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The Ultimate Award:
Seven
Stars and Stripes ™
Traveling to the sparkling stars
Champagne is the elixir that is known all over the world
as a symbol for taste, luxury and class. American Dream Magazine
was invited for a 'dégustation' to one of the leading houses
of Champagne, Duval-Leroy.
We traveled through miles of prodigious vineyards, only temporarily
interrupted by the picturesque villages of the region called Champagne. |
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Arriving at Duval-Leroy in Vertus,
a charming village nestled in the heart of the Côte des Blancs, we
were welcomed by the friendly representatives of Duval-Leroy. We started
with a quick visit of the production facilities and cellars.
Our guide explained that creating Duval-Leroy Champagne is a combination
of tradition, highest level of quality production and the courage of a modern
and entrepreneurial woman, Carol Duval-Leroy: |
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Carol
Duval-Leroy
President of Champagne Duval-Leroy |
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Carol Duval-Leroy, President
of Champagne Duval-Leroy, joined the very select group of women involved
in running champagne houses in 1991. After the sudden loss of her
husband the same year, she became the company chairwoman before the
age of 35.
Carol decided to take on the challenge because Champagne is a personal
passion and it is a feminine product, she explained in her own unique
charming way.
As we discovered the exclusive manufacturing process from one of the
world's finest champagnes we meet Ms. Duval in person while she was
observing the production process, optimising every detail to perfection.
During our visit Ms. Duval shared with us that she'd dreamed of being
a chef and running her own restaurant.
A woman who is leading a famous company is taking charge and keeps
close contact with all her team members, which we felt, were almost
like a family to her. |
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| For the past 10 years, the modernization of the
production process, the development of traditional distribution channels,
the increase of product range and expanded exports are all objectives that
Carol Duval-Leroy had set for her company. Today her brand's entire image
carries the mark of her passion for her profession. |
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While we were trying to discover
the secrets of creating Duval Leroy champagne in all its variations,
we learned the importance of the details that separate this world-class
Champagne from others.
The subtle balance of three exquisite grape varieties gives the champagne
its characteristic. Due to the fact that we were in the Côte
de Blancs, a unique area of the Champagne-region where only the world-best
Champagne is celebrated, Chardonnay predominates. |
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Not only the exquisite vines, the sun and the rain
each year determine the quality of the grapes but also man humbly takes
part in this symbiosis, and his involvement is essential to ensure that
the harvest reveals all of its potential.
At Duval-Leroy, more than 35 year round employees manage the vineyard, giving
each vine the personal attention and loving care that it needs. At harvest
time 350 additional grape pickers join the permanent staff for the major
event in every wine grower's calendar.
THE "CHAMPAGNISATION" - THE BOTTLING PROCESS
What is champagne? What is a sparkling wine? All wines that undergo a second
fermentation are sparkling wines. The United States never signed the universal
wine agreement with regards to labeling. |
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From January to June the wine is
then bottled and at this stage sugar and yeast are added. After the
addition of these ingredients, the yeast ferments the sugar in the
wine inside the bottles.
This leads to an increase in the volume of alcohol in the juice as
it changes to wine and develops carbonic gas, which is called bottle
fermentation, creating the bubbles.
Then bottles are stacked horizontally in the cellars where the temperature
varies from 9 to 13°C. |
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THE MATURING PROCESS
Bottles remain lying on lees for several years, with a minimum of 15 months
for brut non-vintage and 36 months for vintages. During this period of time,
yeast slowly dissipates and wine acquires its bouquet and all its aromatic
complexity.
THE RIDDLING PROCESS
This operation consists of getting all the remaining sediments of the wine
into the bottleneck in order to eliminate it. The way of doing it is rather
simple; someone must slowly and consistently riddle (or turn) the bottle
to position it vertically, on the neck. Manual riddling usually takes 3
weeks whereby automatic riddling will take just one week.
THE DISGORGING PROCESS
This involves pulling out the original cap together with the remaining sediments.
Using a very precise tool that measures temperature, the wine in the bottleneck
is frozen, creating an ice cube containing the impurities. Once this ice
plug is ejected due to the pressure in the bottle, the wine will then receive
the dose of liquor that will determine whether it becomes brut or demi-sec
champagne. As a finishing touch the characteristic champagne cork and traditional
cork wire can be added.
THE "DEGUSTATION" - CHAMPAGNE
As we were going so deep into the world of top class Champagne we "woke
up" in the middle of our Duval-Leroy Champagne tasting. Guided by Carol
Duval-Leroy and her pleasant representatives we tasted the following brands
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- Femme Millésimée
Freshness and silky taste with aromas of spring and summer. Extremely
fine bubbles. Elegant. Our favorite! (76% Chardonnay - 24% Pinot
Noir)
- Paris
Well-balanced, full flavored and original, with a rich, elegant
and sleek long finish. (40% Chardonnay - 60% Pinot Noir)
- Blanc de Chardonnay Millésimé
Racy and elegant wine, very fine with a tight finish. (100% Chardonnay)
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Cécile
Schneid and Carol Duval-Leroy
during the ‘dégustation’ |
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- Rosé de Saignée
Supple, round, well structured. Traditional method of winemaking only
used by few Champagne houses! (100 % Pinot Noir)
It is important to mention that all of these
stars are extraordinary Champagnes with an always-surprising dry and fine
taste that enable them to be pared with some of the finest gourmet recipes
one can imagine.
In addition, Duval-Leroy continues its tradition together with the American
painter LeRoy Neiman who evokes Paris as a symbol of "art de vivre" and
luxury painted on each bottle of Champagne "DESIGN PARIS"
American Dream Magazine rates Femme de Champagne with Six Stars and Stripes. |
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American Dream Wine
™
Awarded:
Champagne Duval-Leroy
Femme 1990
Society - Six Stars
& Stripes Award
The
ultimate Award: Seven Stars and Stripes
™ |
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| Champagnes from Duval-Leroy have been awarded dozens
of times in the last two years and we are honored to have discovered the
"Crème-de-la-Crème" in this beautiful warm-hearted almost
cozy, laid back region of France. |
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Cécile Schneid
European
Sales Manager |
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We recommend when
traveling through this particular region of France to take some time
to visit and discover the many estates. It may heighten your passion
for wine. Many chateaus with their own pretty vineyards have their
own stories to tell.
The history of Duval-Leroy is an extraordinary example where wine
making and the spirit of a brave woman have lit the fire in the heart
of her exceptional Champagne.
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Rolf
Staehler
Senior Executive
Sales & Marketing |
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When we had
to leave we felt that the time has been running too fast and we promised
each other to come back soon to the
…Heaven of Champagne. |
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Where to find FEMME DE CHAMPAGNE?
The silkiness and rare elegance
of the "FEMME DE CHAMPAGNE" was represented to us at the VAU-Restaurant in Berlin to
us in fine European crystal stemware, which supported the golden color
and tiny sparkling bubbles of amazing finesse.
We tasted the promise of spring flowering honeysuckle combined with
dried fruits and another pleasant roasted aromas as yet unidentified
and quite elusive.
On our palates, it felt both very mature and wonderfully fresh, a
dichotomy that fits perfectly with a Montauk lobster. |
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