CHAMPAGNE, IN FOCUS | A Conversation with Sally Hillman
CHAMPAGNE, IN FOCUS
A Conversation with Sally Hillman
Sally Hillman is a Melbourne-based champagne specialist and glassware curator whose upcoming book explores the meaning and magic behind champagne.
When her team reached out about the book, I hadn’t yet crossed paths with her work, but I immediately understood the tone. Her world of champagne is elegant, specific, and deeply felt. Not just a drink, but a ritual. Not just a bottle, but a way of noticing.
I asked Sally eight questions about how champagne fits into modern life, and she answered with care. We spoke about grower-producer bottles, everyday joy, glassware, memory, and why there really is no substitute for the real thing.
This marks the beginning of a new series of interviews I’m building: considered conversations with people who notice what they notice.
Sally’s book launches in September. I hope this interview offers a preview of the mood, the mindset, and the beauty behind it.
— Juliet
J: When you think of champagne, what’s the first image or feeling that comes to mind? For me, it’s bubbles and joy. A flash of memories with friends and my partner, and the weight of my favourite coupe glass in hand. I wonder what your version of that is, is it a moment, a place, or a mood?
S: Magic — always magic. Tiny bubbles rising in the glass, a moment of pause, a shared smile across the table. It’s joy, yes, but also connection. When I think of champagne, I picture my favourite tulip glass in hand, laughter with friends and that unmistakable feeling of joie de vivre.
It’s about who we’re with, what we’re celebrating (or not celebrating!), and how the moment unfolds. A simple Tuesday lunch can feel like Paris in spring with the right glass and company. Champagne may carry a sense of ceremony, but I love how it can turn even the everyday into something quietly enchanted.
“A simple Tuesday lunch can feel like Paris in spring with the right glass and company.”
J: Not all of us can drink true Champagne every week, and yet we still want to capture the spirit of it. If someone were on a budget, what’s something close enough to the real thing that you’d happily pour with dinner? A bottle that shifts your mindset into celebration, even if it’s technically sparkling wine. Or is that idea sacrilegious?
S: Champagne holds a singular place in the world of wine – produced exclusively in the Champagne region of France, it embodies generations of tradition, craftsmanship, and a complexity that’s impossible to replicate. It isn’t just a drink, it’s an experience.
For me, it’s all about intention. I’d rather wait and savour one beautiful bottle at the perfect moment than try to recreate that magic with something else. It’s not about being precious or exclusive — it’s about the joy that comes from making a moment feel just a little more extraordinary. When it comes to champagne, there’s no substitute.
JULIET NOTE: I really appreciated this answer. It reminded me of how I think about fashion. I’d never buy a fake Prada bag, I’d either save up for the real thing, or choose something else entirely. Champagne, like good design, is about intention.
“When it comes to champagne, there’s no substitute.”
J: There’s a common belief that “all champagne tastes the same”, often rooted in cheap party bottles or mislabelled sparklings. How would you guide someone toward better bottles, without breaking the bank? What should they look for at the wine shop, or ask for at a bar? Is there a gateway bottle you often recommend?
S: If someone wants to explore Champagne more deeply - without stretching their budget I always suggest trying grower-producer champagnes. These wines are made by the same people who grow the grapes on their own small estates, offering extraordinary character and remarkable value compared to the better-known Grandes Marques (the big brands).
The Grandes Marques play a vital role in Champagne’s legacy. With their long histories and signature non-vintage blends, they’ve helped define Champagne’s global image —offering a familiar and reliable style that’s been refined over centuries and celebrated around the world.
Grower champagnes, by contrast, provide a different kind of experience. Made on a much smaller scale, often from just a few hectares passed down through generations, these wines highlight the individuality of the grower’s land, vintage, and vision. Crafted with sustainable practices and minimal intervention, they offer an honest and expressivetaste of Champagne’s true terroir.
At a wine shop or bar, don’t hesitate to ask if they stock grower-producer champagnes it’s the best way to discover the soul of this extraordinary region. Start with a non-vintage blend and let your curiosity lead the way. There’s a whole world beyond the big Houses, just waiting to be explored.
J: Champagne seems like such an inaccessible hobby, but you’ve made it a daily ritual. What does that look like in real life? Do you have a champagne fridge? Are there always open bottles in your kitchen? What’s your rhythm for buying, serving, and storing? How many bottles are too many?
