New York event showcases 50+ Champagne brands showing strength and diversity of famous region NEW YORK – The largest official Champagne tasting in the United States kicks off today at the Altman Building in New York.
Trade and media attendees will have the opportunity to taste more than 150 unique wines from 53 different Champagne brands, making it the largest event of its kind in the U.S.
There are many wonderful sparkling wines produced in the United States and around the world, but only those wines produced in Champagne, France, can be called Champagne.
Organized by the Comité Champagne, which represents all the grape growers and houses of Champagne, the tasting gives media, trade and the wine industry a special opportunity to taste and increase their knowledge of a wide variety of wines from the region available on the U.S. market.
“This is the largest tasting we have hosted for Champagne in the United States,” said Sam Heitner, director of the Champagne Bureau USA the representative of the Comité Champagne in the United States. “The selection of more than 50 Champagne brands highlights the authentic qualities that are born from the land, climate and centuries-old methods that can only be found in Champagne, France.”
Bruno Paillard, the Chairman of the Comité Champagne’s Communication and Appellation Commission, is attending the tasting along with leadership from a number of prominent Champagne houses and growers. “Champagne can only be made from grapes grown in a clearly defined region located about 90 miles northeast of Paris,” said Paillard. “With this tasting, we seek to increase understanding of the Champagne region in the United States, reaffirm the organization’s long-standing commitment to supporting the U.S. market and ensure U.S. consumers know Champagne only comes from Champagne, France.”
This event is part of an October full of festivities celebrating America’s love of Champagne, concluding with the third annual Champagne Day on October 26.
Please use #ChampagneDay to participate in the trend online.
In 2011, Champagne shipped 323 million bottles worldwide, with more than 19.3 million bottles shipped to the United States, an increase of 14.4% from 2010, making the United States Champagne’s largest export market outside of Europe.
Follow us on http://www.twitter.com/ChampagneBureau and use #champagnetasting to participate in the trend.
About The Champagne Bureau, USA
The Champagne Bureau, USA, is the official U.S. representative of the Comité Interprofessionnel du Vin de Champagne, a trade association which represents the grape growers and houses of Champagne, France.
The Bureau works to educate U.S. consumers about the uniqueness of the wines of Champagne and expand their understanding of the need to protect the Champagne name.
For more information, visit us online at http://www.champagne.us
