British sparkling wine is a match for our champagne, says French envoy
FRANCE’S new ambassador to Britain has revealed that he has been surprised by the quality of Britain’s “very good” sparkling wine, saying it rivalled his country’s most famous export, champagne.
Jean-pierre Jouyet’s compliments come despite the fact that Brigitte, his wife, is a scion of the Taittinger family, one of France’s most celebrated champagne producers.
In an exclusive interview, Mr Jouyet revealed that he was taken aback by just how good the British competition was. “You know, Taittinger are investing in the south of England,” he said. “I didn’t know that you have such good land for sparkling wine. It’s very good, the same as champagne.”
Indeed, it was only after asking his wife, apparently, that Mr Jouyet discovered that the famous chalky soils around France’s champagne capital Épernay – the terroir whose “unique” qualities producers there defend so jealously – was perfectly reproduced in the south of England. “It’s quite the same,” said the 63-year-old.
He hinted that one day British producers may even be able to put the famous name on their labels. Currently, they are barred from calling their produce champagne by EU designation of origin rules. “We cannot name that champagne,” Mr Jouyet mused. “But you will see that in the future perhaps.”
His remarks comes as France and Britain prepare for a major bilateral summit early next year, which will see Emmanuel Macron visit London with his top ministerial team. Mr Jouyet is a close confidant of Mr Macron, having mentored the French president after he left university and giving him his first job in government – within the highly influential Inspection Générale des Finances.
The ambassador, who like Mr Macron bridged ideological divides by working for both François Hollande, the socialist president, and Nicolas Sarkozy, his conservative predecessor, was appointed in June, and has described presenting his credentials to the Queen as “an emotional moment – the most important event in my professional life”.
Discussing his boss, he says that Mr Macron has a secret weapon in his bid to reform France: Brigitte, his wife.
“He has an advantage in his private life,” the ambassador said. “His wife is very popular in France. It’s important. With the last two presidents [whose relationships collapsed while in office], there was not a normal couple.”
While the relationship between the president and his former drama teacher-turned-wife, 24 years his senior, has often been noted for its style and fortitude, it has rarely been described as normal.
The genial French ambassador himself has nine children, with the youngest, aged 18, coming over twice a month from Paris with friends to go out partying in London’s East End. “She gets back to the residence at 4am, 5am, it’s a little late for my wife and me,” he said. Charmingly, he laments the departure of Britain from the EU, pouring cold water on the common wisdom that it is France above all that is playing hardball in ongoing negotiations.
Even so, his conversation is laced with such phrases as “Brexit or no Brexit”. This chimes with his admiration for Ruth Davidson, leader of the Scottish Conservatives, and staunch Remainer, whom he thinks can be “Britain’s Macron”.
“She’s very dynamic, very spontaneous. Very true. Open about her whole life. Smiling, telling the truth about domestic policy. She is incredible, for me. You can’t learn that. You have to be like that. She is the most original person I’ve met since my arrival. It’s like Macron in a woman. That’s my feeling.”