Champagne – Decanter

Regional profile: Champagne's Montagne de Reims

Tom Hewson — Mon, 27 Nov 2023 08:32:44 +0000

Verzenay Windmill

The vineyards in the northern part of the Champagne region are often sliced into three distinct areas: the Côte des Blancs for Chardonnay, the Marne Valley for Meunier and the Montagne de Reims for Pinot Noir.

Scroll down to see tasting ntoes and scores for Tom Hewson’s top picks of Montagne de Reims Champagnes

The first two can be neatly surmised: the Côte des Blancs is a single, chalky cuesta – a hill with a steep face on one side and a gentle slope on the other – that can be driven north to south in 20 minutes. The Marne Valley is a winding valley planted with an overwhelming majority of one grape variety and with hardly a grain of chalk to play with. The Montagne de Reims, though, is different.

Tom Hewson’s picks of the best Champagnes from the Montagne de Reims

Regional profile: Champagne’s Côte des Bar

A guide to non-vintage Champagne

Champagne 2013: 10 years on

The post Regional profile: Champagne's Montagne de Reims appeared first on Decanter.

French police chase stops €600,000 Champagne theft

Chris Mercer — Tue, 14 Nov 2023 12:20:18 +0000

French police reportedly moved quickly to thwart the attempted theft of Moët & Chandon Champagne with a value of nearly €600,000 (£524,000) last weekend.

It’s the latest example of fine wine being targeted by thieves, and Christmas is a key period for Champagne sales.

Two lorry-loads of Moët & Chandon were stolen from the Reims area in the heart of the Champagne region overnight on 11 November, according to French media reports.

Having been alerted at 9am the next morning, police were able to use a GPS tracker in one of the trailers to locate the thieves’ route, said Le Parisien newspaper.

Police then pursued the lorries on the ‘Francilienne’, a partial ring road in Île-de-France on the outskirts of Paris.

In a scene that appeared reminiscent of a Hollywood film, one of the drivers reportedly opened the cab door whilst the lorry was still moving and then jumped into a BMW car that had pulled up alongside.

An unnamed source cited by Le Parisien added that the lorry had been forced onto the hard shoulder and was moving relatively slowly at the time – around 15 km / h (nine miles per hour).

In the end, police were able to trap the lorries and recover the stolen Champagne, but the thieves themselves managed to escape.

News of the theft comes around a month after French media reported that three suspected fraudsters were arrested in relation to allegations that they attempted to buy fine wines with €95,000 of fake bank notes.

The scammers had managed to get several bottles, including Petrus 2000, from a merchant near to Paris around eight months prior to their arrest, it was reported.

Fine wine theft and fraud are hardly new, but some industry experts believe the rising value of the world’s most precious bottles has made them a more alluring target for thieves.

Earlier this year, two people were sentenced to prison in Spain for stealing fine wines from Michelin-starred Atrio restaurant and hotel.

They checked-out with hundreds of thousands of euros-worth of wine in backpacks after managing to steal the venue’s wine cellar key from reception during the night.

Inside the world of wine heists

Vintage Crime: The darker side of wine

LA police hunt wine shop thieves after major heist

Fraudsters accused of conning wine merchant in €95,000 Petrus scam

The post French police chase stops €600,000 Champagne theft appeared first on Decanter.

A guide to non-vintage Champagne

Tom Hewson — Fri, 10 Nov 2023 08:00:56 +0000

Philipponnat, Royale Réserve Brut

Next to Champagne’s rare treasures, the humble term non-vintage doesn’t exactly stir the passions. Defining something by what isn’t there seems a strange approach. Even the French term ‘brut sans année’ (literally, ‘brut without vintage’) sounds a little apologetic. But these are wines that are worth talking about.

Changes are afoot in the region, and it’s time to re-examine Champagne’s entry level. Non-vintage is the bread and butter of Champagne, accounting for some four-fifths of all Champagne sold, according to the most recent figures from the region’s governing body. The term refers to Champagnes made by blending wines from a base year – the most recent harvest – with reserve wines held back from previous years. The wine must spend a minimum 15 months in bottle for the second fermentation and ageing on lees, in contrast to three years for vintage wines.

Scroll down to see notes and scores for 15 non-vintage Champagnes

New approach: Hewson’s characterful 15 non-vintage Champagnes to know

All wines recommended are non-vintage or ‘multi-vintage’ blends

English blanc de blancs: experts’ choice

Champagne styles explained

Best Champagne houses to visit and how to contact them

The post A guide to non-vintage Champagne appeared first on Decanter.

