Champagne and Cigar masterclass Registration: Session 1

[El Presidente]

Champagne and Cigar masterclass Registration: Session 1 

Read the fineprint before registering on this thread  

 

1. This is a ken gargett production with the assistance of John S. That means John will be doing most of the work. Thank you John in advance. 
2. Don't PM me if things go south.  I have suspended him 5 times already. What do you want me to do? John S (Cigar Jesus) will have his hands full as it is. FFS don't mention guns, flat earthers, covid deniers, climate change, springsteen, WFT, religion. Keep the discussion to Champagne and Cigars.....repeat after me "Champagne and Cigars!"
3. You can bring what ever champagne you like. Yes....you must be drinking champagne. In your registration, please put down what bottle of Champagne you will be bringing. It will have no bearing on your selection. It will simply mean that you have read this far. Spumante is not Champagne. Sparkling white is not champagne. 
4. You will need to be smoking a cigar during the session. We don't care what cigar. 
5. To achieve a suitable timetable it is tough on most of our Euro brothers with a midnight start. However it is midnight saturday and most of you can plan for it. Dinner and dancing then into the parlour at 11:45, pop the cork, light the cigar and log in. You will be in bed by 1:30 am. I have been with many of you in Cuba and you manage 4am quite comfortably  Sleep in Sunday. It's worth it!
6. It is intended that the session will be recorded and replayed. 
7. This is session 1. If successful we will do session 2 on the same subject. We may then move onto other combinations. 
8. For simple logistics we need to keep the numbers to 15 registrations per session. 

 

When is it?

11am Local Sydney time Sunday the 31st of October. 

5 pm Los Angeles time and 8 pm New York time on a Saturday night 30th

1 am London Sunday

 

What do you have to do?

1. check that you can 100% make it.  Pulling out at the last minute never worked. 

2. Work out what you are opening. 

3. Nominate yourself on this thread and let us know what you will be opening. 

 

Once you have been confirmed, I will email you the Zoom invitation Saturday morning my time (Friday evening US/EU) 

 

We all wish John S the best of luck 

 

 

 

 

[El Presidente]

let me be the first to register. 

Normal tipple of Pol Roger Brut Reserve or Pol Sir Winston. I will decide Saturday. 

[BrightonCorgi]

46 minutes ago, El Presidente said:

let me be the first to register. 

Normal tipple of Pol Roger Brut Reserve or Pol Sir Winston. I will decide Saturday. 

Sir Winston is your normal tipple for Champagne?  Impressive!!!  I went from feeling poor to feeling very poor.

[El Presidente]

Just now, BrightonCorgi said:

Sir Winston is your normal tipple for Champagne?  Impressive!!!  I went from feeling poor to feeling very poor.

settle petal. I am a bogan. Pol NV is my normal Champagne tipple but I do have an impressive array of Sir Winston gifted by PCC over the years  

[JohnS]

Thank you Rob for the fine introduction, I had a good chuckle! 😄

So, just to be clear, we won't be turning water into champagne à la 'The Wedding in Cana' but we will aim to edify beginner, enthusiast and experienced/serious hobbyist with a range of subjects related to champagne including:

• Why the difference in glassware? (coupe/flute/tulip)
• How Madame Pommery revolutioned champagne in the latter half of the 19th century.
• Why the UK is the biggest market of champagne outside of France.
• Why do Non-Vintage Brut varieties dominate? (Internet sources suggest 95% NV Brut and 3% Rose. This is not up-to-date. The 2020 report from https://www.champagne.fr/ states 78% NV Brut and 10% Rose, including 30% of all Rose exports to the United States)
• What is the difference in Vintages, Rosés, Prestige Cuvées, low-dosage and high-dosage Champagnes?
• Worldwide sales declined in 2020 due to the Worldwide Covid-19 pandemic in nearly every major market except Australia (where it grew by over 11%). What's going on there?

I will have different glassware on hand to start of the session with Ken and I will demonstrate the suggested technique for opening a bottle of champagne. The aim is for Ken to provide his wealth of knowledge on the subjects that come up, I will be asking questions to guide the topics further. Members will be able to discuss and ask questions as we go along too.

I will bring something different to drink for the masterclass, a bottle of Lanson Rose NV.

[BrightonCorgi]

7 minutes ago, JohnS said:

I will have different glassware on hand to start of the session with Ken and I will demonstrate the suggested technique for opening a bottle of champagne.

Going to saber a Cristal mag?

[MrBirdman]

I’ll apply to attend. I think prestige cuvees pair better with food than cigars, so (if my pending order arrives in time) I will be opening a bottle of Louis Roederer’s new Collection 242. Backup will be a bottle of Roederer 2014 Rosé.

[Nevrknow]

I'm applying. My first bottle of Pol Roger but I also have a few bottles of Taittinger. 

Cigar, not sure yet. Esplendido, VI, Lusi ?

[Bijan]

I'm applying too. Veuve clicquot brut NV or Delamotte Blanc de blancs 2012.

Looks like it'll be rainy so I might be stuck in the garage...

[BrightonCorgi]

Need to ask the wife what our plans are for that night.  She'll want Champagne and is a fan of Cohiba Club's.

