The Perfect Summer Send-off

This weekend marks the long weekend Labour Day holiday for those of us in Victoria and Tasmania. Rather serendipitously, it’s coincided with a glorious forecast of warmth and sunshine—perfect for basking in all weekend as we entertain family and friends.

Though summer may be officially over, there are still plenty of reasons to keep the summer spirit alive across the country this month. March is our final chance to soak up the daylight savings sunshine before the clocks wind back. Our markets are bursting with the last of the summer blooms and seasonal produce that are simply begging to be showed off and savoured. Travel is back, and it’s incredible to see our cities roaring back to life.

To celebrate these unforgettable moments, we’ve curated a special weekend guide to bid farewell to summer and ease into autumn with high spirits. Featuring thirst-quenching champagnes matched to seasonal delicacies in a relaxed and elegant setting, we invite you to capture the carefree summer spirit and entertain in style with Sally Hillman’s ‘Summer’ Send-off!

A chilled bottle of Blanc de Blancs (100% Chardonnay) champagne naturally epitomises the scents and flavours of summer. Its refreshingly crisp and mineral-driven, citrus-forward profile pairs intuitively with light starters, salads, fresh seafood or a sliver of aged Comté for the ultimate sundowner pairing.

 

On arrival, treat your guests to Champagne Oudiette’s Les Gras d’Huile NV.

This is a seductive Blanc de Blancs champagne that both invigorates and tempts.

Translating to ‘oil fats’, Les Gras d’Huile is Maxime Oudiette’s inaugurate champagne, first released in November 2020. Comprising 100% Chardonnay derived from its namesake—a single parcel of vines rooted in lignite clay and dense chalk in the village of Beaunay in the Coteaux du Morin—Les Gras d’Huile is assembled from the 2017 vintage (72%) with the remainder incorporating the 2015 and 2016 reserves. The plot’s name refers to the oily appearance of the sticky lignite clay after heavy rain.

Nose: A theatrical marvel of persimmon, lemon curd, honey and nettle with the unmistakable flourish of brioche and yellow stone fruit.

Palate: Bristling acidity at first, evolving to a mid-palate density of crème fraiche and dried stone fruits held aloft by a pleasant line of lemon bitterness. The finish crescendos with chalk minerality and pure saline—impossibly long, pristine and insanely appetising.

Food match: Choose from an array of summer-ready starters and entrées:

1. Freshly shucked oysters, served au naturel
2. Cured kingfish crudo topped generously with roast capsicum salsa and salmon pearls on blinis
3. Frittata di zucchini picolini, summer zucchini fritters with a blend of parmesan, panko and candied onions, lightly fried until crunchy and golden.

Glass match: Lehmann P. Jamesse, Synergie 60 Ultralight handmade glass.

Synergie 60 is a universal, mid-size glass that is classically designed for the sensory enjoyment of all champagnes and fine wines. Crafted with timeless refinement in mind, and upholding the Lehmann Ultralight signature of distinction, Synergie 60 guides Les Gras d’Huile into blossoming along its pristine curves, revealing the secrets of lesser-known terroir one seductive aroma at a time.

Next, it’s time to introduce a show-stopping vintage Blanc de Blancs champagne with a sumptuous intensity that can match the main course.

 

A feast of epic proportions, Domaine Vincey’s Oger 2016 is elaborated from a collection of prestigious Chardonnay parcels planted by sélection massale (the traditional practice of vineyard propagation with exceptional old vines) in the heart of the Côte des Blancs. Vinification occurs naturally in small, old oak barrels before undergoing a long maturation period of 12 months. Bottle ageing then occurs under cork for over 3 years, allowing for further micro-oxygenation, which creates a phenomenal vintage Blanc de Blancs champagne of richer, creamier texture with great complexity and integration of its flavour profile.

Nose: Attractive aromas of lemon meringue, rockmelon and pine nut bloom hypnotically in the glass, beckoning exploration.

Palate: Pure magic unfolds from the first taste to the last: a tense and spellbinding caper of lime, sweet grapefruit and fig, drawn deep into a stride of stone fruit and pastry—intensely concentrated and ethereally elegant. The finish sizzles with citrus and saline minerality; so endless and seamless, you won’t be able to resist licking your lips after each satisfying sip.

