Iconic Champagne House Mumm is renowned throughout the world, with France, unsurprisingly, its biggest market, then Australia, US and UK in fourth place. Based in Reims, in the heart of the Champagne region, Mumm was established in 1827, although its origins in winemaking date back to the previous century. In 1852, one of the founders' sons, Georges Hermann Mumm, took over the company. It was he who coined Mumm's motto 'Only the best'. Famously, 25 years later, he also created the iconic red sash or Cordon Rouge design, indented in the glass bottles.
Since 2005, Mumm has been part of Martel Mumm Perrier-Jouët (MMP), the prestige Cognac and Champagne business of Pernod Ricard, the world's second largest wine and spirits company.
Mumm owns just under 218 hectares of vineyards, 160 hectares of which are 'Grand Cru' and account for 25% of Mumm's production. Pinot Noir, particularly in the Montagne de Reims, dominates at 78% of plantings, while Chardonnay in Cramant and Avize plus Pinot Meunier in the Vallée de la Marne make up the majority of the other Grand Cru vineyards. The remaining 75% of Mumm's production includes grapes from independent growers.
Mumm is fully committed to environmental protection, regenerative agriculture, sustainability, biodiversity and staff wellbeing. For example, its zero-herbicide policy aims to stop using chemical herbicides by 2025, while all vineyards have HVE (High Environmental Value) and VDC (Sustainable Viticulture in Champagne) certifications.
Mumm's Champagnes have long had a connection with la gastronomie française. In the 19th century, the House personalised bottles for top gourmet establishments. Since then, it has always fostered goods relationships with leading purveyors of haute cuisine.
This year, on May 12th, Maison Cordon Rouge, the historic home of G.H. Mumm, opened its doors to the public for the first time, inaugurating its new immersive restaurant experience in Reims, La Table des Chefs.This new dining concept will see young chefs from different backgrounds taking turns in running the kitchen for a three-month period. They will create a varied and inventive menu with priority given to local, fresh and seasonal ingredients.
Open Thursdays to Mondays for lunch or dinner, options include three courses (€55 - lunch only), four courses (€75) or six courses (€115), with specific wine pairing options available. Additionally, Sunday brunch is offered at a cost of €85. Served in front of the cocktail bar on a large terrace overlooking the landscaped garden, the brunch dishes are paired with Mumm Cordon Rouge and Mumm RSRV Blanc de Blancs 2015.
It took around six months to refurbish the historic building and terrace, adding extra space for the kitchen. Francois Xavier-Morizot, VP Champagnes Mumm & Perrier-Jouët (MMPJ), explains further. "The house was originally part of the family. It's always been a house hosting people that worked for the company, especially during the 1950s and 1960s … Later it became a place to welcome guests - still a private house and not open to the public. This is the first time it's actually open to the public."
With this venture, Mumm is ideally placed to attract both a new and existing generation of visitors, keen to experience Champagne culture. While the management believes that half of their visitors will come from the French capital, the ease of a 45-minute train journey from Paris, followed by a 15-minute walk from Reims train station, should attract consumers from the UK and elsewhere too.
César Giron
César Giron, MMPJ CEO and Chairman and grandson of Paul Ricard, founder of Société Ricard, sees clear and ongoing enotourism benefits in this new venture. "We already have reservations from people visiting the cellars, so they want to spend half a day with us, going to the cellar, then having the experience at La Table des Chefs afterwards."
Cellar tours, tastings and shop on site
Giron believes that this is good for the region too. "We may be one of the first", he says, "but others will follow. They will contribute to Champagne as a destination. The dynamic created [by this] is something really interesting for the community and for the city as well."
One-star Michelin Chef, 26-year old Belgian, Mallory Gabsi, is the first Chef in Residence. He will run La Table des Chefs for three months, supported by his Parisian Sommelier Andréa Harel. Raimonds Tomsons, ASI Best Sommelier of the World 2023 and friend of Maison Mumm since 2017, will curate the Champagne and wine list with the chefs all year round.
On August 10th, Gabsi will hand over the reins to Florian Barbarot of Parisian restaurant Quelque Part, before one-star Michelin chef Kelly Rangama of Le Faham takes over on November 30th. In 2024, the cuisine will have an international flare, featuring chefs from around the world.
Mallory Gabsi
Gabsi's culinary influences are based on childhood memories of his maternal grandmother's Belgian cuisine and his paternal grandfather's traditional Tunisian dishes. After several years training at top restaurants in Belgium, he opened his restaurant in the 17th arrondissement in Paris and was awarded one star and the title of Young Chef of the Year by the Michelin Guide in March 2023. His signature dish is 'l'anguille au vert' - freshwater eel in a green herb sauce, a favourite of Belgian cuisine.
"I'm happy to be the first to take up the challenge of La Table des Chefs", says Gabsi. "It's a project that takes me out of my comfort zone and gives me the opportunity to explore new territories of flavour. I'm going to create dishes that will be discovered exclusively in Reims.
"La Maison Mumm has given me the opportunity to make my cooking accessible outside of Paris for a period of three months. At La Table des Chefs, I have created a place that resembles me - lively and warm - where people come to share good moments around superb cuisine. It's an amazing adventure!"
Raimonds Tomsons
Latvian sommelier Raimonds Tomsons' wine list is based primarily on the great French wine regions, although as it evolves, he will incorporate other European and New World wines. "At La Table des Chefs", he explains, "we want to highlight being in the heart of Champagne, as well as the great classic regions of France and also some personal gems from the rest of Europe and potentially from the new world. You will find well-established names on the list, but I think what makes every wine list great is having some new upcoming stars too."
