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The Sizes of Champagne Bottles
June 1, 2023
The Different Sizes of Champagne Bottles
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New Tasting – Experience various styles of New Releases Hosted by Nick Baker
May 9, 2023
The Finest Bubble would like to invite you to a Champagne Recent Releases tasting hosted by Nick Baker on Thursday 8th June 2023, 18:30-20:00.
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New Tasting – Experience various styles of NV Champagne Hosted by Nick Baker
May 9, 2023
The Finest Bubble would like to invite you to a Non Vintage Champagne tasting hosted by Nick Baker on Thursday 25th May 2023, 18:30-20:00.
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The House of Moët & Chandon present this special cuvée to celebrate the Coronation of His Majesty the King
April 24, 2023
The House of Moët & Chandon is proud to present this special cuvée to celebrate the Coronation of His Majesty the King
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The Friday Bubble – Review of Pol Roger Sir Winston Churchill 2015
April 11, 2023
Today on The Friday Bubble with Nick Baker; Pol Roger Sir Winston Churchill 2015 compared to its predecessor vintage 2013.
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Sustainability the Bollinger way
March 13, 2023
Moving towards a sustainable future, Bollinger is now formally including commitments in the brand in the ‘Bollinger way’
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Charles-Heidsieck appoint new cellar master of Champagne
March 1, 2023
Its official! Elise Losfelt will replace Cyril Brun as cellar master of Charles-Heidsieck.
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The Friday Bubble – Review of Wiston Blanc de Blancs 2015 and 2010 Recently Disgorged with Richard Bampfield MW
February 16, 2023
This week on the English Bubble with Richard Bampfield MW, Wiston Blanc de Blancs 2015 and 2010 Recently disgorged.
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The English Bubble – Review of Everflyht Brut NV and Rose de Saignee 2019 with Richard Bampfield MW
February 9, 2023
Today on The English Bubble, Everflyht Brut NV and Rose de Saignee 2019 with Richard Bampfield MW.
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The Finest Bubble – Review of the new release Dom Perignon 2013 compared to its predecessor 2012
February 3, 2023
Today on the Friday Bubble, we compare the new release of Dom Perignon Vintage 2013 and compare to its predecessor Dom Perignon 2012.
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The English Bubble – Review of Ridgeview Blanc de Blancs 2016 and Rose de Noirs 2016 with Richard Bampfield MW
February 1, 2023
Today on The English Bubble, Ridgeview Blanc de Blancs 2016 and Rose de Noirs 2016 with Richard Bampfield MW.
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The superb Henriot Millesime 1996
January 31, 2023
A superb Jeroboam from a standout year, Henriot Millesime 1996 – Recently disgorged with 24 years lees ageing.
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The English Bubble – Review of Gusbourne Brut Reserve & Blanc de Blancs 2018 with Richard Bampfield MW
January 24, 2023
The English Bubble – Review of Gusbourne Brut Reserve & Blanc de Blancs 2018 with Richard Bampfield MW
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Champagne ships 326 million bottles in 2022
January 19, 2023
The Comité Champagne announced today that 326 million bottles of Champagne were shipped globally in 2022, an increase of 1.6% from the previous year
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The English Bubble – Review of Hundred Hills Hillside No.3 and Hundred Hills Blanc de Noirs 2019 with Founder Stephen Duckett
January 17, 2023
Review of Hundred Hills Hillside No.3 and Hundred Hills Blanc de Noirs 2019 with Founder Stephen Duckett
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The English Bubble – Review of Simpsons Blanc de Blancs and Blanc de Noirs 2018 with Richard Bampfield MW
January 11, 2023
Today on The English Bubble with Richard Bampfield and Nick Baker; Simpsons White Cliffs Blanc de Blancs 2018 and Flint Fields Blanc de Noirs 2018.
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The Friday Bubble – Review of Rare 2006 Bottle vs Magnum with Essi Avellan MW & Nick Baker
January 6, 2023
Today on The Friday Bubble with Essi Avellan MW and Nick Baker ; Rare 2006 in both bottle and the recently released Magnum.
