Keeping the bubbles alive

Napoleon Bonaparte once said, “In victory, you deserve champagne; in defeat, you need it.” Fast forward to the 21^st century, and Bonaparte’s line still holds true. Despite the current sluggish economies in Europe and the U.S, demand for the bubbly has not waned. Pierre-Emmanuel Taittinger, president of the renowned, eponymous Reims-based champagne house, says, “The world changes every minute, but champagne remains the same. You drink it in good, bad and complex times.”
“Champagne is a form of art de vivre that’s impervious to time,” adds the 58-year-old, who has been in the wine business for 36 years. Being a family-owned business, Taittinger faces no pressure from any shareholders. His son, Clovis, 33, manages exports, while his daughter, Vitalie, 32, is in charge of the company’s artistic development. He gets pensive for a moment, and says, “As I get older, I become less concerned about money matters. For me, champagne making is all about passion.”

Excerpt from the December issue of epicure.