He will provide access to some of G.H. Mumm's impressive old Champagne vintages, including the Mumm Millésimé 1953 and he is keen to show that Champagne can accompany a whole meal from starters to desserts. "Champagnes aren't just for an aperitif or for special occasions. Mumm Champagnes have great depth, complexity and richness which make them really gastronomic wines. That is exactly what we want to show here, so our guests will have the possibility to enjoy some old, fine and mature vintages."
La Table des Chefs is located in the Maison Cordon Rouge, the private mansion of Maison Mumm. The décor is inspired by a travel book, showcasing the Champagne House's history with posters, paintings, illustrations, photos and objects meticulously selected from Maison Mumm's archives, dating back to 1904. Pictures of famous chefs adorn the bar area, further emphasising the link between Champagne Mumm and gastronomy.
The Salon Céladon is inspired by ancient Chinese porcelain. Its soft and warm ambiance recalls the great scholarly explorations of the 19th century. The trompe l'oeil wallpaper by Maison Pierre Frey offers a window on an imaginary world "that tempts guests to daydream."
A menu showing Mumm Champagne served at the Queen's Coronation in 1953
The Salon du Collectionneur celebrates the diversity of the world culture. It's a room of curiosities with displays of unusual and valuable artefacts from different ages evoking the spirit of exploration, travel, nature and science. This salon, dominated by wood, takes its inspiration from a boat cabin with its hushed ambiance.
The Salon Côté Bar is the central room, designed in perforated metal and wood by a local craftsman. This is where the Chef in Residence will be based and where he/she will meet guests. It's also where the restaurant's signature cocktails and G.H. Mumm Champagnes can be enjoyed throughout the day.
With the menu changing monthly throughout the year and new chefs taking over at the start of each season, variety is guaranteed. Gabsi's menu and the serves themselves (in unpretentious-looking bowls and plates) appear deceptively simple, reflecting his no-nonsense approach and love of gourmet comfort food. Yet, the veneer of simplicity hides an unparalleled level of elegance, elevating the ordinary into the extraordinary. Tomsons' wine pairings underline this understated sophistication, impeccably matched to each dish.
The following describes the current six-course menu with wine pairings:-
This terrific expression of Riesling is precise, mineral and bone dry. Lime and green apple acidity, allied to a stone fruit character, cuts through the creaminess of the Corsican goat's cheese (appropriately, Geisberg mean goat mountain!) and marries well with the sweetness of the tomatoes and langoustine plus the freshness of the herbs.
Gabsi's interpretation of the Belgian classic, 'l'anguille au vert', prepared in a creamy herb sauce, is a gastronomic tour de force worthy of a top wine pairing. Tomsons' choice is a deliciously delicate expression of Pinot Noir, characterised by purity, freshness and complexity. Notes of strawberry shortcake, grilled red plum, vanilla, toast and dried fruit with a hint of salinity bring the fruitiness, creaminess, sweet and salty elements of this superb combination into complete harmony.
Superlatives and pea soup don't often go together, but this was petit pois perfection! "Sometimes simplicity is everything", says Gabsi, adding that he wanted to create something simple with fresh peas, radish, smoked haddock, a touch of lemongrass and "lots of love!" The Blanc de Noirs beautifully complements the savoury, salty and smoky flavours in the dish and the long, enveloping finish mingles gracefully with the sweet succulence and smooth texture of the peas hidden beneath the light green surface of the soup.
A brilliant pairing of this high quality Rioja Reserva, served slightly chilled with Gabsi's incredible dish inspired by his grandmother, is a sure-fire winner.
The faultlessly tender ragoût de boeuf with confit onions, flavoured with a Chimay Bleu reduction that adds a touch of cinnamon-like spice, is hidden by a foamy, creamy potato cloud that's as light as a feather and covered with a delicate mustard crumb dusting. The juicy cherry, forest berry, slightly savoury character and velvety softness of this elegant wine with touches of vanilla and cinnamon make for an ideal match. "The dish is very warming and casual - a comfort dish", says Tomson, "so I thought immediately of a Rioja", he adds.
If any dish could convince you to eat pigeon, then this is it! The gravy is simply spectacular and the carrot, ginger, tomato, lasagne ("the best bits, but without the pasta!", says Gabsi) and harissa-flavoured accompaniments create another rich, but light dish worthy of a great wine … and Tomsons' choice is certainly that!
From one of the great vintages of the 1980s, the Brut 1988 in Magnum is a wine of "great structure, but not overripeness", explains Tomson. There's great complexity here on the nose and palate with notes of earthy spice, honey, buttery brioche, dried fruit, stone fruit, melon and citrus. Despite the age of this wine, it retains a vibrancy and the deep gold colour is visually appealing too. This pairing creates an explosion of flavours in both the food and the wine, perfectly matched to each other.
The dessert, based on lychee sorbet and wild strawberries, paired with this wonderful Mumm Rosé Champagne is a delicious way to end the meal. The strawberry meringue, pastry, vanilla and ripe red berry juiciness of the wine superbly complement the aromatic flavours of the dessert.
While rich in flavour, there's a distinct lightness to all Gabsi's dishes, but the secret ingredient, according to the chef? "C'est l'amour", he exclaims with pride!
Raimonds Tomsons, Mallory Gabsi and César Giron (l to r) at Maison Mumm's preview opening night
Maison Mumm's La Table des Chefs has set the bar very high for a new concept in this historic and globally loved wine region. For food of this quality and wine pairings of the highest order, prices are not just very reasonable, but within the reach (as are the travel options) of many people looking for a gourmet getaway that will live long in the memory. Bon voyage!