Champagne: Latest autumn releases tasted

Tom Hewson — Tue, 07 Nov 2023 08:00:40 +0000

Throughout the year, Decanter’s experts receive exclusive first tastes of the top new Champagnes, and as the festive season approaches, our correspondent Tom Hewson brings you his verdict on a clutch of superb, just-released cuvées.

Scroll down to see tasting notes and scores for the latest Champagnes released this autumn

Latest Champagne releases: tasting notes and scores

First taste: Champagne Gosset Celebris 2012

First Taste: Clos des Goisses 2014 & new Philipponnat releases

First taste: Jay-Z’s Armand de Brignac, Blanc de Noirs Assemblage Number Four

The post Champagne: Latest autumn releases tasted appeared first on Decanter.

First taste: Bruno Paillard new releases

Tom Hewson — Sun, 05 Nov 2023 08:00:29 +0000

Champagne Bruno Paillard is one of the region’s most distinctive small houses, founded in 1981 by a personality who has remained at the very top of Champagne’s machinery over the last 30 years, and is one of the region’s most prominent statesmen.

Bruno Paillard has been closely involved with protecting Champagne’s name around the world, not only as former communications director for the Comité Champagne (the region’s governing body), but also as chairman of Lanson-BCC (a group which includes not only Champagne Lanson but also a number of other prominent houses such as Philipponnat and De Venoge).

Scroll down to see tasting notes and scores for two new Bruno Paillard releases

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Tasting notes and scores for the new Bruno Paillard releases

First taste: Jay-Z’s Armand de Brignac, Blanc de Noirs Assemblage Number Four

First taste: Champagne Gosset Celebris 2012

First Taste: Clos des Goisses 2014 & new Philipponnat releases

The post First taste: Bruno Paillard new releases appeared first on Decanter.

First taste: Moët & Chandon, Collection Impériale Création No. 1 Brut Nature

Tom Hewson — Fri, 27 Oct 2023 05:53:04 +0000

For the last 23 years, Moët & Chandon has been remarkable for being Champagne’s most prominent name not to offer a permanent prestige cuvée of its own. Twenty years before the house’s 300th anniversary, though, all this changes with the release of Collection Impériale Création No. 1.

Dom Pérignon, associated with Moët & Chandon for most of the 20th century, has not had Moët & Chandon on the label since 1999 (and has had a separate winemaker since 1947).

Scroll down to see tasting note and score for Moët & Chandon Collection Impériale No 1 Brut Nature

See tasting note and score for Moët & Chandon Collection Impériale No 1 Brut Nature

First taste: Champagne Gosset Celebris 2012

First Taste: Clos des Goisses 2014 & new Philipponnat releases

First taste: Jay-Z’s Armand de Brignac, Blanc de Noirs Assemblage Number Four

The post First taste: Moët & Chandon, Collection Impériale Création No. 1 Brut Nature appeared first on Decanter.

First taste: Champagne Gosset Celebris 2012

Tom Hewson — Tue, 17 Oct 2023 06:00:22 +0000

Gosset Celebris 2012

‘In Champagne we have a saying,’ says Gosset cellar master Odilon de Varine, ‘juillet fait le bouquet, août fait le moût,’ which translates roughly into English as ‘July makes the bouquet, August makes the flavour’.

‘The weather we had in July was fresh, with a wonderful August lasting until harvest. We knew straight away it was a vintage year,’ says de Varine.

Scroll down to see Tom Hewson’s tasting note and score for Champagne Gosset Celebris 2012

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Tasting note and score for Champagne Gosset Celebris 2012

First Taste: Champagne Gosset’s new long-aged rosé

First taste: Gosset Celebris Blanc de Blancs 2012

Champagne harvest 2023: A bumper crop

The post First taste: Champagne Gosset Celebris 2012 appeared first on Decanter.

First taste: Jay-Z's Armand de Brignac, Blanc de Noirs Assemblage Number Four

Anne Krebiehl MW — Thu, 12 Oct 2023 10:44:46 +0000

There are two firsts for Armand de Brignac’s latest release, the Blanc de Noirs Assemblage Number Four: it is the first time the brand has released a wine after seven years of lees ageing, and it is the first time a wine from the iconic, metal-clad label contains wine from the Aube region.

