Besserat De Bellefon Champagne Vintage
The house of Besserat de Bellefon was founded in 1843 near Ay in Champagne, and is now based in Epernay. The hallmark of the house is the lower than normal pressure that the wine is kept at under cork. This lower than normal pressure does not reduce the effervescence, but softens it, allowing the wine to partner better with food. Aspect: Deep, intense yellow Bouquet: Citrus, confits, honey, sweet spice, panettone, praline Palate: Generous freshness, opulence, purity, natural, exceptional Assemblage : Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier.
Gosset Grand Blanc de Blancs Non-Vintage
Product Information: This Champagne highlights the more mineral characters of the different Champagne varying terroirs. Dialling into the chalky minerality, the Chardonnays are selected from various crus - Avize, Chouilly, Cramant, Villers-Marmery, Trépail - where the chalk breaks through to the surface in the Montagne de Reims, Vallée de la Marne and the Côte des Blancs. Earthy mineral aromas, very refined, delicate and attractive overall, with aromas of white flowers, citrus and a trace of honey. Lovely tension! As crisp and lively as it gets. Bottled at the end of the spring following the harvest and with 4 years minimum ageing in the cellars. The dosage is a low 7g/l adjusted with precision to preserve the balance between freshness and fruit without masking the wine’s character and purity. Maker: The oldest Wine House in Champagne: Aÿ 1584 The history of the Gosset family goes back five centuries to Jean Gosset (1484-1556), “Lord of Aÿ and Mareuil”, who was the first official ancestor in the lineage. The origins of “Maison Gosset” itself date back to the year 1584 when Pierre Gosset, Lord and Alderman of Aÿ, decided to set up a négociant business. 16 generations, all of direct lineage, have continued to build upon his work in Aÿ-Champagne and ensured that Champagne Gosset’s savoir-faire, lives on. Towards the end of 1993, the Champagne Gosset became part of the family-owned Renaud-Cointreau group which has since made it its mission to preserve the Gosset style. In the late 20th century, Champagne Gosset’s association with the Cointreau family, as well as the birth of the Gosset Celebris vintage cuvées, propelled the Champagne House to be amongst the most prestigious Champagne Houses. The unique bottle Jean Gosset first used the antique bottle that would become the emblem of the Gosset Champagne House in 1760. This bottle is an exclusive model that used to be part of the family’s collection of ancestral bottles. It owes its name to the “antique glass” colour of the glass paste from which it is produced. This elegant bottle is bears a neck label known as the “necklace medallion” named after Albert Gosset (truly one of a kind in the Champagne region), is instantly recognisable. Philosophy: Gosset is dedicated to crafting wines with perfect balance between freshness and distinctive character. Each cuvée reflects the region’s diverse terroirs, sourced from 140 hectares of Champagne vineyards. Their unique vinification process preserves natural fruit freshness and enhances aromatic expression, resulting in Champagnes with great mineral freshness, deep varietal character, and excellent aging potential. This approach delivers rich, balanced, and complex drinking experiences for connoisseurs and enthusiasts alike. Nose - Chalky, Savoury, Herbaceous Earthy mineral aromas, very refined, delicate white flowers, marjoram and floral honey. Palate - Lemon, Sherry Notes, Energetic Nervy, crisp and lively on the palate. Lemon peel, white peach, subtle nougat and sherry complexity. Young and fresh overall. Finish - Chalk, Sea Spray, Minerality A clean, appetising finish and aftertaste. Lip-smacking.
