Roederers vines - too fine for black American hiphoppers? Oris it on the contrary black American rappers, who lack abilities to appreciate the finer qualities of Roederer? Judge for yourself.
American rapper Jay-Z is through with Cristal. Both privately, in musicvideoes and in his chain of clubs, 40/40, that when it comes to high-end champagnes now are only allowed to sell Krug and Dom. Jay-Z has been exposed to racism, he says, and the bad guy is the boss of the house of Louis Roederer, Frédéric Bouzaud.
When manager Bouzaud was interviewed for an article about "Champagne and Bling" for the British magazine The Economist, he was asked about the possible negative effect for the image of Louis Roederer if associated with black American hiphop-culture due to the big interest of the rappers for Cristal:
"That’s a good question, but what can we do?"
Verses like "Let’s sip the Cris and get pissy-pissy" from a Jay-Z text, and the whole idea of getting pissed in vintage bubbles rather than
sipping them from cultivated, slim crystal glasses seem more like a frontal collision between French art de vivre and American freedom-to-do-what-you-want than discrimination of black Americans.
All about style
Frédéric Bouzaud furthermore noted, that his company cannot prevent "people" from bying Cristal.
Well, he will not have to anymore, since Jay-Z has announced far and wide that he is finished with Cristal. The prestigeous house - more than 200 years old - can now concentrate on the making of their elegant bubbles to people who also appreciate them in their way of living.
"We make our champagne for that three-five percent of consumers who really know wine, and who take the time to taste it correctly."
This is how the former Roederer-boss, Jean-Claude Bouzaud, described the preferred group of customers in an interview made around the time of his retirement early this year.
In France it is simply not enough to buy the right brands. If you do not possess the general education and style to consume them in the right way - following the strict codex of French art de vivre - it will work in the excact opposite direction.
A topcuvée like Cristal is not a prodict to be bought, sold and consumed as cats food and canned tomatoes. It is itself a piece of art.
An image like Paris Hilton
The boss of the cave, who blends a cuvée like Cristal from a big number of the best still vines from the best vineyards of Roederer, has a vision for his wine. And a great number of years will pass before such a champagne is fully developed and matured.
When it is finally ready to meet the world, it is supposed to be something quite unique, a mosaic of smells, a masterpiece of a complex experience of flavours. Therefore, on its way to the market and the customers, it will be accompagnied by special festivities and very big parties for a specially invited incrowd.
When Dom Pérignon recently presented its new rosé vintage 1996 in Los Angeles, Paris Hilton had to gatecrash to enter the party. She was welcome to drink as much Dom as she wanted, said manager Frédéric Cumenal to the Australian. But he did not excactly clap his hands to get his topcuvée associated with the ultrablond hotel heiress:
"I don't probably like the idea of sharing the image of Paris Hilton - not the person, she's probably not that bad - but her image, it is not what Dom Perignon is about."
So far there has been no reports - to my knowledge anyway - that Paris Hilton will boycott Dom Pérignon after this comment, so openly hostile towards blondes. Maybe that is for later. The rapper Jay-Z has put Louis Roederer on ice, and this time not because he is thirsty. It shall be interesting to follow the possible effect on the sales of the house.
Meanwhile it is sort of amusing to note the coincidence that Cristal actually was invented to satisfy another windbag.
Made for the Russian czar
Cristal was created especially for the Russian czar Nikolaj II, who loved champagne. As comme il faut - these days as well - the crowd of courtiers and claqueurs took over the preferences of their emperor. So they becan to drink and serve champagne as well.
The czar however wanted something quite special for hinself, and this made the house of Louis Roederer create the Cristal only for him in 1876. The name is due to the clear bottle of those days, made of crystal and with a golden label.
After the Russian revolution in 1917 Cristal simply disappeared with the czar. It was only reintroduced in 1945, this time for ordinary customers... with money, I may have to add.
This is where Jay-Z enters the story. But now of course he will have to do with Krug and Dom. Poor guy...
På dansk
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