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For his first two years as Maison Mumm‘s Cellar Grasp, Laurent Fresnet linked with a lot of his viewers from a distance. Fresnet assumed the function in January 2020. Simply weeks later, worldwide lockdowns restricted journey and put a pause in his aim to fulfill face-to-face with shoppers within the Champagne home’s worldwide markets.
That didn’t cease Fresnet from discovering inspiration in unlikely locations. He dove headfirst into designing new tasting experiences for guests to Mumm’s Reims-based vineyards and cellars, which may then be tailored for worldwide excursions and audiences. For Fresnet and his staff, this meant increasing well-beyond the normal winemaking area.
One collaboration he’s personally happy with concerned neuroscientist Gabriel Lepousez, and collectively they developed customized glassware for a tasting expertise that examines how shade, texture, and temperature dramatically affect one’s sense of style — even when sampling the identical cuvée.
Now, with lockdowns lifted, Fresnet has been on a whirlwind worldwide tour. On his first go to to the USA as Cellar Grasp, Fresnet led teams of journalists and aficionados by means of one such tasting; sampled cuvées included G.H. Mumm’s Grand Cordon Rosé, Millésimé 2013, RSRV Blanc de Noirs 2012, RSRV Cuvée Lalou 2006, and RSRV Rosé Foujita. And for the primary time ever on American soil, audiences sampled uncommon Mumm classic cuvée on particular launch: Cordon Rouge Vinothéque 1961.
Days earlier than the tastings, Drinkhacker sat down with Fresnet to debate why he’s so insistent on connecting with Champagne drinkers in particular person, together with the extra surprising challenges of constructing — and sustaining — one of many world’s largest Champagne manufacturers.
Be aware: This interview has been frivolously edited for readability.
Drinkhacker: What are you hoping to study American Champagne shoppers?
Laurent Fresnet: I got here to the U.S. to fulfill the shopper, to have an change with them, to assist them perceive that I don’t make Champagne for me. I have to have an change with them, I have to seize suggestions to grasp how consumption is altering. That features earlier than and after Covid lockdowns. All the things’s shifting. We have to have the suggestions that embrace two years of lockdowns, the place relaying feelings has develop into tough. And it’s significantly better to try this in particular person with shoppers right here, one after the other.
Drinkhacker: What are some issues that you just’ve heard from American shoppers and clients that possibly stunned you?
Fresnet: I’m very open about that. I don’t anticipate something particularly. I need solely to change with individuals, and what I’m searching for is to have a dialog about what they need and really feel. For those who anticipate one thing already, it’s tough to get near individuals to study what they really need. I have to maintain my thoughts open and free heading into these conversations, so I attempted to not have expectations!
Drinkhacker: Do you assume there are any misconceptions that American shoppers have about your product or in regards to the Champagne class normally?
Fresnet: An enormous false impression is that Champagne is just for occasions, and many individuals don’t perceive which you can pair meals with Champagne. Champagne can age as a wine, and lots of people don’t assume that Champagne actually is a wine, anyway. However it’s a wine! We’ve loads of misconceptions, however we are saying it’s the King of the Wine, or King of the Drinks, one of many Kings.
Drinkhacker: What are some questions that you just get from first time Champagne drinkers?
Fresnet: The primary query I get is, “What are you going to vary about Mumm? Why are you going to vary?” That’s at all times the primary sentence. And in my thoughts, the a lot extra tough factor isn’t to vary, it’s to breed a mode. That represents 90 p.c of your job, to be according to the type and to be common. To create a really nice stability between the type and the non-vintage wine. It’s so tough to breed a mode. My first job is to ensure the type round Mumm.
Drinkhacker: What about Mumm’s vineyards and the bodily presence of being there stands out for people who find themselves fortunate sufficient to go to?
Fresnet: After I arrived at Mumm, I used to be stunned by the large plots they’ve within the vineyards. You’ve bought 218 hectares, largely planting Grand Cru. Within the area, loads of producers are solely rising 10% of their very own provide. Mumm is 20 p.c, it’s double. So it’s an enormous plot of their very own to assist assure the type and consistency of Mumm.
Drinkhacker: The place do you search for inspiration in designing, tasting, and pairing experiences?
Fresnet: We’ve labored with loads of cooks and constructed loads of experiences round meals pairing earlier than. What we attempt to do now could be to work way more with cooks in several nations, as a result of every nation has completely different flavors, completely different types of greens, it’s all completely different. And we have to have a distinct method in every nation, with completely different cooks and with completely different meals. After we transfer into a rustic, it’s crucial for us — for everyone — to fulfill the patron and meet the style of how they devour wine and pair with meals from that nation.
For instance, in Europe you don’t have the identical flavors as chances are you’ll get in elements of Asia. So we have to go into these markets and nations, and work with these cooks to design our particular pairings. It’s a brand new train in making ready every time.
Drinkhacker: What are a few of your private targets for the following 5 to 10 years?
Fresnet: Haha, I can’t inform you every thing. However for me, the very first thing is to be safe and make sure the type of Mumm stays constant. That’s far and away my first aim. After that, it’s to innovate, to work throughout years with a staff. And within the winery, with the brand new viticulture course of, we made a sustainable viticulture assure since 2016. We haven’t used any chemical product in our viticulture since 2019. That features lowering using added product for fertilizer, for instance. We have to deal with the affect of the grapes, and naturally of the wine. In order that requires loads of testing!
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