Champagne
CHAMPAGNE, FRANCE | JUNE 2026
On a sultry afternoon just days before the summer solstice, the Frey Family opened their private Château in Champagne to us to host a beautiful Supper in their backyard. The storied rooms of Château de Mareuil have hosted Queens of England and Czars of Russia throughout history. We were delighted to work with Hautes-Côtes to set an intimate table amongst the trees to join in good company.
An intrepid group of guests from around the world — a combination of Culinary Pursuit travelers and brave folks who chose to join us just for the day — gathered on the rolling green lawn to dine on delicious cuisine carefully prepared by Gil Nogueira and Sayaka Sawaguchi of Studio Sara Sara and perfect wine pairings from Domaine Paul Jaboulet and Champagne Billecart-Salmon. It was a wonderful end a week in France, a joy to slow down and spend time in good company, and an absolute dream come true.
WELCOME
We greeted everyone with an ice cold glass of Champagne from Billecart-Salmon, located just across the street in Mareuil-sur-Ay, Champagne. The crisp bubbles cut through the exceptional heat of the day, and started the afternoon on a high note.
A MENU BY STUDIO SARA SARA
Chef Gil Nogueira + Sayaka Sawaguchi travel around the world to cook seasonal cuisine inspired by their individual backgrounds; a little bit of Portugal, a little bit of Hokkaido, a little bit of their adopted home of France. They served a beautiful meal of bright, seasonal cuisine perfect for the moment. From fresh fruits to the last of the season’s best asparagus, they treated us to a parade of delicious bites, ending with one of the best desserts we’ve had all year!
MENU
WELCOME
Choux Pastry beef tartare, mustard
Green Shiso “Taco” wild sea bream
Mini Tartelette ricotta, strawberries
Billecart-Salmon, Le Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru
Billecart-Salmon, Le Réserve
FIRST
Green Asparagus grilled nectarine, trout roe, fig oil
Wine: Domaine Paul Jaboulet Aîné, Condrieu Les Cassines 2024
SECOND
Grilled Pollack fresh peas, heavy cream, coriander, champagne, onions
Wine: Domaine Paul Jaboulet Aîné, Crozes-Hermitage Thalabert "Mule Blanche" 2024
MAIN
Smoked Duck Breast beetroot condiment, grilled endives, chervil
Wine: Domaine Paul Jaboulet Aîné, Hermitage La Maison Bleue 2018
LOCAL CHEESEs
Comté, Tomme de fleur, Chaource served with chutney
DESSERT
Almond Cake elderflower cream, strawberries
Wine: Billecart-Salmon, Le Rosé
WINE PAIRINGS
Each course was completed by a curated wine pairing from Domaine Paul Jaboulet, which reminded us of the power of combining exceptional food and wine into something far greater than the sum of its parts.
NIGHTCAP
We finished the meal with a truly perfect pairing, one of the best bites we’ve had in recent memory: a delicate almond cake with elderflower cream and strawberries served alongside a crisp glass of Billecart-Salmon Le Rosé.
SECRET LOCATION: CHÂTEAU DE MAREUIL
Stèphane, the Frey family’s hospitality director, toured us through historical halls of the Château before bringing us into the backyard to set up for Supper. We were absolutely inspired by his exceptional hospitality, and got to pour that energy back into our guests as they arrived to the stunning surroundings of the château and its grounds.
