Seems like a contradiction in terms but so often it is the rear view we rely on to move forward.  I am quite sure that history has been clearly in David Cameron’s mind at the birth of the UK’s Liberal-Conservative coalition government this month.

About the only significant thing I remember from A-level economics - aside from Adam Smith’s invisible hand - was the likening of the UK economy to an economic car which was so very difficult for the Chancellor to steer given that there was only the rear view mirror to look out of for guidance; seems that difficulty still stands twenty years on!

It is certainly this way with the champagne producers.  They remember from bygone years how different qualitites of juice need blending differently in order to maintain the consistent style of champagne that is the trademark style of their house.

This, in fact, is the genius and very essence of Non-Vintage champagne in that the blend of cepages (grape varieties) from different crus (villages) and different years gives the blender all the natural tools at their disposal to allow the development of their familiar “house style” and the magical champagne.   Just as it was back in day of the so-called inventor of “champagne”, Monsieur Dom Perignon.

And so it is with us at Park Lane - to a point.  We now know that personalised champagne is a product that is well suited to the internet.  We have high quality champagnes and excellent service.  Together this makes a winning and proven coalition.  The web site we built needs plenty of work as it evolves but we can deliver that based around the constructive and helpful feedback we receive from our lovely customers (or rather that Nick receives as all feedback goes direct to him!);  effectively the rear view mirror telling us what we are doing right and what would make it even better.

So there we are;  learning from where we have been to navigate to where we are going; rear view all the way… EXCEPT on my recent visit to the producers in Epernay when, while boarding the channel tunnel, the rear view was horrendous and the only thing I knew was that I didn’t want to be there!  And that just goes right to the heart of things - add expect the unexpected into the mix and thank you Iceland for another round of UK disruption.

Of course, it is important to be specific about which rear view you are looking into and hoping to learn from…

Bottoms up!