Announcing Puneet as the newest Chevalier of the Ordre des Coteaux des Champagne

“It is with very great honour that I announce to you my induction into the prestigious Ordre des Coteaux des Champagne for services to Champagne. 

An exclusive ceremony was held at the splendid Shangri-la Hotel In Singapore on Sunday 25th May. The High Council of the Order is made up of the owners of all of the major Champagne Maisons and they personally gather to confer this honour to those selected. 

I am extremely grateful to receive this honour and be inducted as the first New Zealander into this exclusive club. It was also fantastic to have Antoine Billecart himself present me with the order and medal and offer very kind words about me at the ceremony.

And of course we celebrated in the beautiful Shagri-la Banquet hall with a selection of fine and rare Champagnes from every Maison.”

The ‘Ordre des Coteaux des Champagne’, or The Order of the Hillsides of Champagne, is one of the oldest French bacchic orders. 

It was founded in 1656 by three young nobles from the Court of Louis XI – the Marquis de St Everemond, the Marquis de Bois Dauphin and Comte d’Olonne. All were fine gourmets and had a particular appreciation for the wines from the three famous hillsides of Champagne (Aÿ, Avenay, and Hautvillers) which earned them the title “Les Trois Coteaux” (The Three Hills) and then “l’Ordre des Coteaux” (The Order of the Hills) in 1656. 

The Order disappeared during the Revolution, before being reinstated in 1956 – exactly 300 years since its initial inception – by René Gaucher and François Taittinger alongside a dedicated group of Champagne residents. They had undertaken a lot of historical research and found traces of the Ordre des Coteaux, which they revived by giving it its current name: “Ordre des Coteaux de Champagne.” This was a move heavily supported by ‘Grand Marque’ Champagne houses Taittinger, Laurent Perrier, Mercier, Lanson and Mumm.

The brotherhood is headquartered in Reims, and is dedicated not to one particular house, style or kind of Champagne but to all of Champagne and what makes it so unique and special. It celebrates the diversity and history of the region and wines from NVs to Millesime and everything in between. 

The Ordre is chaired by a Commandeur and governed by a Council composed of Dignitaries. The Commandeur, as well as most Dignitaries belong to the Champagne profession.

Admission to the Order of the Coteaux de Champagne is acquired through the sponsorship of two people who are themselves already members of the Order. The proposed person must then be approved by the Head Office in Reims, and are promoted to the grade of Chevalier at a ceremony preceding an official dinner. 

Other grades, in ascending order are Officiers, Chambellans and Consul.

Puneet is now New Zealand’s first ‘Chevalier’ of the Ordre des Coteaux des Champagne, and was awarded the honour by Antoine Roland-Billecart of our very own Maison Billecart-Salmon. 

At the ceremony, trumpets signal the entry of the council members, who then head the room in white cloaks and medals displaying their rank, are positioned in front of a ceremonial pomponne vessel which adorns their emblem. The person/s receiving the induction will stand and drink a glass of fine champagne, before one of the Ordre outlines their influence and achievements that have led to their admission into the order, followed by a medal ceremony and an incredible banquet dinner served with – of course – the finest Champagne. 

Antoine Roland-Billecart had the following to say about Puneet:

“It has been three decades of experience in the global wine trade – thirty years already. Since 2007, you built a very strong relationship with the greatest vineyards and wineries from around the planet – and you travel a lot – to position Dhall & Nash, which is your company, as one of the premier distributors in New Zealand. 

(To audience) I don’t know if you know that country, it’s a lot of sheeps… More sheeps than humans anyway.

Puneet started his career in London with renowned merchant Fine & Rare Wines and was involved in notable En Primeur campaigns of 2000 and 2005, and took the best decision to stop. It was here that Puneet developed his love for Champagne – thank you for that, we are very proud, we are very happy. 

With his first visit to the region, and quickly you became one of the most notable purveyors of fine Champagne in London and now, of course, in New Zealand. Thank you very much.”