Booze News

Corks Pop at Moshulu to Celebrate 230 Years of Bubbly in the United States

Celebrating a 230 year love story.
Celebrating a 230 year love story. Photo: Collin Keefe

Yesterday marked the anniversary of the arrival of the first shipment of champagne to the United States from France in 1782. That very first bundle of bubbly arrived in Philadelphia, and was shipped off by Madame Clicquot herself. It’s not known who was the intended recipient. We have a hunch it might’ve been ages-old Le Bec-Fin. Nonetheless to commemorate its arrival, the champagne house sent cellar master Dominique Demarville to Philly’s Moshulu, where he poured rare selections from Veuve Clicquot’s private collection, while chatting up those in attendance. “We are here in Philly today to celebrate the first coming of champagne in the States,” Demarville told Grub. “It’s a big honor for us to see the 230 year old love story between Veuve Clicquot and the United States continue.”

Demarville told us that in honor of the special day, he was pouring Cave Privee 1990, and Cave Privee 1989 in rose. Like that fateful day back in 1782, both were the first pours in the U.S. But that moment lost a little of its magic when Demarville added that the two vintages would be available here beginning in September. That just made the whole celebration feel more like a big, elaborate sales pitch.

Corks Pop at Moshulu to Celebrate 230 Years of Bubbly in the United States