S: Champagne need not feel inaccessible or extravagant – after all, it is a wine, first and foremost - and like all good wines, it can become part of a considered daily rhythm. Thanks to the increasing availability of exceptional grower champagnes now available, it’s possible to explore the region’s remarkable diversity and depth; these wines offer not only excellent value but also a deeper connection to place, season, and producer’s craft.
At home, I keep a selection of bottles on hand, thoughtfully guided by the seasons. I don’t use a dedicated champagne fridge — champagne is best stored as you would any fine wine: in a cool, dark, and stable environment. Chill gently for 2–3 hours just before serving to bring out its best qualities. If any remains after pouring (a rare occurrence), a high-quality champagne stopper will preserve its freshness in the fridge for a day or two.
As for how many bottles are too many — I believe there is no such thing. A modest collection invites exploration of different styles and producers, ensuring there is always something wonderful to open and share.
J: For a long time, I only saw champagne as a marker of milestones, birthdays, launches, anniversaries. But a recent trip to Paris changed that. Now, I see it more like perfume or tailoring: something to enjoy for yourself, in everyday life. When did you make that shift? Do you miss having it reserved for “special occasions,” or does the magic just change form, maybe with a fancier glass, or a more precious pour?
S: My affection for champagne traces back to cherished memories of my maternal grandfather, a lifelong teetotaller who worked in the rural stockyards around Kyneton, Victoria. Though he usually sipped lemonade at the pub, there was one notable exception: champagne. For family celebrations, he would raise a glass with a twinkle in his eye, insisting that champagne wasn’t really “drinking” — it was something special, reserved for marking life’s joyous moments.
That early connection to joy, celebration, and togetherness stayed with me. Champagne became my wine of choice for much the same reasons — it has a unique way of lifting the spirits, making you feel light and happy.
Nowadays, depending on what I’m pouring I like to match the tulip glass to the moment, adding a little extra magic to everyday life.
J: This reminds me of how people used to save their ‘good clothes’ for weddings or events. But more and more, we’re realising the everyday is worth dressing for. Do you think champagne fits into that same mindset shift? Enjoying it casually doesn’t make it any less special, maybe it makes us pay more attention?
S: I fully subscribe to the mindset that every moment, in every day, holds something special – and champagne fits seamlessly within that philosophy. It’s a wine meant to be enjoyed alongside meals, conversations, and the simple pleasures that shape our everyday lives.
Whether it’s a midweek dinner or a sunny weekend brunch, champagne brings a joyful sense of presence – a way of honouring the moment and turning the ordinary into something quietly extraordinary.
J: What are three bottles you’ve recently opened, poured, or shared? Not necessarily the best or most rare, just the ones with a story, or a memory attached.
S: A bottle of Champagne Vilmart Cie Grande Réserve NV enjoyed over a lingering lunch at France-Soir with my youngest son and aunt, following a morning immersed in the Boston Art Gallery’s Impressionist collection at the NGV on the Labour Day long weekend.
A bottle of Champagne André Clouet Grande Réserve NV shared over aperitif and dinner to celebrate my eldest son and his fiancé’s first night in their newly built home.
A bottle of Champagne Laherte Frères Rose de Meunier – because, well, it was Friday!
“The right glass transforms the experience. The notebook deepens it.”
J: If someone were to make champagne a ritual in their life, not just a drink, what would you suggest they collect first? A coupe glass? A good bucket? A notebook for tasting notes? What builds the world around it?
S: If someone wanted to make champagne a ritual, I’d suggest starting with two essentials: a beautiful set of tulip glasses and a notebook. The right glass — one that allows the aromas and texture to truly unfold — transforms the experience. And a notebook isn’t just for tasting notes, but for capturing memories: the moment, the company, the feeling.
Champagne is as much about emotion as it is about flavour, and recording those impressions deepens your connection to both the wine and the ritual. From there, the world around it builds naturally — thoughtful food pairings, a favourite ice bucket and a curated playlist to set the mood.
JULIET NOTE: Until this interview, I’d never heard the word tulip in the context of champagne. I’d seen the shape before, slimmer than a coupe, softer than a flute, but I hadn’t appreciated it as a vessel of choice. Now it feels like part of a language I’m learning.
Sally’s book launches in September. I hope this interview offers a preview of the mood, the mindset, and the beauty behind it. You can follow her work HERE and step further into her champagne universe.
This conversation marks the beginning of a new interview series on The Juliet Report — documenting style, ritual, and the people who make everyday life feel more intentional.