If the walls of the American Bar or the Beaufort Bar could talk, what stories they would tell; plots to now famous films hatched, new hit songs scribbled on the back of napkins, affairs of state dissected, affairs of the heart conducted.
For 130 years The Savoy has been the home from home for some of the most glamorous names in the world from film stars and singers to royalty. So many famous feet have glided across those polished floors over the years; the foyer should be paved in stars like Hollywood Boulevard. For the last 10 years, The Savoy have served a house champagne worthy of this sparkling array of guests; Champagne Louis Roederer.
Roederer themselves are no stranger to royalty. Tsar Alexander II of Russia was a big fan of their champagne and in 1876 he commissioned this now 7th generation family owned champagne house to make a special cuvée just for him. It was to be the very finest quality they could achieve and to be bottled in clear crystal bottles. Uniquely positioned in the region to create this extraordinary champagne because they owned their own vineyards and could identify and isolate their very finest plots, they set about creating a champagne that was set to become an icon. They called the champagne Cristal, but it was not until the over-throw of the Tsar and his family that it became available beyond the Russian royal court. Today Cristal is still seen as the pinnacle of champagne quality, with their latest vintage, 2008, receiving 3 perfect 100 point scores from the critics. It is no longer just the preserve of royalty however, but can be enjoyed by the glass at the Beaufort Bar.
Like The Savoy, Champagne Louis Roederer has a long and august history and yet is at the forefront of innovation, pioneering organic and biodynamic viticulture in the region, and researching the effects of climate change to help the region adapt. A champagne of extraordinary quality with an environmental conscience, now that is a powerful combination. You can listen to a brilliant and lively podcast with the fabulous cellar master Jean-Baptiste Lécaillon recorded in the private room of Kaspar’s as he ruminates on champagne, his life philosophy, and his favourite book with The Gentleman’s Journal editor Joe Bullmore: The Future of Champagne
Jean-Baptiste Lécaillon
To celebrate 130 years of the Savoy, and a decade of being their champagne partner, we have some exciting things planned for you to watch out for; from new dishes to be created specifically for the champagne by Chef, to the chance to win a magnum of Cristal in August, and the release of a brand new cuvee, the extraordinary Louis Roederer Brut Nature Rosé 2012 made in conjunction with designer Philippe Starck, which will be available exclusively at The Savoy from 11th October for one month. This stunning champagne is grown from a biodynamic single vineyard and is a completely unique style that once tasted will not be forgotten.
Champagne is about pleasure, about celebrating the small things as well as the large, it is about friendship and adventure and life. Together with the team at The Savoy we look forward to seeing you in the bar soon to raise a glass or two of the award winning Louis Roederer Brut Premier NV. Santé!
