Once a year, a magical week descends on New York City that transforms ordinary employees of restaurants, hotels, wine and liquor distributors, and the media into smiling, glass clinking human beings. What fashion week is to models, designers, photographers, and even regular old New Yorkers, champagne week is to anyone even tangentially connected to the hospitality industry.
On day three of this spectacular week, I joined other participants of the champagne glitterati to a hospitality workspace in Chelsea cheekily entitled “Burgers and Bubbles.” One of the aspects that drew me to this event were that the sliders crafted by Chef Miguel Trinidad, executive chef of Jeepney, one of the most interesting restaurants in New York right now. To top it all off, we got to be a part of the official New York roll out of Champagne Piaff, a brand new addition to the established champagne producers of the 20th century.
Admittedly, the champagne business is not an easy one to break into. In an industry that prides itself on antiquity, Piaff is the first new company to emerge in this market in 30 years – a feat only matched by commitment to digitalizing their brand. The marketing team as well as the winemakers are in sync on this matter: just because a product’s highlighted feature is age does not mean that the brand can’t connect with people on a modern level that they understand. President Laurie Kempster describes Piaff as “the first champagne of the digital age” that aims to utilize technology and social media to connect with consumer on an accessible, emotional playing field.
To further highlight the luxuriousness of Piaff’s brand, the winemakers have developed an exclusive members-only club as a way of accessing the collection. Bundling their product the way a high end fitness studio does its classes, the petit package in the U.S. costs $250 and includes 6 bottles and gifts you a 15% discount on future orders, as well as priority membership renewal. With four different upscale members of their collection, as well as a hip and present social media presence, Champagne Piaff is confident you will become a loyal member of their following.
Twisted Talk: Did you celebrate NY Champagne Week? What’s your favorite champagne? Discuss below!
