CHAMPAGNE FOR MY REAL FRIENDS | Maison Cojevi, Champagne

By the time the return leg of a twin immersion into France’s Champagne heartland swings around, I’ve tasted close to 50 individual variants of the sparkling white diamonds. My mind is aflutter with bouquets and vintages; my heart is brimming with a melody both luxurious and earthy. It seems appropriate, at this point, to pay homage to the science, art, and craft of the libation. The headquarters of the champagne collective – La Cojevi – and its flagship brand – Champagne Collet – are just what the champagne sommelier ordered.

This is the significant birthplace of champagne, and history makes its presence felt in unexpected ways. The Maison Cojevi is a beautifully conceived champagne museum that pairs the sparkling stuff with haute couture, the roaring ’20s, gem artisanship, and, but naturally, gastronomy, across four exquisitely designed parlours. Accompanied by their heady Brut Art Deco, ensconced in spaces where light, shadows, myth, and spirits have converged in stylish fashion, I decide that such an address could only have ever been French.