Scroll down for the tasting note and score for the new Armand de Brignac Blanc de Noirs Assemblage Number Four

Armand de Brignac’s new Blanc de Noirs Assemblage Number Four:

Jay Z’s ‘Ace of Spades’ Champagne: Tasting the range

First taste: Clos des Goisses 2014 & new Philipponnat releases

Expert’s choice: Ageing English fizz

The post First taste: Jay-Z's Armand de Brignac, Blanc de Noirs Assemblage Number Four appeared first on Decanter.

Champagne harvest 2023: A bumper crop

Tom Hewson — Mon, 25 Sep 2023 10:32:51 +0000

The 2023 harvest at Maison Bruno Paillard.

‘In July we expected bunches of 140g,’ said Bollinger cellar master Denis Bunner, ‘but at harvest they were averaging 200g – the record bunch is 1.2kg!’

Champagne’s system of supply management means that only the official yield – 11,400kg per hectare in 2023 – will be allowed to be turned into Champagne this year. However the amount that producers can hold in reserve ( used to boost future harvests if they are less generous ) has been raised by 2,000kg per hectare to make use of the generous crop. What is actually on the vines this year, though, is often much higher, with one producer admitting to 32,000kg per hectare in a plot of old Chardonnay vine .

Why is the yield so generous?

Firstly, there was little to no spring frost damage. Secondly, there was an exceptional flowering period at the beginning of June. ‘The Comité Champagne measures the pollen in the vineyards, and it was so high they thought there was an error,’ said Bunner.

A mixed July was followed by an August that proved somewhat cool and rainy, swelling the berries. ‘Normally the sugar is supposed to accumulate in August, but that didn’t happen as the grapes just kept growing,’ said Alice Paillard of Champagne Bruno Paillard. ‘Some small berries got squeezed, and at the end of August the botrytis started,’ she said.

Bunner added, ‘Nature was very generous at the beginning, but capricious at the end.’

Chardonnay – the star of the vintage?

Drier conditions in the Côte des Blancs , together with Chardonnay’s thicker skins, meant this area escaped the worst of the disease pressure (as it did in 2011 and 2017). The signs are good, with growers widely reporting sugar levels between 10 and 11 degrees potential alcohol, clean grapes and moderate but not abnormally low acids.

For Jérôme Legras of Champagne Legras & Haas in Chouilly, the year has echoes of 2004 for Chardonnay, a vintage still showing well today (and a vintage with similar – if not quite as exceptional – generosity of yield). Bunner also said he is ‘very confident’ about the quality of Chardonnay this year.

Pinot Noir and Meunier – more uneven

2023 Pinot harvest in Reuil at Maison Bruno Paillard. Credit: Maison Bruno Paillard.

The beginning of September saw a rapid increase in temperature, quick veraison (when berries turn from green to red) and, finally, rising sugar levels. ‘We were lucky that the botrytis mostly dried out,’ said Paillard, who remains optimistic despite having to reject one press load of Pinot Noir from a cooler, more humid zone in the Montagne de Reims at the beginning of the harvest.

Much of the Grande Vallée and the drier terroirs of the Montagne de Reims appear to have fared relatively well, though. Bollinger’s Côte aux Enfants vineyard, which provides red wine for the house’s rosés, was ‘fully ripe, with brown seeds,’ according to Bunner.

The Pinot Noir from earlier-ripening sites in the northern Montagne area was reaching maturity by the 14 or 15 September, though many producers are wary of what Bunner calls the ‘shrivelling’ of berries that was widely seen due to the heatwave during the first week of September.

‘The heatwave degraded the sanitary state of the grapes, but it’s less dangerous than the rain,’ said Rémi Leroy of his eponymous domaine in Meurville in the Côte des Bar , where the Chardonnay was ‘magnificent’ and the Pinot Noir had ‘no mouldy or vinegary tastes’ despite an ‘average sanitary state,’ he said.

It is Meunier , though, that is the most delicate of Champagne’s grapes – yet also the one planted in some of its more humid terroirs. At Champagne Christophe Mignon in Festigny, Loann Mignon was making sure only healthy grapes were picked, and that pickers were selecting for ripeness, too. Cutting open a dark purple bunch of Meunier grapes, he noted how the inside was still partially green, and how the bottom of the bunch was not as ripe as the top: ‘a peculiarity of this year,’ he said.

