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Hatt et Söner shows us how to create a champagne that tells your story
By Rose Adams | 1 June 2018 | Food & Drink
Champagne house Hatt et Söner donated a once in a lifetime prize at the Tempus Earth Conservation Gala
* At our Tempus Earth Conservation Gala, crisp glass of champagne provided by personal vintage specialists Hatt et Söner was enjoyed by a host of stars and high net worth guests
A plethora of high net worth and celebrity guests – including Olympian Victoria Pendleton CBE and musician Dougie Poynter – gathered at the Dorchester London on 31 May to raise their glasses in atoast to the first ever Tempus Earth Conservation Gala in aid of WWF. A crisp glass of champagne provided by personal vintage specialists Hatt et Söner was enjoyed by stars in an opulent champagne and Attilus caviar reception, setting the mood for what was to be a memorable night.
The reception, sponsored by the champagne house, enabled gala guests to sample its fine vintage champagne, a part of its product line along with Grand Cru and Premier Cru Chardonnay, the first press from hand-sorted grapes, and non malolactic fermented wines.
A company with family at its heart, Hatt en Söner was founded by Kristofer Ruscon and Francois Valois in 2009, and now prides itself on creating world-class champagne through traditional methods as well as a unique harvesting technique performed by hand, in the picturesque Côte des Blancs, a destination deemed to produce a particularly good Chardonnay. The chardonnay grape is its champion ingredient but the brand's true innovation lies in its tailored, personal vintages.
"Hatt et Söner have a history and policy of supporting great causes around the world. As soon as we heard about the Tempus Earth Gala we were eager to assist with the fundraising for such a great cause." Director of Hatt et Söner David McCarthy exclusively told Tempus. "Sustainable practises are very important to us and we are constantly looking at ways to reduce our impact on the environment. We currently practise "La Lutte Raisonnée" which, literally translated from French, means the reasoned struggle. Basically, we work with nature as much as possible and will only intervene when necessary to protect the crop."
Related: 5 things you never knew about WWF
* Hatt en Söner’s champagne masters create a champagne vintage for their clientele, taking them on journey of a taste to discover their grape preference and unique tastes, before teaching them how to harvest, press and produce champagne.
An incredibly rare, invitation-only offer, Hatt en Söner's champagne masters create a champagne vintage for their clientele, taking them through a tasting session to establish which grapes are to their preference and unique tastes, before teaching them how to harvest, press and produce champagne for a truly personal experience. Then, 100 bottles of the unique vintage will be made for them.
It was this desirable prize that Ruscon donated to the Tempus Earth Conservation Gala in aid of WWF, offering the winning bidder the chance to visit the brand's beautiful Champagne House, create 100 bottles of their very own Vintage Champagne, as well as a full day and evening harvest experience – a truly authentic practice. Finishing the exciting champagne-fuelled day with a stay as Hatt et Söner's guest at the beautiful Château d’Étoges. And as if that wasn’t enough, the lot also included the chance to design a luxurious bespoke leather bag created by Böle – the world's last remaining spruce bark tannery and Purveyors to the Swedish Royal Court.
"We support our charity partners by donating an exclusive 'Personal Vintage Champagne experience' enabling the winning bidder to follow the journey of their own bespoke champagne from birth to maturity, influencing the style and taste to their own personal preferences. For the Tempus Earth Gala we donated 100 personal Vintage bottles, together with a harvest visit where our guests spend a whole day and evening with us. This consists of some grape harvesting, lunch in the vineyard with champagne tasting, a personal vintage blind tasting in the cellar and finishing up with a black tie dinner in a 12th Century Abbey."
"Hatt et Söner believes that business introversion is obsolete. We believe in openness. Champagne is veiled in old traditions where knowledge is power. We want to lift that veil and let you in on some well kept secrets. One of our main objectives is to be at the frontline in developing luxury champagne and innovation is key in this. In our minds, as a drinker of Hatt et Söner, you are not a customer but an extension of us – an ambassador. We are on a journey and you are welcome to join our family."
* Also part of the lot was the chance to design a luxurious bespoke leather bag created by Böle – the world’s last remaining spruce bark tannery and Purveyors to the Swedish Royal Court.