Music and wine is the ultimate pairing- where to enjoy it this summer
If music is the food of love, no wonder it pairs so well with wine. Many great wine houses have clocked this already, but none so perfectly as Krug Champagne who have worked with famous composers to create truly exceptional artistic experiences.
In February I was invited to the Roundhouse in London’s Chalk Farm for an evening entitled Every Note Counts. Krug’s approach is an original one. Cellar Master Julie Cavil works with the composers, most recently the celebrated Max Richter, to taste the wines, discuss them and over many months create musical pieces that reflect what is in the glass.
Cavil describes her job of winemaking as being like that of a conductor, working out what harmonises well together and what should go solo.
This is not where the similarities end. Wine is subjective, like music, and sensation led. It is an experience that brings people together but is ultimately individual. No one can taste, smell or be moved in exactly the same way.
Music is proven to change how wine tastes
Cavil and Richter’s collaboration resulted in a breathtaking evening. Guests sipped glasses of Krug while listening to the compositions the wine had inspired. A soloist performed while we drank Krug’s Clos d’Ambonnay, and this experience was my favourite pairing of the night. Krug 2008 (£568 Berry Bros & Rudd) was paired with an orchestral ensemble and the Grand Cuvée 173ème edition (£255 Harrods) had the room vibrating from the full 35-piece orchestra.
All the symphonies can be heard on Krug’s website, and you might as well listen with a glass of 2008 in hand. This is the very upper echelons of a wine and music blend, but there are plenty of other collaborations to keep us going as we head into summer and it is interesting to see which musical style appeals to different winemakers.
In March England’s Chapel Down announced its partnership with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. Both have a shared commitment to modern British creativity. Expect to be sipping this excellent English wine at the Royal Albert Hall, Royal Festival Hall and at all their concerts.
Love Supreme Jazz Festival has partnered with Rathfinny’s to launch a Sparkling Wine Garden for the first weekend of July. The festival’s mix of jazz, soul and R&B matches Rathfinny’s relaxed yet refined style, but the fact they are neighbours in East Sussex chimes with the estate’s B Corp status and focus on local community.
Wine, DJs and live performances
I cannot think of a better way to spend summer than dancing and drinking in the English countryside. Tinwood near Chichester hosts DJs, live performances and entertainment at their Summer Party on 30th May (over 25s only) and Hambledon Wine Estate is putting on a more relaxed affair with their Jazz & Fizz festival over the first two weekends of August. Each ticket comes with a glass of Hambledon’s classic cuvee and a designated deck chair.
Listening to music has been proven to change how wine feels and tastes, and the Balfour Dining Club Music Sessions from Kent’s Balfour Wine Estate mix live music performances with tutored wine tastings and a four-course meal.
Whether listening to Krug’s compositions at home, nodding along from a sunny deckchair at Hambledon or dancing to R&B with Rathfinny, there is a wine and music pairing for each of us.
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