PEOPLE
Escape into the sparkling world of champagne Words by Rachel Zammit Cutajar | Photography by Julia Boikova
Champagne is a symbol of class, celebration and achievement. It is a message to the world that says a milestone has been reached. But understanding a little bit about what you’re drinking, where it comes from and why it commands the price it does makes enjoying champagne that little more special. Somm Escape is a collaboration between Jesper Knudsen and Fabien Etienne, one of just 275 master sommeliers in the world. Together they are teaching Malta’s residents how to truly enjoy the world of sparkling wines. Gone are the days when spraying bottles of champagne in a club was a trendy thing to do… or maybe it’s just this writer’s age and the effects of the pandemic making itself known. However, sipping on a glass of quality champagne perhaps holds more allure than ever, especially now that the sunshine has started to shine through and meeting other people is the order of the day. At Somm Escape, Fabien and Jesper are providing a sparkling experience unmatched on the island. Jesper says the best testimonial he has had was from a group of friends who didn’t even particularly like champagne. “After one evening with Fabien, they had been converted, and said they had found a new passion. When you understand a little more about the wine, you can appreciate it much better. For instance, I once sold a client a bottle of Delamotte 1999, which retails at €150. Though he was happy to pay the price, when I told him he was drinking one of just 1,500 bottles, he had a new-found appreciation for what he was drinking, and even felt like he was getting a bargain.” Launched in the midst of coronavirus restrictions on 4th January 2021, Fabien and Jesper had to think outside the box when offering educational experiences for their customers. This is how Somm Escape at Home was born. Think of your traditional wine pairing events. And then enhance it. Fabien works with local chefs of Michelin star quality to offer a champagne pairing in the comfort of your own home. “Wine pairing is not simply determining which wine goes with which dish. When I am pairing food and wine, I try each element of the dish to see which ingredients come through, and then I try the wines separately and try to balance them. To create a remarkable experience, you need to create a partnership with two very knowledgeable people. To take it to the next level, rather than finding a champagne that pairs well with a particular dish, we do this the other way around. We select the champagne and then work with the chef to create a dish that
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