Only recently, Emirates obtained exclusive rights to serve top champagne on its flights; specifically bubblies from Moët & Chandon, Veuve Clicquot and Dom Pérignon. This contract means that from 2023 to 2024, Emirates would be the only commercial airline offering champagnes from these brands. Dom Perignon will be served in first class across all routes globally; Veuve Clicquot will be served in business class on routes to the Americas and Europe, and, Moët & Chandon will be offered in business class on routes to Africa, the Middle East, and Asia Pacific, including Australasia. Passengers in economy would also be able to purchase Moët & Chandon champagnes if they want.

No doubt, being the only airline to serve these top champagnes would increase the value of Emirates’ premium cabin. So far, Emirates has worked hard to ensure that its premium passengers enjoy the best bubblies: its Business Lounge in Dubai boasts a special Moet & Chandon bar and its unique wine cellar in France reportedly houses up to 6.5 million bottles that has allowed it to serve rare wines such as the Dom Pérignon Vintage 2003 Plenitude 2 on select routes.

For now, other airlines would have to contend with serving premium champagnes from other houses onboard while they work to include attractive luxury options in other categories like onboard amenity kits and even the meals served in-flight. Their wine list is no less remarkable — Qatar Airways serves Krug 2004 champagne in its first class while Etihad offers Champagne Charles Heidsieck, Blanc des Millénaires 2004 in its own first class. Air France serves passengers Piper-Heidsieck 2006 Rare Millésime Champagne in its premier cabin while those in economy can enjoy a drink from the Fleur de Champagne Brut 1er Cru, the signature cuvée of a family-owned and independent wine producer since 1859.

But in the end, none of these champagnes are a Dom Pérignon or a Veuve Clicquot or even a Moët & Chandon. And having exclusive rights to serve them onboard has definitely put Emirates ahead. For now at least.

The post Emirates ups the ‘Flight Game’ with its In-Flight Exclusive Champagne Rights first appeared on Aspire Luxury Magazine.

The post Emirates ups the ‘Flight Game’ with its In-Flight Exclusive Champagne Rights appeared first on Aspire Luxury Magazine.

Back in 1805, Barbe-Nicole Clicquot found herself in a difficult situation. At just 27 years, she lost her beloved husband to a fever, and the champagne business he had left her to run alone was failing miserably, giving rise to rumours that he had committed suicide because of his failing business.

Barbe-Nicole had to act fast, both to preserve her husband’s legacy and to create a sustainable business for herself. Going to her father-in-law, she requested for a loan: twice, in fact, and set out to make a success out of what was not very profitable or popular at the time.

Her wit and perseverance finally paid off in 1811, the year the legendary vintage of 1811 was born. Focusing on a country other than her native land, she smuggled her champagne out of France to Amsterdam (it was the period of the Napoleonic Wars) and waited for peace to be declared. Once that happened, she sent the bottles to her intended market, Russia, beating her competitors by weeks.

But she did not stop there.

To preserve the champagne bubbles, she created the ‘table de remuage,’ a slanted table that allows winemakers take out the yeast from champagne without transferring it into an altogether new bottle, which would cause the drink to lose a bit of its taste and uniqueness. And to further ingratiate new customers while keeping existing ones loyal, Madame Clicquot wrote thousands of letters to them regardless of their location, extolling the quality of her champagne.

It is in honour of this impressive legacy that the House of Veuve Clicquot teamed up with Baccarat to create one of the world’s most glamorous champagne buckets. Made from a single block of crystal – one of the largest objects to ever come from a single block of crystal – the champagne bucket took two years to develop and over 1000 hours of work. Only 15 of this exclusive buckets, made in the shape of an inkwell, is available.

The base holds six fantastic vintages — 1989, 2004 and 2008, both Brut and Brut Rosé — of La Grande Dame champagne, as well as four Baccarat crystal champagne glasses and a leather serving tray.

Everyone lucky enough to acquire the inkwell receives a private invitation to Champagne, France to visit the château and take a deep dive into the history of Veuve Clicquot and its famous namesake.

This limited-edition inkwell-shaped bucket costs $55,000 and can be purchased via the house’s website.

Source: Elite Traveler

The post Veuve Clicquot with Baccarat Creates Exquisite Crystal Champagne Bucket first appeared on Aspire Luxury Magazine.

The post Veuve Clicquot with Baccarat Creates Exquisite Crystal Champagne Bucket appeared first on Aspire Luxury Magazine.