Polo, Veuve Cliquot Champagne & The Hangover Test

Does Good Quality Champagne Avoid Hangover?

When I was driving around Champagne three years ago, I was lucky enough to visit a few Champagne Houses and meet some interesting producers there. One of the things I heard on more than one occasion, which stuck in my mind, was that good quality champagnes do not cause hangover.

I’d never given this too much thought, dismissing it as pure marketing. Whether an urban myth or just excellent PR, when I heard from James Lacey of Mission to invite me for an afternoon of Polo at the Veuve Cliquot Gold Cup event in Cowdray Park, I thought my moment had finally come to put this theory to the test (the things I will do for this blog!).

The event was on a gloriously hot English summer's day - an elegant and well-heeled crowd (many of whom arrived by helicopter) lounged around the grand Veuve Cliquot marquee - the Champagne was chilled and free flowing and the most delicious canapés were served by the beautiful staff.

The deep-fried quail eggs in truffled parmesan breadcrumbs were particularly fine as were the creamed feta cheese in watermelon cases.

High tea was also served later in the day with Veuve Cliquot Rosé Champagne in glass tea cups, with cucumber sandwiches, pastries and cakes galore. This is not a kind of event I would normally attend, but I greatly enjoyed my day at Cowdray and the opportunity to put the hangover theory to the test.

Having now done a bit of research on this, I found no scientific studies carried out on the subject but came across a plethora of contradictory articles. The ones supporting the theory, seem to base their rationale on either the “Degorgement” stage of the “Methode Champenoise”, or the low use of added Sulphites (SO2) in Champagne (a type of preservative which in wines is used as an anti-oxidant), whilst others focus on the concept of "natural wines".

The Methode Champenoise

The “Method Champenoise” is fascinating and consists of 5 different stages (for a brief explanation, see footnote*). The step which some argue is closely associated with the prevention of hangover from Champagne is called "Degorgement”.

In this phase, the added yeast is encouraged to move downwards towards the cork where it settles. To remove the big lump of yeast and other impurities from the wine, the neck of the bottle is frozen, and the pressure of the fizz pushes the ice out with the yeast encased in it when the bottle is unsealed.

Use of Sulphites in Champagne

All wines contain sulphur dioxide in various forms, and these are collectively known as sulphites. Even in completely unsulphured wines (when sulphur is not added), it is still present at concentrations of up to 1o mg per litre (mg/l) and is a natural result of the fermentation process that turns grape juice into alcohol.

High levels of SO2 have been proven to cause allergic reactions in those sensitive to it, and are believed to be closely associated with other health problems including hangover. This is possibly because sulphites destroy thiamine (vitamin B1) and are thought to destroy folic acid. While red wines require no added SO2 (they naturally contain anti-oxidants from the grapes’ skin), white wines including Champagne, are given larger doses as they are more prone to oxidation.

The level of SO2 in Veuve Cliquot Champagnes is between 40 and 55 mg/l. By law, the maximum level of SO2 for the “High Quality Sparkling Wine” category (a category defined by French regulations which includes Champagne) is 185 mg/l. Veuve Cliquot has therefore very low levels of SO2 in their Champagnes which might help avoiding the onslaught of hangover.

Natural Wines

It would be great to be able to blame sulphites for my self-inflicted woes but if anything it has made me look at “natural wines” in a different light. Natural wine is made in small quantities, on low-yielding vineyards, with handpicked organic grapes. The wine is then made without added sugars or foreign yeasts, and often without any sulphur dioxide either. It is boutique viticulture and has a price tag (70% of all natural wine produced in France is sold to Japan). Terroirs (review here), one of my favourite wine bars in London, sells some of these natural wines.