[Kaptain Karl]

This may be a good idea as my wife and I are hosting a halloween party at 7 pst, so I could kill 2 birds with one stone by pre-gaming properly for the party and also avoiding my wife while she goes intense pre-party stress anger mode. (lets hope she doesnt read this) 

[JohnS]

6 hours ago, BrightonCorgi said:

Going to saber a Cristal mag?

I've seen that done with coupe glasses, but obviously not on a Louis Roederer Cristal bottle! 😂

30 minutes ago, Kaptain Karl said:

This may be a good idea as my wife and I are hosting a halloween party at 7 pst, so I could kill 2 birds with one stone by pre-gaming properly for the party and also avoiding my wife while she goes intense pre-party stress anger mode. (lets hope she doesnt read this) 

Just remember that the United States has Summer Daylight Savings time until next weekend (November 7th), so 11 pm Sydney on Sunday 31st will convert to 5 pm in California and 8 pm New York on Saturday night October 30th. Members from England can come at 1 am Sunday morning, hang around and then change all their clocks back 1 hour after we conclude! (As their daylight savings time ends this weekend.) 😁

[El Presidente]

If  we get enough interest, I  will push for the next session to be  8:30  PM local time Sydney / 11:30 am London/ 5:30PM Perth. 

it would be great to have all the Aussie and Euro crew on board 

[Habana Mike]

I'm up for it.

Mumm Cordon Rouge shall be opened.

[BrightonCorgi]

6 hours ago, JohnS said:

I've seen that done with coupe glasses, but obviously not on a Louis Roederer Cristal bottle! 😂

I'd be too scared to try with a coupe glass.  Done with a butter knife before.  I wouldn't saber such a bottle.  Not worth risk of losing even a few drops!  I have to go into the neighbors yard to find the corks when I saber bottles. 😩

[Fuzz]

In, if there is space.

[Fuzz]

14 hours ago, JohnS said:

Thank you Rob for the fine introduction, I had a good chuckle! 😄

So, just to be clear, we won't be turning water into champagne à la 'The Wedding in Cana' but we will aim to edify beginner, enthusiast and experienced/serious hobbyist with a range of subjects related to champagne including:

• Why the difference in glassware? (coupe/flute/tulip)
• How Madame Pommery revolutioned champagne in the latter half of the 19th century.
• Why the UK is the biggest market of champagne outside of France.
• Why do Non-Vintage Brut varieties dominate? (Internet sources suggest 95% NV Brut and 3% Rose. This is not up-to-date. The 2020 report from https://www.champagne.fr/ states 78% NV Brut and 10% Rose, including 30% of all Rose exports to the United States)
• What is the difference in Vintages, Rosés, Prestige Cuvées, low-dosage and high-dosage Champagnes?
• Worldwide sales declined in 2020 due to the Worldwide Covid-19 pandemic in nearly every major market except Australia (where it grew by over 11%). What's going on there?

 

Did you pinch my notes from the champagne tasting I held for the Sydney boys?! 😂

[Ken Gargett]

15 hours ago, El Presidente said:

settle petal. I am a bogan. Pol NV is my normal Champagne tipple but I do have an impressive array of Sir Winston gifted by PCC over the years  

and yet i have never seen a bottle!!!!

[RichUK]

12 hours ago, El Presidente said:

If  we get enough interest, I  will push for the next session to be  8:30  PM local time Sydney / 11:30 am London/ 5:30PM Perth. 

it would be great to have all the Aussie and Euro crew on board 

Much as I'd love to participate this weekend, 1am might be pushing it for me as we are out at a party and I may get quite sloshed there.

If you do a second session, then count me in. I'll look through the champagne fridge and find a good bottle.

[Mr. Japan]

55 minutes ago, RichUK said:

Much as I'd love to participate this weekend, 1am might be pushing it for me as we are out at a party and I may get quite sloshed there.

If you do a second session, then count me in. I'll look through the champagne fridge and find a good bottle.

2 am here in Kingsland, impossible to join even if I would love to.

[Duxnutz]

Sounds cool. Unfortunately I’ll be working in the Flight Levels during this time. One thing I miss about Oz is lots of bubbly available outside major brands. 

[Puros Y Vino]

Very cool. Look forward to seeing the resulting video.  I would partake, but have no Champers in the house. Only Cava and Prosecco.  Plus, that time slot doesn't work for me.

[El Hoze]

I would love to attend if there is room for me. I will go with a 2012 Bollinger Brut. Have not tried any yet and this is a good excuse to have an early taste. Might pair it with an older Punch DC. 

[El Presidente]

We can easlity fit all those who wish to attend in. 

We will run a follow up Euro session in a few weeks. 

When is it?

11am Local Sydney time Sunday the 31st of October. 

5 pm Los Angeles time and 8 pm New York time on a Saturday night 30th

 

I will PM attendees the zoom invitation now. 

See you Sunday/Saturday!

 

[El Presidente]

I have just sent the zoom invitations out. If we have any latecomers who would like to join (champers and cigar required), PM me and I will shoot you through the invite.