Sorting – essential for quality in 2023

In Champagne, all grapes are harvested as whole bunches. Sorting out the good from the bad, then, almost always has to happen in the vineyard, rather than after destemming – as is common for top red wine production.

This is a laborious process that requires tight management of picking crews. Around 120,000 seasonal workers descend on Champagne for the harvest, according to the Comité Champagne, and most are paid by the kilogram, not by the hour. Persuading them to sort the grapes by quality, therefore, can be complex. ‘When they’re paid by weight, you cannot ask them to sort in the vineyard, and most growers are too small to have sorting tables,’ said Legras. The solution for some, including Legras & Haas, is to ‘pay your in-house team to sort out the detritus’ before the harvesters come through, allowing the subsequent picking teams to harvest everything on the vines.

2023 harvest, Maison Bruno Paillard. Credit: Maison Bruno Paillard.

At one commercial pressing facility in Aÿ, crates of immaculate, ripe grand cru Pinot Noir grapes sat destined for a well-known prestige cuvée. In the press, though, were some less well-sorted Pinots, pressed under contract for another producer. This juice could end up being rejected later in the process if of poor quality, but, as happened in 2017 (one of the worst-affected vintages in recent memory), there are usually buyers if the price is right. Around the corner, though, Louis Roederer’s press house was full of clean Pinot Noir; even the very last pressings tasted ripe and pristine.

2023 may not prove a year to remember for Champagne’s most economical wines.

Large or small, organic or not, some very good wines will be made by those with enough control of the process: ‘Some people will say it’s the year of the vigneron, not the winemaker,’ said Paillard, ‘but it’s not only that . It’s a year when we will do well if we have perfect continuity of information between the vineyard, the press and the cellar.’

The full spectrum

Phillipe Brun of Champagne Roger Brun offered a pithy take on the year: ‘Of course, I can’t tell you how the harvest is until after the vinifications,’ he said with a wink.

When it comes to harvest, easy is not good, and hard is not bad; in the right hands, and in the right places, 2023 promises plenty to look forward to.

France forecasts stable 2023 wine harvest

Champagne harvest 2022: top quality forecast as picking begins

Champagne 2013: 10 years on

The post Champagne harvest 2023: A bumper crop appeared first on Decanter.

First taste: Champagne Salon 2013

Tom Hewson — Sat, 16 Sep 2023 07:00:49 +0000

It’s back to business as usual at the sought-after producer of blanc de blancs from the grand cru village of Le Mesnil-sur-Oger after two unusual releases: the ripe and open 2012 which was released after a change of heart by the house, and the 2008 which was only released in magnums.

Scroll down for tasting notes and scores for Champagne Salon 2013 and Delamotte 2014

Tom Hewson’s tasting notes and scores for Salon 2013 and Delamotte 2014

First Taste: Clos des Goisses 2014 & new Philipponnat releases

Oak in Champagne: A new chapter & 20 wines tasted

First Taste: Champagne Rare 2013

The post First taste: Champagne Salon 2013 appeared first on Decanter.

First Taste: Clos des Goisses 2014 & new Philipponnat releases

Tom Hewson — Thu, 07 Sep 2023 09:16:30 +0000

The boutique Champagne house of Philipponnat is in the village of Mareuil-sur-Ay in the ‘Grande Vallée’ of the Marne river, home to one of Champagne’s most remarkable vineyards. A rare monopole – an entire vineyard owned by one producer, in this case by Philipponnat – the walled Clos des Goisses contains 5.5ha of vines that tumble down towards the river, on a startlingly steep slope, catching more sun than almost any other site in the region with its directly southern exposure.

Presenting the new 2014 release of Clos des Goisses in London on 5 September 2023, Charles Philipponnat had half an eye on the next morning’s Eurostar back to Champagne to begin the year’s harvest, which is earlier than his neighbours are permitted to harvest to thanks to a special authorisation granted to the Clos des Goisses vineyard.

Scroll down to see Tom Hewson’s tasting notes and scores for Philipponnat’s new releases

Tom Hewson’s tastes and rates Philipponnat’s new releases

Champagne 2013: 10 years on

Oak in Champagne: A new chapter & 20 wines tasted

Wine investment: Champagne on the plateau

The post First Taste: Clos des Goisses 2014 & new Philipponnat releases appeared first on Decanter.

