The champagne from 'Guardian' — Drappier's dry, sulfite-minimal fizz

"There are many reasons wine gives you a headache, but the main culprit is sulfur dioxide, which is used as a preservative. Drappier champagne contains almost none of it — the Drappier family has a constitutional allergy to sulfur dioxide."

Sommelier Joo Jae-min made the introduction at a tasting event held Monday at CSR Table in Gangnam-gu, Seoul. Joo is a well-known figure in the industry, having won the 2023 Korea Sommelier of the Year competition. After working at Jungsik, a three-Michelin-star restaurant, he currently serves as head sommelier at hansik fine-dining restaurant San.

The tasting was organized by wine importer CSR Wine (The VIN CSR). The event introduced a storied French dry champagne to mark the summer season — an apt occasion, as summer is widely regarded as peak champagne-drinking season. Dry champagnes with little residual sweetness have been drawing growing attention of late.

Joo said that beyond sulfur dioxide, Drappier also minimizes or eliminates dosage (the step in which a small amount of wine mixed with sugar is added), using only a fine dusting of premium cane sugar — or none at all — to produce a "zero dosage" champagne. Drappier, he explained, deliberately avoids the artificial sweetness that acts like cosmetic "makeup" on a wine.

Founded in the 1800s, Drappier is a family-run champagne house now in its sixth generation. The estate uses organic farming methods and horses for plowing, reflecting a commitment to working with nature. Drappier is an official supplier to the French president's residence and is particularly celebrated as the champagne of choice for Charles de Gaulle, the 18th president of France.

Five cuvées were poured at the event. The most striking was the rosé, the Rosé Brut NV. Joo described it as delivering "bright, fresh fruit character — but this is no lightweight rosé," adding that it "exudes a deep rose fragrance and showcases the hallmarks of Pinot Noir."

He went on to say that "rosé champagne is usually hard to pair with savory or umami-rich foods and tends to be served as an aperitif — but this one is different," noting that at Jungsik it had been paired with tuna sashimi and kimbap made with dried seaweed crisps.

Next up was the Carte d'Or Brut, the champagne that appeared in the drama series "Guardian: The Lonely and Great God." In the show, actor Lee Dong-wook chose it as a celebratory wedding toast. Its name, meaning "golden card," has given it a reputation as a champagne that brings good fortune. It is considered Drappier's signature classic champagne.

The Carte d'Or Brut Immersion NV caught the eye from the moment it appeared — its bottle encrusted with marine residue around the cork, a testament to its undersea aging. The champagne is aged on the seabed.

Undersea aging involves submerging wine bottles in the ocean for several years. The process costs more than conventional aging methods but yields a smoother, more balanced flavor profile. Drappier's undersea-aged champagne is a special-edition release produced in extremely limited quantities.

Joo said the appeal of Drappier lies in its focus on minerality and acidity rather than artificial sweetness, adding that "the deep acidity lingers long on the palate and the low sugar level means it never overpowers the food it accompanies."