Food match: This cuvée can be enjoyed on its own or paired with umami-rich flavours:

• Golden Cypriot halloumi fingers fried in a parmesan, parsley and panko crumb
• Steak frites or crispy-skin salmon served with a creamy, luscious béarnaise sauce.

Glass match: Lehmann P. Jamesse, Synergie 75 Ultralight handmade glass.

Synergie 75 is the tour de force in the Ultralight reimagining of the inimitable and adored P. Jamesse collection. A universal glass, Synergie 75 combines exceptional finesse and optimal lightness to express the complexities and nuances of all wine styles and varietals, including champagne, but especially vintage champagne. Look no further than Synergie 75 for uncovering the breadth and depth of Oger 2016 as the entire spectrum of aged, complex and delicate aromas are released—and then relished.

 

Champagne rosés are prized for their versatility and inherent freshness all year round. The colour of celebration, champagne rosés span the full gamut of glowy red hues—from the softest, blush pink to salmon and crimson—its supple, smooth mouthfeel pairing effortlessly with long-weekend fare such as roast poultry, all manner of crustaceans, salmon and light berry-based desserts.

A complete champagne rosé to begin, bookend or last the entire feast is Champagne Pierre Gerbais’s Grains de Celles Rosé.

Sister to Grains de Celles, this champagne rosé pays homage to the eponymous Pierre Gerbais and his devotion to cultivating distinct vineyard soils for champagnisation after World War II. Grains de Celles is the bottle incarnate of Pierre’s life’s work in diverse terroir selection and an exact representation of the Domaine’s holdings today: 50% Pinot noir, 25% Chardonnay and 25% Pinot blanc. The addition of red wine (5%–10% Coteaux Champenois Rouge, a 100% still Pinot noir) in Grains de Celles produces this vibrant, refreshing and accessible champagne rosé.

Nose: A heady perfume of rose petals, raspberry, nashi pear, peach skin and earthy shiitake mushroom.

Palate: The presence of Coteaux Champenois Rouge gives Grains de Celles Rosé the perception of Pinot noir, as layers of red fruit and earth dance across the palate with light tannins and a savoury undertone. Steered by a firm line of acidity, additional flavours of crunchy peach and orange combine with cream-filled biscuit before the cuvée finishes long and fresh over a striking arc of saline minerality.

Food match: This cuvée is the ideal food companion any time of the day or throughout a degustation:

• Breakfast Emmental and ham croissants
• Buffalo Burrata salad with summer figs, sundried tomatoes, dolce onions and black olive salt
• After-dinner Comté served with seasonal white peaches on lavosh.

Glass match: Lehmann P. Jamesse, Grand Champagne 41 machine-made glass.

When indulging in champagne rosé all day, it’s important that your glassware is robust and expressive of the cuvée’s full magnitude of aromas, bubbles and colours with each precise swirl, sniff and sip. Grand Champagne 41 is the complete all-rounder: eye-catching and beautifully machine-made for all levels of usage. It is perfect for all champagne styles, including vintage champagne and champagne rosé.

Ensure your tableware and glassware are chosen and set before your guests arrive. When polishing your glassware, use Sally Hillman’s microfibre polishing cloth, a luxurious and specialised accessory boasting a generous size to buff and boost brilliance for that final touch of stemware sophistication. Lint-free, scratch-free, odour-free and easy to clean, Sally Hillman’s signature polishing cloth is designed to preserve champagne’s iconic effervescence by keeping glassware in flawless condition.

Finally, it’s important to keep your champagne chilled and ready to serve while taking pride of place at the table. We recommend using Sally Hillman’s sac à glace—a stylish, portable and versatile ice bag that transcends the traditional ice bucket. Lightweight, watertight and compact, Sally Hillman’s sac à glace is made from transparent plastic and features easy-to-carry handles and a discreet gold ‘S’ to elegantly present your perfectly chilled champagne. Simply add equal quantities of ice and water to the sac à glace, place your bottle in the centre et voila! Your cool beverage is ready for immediate enjoyment in just 15 minutes!

The key to creating a relaxed summer send-off is to keep it simple and prepare as much as possible ahead of time so you can enjoy the moment with your nearest and dearest. At the end of the day, is there anything better than being in the company of good family and friends with a delicious glass of champagne in hand and dining alfresco on a dazzling, balmy evening?

We’ll be holding on to this feeling all weekend long.

Santé!

Visit Le Shop to get your summer send-off started, here.