Champagne 2013: 10 years on

Tom Hewson — Thu, 31 Aug 2023 15:19:03 +0000

Tom Hewson says that 2013 should be one for your cellar. Above: The cellars at Rare Champagne.

‘You don’t know what you’ve got ‘till it’s gone,’ sang Joni Mitchell in the 1970 song Big Yellow Taxi. Ten years on from Champagne’s initially underrated 2013 vintage, as releases of prestige cuvées and special editions slowly drip through, Champagne lovers are starting to feel the same way. How many vintages like 2013 will we see again?

Julian Gout, cellar master of Ayala in Aÿ, has fond memories of a year that finished almost a month and a half later than many other vintages (such as 2011). It was so late in fact that he was able to squeeze in another harvest beforehand: ‘I harvested two times: once in Tuscany in August, and then in October in Champagne!’

Scroll down to see tasting notes and scores for 13 top Champagnes from the 2013 vintage

Champagne 2013: The top 13

Bordeaux 2013: 10 years on & 30 wines tasted

Oak in Champagne: A new chapter & 20 wines tasted

Wine investment: Champagne on the plateau

The post Champagne 2013: 10 years on appeared first on Decanter.

Oak in Champagne: A new chapter & 20 wines tasted

Tom Hewson — Wed, 16 Aug 2023 07:00:10 +0000

In Mareuil-sur-Aÿ, the Billecart-Salmon ‘chai à foudres’ barrel cellar, which houses 24 large oak casks.

Bollinger’s archives contain an unusual letter, penned by Madame Lily Bollinger herself in 1963 and addressed, surprisingly, to the house of Krug. Having lost her husband Jacques, head of the house, in 1941, ‘Madame Jacques’ was entrusted with maintaining Bollinger’s prestige at a time when Champagne’s cellars were modernising.

‘At the beginning, she didn’t know the daily work of the house,’ explains Bollinger’s current chef de cave Denis Bunner. ‘But she put her trust in André Bergeot, the cellar master at the time. She was loyal to oak, and she wanted to start an association to help keep the tradition.’

Scroll down to see 20 top Champagnes produced using oak

Barrel revival: Hewson’s pick of 20 top Champagnes produced using oak

Charles Curtis MW: ‘Is Champagne truly going green or only greenwashing?’

Independent Champagne producers: Top trends & names to look out for

Champagne’s star winemakers of tomorrow

The post Oak in Champagne: A new chapter & 20 wines tasted appeared first on Decanter.

First Taste: Laurent-Perrier Grand Siècle Itération No. 26

Tom Hewson — Sat, 05 Aug 2023 07:30:54 +0000

Champagne Laurent-Perrier has long gone against the grain with its Grand Siècle cuvée. ‘It was the 1950s, and the first prestige cuvées in Champagne were appearing,’ explains Lucie Pereyre de Nonancourt. Her grandfather (and founding president of the house) Bernard de Nonancourt found it surprising that these new prestige cuvées were being released as single vintages, rather than blends of several years.

‘Even among the most exceptional vintages they have their own personalities. So he decided to do something unique: to recreate the perfect year,’ she says.

Scroll down to see Tom Hewson’s review for Laurent-Perrier Grand Siècle Itération No.26

Tom Hewson’s tasting note and score:

Laurent Perrier Grand Siècle: vertical tasting

Champagne 2012: Top bottles to buy this winter

Champagne 2008: A ‘miracle year’?

Tasting the latest releases from Laurent-Perrier

The post First Taste: Laurent-Perrier Grand Siècle Itération No. 26 appeared first on Decanter.

Wine investment: Champagne on the plateau

Chris Mercer — Sun, 30 Jul 2023 07:00:57 +0000

Champagne has lost some of its market fizz in recent months, but merchants and analysts say that buyers are still on the look-out for opportunities.

Prestige Champagne has been on a rollercoaster ride on the secondary market. Liv-ex, a global marketplace for the trade, said its Champagne 50 index rose in value by nearly 77% in the five years to the end of May 2023, yet the index fell by 2% in May itself and was down by 9% in 2023 year-to-date.

Wine investment: Tuscans holding steady

Investment: will 2023 see a resurgence for Bordeaux?

Investing in Champagne: Will the surge top out?

The post Wine investment: Champagne on the plateau appeared first on Decanter.

