From fizzy breakfasts in the car park to G.H.Mumm in The Birdcage, Champagne is the traditional drink of choice at the Melbourne Cup.
Last year on race day, race-goers consumed more than 46,000 bottles of Champagne and that record is bound to be broken on Tuesday, November 5 this year as the magic of Cup Carnival gets into full swing.
We all know sparkling wine is only Champagne if it comes from Champagne in France from grapes such as Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Munier – most Champagne is made from multiple grape varieties and if it’s labelled as non-vintage, it’s made from more than one vintage.
Non-vintage Champagne is left to mature in the bottle for at least 15 months, while vintage wines take at least three years to mature. Small growers who sell their grapes to large houses own a lot of Champagne vineyards, however, some growers do grow and make their own Champagne.
Did you know the classic ‘coupe’ Champagne glass was allegedly styled after Marie Antoinette’s breast, all the way back in 1774? Make sure to always rinse your Champagne glasses in hot water before use as fibres from tea towels and residue from cleaning liquids can ruin the wine’s quality.
Champagne bottles are best stored in the dark and served between 8 C-10 C for optimum indulgence – popping the cork on your bottle will make it lose its bubbles which are what bring the drink to life and deliver the finest aromas.
What else goes with Melbourne Cup, we hear you ask? Cocktails and canapés are the name of the game!
Champagne cocktails have a long and proud history from the battlefields of World War I to the dance halls of prohibition-era Cuba and they’re the perfect to get tipsy with class. Take a punt on these cocktails to round the home turn in first place:
Photo credit: Punch Drink.
This tasty tipple is the top weight in the cocktail stakes with its association with the Kentucky Derby and the signature Mint Julep. The cocktail originated in Virginia where it was apparently ‘a healthy way to start the day’. The word ‘julep’ stems from the Persian ‘gulab’ or ‘julab’ in classic Arabic, which was a drink made with sweetened rose petals rather than mint.
The pewter cup filled with crushed ice in which the julep is served helps retain the chill and forms a nice frost on it, perfect for sipping the sun on Cup Day.
All of Mr Mista’s cocktails are named after Hollywood movie legends and Angela Jolie was the first person to come to mind when creating this beautiful drink. The green plum and jasmine were inspired by the fresh but thoughtful fusion twists assigned to every cocktail and the floral finish is a nod towards femininity in bartending.
The ideal cocktail to elevate any event. Boasting a delightful blend of berry and delicate florals, the Raspberry Rose Gin Fizz is a refreshingly scrumptious concoction. Its sweet and delicate pink hue certainly adds to its overall charm.
Canapés are the ultimate finger food you can hold with one hand…leaving the other one for your drink! Here are three recipes that go perfectly with your choice of cocktail:
Not your average éclair! Try these delicious chicken liver parfait eclairs with hazelnuts, cornichons and a Port wine glaze at your Melbourne Cup soirée and watch them disappear in front of your eyes.
"I like to kick back and enjoy these tasty toasts with a cold beer, but they are also a great appetiser. Throw them on top of a simple spinach salad, which will wilt from the heat in a most delicious way. Here’s another idea, make bite-sized squares and serve them as a casual hors d’oeuvre.” – Curtis Stone.
Be patient with these - the zucchini will take a little while to master rolling, but the end result will more than make up for it.
