Maison Mumm have continued to pride themselves on their innovation and their daring spirit. Being sponsors to a host of sporting events throughout their production including The Vendée Globe, Formula 1 and Le Mans to name a few, Mumm have recently become proud sponsors of The Fia Formula E Championship. In 1876 Georges Hermann Mumm decided that he would pay homage to all of his prestigious customers by adding an iconic red ribbon to every bottle representing the highest of all French Honours and encapsulating the motto of GH Mumm of “only the best”. The red sash aka the Cordon Rouge has now become synonymous with the extraordinary achievements Mumm supports today and marking their latest sponsorship with Formula E and 140 years of the iconic red sash, Mumm have revealed a brand new revolutionary bottle, Grand Cordon.
Frost were honoured to be invited by Mumm to the Formula E final and witness the new bottle in action at the infamous Victory Podium. The origins of the Champagne spray started all the way back in the sixties where Le Mans winner Jo Siffert accidentally sprayed the crowd due to a Champagne bottle which has been left out in the sun causing a build up of pressure. The next year, another racer deliberately re-created the happy mistake and thus was born this momentous tradition. Having upgraded to Mumm’s Jeroboam bottle which is a staggering 3 litres, there is now double the amount of Champagne to soak the anticipating crowd.
Having arrived at Battersea Park with not much knowledge of Motor Sports we were given the low down on what Formula E entailed by the fantastic hosts and representatives of Maison Mumm.
Essentially, Formula E is The World’s first auto race which uses electric cars. Formula E represents a vision for the future of the motor industry and being the sponsors of the tournament, Mumm are proud to back the efforts of sustaining and maintaining a cleaner and greener future. The series started in 2014 in Beijing and is contested by ten teams of two drivers each. This year, the contest was comprised of ten races with the final being in Battersea and it has recently been revealed that next year will consist of fourteen races with the final being on the streets of Brooklyn. The drivers are divided into four groups with each group having 6 minutes to set their best lap. The five fastest drivers then go out again to determine their grid position. The race itself is over within 55 minutes with each driver changing cars once throughout, after all, they are electric cars. One of the most interesting features of the Fia Formula E is the Fanboost which allows the fans to have some power over their favourite drivers by voting for them using social media channels. The three most popular drivers receive an extra energy boost potentially changing the outcome of the race. Points are then awarded using the current standard FIA system with drivers who set the fastest lap being awarded two extra points. This years final was won by Sebastien Buemi after a thrilling final race taking the lead and spraying the anticipating crowd with GH Mumm Jeraboam.
Mumm produce Champagne’s which capture the essence of adventure and victory and their constant celebration of this has been their inspiration for their Limited Edition Victory Bottles. Each of the Mumm Champagne bottles are uniquely produced and turned by hand to remove any sediment and are monitored for over two years before they are released. The Grand Cordon bottle designed by multi-award winning designer Ross Lovegrove is inventive and creative to say the least true to Mumm’s daring style. Breaking the convention of the original bottles, the bottle has no front label, instead the G.H. Mumm signature and eagle emblem are printed in gold directly on the glass. The neck of the bottle is also unusually longer designed to encapsulate the development of the aromas of Mumm’s legendary Cordon Rouge Cuvée. The most striking addition to the new bottle is that the iconic red sash, only altered twice in as much as two centuries, has now been transformed into a genuine red ribbon which has been indented into the glass. A true celebration of over two centuries of excellence and tradition.
So if you would like a slice of victory on your wine rack;
Mumm Grand Cordon is now available to buy;
www.sohowine.co.uk
RRP: £39.99
