Vintage Champagne Tasting

An artist is somebody who produces things that people don't need to have.
Andy Warhol

And you don’t need to have Champagne, but scientists have just proven that Champagne is good for your cognitive functions- IE your brain.  Check out the scientists’ evidence at the end of this e-mail and get your Champagne here!!

All sparkling wines are not created equal and Champagne along with some of the finer examples of sparkling wines made with this same method established over the last few hundred years in France's northernmost wine region are NOT the only examples of bubbly that you will find on the table tonight.

Champagne is the name of a region and therefore anything inside the boundaries of Champagne can use this name on their label, everything else is just sparkling wine.  The important thing to look for on the label when it comes to sparkling wines outside of the Champagne region is the method of production and if the words, methode champenoise are there were in business, this means that the sparkling wine in the bottle is made with the same standards that are used in the great wines from the Champagne region of France. 

Tonight, we will be focusing on vintage Champagne from some of the best vintages from the first decade of the new millennium.  This tasting and is limited to 14 tasters and the fee for this event is $350 + tax and this includes dinner!   For reservations call 954-523-9463 or e-mail andy@winewatch.com.

 
Vintage Champagne Tasting at Wine Watch
Friday, June 18th
7:30 PM
1982 Perrier Jouet Fleur De Champagne Rose
2002 Dom Perignon Oenotheque P2 Champagne
2004 Laurent Perrier Cuvee Alexandra Rose Champagne
2005 Lanson Gold Label Vintage Brut Champagne
2006 Krug Vintage Brut Champagne
2006 Gosset Grand Millesime Brut Champagne
2008 Henriot Brut Millesime Champagne
2009 Champagne Jacquesson Dizy Corne Bautray Brut
2009 Champagne Jacquesson Brut Avize Champ Caïn
 NV Corbon Brut Autrefois Solera Champagne

Menu
Cheese and Charcuterie
Truffle Parmesan Shoestring fries
Foie Gras Torchon with Champagne Grape Gelee
Salmon and Mango Tartar with fresh mint and Lavender Aioli
A5 Australian Waygu Filet Sashimi with Ponzu Tangerine Dipping Sauce

The fee for this tasting which includes dinner is $350 + tax, for reservations call 954-523-9463 or e-mail andy@winewatch.com.

Scientific proof that Champagne is good for your brain

New research shows that drinking one to three glasses of champagne a week may counteract the memory loss associated with ageing, and could help delay the onset of degenerative brain disorders, such as dementia.

Scientists at the University of Reading have shown that the phenolic compounds found in champagne can improve spatial memory, which is responsible for recording information about one's environment, and storing the information for future navigation.

The compounds work by modulating signals in the hippocampus and cortex, which control memory and learning. The compounds were found to favourably alter a number of proteins linked to the effective storage of memories in the brain.  Many of these are known to be depleted with age, making memory storage less efficient, and leading to poorer memory in old age and conditions such as dementia.  Champagne slows these loses and therefore may help prevent the cognitive losses that occur during typical and atypical brain ageing.

Champagne has relatively high levels of phenolics compared to white wine, deriving predominantly from the two red grapes, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier, which are used in its production along with the white grape Chardonnay.  It is these phenolic compounds which are believed to be responsible for the beneficial effects of champagne on the brain.

Professor Jeremy Spencer, Department of Food and Nutritional Sciences, University of Reading, said: "These exciting results illustrate for the first time that the moderate consumption of champagne has the potential to influence cognitive functioning, such as memory.  Such observations have previously been reported with red wine, through the actions of flavonoids contained within it.

"However, our research shows that champagne, which lacks flavonoids, is also capable of influencing brain function through the actions of smaller phenolic compounds, previously thought to lack biological activity. We encourage a responsible approach to alcohol consumption, and our results suggest that a very low intake of one to two glasses a week can be effective."

Dr. David Vauzour, the researcher on the study, added: "in the near future we will be looking to translate these findings into humans.  This has been achieved successfully with other polyphenol-rich foods, such as blueberry and cocoa, and we predict similar outcomes for moderate Champagne intake on cognition in humans."  

Previous research from the University of Reading revealed that two glasses of champagne a day may be good for your heart and circulation and could reduce the risks of suffering from cardiovascular disease and stroke.

The paper is published in Antioxidants and Redox Signalling.
ENDS

For all media enquiries please contact Alex Brannen 07834 006 243 or James Barr 07788 714376
Notes for editors:
The University of Reading is ranked among the top 1% of universities in the world (THE World University Rankings 2012) and is one of the UK's top research-intensive universities
The Department of Food and Nutritional Sciences is the largest University department of its kind in the UK, combining state of the art teaching facilities, clinical nutrition unit, labs and the largest pilot processing plant in the UK. The Department is internationally recognised for the quality of its research and enjoys a high public profile both domestically and internationally.

The department continues to work with the food industry over a wide range of industrially funded research projects and contracts under our Food Chain and Health research theme. This includes one-to-one funding from multi-national companies through to small and medium sized enterprises.