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The Friday Bubble – Review of Billecart-Salmon Elisabeth Salmon Rose 2008 vs 2009 with Essi Avellan MW
January 3, 2023
Today on The Friday Bubble with Essi Avellan MW and Nick Baker ; Billecart-Salmon Elisabeth Salmon Rose 2008 & 2009.
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The Friday Bubble – Review of Bollinger RD 2007 Magnum vs Bottle with Essi Avellan MW
December 23, 2022
Today on The Friday Bubble, Essi Avellan MW and Nick Baker review Bollinger RD 2007 Magnum vs Bottle
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The Friday Bubble – Review of Taittinger Comtes 2008 vs 2012 with Essi Avellan MW
December 16, 2022
Today on The Friday Bubble with Essi Avellan MW and Nick Baker ; Taittinger Comtes 2008 vs 2012.
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The English Bubble review of the latest release of Harrow & Hope Blanc de Noirs 2018
December 14, 2022
Richard Bampfield MW, Henry Laithwaite, Harrow & Hope Founder and Nick Baker, review and taste the latest release of Blanc de Noirs 2018
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The Friday Bubble – Review of Palmer & Co Blanc de Blancs 2016, 2014, 2013 and 2008 with Arthur Camut
December 9, 2022
This week on The Friday Bubble, we review of Palmer & Co Blanc de Blancs 2016, 2014, 2013 and 2008 with Arthur Camut
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Richard Bampfield MW, Henry Laithwaite, Harrow & Hope Founder and Nick Baker review Harrow & Hope Blanc de Blancs 2018
December 6, 2022
Richard Bampfield MW, Henry Laithwaite, Harrow & Hope Founder and Nick Baker review Harrow & Hope Blanc de Blancs 2018
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The Friday Bubble – Nick Baker, TFB Founder, reviews Leclerc Briant Vintage 2016 & Abyss Brut Zero 2017
December 2, 2022
This week on The Friday Bubble, Nick Baker, Founder of TFB tastes and reviews Leclerc Briant Vintage 2016 & Abyss Brut Zero 2017.
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The English Bubble-Richard Bampfield MW & Henry Laithwaite, Harrow & Hope Founder, tasting juice in the cellar
November 29, 2022
Richard Bampfield MW and Henry Laithwaite head straight to the cellar as they discuss the methods used for picking and fermentation.
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The Friday Bubble review of Louis Roederer et Philippe Starck Brut Nature Blanc & Rose 2015
November 25, 2022
This week on The Friday Bubble, Essi Avellan MW and Nick Baker review Louis Roederer et Philippe Starck Brut Nature Blanc & Rose 2015.
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The English Bubble-Richard Bampfield MW interviews Henry Laithwaite, Harrow & Hope Founder
November 25, 2022
Richard Bampfield interviews Henry Laithwaite the founder of Harrow & Hope as we get a tour of the vineyard.
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The Friday Bubble review of Hors Serie 1982 with winemaker Emilien Boutillat
November 18, 2022
This week on The Friday Bubble we had a truly unique experience reviewing Piper-Heidsieck Duo: Sauvage & Hors Serie 1982 side by side with Chief Winemaker Emilien Boutillat.
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2022 Champagne and Sparkling Wine World Champs: Medal and Trophy Winners
November 16, 2022
The world’s toughest and most prestigious sparkling wine competition, The Champagne & Sparkling Wine World Championships 2022
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The Friday Bubble Review of Piper Heidsieck 2014 with Essi Avellan MW and Nick Baker TFB Founder
November 11, 2022
Today on The Friday Bubble, Essi Avellan MW and Nick Baker review Piper Heidsieck 2014 in Bottle & Magnum.
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The Friday Bubble – Review of Rare Rose 2012 with Chief Winemaker Emilien Boutillat and Nick Baker TFB Founder
October 28, 2022
This week on The Friday Bubble, Rare Rose 2012 with Chief Winemaker Emilien Boutillat and Nick Baker TFB Founder.
