Make your Champagne shine with creative bites

Served to welcome cherished guests and mark significant events, champagne is a festive drink that brings people together. And what to serve with it for a dazzling pairing? That’s what we asked our guest chef, challenging him to create dishes that taste divine with the Nicolas Feuillatte Réserve Exclusive Brut, a rosé champagne that Olivier describes as sophisticated, with fine bubbles and a fruity roundness and sweetness that evoke berries. “It’s very versatile—perfect for celebrating,” he said. (video in French only)

The former competitor on the TV show Les Chefs! created a recipe of blinis topped with a caper and lemon sour cream, homemade gravlax and a cucumber and dill salad. It tastes fresh and is absolutely superb with this lavish champagne. “I thought about the colours and textures, as well as the balance of flavours. The sour cream makes it more indulgent, while the cucumbers add a crunch that complements the sweetness of the rosé,” he said. And there’s a good reason why he added gravlax—it’s one of his go-to products, which he whips up for his family during the holidays. That may be why he associates it with sharing, a word that came up frequently when he spoke about his relationship with cooking. What’s more, it’s fantastically simple. As he said, “it’s easy to prepare and always makes an impression.”

For other ideas, Olivier recommends seeking out tangy or sour flavours like goat cheese and marinaded products, richer dishes like a chicken mousse or ingredients with a strong flavour—think bitter greens—to balance out the sugar in the champagne. As for desserts, he suggests something fresh and fruity rather than sweet. 

More presents to please the palate

The 40-year-old Nicolas Feuillatte brand is the youngest among the big-name champagne houses—it’s a favourite in France and has a stellar international reputation. Its philosophy is that even though champagne is an exceptional product, it shouldn’t be reserved for special occasions alone. Here’s an overview of five other champagne and appetizer pairings to savour and share!

The Nicolas Feuillatte Réserve Exclusive Brut has slightly lemony notes at first, then the aroma of almond, orange peel and apple hits the palate, ending with a delicate mineral finish. A sure bet that’s delectable with another crowd favourite: California-style salmon tartare hors d’oeuvres.

The Nicolas Feuillatte Collection Organic Extra Brut is the brand’s first organic product and a perfect representation of the rich terroir in Côte des Blancs. It’s been aged in cellars, giving it notes of toasted bread and Mirabelle plums that add freshness and complexity. The flavour is exquisite with food like fried calamari, oysters or even a little caviar. 

Lively, elegant and sophisticated, the Nicolas Feuillatte Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs 2015 is made entirely with Chardonnay grapes and won gold at the Global Chardonnay Masters 2021. This vintage champagne has hints of citrus and white flower, as well as notes of candied fruit and brioche. Try it alongside foie gras au torchon canapés with ice cider jelly—together, they’re a treat for the taste buds!

Made with grapes from 26 of the 42 villages classified as “premier cru” in Champagne, France, the Nicolas Feuillatte Premier Cru Réserve Exclusive Extra-Brut translates this diversity of soil quality into a complex, salty and mineral flavour. The blending of three traditional grape varieties—Pinot Meunier, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir—in equal proportion and a long maturation period result in aromas of acacia honey, white fruit and a hint of citrus. It’ll take duck confit and fig bites to a whole other level.

With a bottle as distinctive as its flavour profile, the Nicolas Feuillatte Palmes d’Or Brut 2008 combines spicy and robust Pinot Noir grapes with airy and elegant Chardonnays and is aged for 10 years. This balanced and refined vintage champagne—produced in a particularly cold year that led to the grapes ripening late in the season—features notes of white fruit and almonds. You can’t go wrong serving it with these goat cheese and caramelized onion canapés.

En partenariat avec Champagne Nicolas Feuillatte.