The scientific evidence to support the argument that sulphites are responsible for hangovers is flimsy however. Dr Jamie Goode, the author of Wine Science, asserts:

“The standard message is that some asthmatics are sensitive to sulphites, but the evidence indicates that adverse reactions to sulphites are rare and at the levels used in wine it's unlikely that people will be affected. The strongest argument for not using sulphites during winemaking, and just a little at bottling, seems to be that the natural wines thus produced seem to show greater aromatic purity, better texture and are just a bit different. I've liked many that I've tried, even though as a scientist I know that it's risky from a microbiological point of view, as there's nothing to keep the bugs out or maintain the wine's stability.”

John Townley, a friend I made during my days at the Dulwich Wine Society, works for the WSET (Wine and Spirit Education Trust) and believes it is a myth that Champagne does not cause hangover. His reasoning is that “hangovers” are primarily caused by alcohol withdrawal and since champagne of any quality is relatively lower in alcohol than many sparkling wines, it is less likely to give hangovers. It may also be that the high cost of Champagne precludes most people from drinking enough of it to sustain a hangover.

The Conclusion

Whether these theories are urban myth or not, I admit to being surprisingly clear headed and without a trace of hangover after my day spent at the Veuve Cliquot Gold Cup event. Having suffered after over-indulging in other types of sparkling wines, I feel there may be a grain of truth in these theories. I do not believe however that Champagne replaces the need for good hydration, moderation of intake, and having food whilst drinking.

What is your experience with Champagne and other sparkling wines? I would be interested in readers' views.

* The Champenoise Methode

In the “First Fermentation” stage, the 3 types of grapes permitted, Pinot Meunier, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, are pressed and fermented in large vats. The fermentation is stopped before it is complete by chilling the vats so that some natural sugar is still left in the wine.

The next stage, allegedly invented by Dom Perignon, is called “Blending”. This is when wines from different areas of the region and from different years are blended together until a desired taste is achieved. When the blend is right, the wine is bottled with some extra yeast.

The “Secondary Fermentation” stage can take up to two years and is when the added yeast acts on the sugar by turning it into carbon dioxide, giving the wine its natural fizz. When the secondary fermentation is complete, all the natural sugar in the grapes is used up and the resulting wine tastes so dry as to be undrinkable.

The penultimate stage is called “Degorgement” and is the step which some argue is closely associated with the prevention of hangover from good quality Champagne. In this phase, the added yeast is encouraged to move towards the cork where it settles. To achieve this, the bottles are stored with the cork pointing downwards and regularly and gently shaken to facilitate the process. To remove the big lump of yeast and other impurities from the wine, the neck of the bottle is frozen, and the pressure of the fizz pushes the ice out with the yeast encased in it when the bottle is unsealed.

The last stage known as “Topping-up and Corking” is when the Champagne is tested for dryness. As some of the wine is lost when the yeast is removed, the bottle is topped with a mixture of sweet white wine and sugar. Depending how much sugar is used, the resulting bottle will vary from “Brut” (very dry) to “Doux” (very sweet). A new cork is then put in the bottles.

London Cooking Club - "Ottolenghi"

Inspired by one of my favourite London restaurants and cookery books, we recently held an Ottolenghi evening for the London Cooking Club at my home in Islington.

Every month, I choose a theme, cookery book or cuisine, and have a group of readers of The London Foodie come to my home to cook, eat a delicious meal, drink and talk. I distribute a suggested menu a week or so prior to the event, the participants choose their dishes and I e-mail out all recipes. Each person contributes a dish and accompanying bottle of wine.

I thoroughly enjoy these evenings as they are proving to be a great way to meet other Londoners who stumble upon this blog and who are passionate about cooking and good wine. As much as I like eating out and finding some of the London gems I write about, I also love cooking and this was primarily the reason why I started The London Foodie.

We had a great time at our Ottolenghi event and all recipes were taken from "Ottolenghi The Cookbook" and "Plenty". I got to meet five new members that evening in addition to other familiar faces. We were 10 cooks-diners and the dishes are shown below.

