Champagne That Looks As Good As It Tastes
How do you represent almost two centuries of expertise? By taking away the label of course, it speaks for itself.
The Champagne world has its fair share of weird labelling and gaudy designs created to shout at you from the shelves. To shun this trend, the House of Champagne Mumm teamed up with internationally renowned designer Ross Lovegrove to take things back to a place of austier gracefulness.
Lovegrove has achieved this goal by removing the traditional front label for their cuvée, Mumm Grand Cordon. Its main adornment is a technological marvel – an elegant red ribbon embossed into the glass itself. The red ribbon is synonymous with Mumm and is a symbol of excellence inspired by Legion d’honneur, France’s highest civilian reward. It stands alone as the first ever Champagne bottle without a label.
“Lovegrove worked in collaboration with our Cellar Master, Didier Mariotti, to identify how the design of the bottle could add value to the Champagne’s aromas. Our ambition was to continue to revolutionise the traditional design of the Champagne’s bottle,” says Champagne Mumm Ambassador, Mathilde Laborde.
Therefore, Lovegrove not only removed the label, he gave the bottle a longer, slender neck design to assist the aroma development. It’s made from recycled glass and is the lightest Champagne bottle on the market.
The design of the bottle reflects the character of the Champagne itself which is remarkable for its intense expression of Pinot Noir. Mumm Grand Cordon, which was created by Cellar Master Didier Mariotti, has subtle aromas of fresh fruits and tropical notes that will perfectly match with white meat or fish.
THE CHAMPAGNE MUMM EXPERT TIP: COLDER IS NOT ALWAYS BETTER. AIM TO SERVE MUMM GRAND CORDON AT AROUND 8 DEGREES FOR OPTIMAL ENJOYMENT.
If you’ve ever seen Lovegrove’s TED talks, then you’ll know that this attention to the bottle is all part of his ethos that he describes as “fat free” design. While he’s called an industrial designer, he doesn’t believe this title really describes what he does, as his designs are iconically organic, fluid and inspired by nature.
While those not introduced to the design world may not recognise his name, everyone has no doubt handled or interacted with his designs at some point in their life. In the 80’s, Lovegrove was responsible for helping design the look of the Sony Walkman, as well as numerous Apple products. Other clients include Airbus Industries, Peugeot, TAG Heuer and Motorola.
As he’s moved from company to company, he’s taken what he’s learnt and applied it to future products. “In my own work, I’ll learn from doing a super-lightweight suitcase in Osaka,” he says. “Then I’ll think, ‘How can I use that super-lightweight technology to do the chassis of a car?’ It’s transfer and exchange of knowledge.”
So in effect, the bottle for Mumm Grand Cordon is the culmination of over 40 years of learning, while the Champagne within is over 190 years of refining.
If you want a Champagne that looks as good as it tastes on your table while entertaining, then Mumm Grand Cordon should be your first choice.
