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THE GRAPE ESCAPE
08 Jan 2018 By David Fuhrmann-Lim
There's Much More to Champagne Than You Realise. Here's Why.
You know Champagne as the region where champagne the bubbly is made (specifically from grapes grown in the Champagne region). But what happens to all the grapes from the Champagne area that aren’t made into bubbly?
It’s made into red and white wines.
And because of champagne’s ubiquity, you don’t usually encounter these wines: It’s usually quite boutique and hard to find. So we’ll let you in on this: You’ll probably find a great selection in Atlas, Singapore’s best new bar.
[ 9 Things You Should Know About Atlas ]
Champagne grapes tend to be sweeter, a bit more overripe, so it naturally lends itself better to sweet wines or liqueurs, or something fortified, like ratafia. You can also get a great Ratafia de Champagne at Atlas, a grape-based, vin doux naturel wine. (These grapes are ripened to full maturity and are left out to dry over winter).
One we recommend: Henri Giraud.
Atlas has a palatial range of champagnes, one of the largest in Asia. There are 30 which they serve by glass (constantly rotated), and a selection of flights as well.
The Lelarge Pugeot champagne range include a traditional NV, a Blanc de Blancs, and a Blanc de Noirs.
Their champagne collection is arranged into four categories:
La Selection: a celebration of the great diversity of Champagne, this category features beautiful Champagnes from both vintage and non-vintage Champagnes.
Le Terroir: a dedication and celebration of the 17 Grand Crus of Champagne, the single village releases that are the heart of Champagne culture.
La Prestige: a list of the most renowned Champagnes drawn from the Parkview Family Cellar and from the most iconic Champagne Houses.
Les Collections: exclusive to Atlas, an exceptionally rare selection of Champagne “collections”, which are designed to be enjoyed as a complete set.
La Prestige features a wide variety of Grand Marquees and houses with a long history.
Atlas Bar, Parkview Square, 600 North Bridge Road, Singapore 188778. Tel: 6396-4466. Reservation is recommended.
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