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The Friday Bubble – Review of Pierre Peters Cuvée de Reserve Blanc de Blancs with Essi Avellan MW and Nick Baker TFB Founder
October 28, 2022
This weeks edition of The Friday Bubble welcomes Pierre Peters Cuvée de Reserve Blanc de Blancs with Essi Avellan
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The English Bubble – Hundred Hills Preamble Rose 2018 with Stephen Duckett Founder of Hundred Hills
October 26, 2022
Part 3 of 3 following our visit to the English Sparkling Range Winery Hundred hills as we taste Hundred Hills Preamble Rose 2018
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The Friday Bubble – Review of Laurent-Perrier Vintage 2012 with Essi Avellan MW and Nick Baker TFB Founder
October 25, 2022
Today on The Friday Bubble with Essi Avellan and I discuss the new release of Laurent-Perrier Vintage 2012
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The English Bubble – Hundred Hills Blanc de Blancs 2018 with Stephen Duckett Founder of Hundred Hills
October 25, 2022
Founder Stephen Duckett, Richard Bampfield and I discuss English sparkling wine, Hundred Hills Blanc de Blancs 2018 having had a tour of the vineyard.
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The English Bubble – Richard Bampfield interviews Stephen Duckett, founder of Hundred Hills
October 24, 2022
The English Bubble- Richard Bampfield interviews Stephen Duckett the founder of Hundred Hills in Oxfordshire about farming Chardonnay grapes in the UK.
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The Friday Bubble – Review of Louis Roederer Collection 243 NV with Essi Avellan MW and Nick Baker TFB Founder
October 21, 2022
Essi Avellan and I taste the new release of Louis Roederer Collection 243 and compare it to its predecessor 242.
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The Friday Bubble – Review of Krug Grande Cuvee 170th Edition NV with Essi Avellan MW and Nick Baker TFB Founder
October 14, 2022
Krug Grande Cuvée 170th Edition is a blend of 195 wines from 12 different years spanning from 1998 to 2014.
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Interview with Chef de Cave Vincent Chaperon for the new launch of Dom Pérignon 2004 Plénitude 2
October 12, 2022
Explore with us an in depth look at this latest release from Dom Pérignon 2004 P2 with Chef de Cave Vincent Chaperon
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The Friday Bubble – Review of Charles Heidsieck Cuvee Champagne Charlie NV with Essi Avellan MW and Nick Baker TFB Founder
October 11, 2022
Today on The Friday Bubble with Essi Avellan and Nick Baker; Charles Heidsieck Cuvee Champagne Charlie NV.
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The Friday Bubble – Review of Henriot L’inattendue 2016 with Essi Avellan MW and Nick Baker TFB Founder
October 10, 2022
Today on The Friday Bubble; Henriot L’inattendue Blanc de Blancs 2016. Henriot show case “The Unexpected” terroirs of a single village.
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The Friday Bubble – Review of Dom Ruinart Blanc de Blancs 2010 with Essi Avellan MW & Nick Baker TFB Founder
October 9, 2022
Today on The Friday Bubble Essi Avellan and Nick Baker discuss the new release Dom Ruinart Blanc de Blancs 2010.
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The Friday Bubble – Review of Henriot Millesime 2012 and Rose Millesime 2012 with Essi Avellan
October 9, 2022
Today on The Friday Bubble with Essi Avellan Master of Wine and Nick Baker TFB Founder, Henriot Millesime 2012 and Rose Millesime 2012.
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The Friday Bubble – Review of Bollinger La Grande Annee 2014 Rose & Brut with Essi Avellan MW & Nick Baker TFB Founder
October 8, 2022
Today on The Friday Bubble Essi Avellan and Nick Baker discuss Bollinger’s latest release La Grande Année Rose 2014 & comparing to the previously released LGA 2014.
