Bubbles and Clouds at the Hyatt

The Hyatt Regency Saipan held a formal dinner last Saturday at Giovanni’s for dozens of the island’s movers and shakers who dined in French cuisine and sipped the best champagne and cognac from France.

Prepared by the best chef on the island, the menu included such appetizer as crab salad wrapped in a crepe and served with prosciutto and asparagus as well as one-of-a kind cold strawberry soup.

The main course was the mouth-watering Mille Feuille of sautéed salmon with a champagne sauce, while the dessert was the heavenly Grand Marnier laced fresh berries in a chocolate basket.

During dinner aptly named Bubbles and Clouds, three kinds of champagne were served — a Vevue Clicquot Yellow Label Brut for the appetizer, Moet and Chandon with the soup, and Dom Perignon vintage for the main fish course.

Hennessy XO cognac was also served as diner had the pleasure to smoke Davidoff cigars, while songs from classic Italian opera were sung.

“Each of the wine and champagne goes with a specific kind of food,” said connoisseur Geoffroy de Drouas. “As long as the champagne is good, you won’t have any hangover or headache when you wake up the next day.”

Hyatt said the dinner, with the assistance of its suppliers, was part of its efforts to reach out to the local market to have the best dining experience on the island. Other events are scheduled in the next few months.

Mr. Drouas, general manager of Guam Marketing Corporation which distributes the best wines and champagne in the Marianas, said it chose Hyatt to promote its products because of its huge customers’ base on and off-island.

Noting that sales of champagne jumped during the celebration of the new millennium, the Frenchman said the company is expected to embark on a marketing campaign to boost it further, particularly on Guam and Saipan.

Champagne is basically from France and a wide variety of wines from California and Australia have popped in recent years. People traditionally pick either a sparkling wine or a real champagne to celebrate during such occasions as birthdays and weddings.

“You can have very good sparkling wines [from other countries] but they are not champagne. if you want champagne, it has to be from Champagne. [a region in France],” said Mr. Drouas.

As demand increases, Guam Marketing Corp. is expected to diversify its market by bringing in other wines, especially those manufactured from Bordeaux region.

A 750 ml bottle of cognac costs some $85, a bottle of champagne for $40, while Dom Perignon sells at $110 at duty-free outlets. Moet and Chandon is the choice by the world’s royalties, like the Queen of England and King Juan Carlos of Spain.