Canapés

1. "Sweet Potato Galettes" - prepared by Patrice, an investment banker from Mauritius, these were surprisingly light with a rich savour of goats cheese, thyme and sunflower seeds. This was a lovely canapé and well matched with Patrice's excellent choice of demi-sec Cava.

Soup

2. "Green Gazpacho with Pear Crostini" - the recipes come from "Plenty" and were beautifully executed by Kelly, an Australian who arrived in London a few months ago, and with whom I had been in contact for a while but never met. An avid foodie, Kelly used to organise a similar cooking club back in Sidney called Food Safari, and on her arrival in the UK after a 24-hour flight, she made her way to brunch at Ottolenghi!

We loved the fresh, herby flavours of her green gazpacho and felt that the pear crostini which were griddled, and topped with creamy slivers of goats cheese were perfectly accompanied by the chilled, bone dry Manzanilla sherry she brought.

Starters

3. "Caramelised Garlic Tart" - another "Plenty" recipe made by Dr G. The recipe calls for four heads of garlic which are caramelised in a delicious mixture of balsamic vinegar, sugar and thyme. Puff pastry is baked blind and filled with two types of goats cheese, cream and garlic. This was a delicious dish we have made several times since and is fast becoming Dr G's signature dish.

4. "Char-grilled Asparagus, courgettes & Manouri Salad" - I was happy that Cara, aka Gourmet Chick, came to this event as she's been a supporter of my blog from its early days. A lawyer turned journalist for the Financial Times, Cara is also an excellent writer, restaurant reviewer and accomplished cook. I love reading her witty reviews and have been greatly inspired by her blog.

Her salad had some delicious flavours, was perfectly cooked and was served with Dr G's caramelised garlic tart.

Mains

5. "Char-grilled Seafood, Fennel & Lime Salad" - I chose this dish as it is one of my favourite recipes from Ottolenghi's first cookbook . I like its fresh, summery flavours and the combination of aniseed fennel, thinly sliced red onions, dill and griddled squid and prawns, with lime juice and pomegranate seeds.

6. "Harissa Marinated Chicken with Red Grapefruit Salad" - I had never tried this dish before and was pleased that Austrian interior designer Gerald decided to make it. A trained chef, Gerald had also been to Ottolenghi's cookery classes at Leigh's.

The chicken had been marinated in spicy harissa and had taken on its intense flavours. We were also impressed by Gerald's choice of Provençal rosé wine to accompany it. This was an excellent dish and perfectly executed and one I will make sure to try again.

7. "Roast Pork Belly with Spiced Red Plum, Ginger & Rhubarb Relish" - one of the stars of the evening was Hugh's roast pork belly. It was deliciously succulent and tender and with perfect crackling. The accompanying relish was slightly spicy and was a great match to the sweet pork meat. It was Hugh's first time with us at the cooking club, and after his ace pork belly, we hope to have him back again.

Accompaniments

8. "Marinated Aubergines with Tahini & Oregano" - we loved the exotic middle-eastern flavours of this dish prepared by Linda, one of our regular members. Originally from Hong Kong, Linda has lived in the UK for most of her life, and works as a financier at an American investment bank in London.

9. "French Beans & Mange-tout with Hazelnut & Orange" - this is a dish I prepare regularly so I decided to add it as an extra accompaniment on the evening. The beans and mange tout are quickly blanched and seasoned with hazelnut oil, orange blossom water, chives and salt and pepper. Dry roasted hazelnuts and thinly sliced orange peel are also added to the final dish.

10. "Kosheri" - May, the Malaysian writer of the excellent blog "Slow Food Kitchen", prepared this delicious dish which was a mix of rice, vermicelli noodles & lentils served with a spicy tomato sauce. We greatly enjoyed the buttery flavour and unusual combination of textures in this dish and felt it went well with the meaty main courses.

