Dom Ruinart Brut Rose
Maison Camille Giroud 1er Cru Tonton Marcel
Champagne Egly Ouriet Grand Cru Blanc de Noirs Vieilles Vignes Les Crayères (Base TBC Disg. TBC) Non-Vintage
In some ways, this is the emblematic wine of the domaine. It was Michel Bettane, the influential French critic, who encouraged Francis Egly to bottle this single-vineyard wine separately, with the first release based on the 1989 harvest. This latest offering was bottled after the 2017 base had spent close to one year in cask before blending with 50% reserve wines from the 2016 vintage. The vinification and aging for both vintages took place in barrel. The fruit comes from old Pinot Noir vines in a single terroir known as Les Crayères. The vines here were planted in 1946, so they are now 75 years old (vines of this age are extremely rare in Champagne). The soil is barely 30cm deep, then it’s chalk, hundreds of metres down—hence the name of the site (craie is French for ‘chalk’; crayères references chalk quarries which likely once existed here). Les Crayères is situated mid-slope with a full south-facing exposure, not far from the estate’s cellars. The old vines are deeply rooted, giving the wine a classic mineral energy that weaves its way through the powerful, layered Pinot Noir fruit. The deep concentration is a product of the ripeness and low yields that the site and its ancient vines confer. The 2017 base is a tribute to the greatest sites of Ambonnay and the Egly-Ouriet domaine. Houses that emphasise blending may consider a 100% old-vine Ambonnay like this to be too intense; Egly gives it to you full throttle! This release has both profound depth and incredible finesse. It’s still early days for the nose (if you open it now, give it time), while the palate is already stunning: a layered yet chiselled, mineral mouth bomb. The dosage is only 2 g/L, and it’s invisible. As always, this unique expression of a singular terroir is built for food and aging. Give it two to three years, and it will be even better.
Dom Pérignon Rosé
Dom Pérignon is the most famous name in the world of Champagne. It's iconic history has permeated into global popular culture, yet still retains it's standing as the pre-eminent producer of Champagne. A magnificently fine rosé with a subtle, sensous and elegant palate. Full of complexity, concentration and power.
Piper-Heidsieck Rare Millesime Champagne
Structured, full-bodied and fruity, this Peper-Heidsieck Rare Millesime Champagne has delicate, muted exotic fruits and mild spices on the nose. This is a wine with depth but also it has a harmonious lengthy finish.
Domaine Antoine Jobard, Meursault 1er Cru Blagny
Domaine William Fevre Les Clos Grand Cru
Remarkably complex bouquet, blending fruity, floral and spicy notes with a substantial mineral touch. Structured palate, opening up with age to give powerful, generous wines. One of the greatest domaines in Chablis. Founded by William Fevre in 1957, its vineyard holdings include 12 hectares of premier cru and 16 hectares of grand Cru vines. The domaines fruit is harvested by hand, a rarity in Chablis, and rigorously sorted at the winery to ensure the highest quality. In recent times the amount of new oak used has been cut back and today the average age of the barrels in the cellar is five years. From the Petit Chablis to the domaines six Grand Cru wines, the quality is superb and the range from Domaine William Fevre is a benchmark for the wines of the region.