Mother’s Day Menu with Premier Cru Rosé Champagne Pairing🌸
Mothering Sunday: From Church to Celebration
Mothering Sunday in the UK began in the Middle Ages as a religious tradition, when people returned to their “mother church” for reflection during Lent. By the 17th century, it became a rare chance for servants and apprentices to visit home, often bringing flowers or a Simnel cake to their mothers.
In the 20th century, inspired by the American Mother’s Day movement, the tradition shifted. With help from U.S. influence during WWII, Britain’s Mothering Sunday embraced a more personal, celebratory tone, honouring mothers with warmth, joy, and heartfelt gestures, while keeping its roots in the Lenten calendar.
Mother’s Day in France: History and Heart
In France, Mother’s Day has both civic and emotional roots. First observed nationally in 1920 to honour mothers who lost sons in World War I, it became an official holiday in 1950 under the Fourth Republic. Celebrated on the last Sunday of May, or the first in June if Pentecost falls on the same day, it is now a cherished family tradition.
Children gift flowers (especially carnations), chocolates, or handmade cards. Families gather for special meals, and schools play a key role, with children creating drawings and poems. In some homes, heartfelt tributes or speeches express love and gratitude.
Fine Wines and a Delicious Meal to Celebrate!
Grand Cru and Etiquette offers a family-style menu with a single bottle of wine to accompany the entire meal on this beautiful occasion. Don’t forget to create a warm and family-friendly atmosphere. You could decorate the table with fresh flowers, candles, and elegant placemats.
What makes this Champagne pair so well with this menu?
The Starter: The minerality and fine bubbles of the champagne enhance the scallops' delicate sweetness while balancing the acidity of the citrus.
The Main Course: The fruity notes and structure of the champagne pair beautifully with the richness of the duck. The sauce, both simple and refined, enhances the duck’s depth of flavor without overpowering it. The honey highlights the champagne’s red fruit aromas, while the sherry vinegar brings a refreshing acidity that echoes its effervescence and minerality.
The Dessert: The sweetness of the almonds and the tartness of the red berries mirror the champagne’s fruit-forward notes while maintaining a refined and delicate balance. The toasted almond adds a subtle nuttiness that complements the champagne’s brioche nuances, while the red berry acidity creates a beautiful harmony with its vinous character.
This refined menu highlights the complexity of Champagne AOC, R. Pouillon et Fils, Premier Cru Rosé, playing on a balance of freshness, acidity, and roundness.
Featured Wine Selection
Sources:
Katharine Antolini, Memorializing Motherhood: Anna Jarvis and the Struggle for Control of Mother's Day, WVU Press, 2014.
Stephen Baskerville, "Mother’s Day and the Family in Britain", Journal of Social History, Vol. 37, No. 1, 2003.
Yvonne Knibiehler, La Révolution maternelle, Perrin, 2007.
Décret du 24 mai 1950 instituant la fête des mères – Journal Officiel de la République Française.