Dessert

11. Orange Polenta Cake - it was the first time that Elizabeth Truss and husband, Hugh O'Leare, came to our cooking club. After Hugh's excellent pork belly debut, Elizabeth came up trumps with a deliciously moist upside-down cake made with polenta (Italian cornmeal flour) and oranges. So discreet was Elizabeth that I was surprised to find out a few days later that she is a Conservative MP in Norfolk. Both Hugh and Elizabeth were delightful company and a dab hand in the kitchen and we look forward to having them back for future evenings.

This was one of the most successful London Cooking Club events - all the dishes worked out perfectly and there was a great mix of people. It was also when we were visited by Alastair Grant, an Associated Press photographer, who stayed with us for a while and took some lovely shots of the evening for various US, Canadian, Middle-Eastern and Asian publications (see links here).

As in previous London Cooking Club meetings, most people were meeting for the first time that evening but still a shared sense of fun, camaraderie and above all, love for good food prevailed. I would like to thank all the guests for being so kind and for the effort they put into cooking all those delicious dishes and for sharing them with us.

Our next meeting will be in on 25th September 2010 and the theme will be “Portuguese Cuisine” inspired by one of my favourite food writers Tessa Kyros and her cookery book “Piri Piri Starfish”. Please visit our Facebook page “London Cooking Club” or e-mail me if you would like to take part.

London Restaurant Reviews - Skylon

Brazil Festival and Jose Barattino @ Skylon

Going to the Southbank brings back memories of my college days in London in the early 90's - I had no money, and like many other university students, I scraped a living working in bars, shops or doing odd jobs. The Royal Festival Hall became a regular haunt then because of its free Jazz on Fridays and other events, and also for its well priced pints and good cafeteria food.

Built in 1951 as an exhibition and music venue for post-war Britain, the Royal Festival Hall has been a focal point for music and cultural events in London ever since. Following a £91m refurbishment of the hall and surrounding area between 2005-07, the area has now been transformed and the Hall's 1950 features sympathetically restored.

The D & D London group of restaurants, of Quaglino's and Bluebird fame, joined forces in this project to create Skylon, a single space that incorporates a stunning raised cocktail bar, a fine dining restaurant and an all-day grill. The menu is modern European with a strong British influence.

As part of the Brazil Festival at the Southbank this summer, Jose Barattino (the award-winning head chef of Hotel Emiliano in São Paulo) was invited to Skylon to introduce his modern interpretation of some of Brazil's best loved dishes, and so I went there to meet him.

My student days are long behind me and now cocktails at Skylon is one of my favourite London things to do - the raised bar gives you a great view of the surrounding restaurant and the Southbank and Thames below; it is the perfect place to soak up the elegant atmosphere of the place and for people-watching. I was pleased to see a selection of Brazilian-inspired cocktails devised by Skylon's mixologists, and Barattino's accompanying bar food on the menu.

For cocktails, I went for "Delicia" which was made from Leblon cachaca (Brazilian sugar cane spirit), Chartreuse liquor and muddled fresh strawberries and lemon. Dr G opted for "Terra Samba", served in a snifter glass, it was also made from cachaca, passoa liquor, passion fruit and fresh lime. Both drinks were priced @ £10.50 and were exceptionally well executed with some vibrant flavours.

Rather like in Spain or Portugal, in Brazil alcohol is never drunk without food. The bar food at Skylon was an excellent representation of what is served in Brazil and included "Pastel de Bacalhau" (deep fried salt-cod dumplings), "Pao de Queijo com Pernil" (cheese bread with pulled pork), "Coxinha de Frango com Catupiry" (deep fried potato dumplings with shredded chicken and cream cheese), and "Torresmo" (Brazilian style crispy pork belly).

These dishes are ubiquitous in Brazil and found from the simplest ("boteco" bars) to the most expensive eateries in the country. It was interesting to see Barattino's take on such popular dishes, and appreciate these very familiar and delicious flavours in London.

On my visit during the first week of the Festival and whilst Barattino was resident at Skylon, only the fine dining menu was available to the public at £40 and £45 for two or three courses respectively. Surprisingly, the options were in my opinion less interesting than the ones from the Skylon Grill menu which were priced at £20 and £25 for two or three courses and only available a week later. To view Skylon Grill's menu, click here.