First taste: Bollinger PN AYC 18

Tom Hewson — Wed, 26 Jul 2023 07:00:51 +0000

Bollinger’s PN range aims to cement the house’s reputation as a Pinot Noir expert: it is the only house to use more than 60% of Pinot Noir in all of its blends. A recent press release said that the range is used to ‘highlight the impact of terroir and the link between vine and wine.’

The project began with PN VZ 15 and PN VZ 16, both based on the north-facing Verzenay cru from the 2015 and 2016 vintages. The PN TX 17 followed, based on the cool, chalky grand cru of Tauxières from 2017.

Scroll down to see Tom Hewson’s tasting note and score for Bollinger PN AYC 18

Tom Hewson’s tasting note and score for Bollinger PN AYC 18:

B13: A new limited edition Champagne from Bollinger

First taste: Champagne Bollinger RD 2008

New release: Bollinger La Grande Année 2014

The post First taste: Bollinger PN AYC 18 appeared first on Decanter.

Sustainability in Champagne: The 'green' heroes

Charles Curtis MW — Mon, 24 Jul 2023 08:02:07 +0000

Bud break.

Talk of global warming and ecological disaster fills the news almost daily, inducing a sense of alarm and guilt in readers. We all live in ‘the environment’ – shouldn’t everyone want to protect it? While it is easy to agree on the goal, the difficulty lies in deciding the best approach.

Discussions can sometimes take on the tone of moral imperative, and often-unexpressed moral judgement makes us uncomfortable when we hear the term ‘greenwashing’. The implication is that large, faceless corporations are abusing our credulity by trumpeting actions to ‘protect the environment’ while pursuing profit rather than progress. Judging correctly, however, involves more investigation than innuendo. Champagne often comes under fire, in part since the proprietor of the company with the largest market share regularly tops the list of the world’s wealthiest men.

See Charles Curtis MW’s latest guest column

Scroll down to see tasting notes and scores for 20 sustainably-minded Champagnes

Charles Curtis MW’s favourite sustainably-minded Champagnes:

Top organic wines to try

Bordeaux sees sharp growth in organic vineyards

Sustainability in wine explained

The post Sustainability in Champagne: The 'green' heroes appeared first on Decanter.

First Taste: Champagne Gosset's new long-aged rosé

Anne Krebiehl MW — Sun, 23 Jul 2023 07:00:32 +0000

Champagne Gosset has launched its new long-aged rosé cuvée, 12 Ans de Cave a Minima.

‘For me, Champagne is the best wine for ageing,’ said Gosset cellar master Odilon de Varine earlier this year at the ProWein trade fair in Düsseldorf where the wine, now released in the UK, was first presented. The new cuvée is a rosé Champagne aged for 12 years on lees.

Demonstrating the future

The wine is part of the house’s Compte d’Age series, which, it says, ‘pays tribute to wines with long ageing potential; an experience hitherto only available to the cellar master.’

Scroll down to see Anne Krebiehl MW’s tasting note and score for the new Gosset rosé cuvée

Planning a trip to Champagne? See the best Champagne houses to visit here

Gosset’s new long-aged rosé tasted and rated:

First taste: Gosset Celebris Blanc de Blancs 2012

First taste: Gosset Grand Blanc de Meunier Champagne

First Taste: Champagne Rare 2013

The post First Taste: Champagne Gosset's new long-aged rosé appeared first on Decanter.

Best Champagne houses to visit

Tom Hewson — Thu, 13 Jul 2023 07:00:20 +0000

In the cellars at Champagne Drappier.

There has never been a better time to visit Champagne. The region’s hotels, restaurants and visitor experiences are finally catching up to the reputation of the wines themselves.

There’s plenty to see around Reims and Épernay, both possible as day trips from Paris on the train, although it’s certainly worth getting out into the villages to escape the tour groups.

Top tips for visiting Champagne producers

Book in advance, preferably by at least two weeks, and make sure to call if you’re going to be more than a few minutes late. Bear in mind that the roads can be deceptively slow when the tractors are out during the summer months!

Lunch closures are sacred (including for car hire companies in Reims and Épernay), and don’t forget to check for when the numerous public holidays might fall.

Smaller producers are often more reluctant to take visitors during peak times of vineyard work (late June, July and around harvest), and all but the largest houses effectively shut down in August.

