A French Apéritif in Kaohsiung: Champagne, French Artisans and a Taste of France in Taiwan

On October 2, Yueh’s Choice and ANNA brought a little piece of France to Kaohsiung with an intimate Champagne tasting built around a simple idea: discover two different expressions of Champagne while experiencing a real French-style apéritif.

The evening featured two Champagnes from Victoire — a Blanc de Blancs and a Blanc de Noirs — accompanied by a selection of savory bites and French pastries.

But as the evening unfolded, something became clear.

The Champagne was certainly an important part of the experience, but what participants particularly enjoyed was the cultural dimension of the evening.

It wasn’t simply about drinking Champagne.

It was about discovering how French people might enjoy it together, around food, conversation, and an apéritif.

And there was another important detail: much of the food served that evening was made right here in Taiwan by French artisans.

Two Champagnes, Two Different Personalities

The tasting was designed around a comparison between two styles of Champagne.

On one side was Blanc de Blancs, represented by a Chardonnay-based Champagne with a fresher, more delicate and elegant personality.

On the other was Blanc de Noirs, made from black grapes and offering a rounder, more structured expression.

Instead of simply serving the wines, we wanted participants to understand why they tasted different.

We therefore began the evening with a short introduction to Champagne: its region, its grapes, the traditional method and the second fermentation in the bottle that creates its bubbles.

We also explored one of the questions that often surprises people discovering Champagne:

How can black grapes produce a white Champagne?

The answer opened the door to a broader discussion about grape varieties, pressing and winemaking.

The objective was never to turn the evening into a formal wine course. It was simply to give everyone enough context to look at their glass differently.

Then came the most important part: tasting.

From Learning to Tasting

After the introduction, participants could compare the two Champagnes directly.

Fresh or round?

Light or structured?

Delicate or powerful?

Rather than telling everyone what they were supposed to taste, we encouraged guests to trust their own palate.

Wine tasting can sometimes appear intimidating, particularly for people who are just beginning to explore wine. At Yueh’s Choice, we prefer another approach.

You don’t need to be a wine expert to enjoy Champagne.

Sometimes the most interesting question is simply:

Which one do you prefer — and why?

That simple comparison created conversation around the table and made Champagne much more approachable.

Champagne Is Better With Food

Of course, opening bottles of Champagne without preparing something to eat would not have felt like a proper French apéritif.

So each Champagne was accompanied by a small savory pairing.

The Blanc de Blancs was served with a canapé combining jambon blanc, butter, grape and Comté, while the Blanc de Noirs was paired with smoked Coppa and Comté.

The idea was not to serve a full dinner.

Instead, the food was there to show how even a very simple bite can change the perception of a wine.

The freshness of the Blanc de Blancs worked naturally with the delicate character of the jambon blanc, while the richer and more structured Blanc de Noirs could stand alongside the stronger character of smoked Coppa.

And then, naturally, came dessert.

A French Apéritif Made in Taiwan

This was perhaps the aspect of the evening that best represented what Yueh’s Choice wants to develop in Taiwan.

The experience was French, but it wasn’t created by simply importing everything from France.

Alongside the Champagne, we wanted to showcase French artisans who live and work in Taiwan.

Bread, charcuterie, cheese combinations, pastries, and cookies helped us recreate the atmosphere of a French apéritif using products available locally and the work of people who continue French culinary traditions here in Taiwan.

For participants, this became more than a wine tasting.

It became an opportunity to discover a small network of French food culture in Taiwan.

And for us, that is particularly important.

Meeting the French Artisans Behind the Apéritif

Several artisans contributed to the culinary side of the experience.

Atelier de Pain 麵包工場 brought the essential starting point of almost every French apéritif: good bread.

À Table l’Épicerie represents another side of French food culture in Kaohsiung, with French-style delicatessen products and flavors that work naturally around an apéritif table.

For the sweet side of the evening, we also introduced participants to MimiKat French Bakery, founded in Taiwan by French pastry maker Romain, and Mes Goûts Maison 沐穀, with its French home-style pastry creations.

Together, these different artisans helped us demonstrate something we believe deserves more attention:

you can experience authentic French food culture in Taiwan while supporting people who actually make these products locally.

More Than a Champagne Tasting

This first event also helped us better understand what people are looking for.

Of course, discovering a good bottle matters.

But wine becomes much more interesting when there is a story around it.

Where does it come from?

Why does it taste this way?

What should we eat with it?

How would people enjoy it in France?

And who, here in Taiwan, is keeping these traditions alive?

These questions transform a tasting into an experience.

This is also the direction we want to continue exploring with Yueh’s Choice: not simply introducing French products, but creating opportunities to understand the people, regions, traditions and culture behind them.

Missed This One? There Will Be More

Our Champagne evening was deliberately kept small, which meant that not everyone interested could join us.

The good news is that this will not be our last event.

We are already thinking about future tastings and cultural experiences around French wine, food and craftsmanship in Taiwan.

The formats may change. The wines may change. The artisans and products may change.

But the philosophy will remain the same:

Good French products, good food, cultural discovery, and a relaxed moment shared around the table.

If you missed this Champagne tasting, stay connected with Yueh’s Choice.

There will be more opportunities to join us. 🇫🇷🥂🇹🇼