Dr G and I shared the two available options which were "Legumes Assados com Emulsao de Castanha do Brasil" (roasted vegetables with Brazil nut sauce) and "Cordeiro Assado com Especiarias Brasileiras, Quirera de Milho e Mel Nativo" (roasted lamb with Brazilian spices, corn meal and native honey).

Both dishes were beautifully presented and delicious with very distinctive flavours. I loved the corn meal which I ate many times in Brazil as a child (mingau de fuba). It is similar to soft polenta but has a strong corn flavour and coarser texture. It was a perfect accompaniment to the deliciously tender and well seasoned lamb. I found Barattino a highly talented chef - few can bring such modest ingredients into their cooking and make them taste good and feel right in a sophisticated dish like the one I had.

From the bar menu, I also ordered a "Escondidinho de Carne Seca" (Shredded jerk beef "hidden" under a layer of cassava cream gratin) @ £7.50. I love "cassava or manioc" which was brought to Brazil by Africans and the Portuguese in the 16th century and cannot recommend it enough as an alternative to potatoes. It makes for the most fantastic chips and mash. In this dish, the cassava is creamed and combines beautifully with the salty meat underneath. This is one of the dishes I make sure to eat whenever I visit Brazil.

For dessert, we had a "Torta de Banana com Sorbet de Açai" (warm banana torte with "Açai" sorbet). I love any desserts with bananas in it, but the real surprise for me was the Açai sorbet.

Açai is a berry from the Açai palm tree which grows abundantly in the Brazilian rainforest. It perishes within one day and is 10% skin/pulp and 90% seed, and therefore large quantities are required to make any useful quantity. It is rich in anti-oxidants and omega fats and is very nutrient dense. Many healthy claims are being made about Açai as a "super food" including weight loss but I would approach this with scepticism. It has a dark purplish colour and tastes like blueberries and chocolate.

To accompany our meal, we sampled a selection of "Miolo" wines from "Vale dos Vinhedos" in Brazil. "Vale dos Vinhedos" is in the southernmost Brazilian estate of "Rio Grande do Sul". It has a much cooler climate than other northern estates and it is where most Italians and Germans immigrating to Brazil settled. It is no surprise then that "Vale dos Vinhedos" is where the best Brazilian wineries are found.

Most European grapes are grown in "Vale dos Vinhedos" including merlot, cabernet sauvignon, pinot noir, and chardonnay. Miolo's sparkling wines follow the "Champenoise Methode" (second fermentation in bottle) and their wines have been garnering some national and international awards lately. These wines can only be purchased in the UK through Coe Vintners and Bibendum Wines. Miolo is considered to produce the best Brazilian wines, and is my wine producer of choice whenever in Brazil.

I was very pleased with my Brazilian meal at Skylon and for the opportunity to meet Jose Barattino who came out of the kitchen to introduce himself. He was incredibly enthusiastic about the opportunity to show his cooking in the UK, and was rather charming and unassuming.

Skylon Restaurant - http://www.skylonrestaurant.co.uk/
Southbank Centre, Belvedere Rd, London, SE1 8XX
(020) 7654 7800

Cost: £20 and £25 (Skylon Grill) or £40 and £45 (Skylon Restaurant) for two/three course meals. Cocktails are priced at £10.50. The Brazilian menu is only available until 5th September 2010.
 
Likes: fantastic cocktails, great location with one of the best views of London, classic 1950's elegance makes me feel like I am on the set of " A Single Man".

Dislikes: despite the comprehensive wine list, there are no bottles below £21.

Verdict: I can think of few London restaurants that would rise to the challenge of cooking fine dining Brazilian food with such aplomb. Skylon has got it right - from the cocktails, to the choice of wine and menu, and all at reasonable prices. I can't wait to return. Highly recommended.