Clovis Taittinger

CLOVIS TAITTINGER: THE IMPORTANCE OF BALANCE

Clovis Taittinger believes in balance: the balance between family and work life, between passion and relaxation, and between the flavours of wellrounded Champagne. On a recent whirlwind tour of Australia, the heir to the renowned Champagne Taittinger brand found a brief moment to sit down with Ashley Pini and discuss family, food, football and fine Champagne.

Ashley Pini: How many generations have your family being making Champagne?

Clovis Taittinger: Four generations. My great-grandfather bought the property and we’ve had the business until now, with my sister and me working for the company.

AP: What attracts you to working in a family business?

CT: First and foremost, it’s a mission. It’s a mission to continue the legacy and the history. It’s a mission on behalf of your employees, your partners. And it’s also a great honour; representing the family, representing such a famous name, it cannot be anything else other than that.

AP: So is that something that makes you very proud?

CT: I don’t have inflated pride or ego over that. I’d say I more feel the pressure to strive for excellence.

AP: What’s something most consumers don’t know about making Champagne?

CT: It’s hard work. The most difficult thing in our industry, and for our company, is to explain to the consumer how hard it is to make Champagne - the number of steps, the number of processes and the number of people involved in each small operation. Champagne is more than a wine. It’s a process of very complex traditions.

AP: How long is it between picking the grape and the end product being in stores?

CT: About four to four and a half years. It’s a process that involves many, many stages to make the wine as good as possible, as pure as possible, and as pleasant as possible without even touching the raw materials. I think that’s very impressive.

AP: What makes Champagne Taittinger so special?

CT: I think there are a few things that make Champagne Taittinger so special. Firstly, we still have our name on the bottles. It’s a guarantee of authenticity, it’s a guarantee of quality for our fans/consumers, and it makes our brand very approachable, or human, versus other big firm brands. Another thing is we’re still a house of craftsmen and growers, and I think that’s very important.

AP: So how much of the Champagne comes from your own vineyards?

CT: Around 50 per cent.

AP: That’s quite a large number.

CT: We have a longstanding relationship with those that work on our estate. In supplying 50 per cent of our needs, it means we need to oversee our own domain. Taittinger today is the second largest estate of Champagne, and the soul of the house is in the craftsmanship.

AP: So what does it mean when you say your Champagne is a ‘chardonnay style’?

CT: So all our Champagnes are chardonnaybased. The chardonnay grape gives the Champagnes vitality, elegance, energy and definite citrusy notes. It gives the wines a very fresh, light, and sexy look. Beyond the grape, Taittinger is a wine that represents the chardonnay style. It has a signature sexy, lively, feminine, sophisticated and elegant style. I think this elegant sophistication is quite unique today.

AP: To be considered a chardonnay-based Champagne, does the wine need to have more than 50 per cent chardonnay or just have chardonnay as the dominant characteristic?

CT: The chardonnay is the dominant characteristic.

AP: What do you look for in a glass of Champagne?

CT: For my personal taste, I like a combination of freshness, very clean aromas, and a general harmony and balance. I look for a wine that gives me a good impression all the way to the end of the taste.

AP: If you were entertaining with a bottle of Champagne Taittinger, what hor d’oeuvres would you pair it with?

CT: If you were a guest in my house, I’d love to serve traditional French entrees. One of my favourites is a French aperitif called oeuf mimosa, or egg mimosa (deviled eggs). I love them. I can eat a few dozen. That’s a choice from the heart.

As well, another thing that I love is mozzarella. Mozzarella with a glass of Champagne and a bit of olive oil is just wonderful.

AP: I imagine the acidity in the Champagne can cut through the mozzarella and the oil to give a nice balance.

CT: Yes, exactly.

AP: Again, it’s all about balance right?

CT: Exactly, it’s all about balance.

AP: Now, about yourself, you travel around the world as an ambassador for your brand and you work very hard. How many languages do you speak?

CT: I speak four languages. English, Spanish, Italian and German.

AP: And French. So five actually!

CT: (Laughs) Yes, I actually forgot about French.

AP: (Laughs) I imagine those language skills are incredibly important for your work in different markets. Did you learn them in your job or did you learn languages at school?

CT: Some of them I learned at school and some of them I learned through my job.

AP: It’s very impressive. For someone who works so hard, how do you keep your passion alive?

CT: There are many components that come together to keep my passion alive. For me, I find my passion in my team. When you work for good people, be they your professional partners or your consumers, you enjoy every day in your job. You can’t get tired of meeting new people, giving love and sharing the passion.

I also think to keep your passion alive your work must not become an obsession. You shouldn’t think Champagne and live Champagne 24 hours a day; you need a number of other passions, or hobbies, to counterbalance your job. Again, it’s about balance. For example, on the weekend I may drink a glass of Champagne, but I won’t think about the company. I’ll try to do something else. Give myself a mental detox.

AP: Who would you most like to share a glass of Champagne with?

CT: In my eyes, you have two options, your close family – your wife, your parents, your friends and the ones you feel closest to. I have to say also, sharing a glass of Champagne with someone you don’t know is the most pleasant thing. Champagne can help you meet someone new, inspire intimacy, feelings and emotions, and create history. That’s one of the unique pleasures of life. We all live for surprise and adventure.

AP: If you were playing in the French National Football team, what position would you play?

CT: I think I’d be a forward or a striker, because I’m striking for the company by selling bottles. I would say I’m also a natural defense. I would dive for the company and never let anyone cross our goal line. I’d do everything possible to stop the ball, or the player, before scoring.