By Alexandre Abellan On May 26, 2024

At the international table, the trump card is that of wines for France, as evidenced by the impressive collection of official menus collected from the Empire to the Republic.

Presidential menu of 1900, for the banquet of the mayors of the Universal Exhibition: in the Tuileries gardens. Under the presidency of Émile Loubet, 'it welcomed 22,965 city councillors, making it one of the largest table meals in history' according to the sale catalogue. - photo credit: Collection Marguin (Millon house)

Having gathered 4,000 menus of official imperial, presidential and royal dinners over 155 years, chef Christophe Marguin is putting them up for auction this Friday, May 31 via the Millon house. From a menu of Napoleon III on March 1, 1868 to the menu of King Charles III's State Dinner on September 20, 2023 at the Palace of Versailles, the collection offers a dive into history, diplomatic as well as gastronomic. "At state dinners, you almost always find a champagne, a great white Burgundy, a great red Bordeaux, no matter what was on the plate," Million told Vitisphere, pointing out that "wine and food pairings have not always been worked out. It should be noted that they have appeared relatively recently, since the presidency of Nicolas Sarkozy. Previously, it was up to the chef to work on the recipes so that they would match the wines served. »

In the list of wines served at state dinners and compiled by Million, there is a star wine: champagnes, with 985 occurrences. Far ahead of the appellations of Burgundy (260 appearances for Meursault, 193 for Puligny-Montrachet, 181 for Corton, 161 for Chablis, 105 for Chassagne-Montrachet, 92 for Chambertin), the Rhône Valley (86 Condrieu, 64 Hermitage), Bordeaux (81 Saint-Émilion)... With 2,437 castles, 418 enclosed, 358 estates listed, these maps are dominated by a few labels. The first are logically from Champagne, with 173 Taittinger, 169 Dom Pérignon, 145 Pommery, 127 Ruinart, 104 Mumm, 85 Bollinger, 75 Deutz, 71 Heidsieck, 60 Lanson... But also from Bordeaux, with 105 Haut-Brion, 113 Latour, 104 Mumm, 100 Mouton Rothschild, 95 Lafite-Rothschild, 63 Cheval Blanc...

Exhibition

Before the sale, an exhibition will allow the public to see these menus, menus and seating plans on May 29 and 30 at the Hôtel Drouot (3, rue Rossini in Paris).

Source: VITISPHERE