Cattier

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Cattier (or Champagne Cattier) is a family-owned champagne house situated in the village Chigny-les-Roses in the Montagne de Reims part of Champagne, France. The Cattier Family have been vineyard owners since 1763, and started to produce champagnes under their own name in 1918. Cattier owns 20 hectares of vineyards, which are mainly classified as Premier Cru on the village-based Champagne classification scale Autre Cru — Premier Cru — Grand Cru.[1] In 2006, Cattier's sales exceeded one million bottles for the first time.

Cattier produces a number of champagnes ranging in varietal composition from 100% Chardonnay (a Blanc de blancs) to 75% dark-skinned pinots (noir and meunier) and 25% Chardonnay.[2] Cattier is also noted for producing several champagnes in spectacular bottles[3], such as a blue glass bottle with a pewter label, a red glass bottle (under the designation "Red Kiss"), a gold-plated bottle designed by Pascal Morabito (under the designation Brut Sésame Millésimée), and a transparent bottle (under the designation Brut Quartz 1er Cru). The content of the spectacular bottles is in some cases Cattier's standard champagne, and in other cases a limited special cuvée.[3] Sometimes a metal-thread presentation case, in some made of golden-coloured thread in arabesque design, is included with the bottles.

An example of Cattier's bottles. Front of a bottle of Armand de Brignac Brut Gold, introduced on the US market in 2006 at a premium price.
An example of Cattier's bottles. Front of a bottle of Armand de Brignac Brut Gold, introduced on the US market in 2006 at a premium price.

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[edit] Armand de Brignac champagne

In 2006, a dormant champagne name owned by Cattier, de Brignac, was resurrected to be used for some of Cattier's spectacular bottles.[4] Cattier began a collaboration with Sovereign Brands to market the brand, and a separate website for the newly named Armand de Brignac was established.[4] The champagne Armand de Brignac Brut Gold was introduced featuring a gold-coloured bottle with a pewter label made in an ace of spades design. This champagne was sold at a significantly higher price than any previous Cattier champagne[4], possibly due to the nature of the grape selection used and hand-intensive production method[5]

[edit] U.S. product placement

At least one Cattier distributor in the United States has been a client of the Ross Group, a product placement company, since November 2006.[6][7][8] Various Cattier champagnes, including the Blanc de Noirs and Brut Rosé, are shown in several hip-hop videos, and have been placed at celebrity parties.[9][10]

[edit] References

  1. ^ Cattier.com: "A territory"; "Trough the centuries", accessed on December 16, 2007
  2. ^ Cattier.com: "A prestigious family", accessed on December 16, 2007
  3. ^ a b Cattier.com: "La Gamme Arabesque", accessed on December 16, 2007
  4. ^ a b c Wall Street Journal Online November 8, 2006: French Bubbly Garners Hip-Hop Cred
  5. ^ Welcome to Armand de Brignac
  6. ^ The Ross Group | Clients
  7. ^ Hip-Hop's New Bubbly of Choice Signs With The Ross Group
  8. ^ Hip Hop Press: Releases: Hip-Hop's New Bubbly of Choice Signs With The Ross Group [Corrected]
  9. ^ ProHipHop: Hip Hop Business: Cattier Champagnes Placed in Nas' Can't Forget About You & Young Jeezy's Go Getta Videos
  10. ^ Elite Champagne Imports, LLC :: Champagne CATTIER Overflows Into A-List Parties and Gift Bags

[edit] External links