Best Champagne in the World: Tesco’s

Reason notwithstanding, the everday drink known as "champagne" is still associated with men in tuxedos, women in evening gowns and wall-to-wall elegance. Indeed, the hip-hop culture’s fascination with Cristal underscores how even the underclass (or wannabe underclass) sees bubbly as sophistication. Thus, one takes great delight in noting that the International Wine Challenge awards named a £15 a bottle from a supermarket as the best non-vintage champagne in the world. The ad campaign will likely be “Impress the sommelier and order Tesco Premier Cru.”

The people at Tesco’s have been selling Tesco Premier Cru since 1995. It “is produced from vineyards in the Cote des Blancs to the south of Epernay. It is made by a co-operative with access to 1,200 hectares and 1,860 growers,” according to the Daily Telegraph. So, Tesco’s can call it “champagne” rather than just a sparkling wine in Europe; the French have managed to keep the brand name to themselves by requiring all champagne to come from around Epernay, the Champagne region of France. And as a co-op, it may have more of an artistic, rather than mercenary, workforce producing it.

Robert Joseph, chairman of the judging panel, said: “It's fantastic that a British supermarket can choose a Champagne that proves to be better than many of the big names, and sell it at an affordable price. Hopefully it will allow more of the British public to experience the unique flavour of great champagne normally associated with much more expensive brands.”

Actually, it is not surprising. Tesco’s has economies of scale that others can only admire from afar. Moreover, the company has spent a great deal of time and effort getting this right. This victory wasn’t a once-in-a-lifetime fluke. In December 2002, it won a blind taste test in Which? magazine.

Champagne snobs, of course, will look down their noses regardless. These are people who buy the bottle rather than the contents, and a great many of them can’t tell champagne from lager. Modern branding has done them and their disciples a horrid disservice. The quality of the product gives the brand value rather than the brand giving the product its worth. For them, it would be easier to give up the Veuve Cliquot if the supermarket would spell it “Tesqueau.” Fools.


© Copyright 2005 by The Kensington Review, J. Myhre, Editor. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written consent.
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