From breakfast on the revered left bank to sun-downers atop the glorious Eiffel Tower, our
most loved personalities, Bonang Matheba and David Tlale, relived the joie de vivre of Paris’
Golden Age while on a visit to France recently.
Words: Nadine Oosthuizen
Following the trip to the City of Lights, the two then travelled to Jarnac in the heart of the cognac region, where Courvoisier’s Master Blender, Patrice Pinet, gave them a first-hand experience of the inner workings of the world’s only cognac where all elements are controlled from grape to glass.
“I’ve always wanted to come to the birth place of cognac and experience the rich history of Courvoisier. I love everything about my time here. The history, the tradition, and the craftsmanship behind the brand have really inspired me. It was a life-changing trip indeed, one I will never forget.” – Bonang
Accompanied by Courvoisier Global Brand Ambassador Rebecca Asseline, David and Bonang began their trip with The Courvoisier Paris Golden Age Tour, during which they experienced Parisian gastronomy on Rue Royale and then immersed themselves in luxury shopping at the Place Vendome and along the Champs Elysee.
In true Courvoisier tradition, they also toasted their success at the Eiffel Tower, reprising the night of 1889 when the cognac was the official toast for the Tower’s grand opening.
After two magical nights in the French capital, David and Bonang made their way to the small town of Jarnac, the home of Courvoisier, where they embarked on a special Expert Experience tour.
Here the pair dined on the creations of Michelin Star chef Thierry Verrant who paired exquisite dishes of salmon tartar and olives (for starters) and lightly smoked beef with mash potatoes (for mains) with three special editions of Courvoisier cognac: the 21 year old 100% Grand Champagne blend and a 50 year old Tribute Borderies as well a bottle from the extraordinary Erte Collection.
The most memorable moment was on the final night of the trip when David and Bonang enjoyed a once in a lifetime tasting directly from the cask of a 15-year old eau-de-vie – and then bottled their own cognac in a 70cl bottle, specially labelled with their names and the date.
“There is nothing more exciting than being taken out of my normal. Being in Jarnac has completely thrown me out of my comfort zone and into my inspired mode where all I want to do is create! Not only did I get to bottle my very own cognac, but I will also be designing something very special for Courvoisier VSOP – more will be revealed to all you style and cognac connoisseurs in the coming weeks!” – David
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