The House of Drappier is located in the southern parts of the Champagne wine region – in Urville in the Aube. The first Pinot Noir vines were planted in the 1930s, and since then Pinot Noir (which makes for more than 70% of the estate) has become one of the key varietals that symbolises the style of the House of Drappier.   Michel showcases the Drappier collection   The charming Michel showed no signs of fatigue at the end of his whirlwind trip that took him to Mumbai, Bangalore and Chennai in three days with back-to-back dinners that were already trending on social media. As he welcomed us, he worked on the very special treat for the evening – a jeroboam of the Millésime Exception 2002 that he opened for us with precision, even if the cork was a bit stubborn! The oldest wine in the line-up served up front and to allow the guests' palate to appreciate the other cuvées, Pankaj Balachandran, the Manager of Varq, presented a litchi sorbet in the signature Varq "fumed" presentation.   The Drappier spread   As we sat down to dinner, Michel shared the philosophy of the house. He is very proud that the estate is owned almost entirely by the family and that allows him to maintain the independent style of wine making that he inherited and is closely involved with. His father André Drappier watches over the vineyards (53 hA owned and 50 hA contracted). Michel maintains (and maybe even hopes) that Drappier will always have a family member at the helm of the estate as has been the case for generations – the next generation (Charline and Hugo) is in training. Michel shares the Drappier approach to producing wines, one which involves the family in all decisions of the wine making process. Michel has perpetuated the commercial success of the House, and that has allowed the family to successfully implement its ideas of low yield, low dosage, and low sulphur – all with a view to allow the natural beauty of good quality grapes and terroir to shine through. He calls it holistic, prompting a wine lover Rhea Singh at our table to coin the term "Sampoorna". The wines for the evening: Drappier Millésime Exception 2002 Visual: Bright and brilliant. Beautiful "old gold" colour, with fine bubbles of a consistent size in a rising continuous stream. Nose: Clean and intense. Aromas of butter, toast, brioche, nuts with a hint of minerality and a touch of spice. As it evolved through the evening, the some gun flint aromas emerged. Taste: Clean, clear, acidic, and sharp. A light mousse and a slightly heavy body. Long and minerally finish with a good balance of acidity, creaminess, volume and alcohol – all the elements intact but working well with each other – a nice harmony. Food pairing: Served with canapés, for me it was better on its own. I managed to get another pour with the very flavourful "Martabaan ka Meat" (lamb cooked with pickled chillies in an earthen pot), and it paired well. Drappier "Charles de Gaulle" Visual: Bright. Medium deep gold colour with very fine bubbles. Nose: Typical fermentation and citrusy aromas which intensify, along with some quince, nuts and a hint of spice. Taste: Medium acidity as the mid palate is creamy and takes over quickly. Airy and refreshing mouse with a longish finish. Food pairing: "Varqui Crab" (layers of crabmeat, tandoori shrimp on crisp filo). The crab meat was sweet, creamy, decadent and spiced just right. The creaminess and the lowish dosage of the Charles de Gaulle worked well with the sweetness and spiciness of the crab. Drappier Blanc de Blancs Signature Visual: Bright and transparent. Light golden colour and fine bubbles. Nose: Clean and medium intensity. Some other aromas that can't be pinned down. Aroma of white fruit (peach and pear) and dried white flowers. As it opens up, mineral notes emerge. Taste: Sharp, acidic, and clear. The mid palate has a very minerally nature which is creamy and evokes aromas of a bakery. A medium finish and a very good balance of acidity and alcohol. Food pairing: "Kale Channe ki Cappuccino" (cappuccino style flavoured chickpea broth). A very interesting pairing - first, for the sharp contrast in temperatures - the hot chickpea broth and the cool Champagne were perfect opposites. Second, the salinity of the broth paired very well with the acidity of the blanc de blancs. Drappier Millésime Exception 2010 Visual: Bright, brilliant, and transparent. Medium intensity gold colour. Nose: Citrus notes which concentrate more. Freshly baked bread, brioche, hazelnut and almond with a hint of vanilla and spice suggesting oak. Taste: Crisp. Rounds into smooth and sublime very quickly. Creamy and minerally with strong citrus notes and freshly baked bread aromas. The finish is quite long. Food Pairing: "Green Chilly Tulsi and Pine Nut Fish" (pan seared Chilean Sea Bass flavoured with basil, pine nut, mango and coconut curry). Champagne paired well with the savoury fish where the sweet and sour coconut gravy added to the balance. Drappier Grande Sendrée Rosé Visual: Intense copper pink colour with fine bubbles. Nose: Aromas of fresh, slightly tart strawberries and some currants which intensify. Brioche and tart light red fruit. Taste: Clean and crisp, I am reminded of biting into fresh strawberries. Roundness on the mid palate and creamy. Finish is reasonably long and is supple, elegant and again well balanced. Food pairing: "Dessert Sampler" (trio of apple kheer, jalebi, and mishti doi cannelloni). For me, it was the crunchy Jalebi but my dining companions favoured the mishti doi cannelloni, which was also delightful.   Food to match the wines   Chef Nilesh came to take his applause, and it was well deserved. Of course the cuvées presented by Michel and his importer in India, Sandip Parsan of Ace Beveragez, were special and some specially flown in for the dinner. But the pairing with Varq dishes was special too, and even Michel remarked how well the flavours came together. Michel proudly shared the fact that the prestige cuvée from Drappier, La Grande Sendrée 2005, was served at the state banquet hosted by President François Hollande at Elysee Palace in honour of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in April. He was honest about India, a market he has been visiting quite regularly (bearing in mind he is a bit too large for a grower and a bit too small for a negociant!). Drappier has built a decent distribution in India with its importer. Michel is completely open to reaching out to only a few accounts, and has very modest targets – he would like to drape this great country with the quality of his bubbles, not quantity. Radhika Puar is the only graduate of Le Cordon Bleu's Wine and Management Program in India. Radhika bought her seat for this special dinner experience with Michel Drappier (to which Rajiv Singhal was invited by the hosts). Delighted, she agreed to share this with the readers of vino india.   O T H E R     S T O R I E S India is a market for the future Celebrating Select Indian Produce In Virgin(ian) Territory And Who's Where