The US's first large scale consumer event dedicated to Champagne and sparkling wine will highlight independent producers.
The Independent Champagne and Sparkling Wine Invitational, to be held 16-18 April 2010 in New Orleans, will focus on demonstrating the distinctions between grower Champagnes and big brands.
‘We are not arguing that grower Champagnes are better than what have been referred to as the Grandes Marques, just that they are different,’ said Lisa Granik MW, Director of Fine Wine Initiatives for Empire Merchants in New York, and one of the event’s organisers.
‘We are also hoping that other producers that still have a family/grower mentality such as Krug, Taittinger, Bollinger, Roederer and Deutz will participate.’
The event looks set to feature seminars and tastings for consumers and professionals, examining basic differences among various sparkling wine styles and more technical issues surrounding the proposed expansion of the Champagne region.
Panelists will include Antonio Galoni of the Wine Advocate, Peter Liem of the ChampagneGuide.net and Allen Meadows of Burghound.
The Independent Champagne and Sparkling Wine Invitational will be the first of its kind in the US.
The event comes a year after the first International Sparkling Wine Symposium was held in the UK in March 2009.
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Written by Maggie Rosen
