Atlanta's Finest Dining



			Every month, we will feature stories that delve into various culinary delights served up by Atlanta's finest restaurants. Click here to see our special promotions, events and features. Also register to win a dinner for two at one of Atlanta's finest restaurants or win a free cooking class by one of Atlanta's top chefs!

Champagne For Breakfast -
A New Atlanta Tradition
by Doc Lawrence

During each visit to New Orleans over the years, I have enjoyed flutes of champagne with Creole eggs, shrimp and grits, biscuits, ham and andouille sausage. I came to expect it, but always thought that this noble custom was confined to the French Quarter, Quebec City and Paris. My recent visit to Lobby at Twelve in Atlantic Station to meet and interview the heiress of one of the world’s great champagne houses caused me to reconsider these old notions. Champagne, more particularly Laurent-Perrier champagne, was poured into bottomless glasses all to my delight.

Breakfast suddenly rivaled dinner.

My hostess, Alexandra de Nonancourt, is surely the only woman on this planet whose father, in honor of her marriage, specially crafted champagne and named it after her. Because she is a ranking member of a renowned family-owned champagne house, I, just after meeting her, could understand why a father would do something so majestic and lasting. Champagne, after all, is almost synonymous with love.

Alexandra came to Atlanta as a “Guest of Honor,” the annual award given by the High Museum of Art during its spring fundraiser wine auction festivities. It is a distinction of real merit that in past years has been awarded to such great names in the world of wine as Armand Cottin, the president of Labourie-Roi, and Murielle Guliano, the CEO of Veuve Clicquot.

“I have enjoyed my visit in your beautiful city,” Alexandra told me at breakfast while the attentive waiter poured another glass of Ultra-Brut Laurent-Perrier, which I paired with scrambled eggs and caviar. Acknowledging that she travels throughout the world on behalf of her family’s wonderful wines, I couldn’t resist telling her about the champagne folklore in the South. She was pleasantly surprised to learn that during the Civil War, Confederate blockade runners managed to smuggle in thousands of bottles of champagne for thirsty generals and their families and staffs. Champagne, as anyone familiar with Rhett Butler knows, has always occupied a hallowed place at Southern dining tables, no matter the degree of adversity and hardship.

Founded in 1812, Laurent –Perrier has been avant-garde in creating unique and elegant champagnes for nearly 200 years. For more than 50 years, Bernard Nonancourt, Alexandra’s father, has dedicated his life to innovating and perfecting Laurent-Perrier champagne. According to Alexandra, “our champagnes are generally chardonnay-driven and multi-vintage by choice to maximize what is best about the champagne craft. Laurent –Perrier emphasizes the art of blending by sourcing grapes from the finest vineyards in Champagne, vinifying each lot separately and carefully assembling them to embody our house style which is crisp, fresh, elegant and a pleasure to drink.”

As I was enjoying breakfast pastries prepared by the chef, I easily nodded in agreement with Alexandra’s descriptions of her different styles of champagne, knowing that I had found the perfect pairing of food and beverage for breakfast. Good-bye orange juice.

I was given a new education on that spectacular spring morning. I thought I knew much about champagne, but Alexandra gently took me along a journey of her champagnes, the history of that region of France and all the great events associated with Laurent-Perrier. Mark Twain once said that he believed Joan of Arc to be the world’s greatest figure. The young warrior who became a saint was from the area of Rhiems, the capital of the Champagne region of France. It seems appropriate that the most highly prized wine on earth comes from there as well.

Continuing a tradition of association with things noble and regal, Laurent-Perrier has been, I was told, the official champagne of the Academy Awards for the past decade. This year, the 78th annual Oscar ceremony was celebrated with Laurent-Perrier champagne. “Reese Witherspoon, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Rachel Weisz and many others celebrated their accomplishments with our Champagne,” Alexandra said. I assumed that she was there joining in all the festivities and imagined she blended perfectly with the pageantry and beauty.

Sometimes you really hate to see breakfast come to an end. That was my lingering feeling of regret when it was time to say good-bye to this striking and eloquent representative of her champagne house. The gift of a prized bottle from Alexandra remains in a special spot near my wine and cookbook library. I think I’ll save it for something very important in my life, perhaps a day that has particular significance for Atlanta.

In the meantime, I think of food and wine a little differently and have made the natural transition to adding in a new beverage for an occasional meaningful breakfast. With champagne, we celebrate and christen. Champagne is the universal elixir of love. Nothing comes in second. We ring in the New Year with it and serving it on Valentine’s Day is obligatory. It’s also very appropriate for saying farewell.

Laurent-Perrier champagne is now among my favorite things. I reflexively associate each glass of this magnificent bubbly liquid with the gracious emissary who for a few moments brought me into her region of France that produces it. I’m delighted knowing that now I enjoy it as much as my Southern ancestors.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Doc Lawrence is one of the most popular wine lecturers in the country today, emceeing wine events at resorts and festivals. His column in the Piedmont Review is Georgia’s oldest and most respected. Listen to Doc’s show, “Your Atlanta Gourmet” on WMLB AM1160. Contact Doc at doclawrence@mindspring.com.

Above: Alexandra de Nonancourt.