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The Friday Bubble – Review of Louis Roederer 242 bottle and Magnum with Essi Avellan MW and Nick Baker TFB Founder
October 7, 2022
Today on The Friday Bubble Essi Avellan and Nick Baker discuss Louis Roederer’s latest Collection 242 release in magnum.
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The Friday Bubble – Review of Salon Blanc de Blancs 1996 Late Disgorged Autumn 2021 with Essi Avellan MW and Nick Baker TFB Founder
October 7, 2022
This weeks edition of The Friday Bubble, Salon Blanc de Blancs 1996 Late Disgorged Autumn 2021 with Essi Avellan
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Club Oenologique 2022 Champagne Report
October 6, 2022
Club Oenologique have released the first part of 2022 Champagne Report. The report spans from Non-Vintages to recent releases.
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The Friday Bubble – Review of Bollinger PN TX17 NV with Essi Avellan MW and Nick Baker TFB Founder
October 5, 2022
Today on The Friday Bubble, Essi Avellan MW and Nick Baker, Founder of The Finest Bubble introduce Champagne Bollinger’s new release, the 3rd interpretation of the PN series, TX17.
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The Friday Bubble – Review of Palmer & Co Grands Terroirs 2012 Magnum & 2015 Bottle with Essi Avellan MW
October 4, 2022
Today on The Friday Bubble we are introducing Palmer Grands Terroirs or “Great Terroirs” with Palmer & Co Grands Terroirs 2012 Magnum & 2015
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The Friday Bubble – Review of Domaine La Borderie Cuvee Douce Folie Rose NV with Essi Avellan MW
October 4, 2022
Today on The Friday Bubble, Essi Avellan MW and Nick Baker TFB Founder introduce Champagne Domaine La Borderie
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The Friday Bubble – Review of Drappier Grand Sendree 2010 with Essi Avellan MW & Nick Baker
October 2, 2022
This Week on The Friday Bubble, Essi Avellan Master of Wine and Nick Baker TFB Founder review Drappier Grand Sendree 2010.
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Champagne agrees big yield increase for 2022 harvest
July 22, 2022
Champagne agrees highest levels of yield seen in a decade. for 2022 harvest as sales continue to surge.
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Is there such a thing as the perfect wine glass? Article written by Douglas Blyde for Decanter
July 20, 2022
Everyone deserves a perfect partner, as a nice bottle of wine deserves the right glass
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New Release: Laurent-Perrier Grand Siecle Iteration 25
April 11, 2022
Laurent-Perrier have finally announced their new release of Grand Siècle Iteration 25. This release is a blend of 2008, 2007, 2006.
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Recently Listed: Amazone de Palmer & Co
February 2, 2022
The latest Amazone de Palmer & Co, the co-operative’s prestige cuvée champagne, is a blend of reserve wines from the best terroirs of the Montagne de Reims and now comes housed in an eco-responsible box.
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2021: A Record Year for Champagne Exports
February 1, 2022
Champagne shipments in 2021 have been confirmed at 321.8m bottles, with exports reaching a new record of almost 180m bottles.
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Champagne Salon: The 43 Vintages from 1905-2012
January 18, 2022
Produced on average only three times per decade, there have been just 43 vintages of Salon released from this tiny house in Le Mesnil-sur-Oger since the very first in 1905. Here we list all of the vintages produced in the history of this famous house.
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New: Champagne Salon Blanc de Blancs 2012
January 13, 2022
The 2012 vintage is the 43rd Salon to be released from this tiny house in Le Mesnil-sur-Oger and will be available in late January 2022, with magnums to follow later in the year.
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Champagne Shipments Reached Near-Record Level in 2021
January 7, 2022
Union des Maisons de Champagne (UMC) president, Jean-Marie Barillère, has said that champagne shipments could be close to 320 million bottles for 2021.
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2021 Champagne and Sparkling Wine World Champs: Medal and Trophy Winners
December 2, 2021
The 2021 Champagne and Sparkling Wine World Championships was the biggest and best competition yet, attracting more than 1,000 entries. We take a look at some of the noteworthy Champagne medalists.