Gosset Grand Rose Non-Vintage
Product Information: This rosé has a high percentage of Chardonnay, which imbues freshness and precision, complemented by Pinot Noir vinified as both white and red base wines. The red wines are derived from different Champagne crus (Ambonnay, Bouzy, Cumières) and are vinified and blended to obtain a very fine and crunchy fruit. Bottled at the end of the spring following the harvest. This wine spends a minimum of 4 years ageing in the cellars. The dosage is adjusted with precision (8 g/l) to preserve the balance between freshness and fruit without masking the wine’s character and purity. A very tasty aperitif style wine. Moreish. The first impression is white flowers, hawthorn, green apples and citrus. As the Champagne warms up, a hint of grapefruit peel comes to the fore, accompanied by almond, ginger, and star anise. Almond and sherry like notes continue on the palate. Very energetic, interesting and satisfying blush Champagne. Maker: The oldest Wine House in Champagne: Aÿ 1584 The history of the Gosset family goes back five centuries to Jean Gosset (1484-1556), “Lord of Aÿ and Mareuil”, who was the first official ancestor in the lineage. The origins of “Maison Gosset” itself date back to the year 1584 when Pierre Gosset, Lord and Alderman of Aÿ, decided to set up a négociant business. 16 generations, all of direct lineage, have continued to build upon his work in Aÿ-Champagne and ensured that Champagne Gosset’s savoir-faire, lives on. Towards the end of 1993, the Champagne Gosset became part of the family-owned Renaud-Cointreau group which has since made it its mission to preserve the Gosset style. In the late 20th century, Champagne Gosset’s association with the Cointreau family, as well as the birth of the Gosset Celebris vintage cuvées, propelled the Champagne House to be amongst the most prestigious Champagne Houses. The unique bottle Jean Gosset first used the antique bottle that would become the emblem of the Gosset Champagne House in 1760. This bottle is an exclusive model that used to be part of the family’s collection of ancestral bottles. It owes its name to the “antique glass” colour of the glass paste from which it is produced. This elegant bottle is bears a neck label known as the “necklace medallion” named after Albert Gosset (truly one of a kind in the Champagne region), is instantly recognisable. Philosophy: Gosset is dedicated to crafting wines with perfect balance between freshness and distinctive character. Each cuvée reflects the region’s diverse terroirs, sourced from 140 hectares of Champagne vineyards. Their unique vinification process preserves natural fruit freshness and enhances aromatic expression, resulting in Champagnes with great mineral freshness, deep varietal character, and excellent aging potential. This approach delivers rich, balanced, and complex drinking experiences for connoisseurs and enthusiasts alike. Nose - Sherry Complexity, Grapefruit Peel, Ginger Flower The first nose expresses white flowers, hawthorn, green apples and citrus. As the Champagne warms up, a hint of grapefruit peel comes to the fore, accompanied by ginger and star anise. Palate - Pineapple, Intense, Saline On the palate, flavours of citrus fruit mingle with pineapple and finish with a sparkling saline note. Finish - Lingering, Moreish, Savoury Excellent style. Long-lingering aftertaste is clean and dry and moreish. Very energetic, interesting and satisfying.
Gosset Grande Reserve Non-Vintage
Product Information: With its elegant roundness and freshness, this Champagne has a very broad appeal and excellent value. The Gosset style is hallmarked by great mineral freshness that precedes a deep vinosity owed to their unique process that captures the each wine's full aromatic expression, approachable yet cellar worthy. Fine, assertive mousse and fresh acidity, stimulating and is clearly set for a fine future if you can hold it. Fine elderflower flavours and good balance and composition. Quite persistent. Consisting of 45% Chardonnay, 45% Pinot Noir, 10% Meunier from the Champagne villages of Aÿ, Bouzy, Ambonnay, Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, and Villers-Marmery. It builds complexity with minimum of 4 years minimum in cellar. After disgorgement, the bottles are returned to the cellars to rest for at least 6 months to allow the wine to smoothly assimilate the dosage, which is 8 grams per litre. Maker: The oldest Wine House in Champagne: Aÿ 1584 The history of the Gosset family goes back five centuries to Jean Gosset (1484-1556), “Lord of Aÿ and Mareuil”, who was the first official ancestor in the lineage. The origins of “Maison Gosset” itself date back to the year 1584 when Pierre Gosset, Lord and Alderman of Aÿ, decided to set up a négociant business. 16 generations, all of direct lineage, have continued to build upon his work in Aÿ-Champagne and ensured that Champagne Gosset’s savoir-faire, lives on. Towards the end of 1993, the Champagne Gosset became part of the family-owned Renaud-Cointreau group which has since made it its mission to preserve the Gosset style. In the late 20th century, Champagne Gosset’s association with the Cointreau family, as well as the birth of the Gosset Celebris vintage cuvées, propelled the Champagne House to be amongst the most prestigious Champagne Houses. The unique bottle Jean Gosset first used the antique bottle that would become the emblem of the Gosset Champagne House in 1760. This bottle is an exclusive model that used to be part of the family’s collection of ancestral bottles. It owes its name to the “antique glass” colour of the glass paste from which it is produced. This elegant bottle is bears a neck label known as the “necklace medallion” named