If you have the chance to do a little research into the house before you visit you’ll be rewarded. It’s always worth remembering that many smaller producers do not have dedicated staff for greeting guests and doing tours so are taking time out of busy days to share their work. Many smaller growers will not be able to sell you wine because their stocks are fully allocated, although Reims and Épernay have some excellent bottle shops where you might be able to find the wines. Despite this, fees for visits are generally reasonable compared to many other wine regions.

The top Champagne houses to visit:

Ruinart, Reims

Descend into the centuries-old chalk mine caverns at Ruinart. Credit: ruinart.com

Seeing the Gallo-Roman crayères of Reims is essential. Many of the finest of these ancient chalk mines, repurposed for Champagne storage during the 18th and 19th centuries, lie under a hill to the south of the city, so take a taxi or public transport from the centre (or walk for about 40 minutes from the train station). Ruinart, one of the oldest houses in the region, is one of the most atmospheric to visit, with its beautifully maintained house and garden. Its carefully curated tours end with tastings of the house’s supremely elegant Chardonnay-focused cuvées.

Cellar tours £65/€75 per person, with a tasting of two cuvées.
Champagne brunch £70/€80 per person, weekends only by reservation.

4 Rue des Crayères, 51100 Reims, France

+33 3 26 77 51 52

GH Mumm, Reims

Maison Mumm. Credit: www.mumm.com

For a more accessible introduction to Champagne in Reims, head to Mumm’s historic house for a popular tour of its extensive cellars as well of some of its quirkier projects (such as the first bottle of Champagne in space). It’s worth booking on the Grand Cru Experience to make sure you get a taste of the fine and elegant RSRV range, showcasing some of this important house’s renewed efforts with wines from grand cru villages and lengthy lees ageing. During the summer months Mumm also offers a series of unique experiences at weekends, including the thought-provoking sensory tasting and Champagne and cheese pairing.

Discovery Experience £30/€35 per person
Grand Cru Experience £43/€50 per person
Taste Encounters £65/€75 per person

34 Rue du Champ de Mars, 51100 Reims, France

guides@mumm.com

Pierre Gimonnet & Fils, Cuis

The beautiful village of Cuis. Credit: www.champagne-gimonnet.com

Visiting independent growers is an essential part of any Champagne itinerary. Many of them work very small, localised parcels of vineyards, but at Gimmonet (one of the larger growers in the region) you can get to know a whole sub-region of Champagne: the northern Côte des Blancs, home of some of Champagne’s greatest Chardonnay. These are impeccably crisp, pure wines which present a vivid picture of the chalky slopes between Cuis and Oger. It’s best to book a visit in advance, although this is one of the rare growers that has published opening hours. After your visit, head down into the Côte des Blancs to find warm welcomes from producers such as Champagnes Lancelot-Pienne, Diebolt-Vallois, Delamotte, Franck Bonville, Doyard and Larmandier-Bernier.

1 Rue de la République, 51530 Cuis, France

+33 3 26 59 78 70

Moussé Fils, Cuisles

In the vineyards with the chickens at Champagne Moussé Fils. Credit: www.champagnemousse.fr

Heading west from Épernay, the Marne Valley is home to some of Champagne’s most charming landscapes. Gently folding hills and woodland replace the uniform carpets of vineyards found around the Montagne de Reims and the Côte des Blancs, and the Pinot Meunier grape is king. There is none of Champagne’s famous chalk near the surface here – the Pinot Meunier grape thrives on the argile verte or green clay of the local area. With its impeccable vineyard work and an off-grid, sustainable winery full of unique innovations, Cedric Moussé’s family domaine in Cuisles is a top place to explore. You may even get to meet Moussé’s chickens or flock of vineyard sheep.

3 Rue de Jonquery, 51700 Cuisles, France

+33 3 26 58 10 80

100ans@champagnemousse.fr

Drappier, Urville

In the Drappier vineyards. Credit: www.champagne-drappier.com

Most visitors to Champagne arrive from Paris or the north of France, and miss out on the Côte des Bar region, 90 minutes drive south of Reims. From the stunning medieval town of Troyes (and nearby Chardonnay village Montgueux) to the rolling landscapes which are more naturalistic than the north, with farmland, woodland and pasture all cohabiting, the Côte des Bar is a now a hotbed of independent Champagne producers, many of which have moved on from selling their Pinot Noir grapes to the larger houses. Family-run Drappier is the key Champagne house of the south, with a lineup of naturally expressive, gastronomic Champagnes that champion Pinot Noir on the Kimmeridgian limestone that’s also found in Chablis.

