On Vilebrequin beach, during the Cannes Film Festival, Franck Peyrard’s guests enjoyed a memorable tasting experience over lunch overlooking the Mediterranean.
The premier cru champagne, Cuvée Carat, was launched for the 77th edition of the Cannes Festival, on May 21, 2024. For the occasion, the lovely L’Ondine Vilebrequin beach on the Croisette hosted the event. Inspired by the iconic swimwear brand, it is undoubtedly the most colorful and cheerful beach on the Riviera. Journalists and celebrities were welcomed to a delicious lunch overlooking the sea. A successful operation for Franck Peyrard, the creator of this exceptional cuvée which resembles a haute couture brand.
Taking pride of place alongside Franck Peyrard was Zufi Alexander, the famous Dubai and London-based influencer and creator of the Zedit brand of high-end bags.
Cinema was of course in the spotlight, with London-based producer Frank Mannion(whose latest documentary, “Quintessentially Irish”, starring Pierce Brosnan, received rave reviews) and actress and screenwriter Juliette Tresanini.
Also present at the luncheon wasSylvana Lorenz, ex-gallerist and art dealer. She has just published her memoirs “L’art est une partie de plaisir”, published by L’Archipel.
Orchestrated by the talented Eric Bonnet, founder and director of his own communications agency, the event introduced Cuvée Carat, a champagne like no other.
Carat offers a magnificent trilogy for Champagne connoisseurs and all epicureans in search of the absolute: Blanc de blancs premier cru (100% Chardonnay), Brut premier cru (65% Pinot noir, 35% Chardonnay) and Rosé premier cru (50% Chardonnay, 50% Pinot noir). The outsider Carat now rivals the great names of Champagne.
A diamond-sparkling Cuvée Carat
“You have to be crazy or passionate about life to get into Champagne,” Franck Peyrard, the man behind Cuvée Carat, jokes. In fact, Champagne is a childhood love that has never left him: in the 1990s, he worked for prestigious houses such as Mumm and Perrier Jouet. Then, in 2003, Paul-François Vranken, who had just bought the Pommery brand from the LVMH group, asked him to join his sales teams.
Over time, Franck Peyrard developed a clear vision of the wine he would like to offer to discerning wine lovers. He then embarked on the crazy dream of making his own champagnes. “It’s the project of a lifetime, an entrepreneurial dream,” he confides to Luxus Magazine.
He created the “ Cuvée Carat “, in reference to the diamond’s unit of measurement, a symbol of perfection and purity. What better way to represent the quintessence of the Chardonnay vineyard than with a carat? The rare Premier Cru classification places the brand in the high-end segment.
This Champagne was born on the Edouard Brun estate, a family business founded in 1898 in Aÿ, which owns a vineyard in the Montagne de Reims. “In my imagination, I was looking for an atypical winemaker, cradled in the very heart of Champagne. I met Emmanuel Delescot and we worked together hand-in-hand to select parcels in Chigny-les-Roses, Ludes and Rilly, villages classified as Premier Cru. It took us seven years to develop our first cuvée,” says the entrepreneur. The House’s cellars, several hundred years old, allow the wine to age at a constant temperature. Cuvée Carat Brut was aged for thirty-six months, bringing out the suppleness of the Pinot Noir and the softness of the Chardonnay.
Every stage in the creation of a Champagne is the object of the greatest attention: from harvesting to blending, pressing, alcoholic fermentation and disgorging. “Nature has taught me patience. And you have to give it time to extract the quintessence of the wine. I don’t overdose my Champagnes to respect their minerality, their diamond-like purity”, explains Franck Peyrard.
Luxury hotels and fine dining offer an alternative to demanding customers
Naturally, the Comité Interprofessionnel des Vins de Champagne (CIVC ) has given the young House authorization to exploit this new cuvée. A precious sesame at a time when the whole world envies our Champagne wine, protected by an Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée (AOC).
The bottle is majestic, all in black, adorned with gold lettering and the diamond emblem: “We distinguish ourselves by choosing not to put paper labels on our bottles. We prefer a lacquered finish to protect the wine from UV rays “, Franck Peyrard points out.
Time for tasting. The Blanc de blancs Premier Cru “Carat” offers fresh, fine bubbles enhanced by lightly toasted, brioche notes that coat the palate. “I love the mineral note at the end of the mouth, which creates great length,” says the winemaker-entrepreneur. This is the Champagne for special occasions: engagements, weddings, anniversaries… It’s the ideal accompaniment to an aperitif or a light, delicate starter. It goes perfectly with caviar, oysters, scallops…
Although the market is international, Franck Peyrard’s main aim is to conquer France, the cradle of Champagne connoisseurs. He has already convinced top restaurants, luxury hotels, boutique hotels, restaurants and beaches that celebrate the sweetness of life. Renowned sommeliers have placed their trust in the brand, as have specialized CHR distributors. “Alternative, typical and new, we set ourselves apart to seduce a demanding clientele.
For the moment,Franck Peyrard has no plans to list his wines with wine merchants or to sell them online. He wants Carat to be a confidential, rare Champagne. We’ve told you: this is an exceptional Champagne that can only be found in exceptional places… to be shared by exceptional people. So don’t just ask for a bottle of Dom Pérignon or Cristal Roederer, ask for a Cuvée Carat!
Front cover photo: Franck Peyrard, founder of Champagne Carat, flanked on his left by influencer Zufi Alexander, and on his right by Karine Elkobbi, Marketing and Communications Director. ©Corine Moriou