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The Taittinger Collection: 1983-2016
December 1, 2021
We are selling an extremely rare complete set of The Taittinger Collection: The Art of Champagne – 13 champagnes in total, from vintage 1978 to vintage 2008.
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Protected: Louis Roederer Cristal Masterclass – Guest Images
November 30, 2021
There is no excerpt because this is a protected post.
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Louis Roederer Cristal Masterclass
November 24, 2021
Last week, we held a once in a lifetime masterclass of fifteen Cristal Blancs from 1988 to 2013 hosted by Essi Avellan MW & Jean-Baptiste Lécaillon.
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New Releases: Dom Perignon Lady Gaga limited edition Rose 2006 & Vintage 2010
November 17, 2021
Dom Pérignon mark a collaboration with Lady Gaga for Limited Edition cases of the 2010 Vintage and Rosé 2006.
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New Release: Krug 2008
November 7, 2021
Krug 2008, was launched this week after 11 years ageing in the cellars and we were invited to The Tin House for the release.
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New Release: Laurent-Perrier Grand Siècle Iteration 23 Magnum
October 26, 2021
Laurent-Perrier have finally announced their new release of Grand Siècle Iteration 23 in Magnum. This release is a blend of 2006, 2004, 2002.
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Billecart-Salmon Rendez-vous No.2 Pinot Noir
October 8, 2021
Billecart-Salmon Rendez-vous No.2 is the latest addition to the Billecart-Salmon range, 100% Pinot Noir base.
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Piper-Heidsieck’s new range Hors-Série
October 7, 2021
Maison Piper-Heidsieck’s new series of champagne Hors-Série by re-releasing an old vintage to something from a new vintage.
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Louis Roederer Launches its Replacement for Brut Premier with Collection 242 NV
August 29, 2021
Read about the launch of Louis Roederer Collection 242 the replacement for Brut Premier. Fighting for Freshness was their objective.
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Charles Heidsieck Brut Reserve NV Now With a Dash of Oak
August 26, 2021
Charles Heidsieck Brut Reserve NV has for the first time in more than 40 years used 6% barrel fermented wine in its blend!
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New Release Dom Perignon P2 2003 – 1st July 2021
July 1, 2021
1st July 2021 Sees the launch of Dom Perignon P2 2003 read the background to the vintage, critics reviews and learn about the Plenitudes
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New Release: Krug Grande Cuvee 169th Edition
June 30, 2021
Krug Grande Cuvée 169ème Édition is a blend of 146 wines from 11 different years, the youngest of which is from 2013, while the oldest dates back to 2000 and a stay of around seven years in Krug’s cellars gives this edition its distinct expression and elegance.
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The Laurent-Perrier Grand Siècle Story Iteration 1 to 25
June 21, 2021
The Grand Siecle concept is a blend of three great vintages, each bringing certain characteristics from different base years. Only 24 iterations have been produced in 65 years in Laurent Perrier’s quest to find ‘The perfect vintage champagne’.
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New Release: Bollinger PN VZ16 NV
June 21, 2021
Today sees the next edition in this new line-up. PN VZ16 is the second interpretation in a new series that will be released every year, always with a focus on one of Bollinger’s Pinot Noir crus.
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New Release: Charles Heidsieck Rose Millesime 2008
June 10, 2021
After the hype around its Vintage Brut 2008, Charles has revealed the latest version of its Rosé Vintage 2008, in a new bottle known as “Crayère”.
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New Release: Rare Champagne Millésime 2008.
June 8, 2021
New release: Rare Champagne Millésime 2008. Rare cuvées are only produced in supernatural years. Rare 2008 is only the eleventh vintage of Rare ever created, since 1976, therefore living up to its name.