Visit and tasting £18/€20, by appointment.

Rue des Vignes, 10200 Urville, France

+ 33 (0)3 25 27 40 15

info@champagne-drappier.com

Ayala, Aÿ

The cellars at Ayala. Credit: www.champagne-ayala.fr

Aÿ is one of Champagne’s most important grand cru villages, sitting opposite Épernay in the Grande Vallée de la Marne. Its Pinot Noir has been renowned for centuries, although the house of Ayala (sister house of better-known Aÿ stalwart Bollinger) works increasingly with Chardonnay to create attractively delicate, refreshing Champagnes. Sitting at the top of the village, the property boasts a terrace with superb views, so make sure to book a Prestige Visit (€40). Deeply atmospheric and beautifully lit cellars lie beneath the house, and the lineup of wines is increasingly impressive, especially the Blanc de Blancs and Perle d’Ayala.

Prestige Visit £35/€40

1 Rue Edmond de Ayala, 51160 Aÿ, France

+33 (0)3 26 55 15 44

Gosset, Épernay

Maison Gosset. Credit: www.champagne-gosset.com

Épernay’s grand Avenue de Champagne is the region’s most famous street, but aside from Moët & Chandon and Perrier-Jouët, it is not furnished with as many top-notch visitor experiences as one might expect. Gosset, one of Champagne’s oldest houses based in Aÿ, now owns a fine property in the south of the town, set in a two-hectare park. Book a guided tasting of the house’s invigoratingly dry, taut Champagnes together with a visit into the chalk cellars beneath the domaine. There’s also a bar and terrace for an informal drink. If you’re on a day trip without a car it’s about a 30 minute walk to the picturesque vineyards of Pierry and Moussy. Alternatively, head to Champagne Alfred Gratien in the town centre for a contrast in Champagne styles.

+33 3 26 56 99 56

12 Rue Godart Roger, 51200 Épernay, France

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The post Best Champagne houses to visit appeared first on Decanter.

Louis Roederer masterclass: DFWE New York

Georgie Hindle — Fri, 07 Jul 2023 11:33:42 +0000

Louis Roederer masterclass at Decanter's Fine Wine Encounter in New York 2023

With 34 Louis Roederer harvests under his belt, Jean-Baptiste Lécaillon is perfectly positioned to talk about the estate’s developments and shift in farming practises over the past few decades but far from being bored or lackadaisical he remains as passionate and ‘excited as ever’ about crafting Champagne and ensuring the future of this prestigious House.

During the 90-minute masterclass, Champagne lovers were treated to eight wines that showcased both the individual terroirs and climates of Champagne combined with the stylistic principles – and new direction – of Louis Roederer.

Collection 243 NV
Vintage 2015
Vintage Rosé 2016
Blanc de Blancs 2015
Cristal 2014
Cristal 2008
Cristal 2002
Cristal Rosé 2012

Scroll down to see tasting notes and scores for all eight Louis Roederer Champagnes in the Decanter masterclass

Detailing the micro-, meso- and even nano- climates available in the region – and why they matter – Lécaillon spoke emphatically and effusively about what he believes makes Champagne the best white wine terroir in the world, why all Louis Roederer vintage Champagnes are made from vineyards they own, the importance of biodynamics and the particularities of their revered Cristal bottlings.

Jean-Baptiste Lécaillon leading the Louis Roederer masterclass in New York

Starting out

See tasting notes and scores for all eight Louis Roederer Champagnes in the masterclass

Louis Roederer’s Jean-Baptiste Lécaillon on Champagne and The Big Apple
Independent Champagne producers: Top trends & names to look out for
Champagne’s star winemakers of tomorrow

The post Louis Roederer masterclass: DFWE New York appeared first on Decanter.

Champagne – Decanter

Regional profile: Champagne's Montagne de Reims

Scroll down to see tasting ntoes and scores for Tom Hewson’s top picks of Montagne de Reims Champagnes

Tom Hewson’s picks of the best Champagnes from the Montagne de Reims

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First Taste: Champagne Gosset's new long-aged rosé

Demonstrating the future

Scroll down to see Anne Krebiehl MW’s tasting note and score for the new Gosset rosé cuvée

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Best Champagne houses to visit

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The top Champagne houses to visit:

Ruinart, Reims

GH Mumm, Reims

Pierre Gimonnet & Fils, Cuis

Moussé Fils, Cuisles