William's Article: Champagne Time Warp

Just after midnight last night we passed a little north of where the Titanic went down. Earlier in the day we had turned northeast from the Grand Banks, on course for Southampton.

The right drink, in the right setting, has a magical way of transporting you through time.

The first time I really felt it was in Shanghai in 1983 at the bar (or was it the lobby?) of the old Cathay hotel, at the time called the “Peace.”  Somehow, despite depredations of war, world war, civil war, revolution, and cultural revolution (the counter revolution had barely started…), the hotel had remained more or less intact; worn and faded, but, amazingly, still with what seemed like a few fixtures and furnishings from its heyday. 

With a good buzz from three martinis, in a dim and smoky room, listening to ancient musicians playing 1930s jazz, a half a century of time receded. The moment lodged itself for good in my memory.

The same feeling has come back strong the past few days. A raw and wintry North Atlantic crossing, on its own, conjures up old days when ships were a means of purposeful travel. But with the Queen Mary 2’s elegant deco spaces, passengers dressed for dinner, rough seas that make the Port slosh around in the decanter – and, best of all, a stash of Pol Roger’s Cuvee Winston Churchill – time is rolling back again. I wouldn’t be surprised to turn a corner and see the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, or Vera Lynn.

Big Champagne, of course, has its own wonderful magic. I love Champagne-only dinners. They let you play with the incredible variety and versatility of the wine. And, as interested as I am in good New World sparklers, there is just nothing like Champagne. The 1999 Cuvée Winston Churchill on board is dense, rich, a glorious testimony to its seductive power.

I am a pain in the neck when it comes to glasses. But, our sommelier, Fernando, is a real pro. He readily indulged my suggestion to swap out flutes for Bordeaux glasses so we could take in the luxuriant nose of this big wine. Nobody thinks of 1999 as a great year in Champagne, but this wine is great. In fact, I’ve loved every vintage of Pol Roger’s CWC I’ve ever tried.

So, here’s to another happy time warp. And it isn’t just pharmacokinetics!

Just a quick postscript: A year and a half ago I was back at the Cathay, restored, beautiful, and sparkling. But the spell was broken, and I stayed in 2011. Maybe I should have had Champagne, not martinis.

William McIlhenny is associate publisher of JamesSuckling.com. A former American diplomat and member of the Secretary of State’s Policy Planning Staff, William held a number of assignments in Europe and Latin America. He works in Washington, D.C.

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3 thoughts on “William's Article: Champagne Time Warp

  1. vinoservant says:
    William - I think it is great you ditched the flutes for a large glass. What are your thoughts on the saucer style glasses (a/k/a James Bond Style)? You don't see them around that often. I drink quality white wines out of Bordeaux or Burgundy glasses all the time.
  2. mcilhennyw says:
    Hi Josh - I think you really need a tulip shaped glass to savor a good champagne. Even the straight flutes don't do it for me. Funny you mention James Bond...I was at a Bond-themed party the other night, and the bubbly was served in coupes. I get an esthetic kick out of them, and like the association with movies from the 30 s to the 50s, but coupes just aren't practical for good champagne...you lose the aromas and the CO2 disappears so quickly. I have slowly come around to the importance of glass shape. I was sort of skeptical when James launched his Lalique glass -- but have to say, after doing some Bordeaux tastings with it, side by side with some traditional stemware, I was blown away by the difference! Best, w.
  3. vinoservant says:
    William - I just picked up 5 Lalique glasses. i will keep a few for myself and give some away as gifts. Great gift for wine lovers. It is good to have a new glass on the block, and my Riedels need a rest. I should get them next week.