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Charles Heidsieck Blanc de Blancs Luxury Picnic Hamper & ‘Where Chefs Picnic’ Guidebook
June 8, 2021
Charles Heidsieck Champagne is celebrating the art of outdoor dining and its exquisite Blanc de Blancs champagne with an exclusive luxury picnic hamper
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New Release: Veuve Clicquot La Grande Dame 2012 x Yayoi Kusama
May 19, 2021
Veuve Clicquot unveils Yayoi Kusama’s stunning creation for La Grande Dame 2012, sending a cheerful message to the whole world by imagining a joyful and colourful creation specifically made for Veuve Clicquot.
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New Release: Pol Roger Blanc de Blancs 2013
April 28, 2021
The Pol Roger Blanc de Blancs 2013 is exclusively made from Chardonnays selected from the Grands Crus of the Côte des Blancs.
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New Release: Billecart-Salmon Elisabeth Salmon Rose 2008
April 28, 2021
This week signals the long awaited Billecart-Salmon Cuvée Elisabeth Salmon Rosé 2008 named as a tribute to Elisabeth Salmon from the hugely popular and highly rated 2008 vintage.
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New Release: Dom Ruinart Blanc de Blancs 2009
April 16, 2021
A tribute to Dom Thierry Ruinart, the visionary figure on the initiative of Ruinart’s foundation, Dom Ruinart Blanc de Blancs is a creation inspired by the exceptional vintages of Chardonnay.
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New Release: Louis Roederer Cristal 2013
April 13, 2021
Cristal is Louis Roederer’s flagship cuvée. Cristal 2013 is a great classic in which maturity and freshness are harmoniously interwoven ensuring potential for long ageing.
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Ruinart: Press release
April 7, 2021
Champagne Ruinart Dedicates Its Historic 40ha Taissy Vineyard To A Biodiversity Pilot Project – Working With Reforest’Action
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Dom Perignon x Lady Gaga
April 7, 2021
Welcome to the shared universe of Dom Pérignon and Lady Gaga – a world born from the collision of their two effervescent energies.
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Ruinart – ‘The second skin’
April 1, 2021
Ruinart breaks with the tradition of individual gift boxes, and pushes its global, environmental approach further with the second skin case.
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New Release: Pol Roger Sir Winston Churchill 2012
March 8, 2021
Pol Roger only release Sir Winston Churchill in the very best years, the last being 2009 and today they launch Pol Roger Sir Winston Churchill 2012. This latest vintage marking the 19th release since 1975 the first vintage.
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Bollinger R.D. 2007 Extra Brut New Release
March 7, 2021
Launching this week is Bollinger R.D. 2007 extra brut; the R.D. cuvée embodies the House’s dedication to hard work and Madame Bollinger’s vision. The contrast between freshness on the palate and the spicy aromatic intensity of Bollinger R.D. 2007 brings a new experience of the cuvée to lovers of fine wine.
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Louis Roederer Camille Coteaux Champenois
March 4, 2021
Paying tribute to the great grandmother of the family, Camille Orly-Roederer, Frederic Rouzaud decided to dedicate this collection of single- vineyard still wines to her in admiration of her bold character, bright personality and exceptional tenacity whilst keeping in touch with their core values…
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2020 Champagne and Sparkling Wine World Champs: Gold & Silver Medals
November 29, 2020
The 2020 Champagne and Sparkling Wine World Championships was the biggest and best competition yet, attracting more than 1,000 entries. We take a look at some of the noteworthy Champagne medalists.
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Louis Roederer Completes Organic Certification of Half Its Estate
November 18, 2020
Half of Louis Roederer’s vineyards will be officially certified as organic next spring, completing the first stage of what has been a 20 year road towards greener viticulture at the Champagne house.
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New Release: Fleur De Miraval Exclusivement Rosé
November 4, 2020
Fleur de Miraval is a new Champagne house, co-founded by Brad Pitt and Angeline Jolie, dedicated entirely to the production of rosé champagne. We tasted it at the launch event in London last month.
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New Release: Charles Heidsieck Blanc des Millenaires Blanc de Blancs 2006
October 9, 2020
Introducing only the sixth release of Charles Heidsieck Blanc des Millenaires Blanc de Blancs since 1983, 2006 is the latest release.