after Albert Gosset (truly one of a kind in the Champagne region), is instantly recognisable. Philosophy: Gosset is dedicated to crafting wines with perfect balance between freshness and distinctive character. Each cuvée reflects the region’s diverse terroirs, sourced from 140 hectares of Champagne vineyards. Their unique vinification process preserves natural fruit freshness and enhances aromatic expression, resulting in Champagnes with great mineral freshness, deep varietal character, and excellent aging potential. This approach delivers rich, balanced, and complex drinking experiences for connoisseurs and enthusiasts alike. Nose - Lemon Meringue, Honeyed Toast, Mirabelle Plums The nose shows freshness and fruit with notes of lemon meringue pie followed by yellow fruit such as Mirabelle plums. Then, as the Champagne warms up, aromas of plums with slightly honeyed and toasted notes start to come through. Palate - Rich, Sustained Yellow Fruit, Brioche The Champagne confirms its richness and volume. The Pinot Noir endows it with structure and depth. Hawthorn and white flower aromas fuse naturally together in a fine acidity sustained by citrus fruit. Finish - Floral Finish, Balanced, Persistent Fine elderflower flavours and good balance and composition. Quite persistent. A mouth-watering Champagne, with a delicate, lacy mousse, this offers an expressive, well-meshed range of black currant and apricot fruit, pink grapefruit pith and grated ginger accents, plus hints of oyster shell and chalk. Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier. Drink now through 2028.- Alison Napjus, Wine Spectator.
Delamotte Blanc de Blancs Non-Vintage
Agrapart & Fils 7 Crus Extra-Brut Non-Vintage
Product Information: The NV Brut 7 Crus is a very pretty. Bright, mineral and intensely vibrant, the 7 Crus is full of energy and refreshment. 7 Crus is a blend of two harvests: in this case, 60% is 2021 from 1er Cru sites; and 40% is 2020 from Grand Cru sites. The reserve wine was raised in neutral, 600-litre oak casks from François Chidaine and Didier Dagueneau. The breakdown is 90% Chardonnay and 10% Pinot Noir. Even at this first level, the wine is aged for three years on lees. It was disgorged with 6 g/L dosage. This is the most immediately seductive cuvée in the Agrapart range, yet it is still extremely fine. It’s long, deep and saline with some gentle grip. Sadly, we do not get nearly enough. The reviews below refer to a previous disgorgement. Disg. March 2024. The Agrapart range begins with a non-vintage wine called 7 Crus. The name refers to the seven Côte des Blancs villages from which the wine derives. These include Avize (from younger vines aged 20 to 40 years), Cramant, Oger, Oiry, Avenay-Val-d’Or, Coligny and Vauciennes. Like all Agrapart wines, the fruit is from 100% estate-owned and farmed vineyards. Maker: In 1894 at the beginning of France’s lively Belle Époque “the beautiful era” or Europe's golden era between 1871 to 1914. Arthur Agrapart started the family domaine that would become Champagne Agrapart & Fils. The estate has weathered many storms, including World War I, an economic depression, and the German Occupation during World War II, which devastated stock by millions of cases throughout the region. In the 1950s, Arthur’s grandson Pierre set out to rebuild the family business by making wines of quality rather than following the commercial trends of the day. Pierre’s sons Pascal and Fabrice took over the reins in 1990, farming their own vineyards along the prestigious Côte de Blancs, as well as blending and bottling their own wines. By the early 2000s, upon realising the brothers did not have the same goals for the future of the estate, Pascal began the long-term process of dividing the estate in two. His vineyards would become the backbone of Domaine Pascal Agrapart, focusing on the unique single vineyard cuvées that he had championed since the early 1990s and the remaining family vineyards would provide the fruit for the assemblage cuvées, 7 Crus & Terroirs, still bottled under the Agrapart & Fils label today. Pascal has been joined by his eldest son Ambroise and their ultimate goal is to produce only wines bearing the Pascal Agrapart label. Philosophy: The winery is based in the grand cru village of Avize, famous for its cuvees of 100% Chardonnay. Pascal and Ambroise farm 10 hectares from some 60 different vineyard plots in the Côte de Blancs, including Oger, Cramant, Oiry and Avize. They farm using only homeopathic vine treatments, composts, manures, and regular plowing. The Agraparts were one of the first families to bring the draft horse back to the vineyards, and named a cuvee in honour of their first four-hooved friend, Vénus. In plowing the old-school way, they expose the clay and limestone soils to immune-boosting properties of the wind and sun. While they once were the object of ridicule, they now lead a return to authentic, ancestral practices. Their quality control extends to manual harvests, a selective triage of the grapes, and the use of native yeasts during fermentation. Malolactic fermentations are employed to round out the intensity of these mineral-driven Champagnes. The wines age on their lees for an extended period of time, and then are racked to both stainless steel and neutral oak barrels—the latter being a rarity in Champagne before Pascal started using them. All wines are bottled unfined and unfiltered. Nose - Apricots, Pears, Fennel Vibrant fruit here, with peaches, apricots, lemons, pears, almonds and spicy anise notes. Palate - Intense Minerality, Pillowy Palate, Citrus Peel medium to full-bodied, ample and pillowy palate. Finish - Chalk, Lingering Citrus, Saline White flowers, chalk and citrus linger.
