(Photography by SooPhye/Options)
If you have heard of the legendary champagne houses Salon and Delamotte but never had the chance to sample any of their bottles, it’s perfectly understandable. They are, after all, regarded as some of the world’s most notoriously hard-to-get-hold-of bubblies because of extremely limited production and exclusive distribution. Theirs is not, for example, the regular brand of champagne you could hope to pick up while sauntering through Duty Free at the airport. In fact, it’s only this year that both brands are available in Malaysia. For those who are starting to feel a tad thirsty, you can find them at, say, the ultra-luxurious and decadent Astor Bar, nestled on the second floor of The St Regis Kuala Lumpur.
It’s where I had my first taste of both champagnes — during a visit from the joint president of Salon and Delamotte, Didier Depond. He was in KL recently to celebrate a newly inked distribution partnership with Dajin Beverages, owned by the Chua family, which also owns The St Regis Kuala Lumpur. As we settle down for our chat, three flutes — for me, Depond and Sai Men, the eldest son of tycoon Tan Sri Chua Ma Yu and Dajin’s director — await as a precursor to our conversation.
---
For the full story, pick up a copy of The Edge Malaysia (Mar 12, 2018) at your nearest newsstands. Save by subscribing to us for your print and/or digital copy.