Vranken Diamante Champagne Brut Non-Vintage
Product Information: This Diamant Brut cuvée is a versatile blend of chardonnay, pinot noir and pinot meunier. Vranken has made it a point of honour to select grapes exclusively from grands crus and premiers crus, thus ensuring unique quality and character. In a beautiful, bejewelled bottle this cuvée is rather fittingly named Diamant. This Champagne reveals pleasant floral and fruity notes. Both lively and voluptuous, it surprises with its balance and elegance. A terrific aperitif style made with diamond cut precision. Maker: As a young entrepreneur, Paul-François Vranken settled in Champagne in 1976 to set up his own champagne house in the heart of the Sézanne region. Then in 1985, he purchased the Château des Castaignes in Montmort, built on a site named La Demoiselle, a few kilometres away from Epernay. The Château is perched on the hillside, in the heart of a park designed by Edouard Redont who also designed the park of Villa Demoiselle. The idea arose to create a new cuvée for Vranken champagne called La Demoiselle de Champagne, Demoiselle being a common name for the dragonfly, which was an emblem for the Art Nouveau genius René Lalique. The planets seemed to align for the first brut champagne, whose special bottle was a moving tribute to Art Nouveau. In 2004, Paul-François Vranken acquired the Villa Demoiselle to establish the head office of the Champagnes Vranken. Château des Castaignes is therefore the origin of the Demoiselle collection. Philsophy: From 1978 onwards, Paul-François Vranken and Dominique Pichart, the first winemaker, revolutionised taste by suppressing the cognac spirit (minimal dosage) from their champagnes to create lighter, more modern wines, full of freshness: the Vranken taste is born and with it, the taste of aperitif champagne. The second Cellar Master Pierre-Hubert Crozat is faithful to the style of the Maison that has been developed for over 40 years, he reconciles the demands of style while meeting the demands of the changing climate - he employs sustainable viticulture for the defence of biodiversity in Champagne. All this is the result of a marvellous alchemy between their work and that of a unique know-how from an exceptional region, Champagne. Nose - Grated Apple, Lime Zest, Buttery Filo Pastry Intense, elegant and complex with floral scents and fruity aromas, followed by aromas of sweet pastries. Palate - White Peach, Golden Apple, Fine Bead Ample, complex, has been well with slightly toasted aromas. Finish - Preserved Lemon, Zesty, Light Pith Gorgeous aperitif style, creamy notes and briney minerals add texture and structure.
Moët & Chandon Ice Impérial
Fresh and flavoursome, Moët & Chandon Ice Impérial is perfect for spritzing up a sunny afternoon or adding an elegant tone to any dinner party. Flavours of fresh citrus and stone fruits with ravishing acidity and length.
Billecart-Salmon Brut Rosé
Chamapagne Rosé is a true delight to the senses and Billecart-Salmon rightly takes its place in the top echelon. A vibrant Salmon pink colour greets the glass, with a long, smooth, delicate, elegant and refined palate to follow. Without the price tag that others of this quality demand, this is a Champagne that all must enjoy at least once.
Charles Heidsieck Brut Reserve Champagne Non-Vintage
With 40% of reserve wines, the Charles Heidsieck Brut Reserve Champagne offers complexity, voluptuous on the nose with notes of freshly baked brioche and the richness of roasted coffee beans. This is a deliciously sophisticated wine that finishes dry with a velvet texture, depth and long-lasting bubbles on the palate.