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New Release: Bollinger Special Cuvee 007 Limited Edition NV
September 30, 2020
In celebration of over 40 years of partnership as the Official Champagne of 007 and the upcoming film No Time To Die, Champagne Bollinger has produced a limited edition gift box that brings together three icons: Bollinger’s signature Special Cuvée, the Aston Martin DB5 and James Bond.
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New Release: Bollinger La Grande Annee Rose 2012
July 30, 2020
Bollinger La Grande Annee Rose 2012 has been released five months after the Blanc La Grande Annee 2012, it sees the addition of Red Wine (5%) from the Cote Aux Enfants, Bollinger’s famous red wine vineyard. Vinification takes place exclusively in small old oak barrels (20 years old on average), maintained in Bollinger’s cooperage, of […]
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New English Winery Approved – Taittinger’s Domaine Evremond
July 22, 2020
Taittinger’s UK venture has taken another giant leap, as they have secured planning permission for their new winery for Domaine Evremond.
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Bollinger PN VZ15 – Compared in Two Glasses
July 22, 2020
Tasting the New Bollinger PN VZ15 in the Jancis Robinson ‘The Wine Glass’ and Lehmann Grand Champagne.
Released on 21st July 2020 -
Bollinger PN VZ15 – New Release
July 20, 2020
How Bollinger’s new PN VZ 15 is a glorious deep-dive into terroir – Written by Anne Krebiehl MW for The-Buyer.Net
The new Bollinger PN VZ 15 releases on 21st July 2020 -
Available Now: Dom Perignon 2010
June 18, 2020
A new chapter of Dom Pérignon opens with release of the 2010 vintage. To date the only large Maison to release a Prestige Cuvee from 2010 and we aren’t expecting many more maybe Dom Ruinart 2010.
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Tasting Review: Vintage 2004… Overshadowed by 2002?
April 2, 2020
Vintage 2002 is legendary in Champagne and has often been named the vintage of the century. But did the hype and unanimity of its success result in the unfair neglect of another, perhaps equally, great vintage? We conducted a blind tasting to find out.
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Ulysse Collin: The Terroir Movement
March 28, 2020
Ulysse Collin are right at the forefront of the terroir movement that is currently revolutionising Champagne. Olivier Collin, a student of Anselme Selosse, embodies the hip, alternative, craftsman image that is proving so popular with younger consumers. We visited in June to find out more.
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Veuve Clicquot: Exploring Vintage 2008
March 26, 2020
We met with recently departed Veuve Clicquot cellar master Dominique Demarville last summer, shorty after it was announced that he would be departing at the end of the year. A marvellous final tasting with Demarville at Clicquot saw us explore 2008, from the perspective of non-vintage, vintage, and prestige cuvée.
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Jacquesson: Rethinking NV Champagne
March 20, 2020
Nearly two decades ago, Champagne Jacquesson redefined non-vintage champagne. Instead of creating a consistent style year upon year, they now produce the best champagne possible and value each creation for their distinctive personalities – a concept that the wider region is just now starting to wake up to.
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Philipponnat: A Full Range Tasting
March 14, 2020
We met with sixteenth generation family member and current head of house Charles Philipponnat last summer to taste the range, including the latest non-vintage creations, vintage wines and some exclusive single parcel Pinot Noirs from the famed Clos des Goisses vineyard.
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New Release: Pol Roger Sir Winston Churchill 2009
March 9, 2020
“2009 Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill is a great wine with a lot of complexity. It is perhaps more immediately appealing and powerful than the 2008” Hubert de Billy. Reviews and launch event round-up here.
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Bollinger: Feeling Hot, Hot, Hot
March 1, 2020
During a visit to the house of Bollinger in Aÿ last year, we explored champagnes from some of the region’s hottest ever vintages, dating as far back as 1947. We also held a mini-vertical of Special Cuvée base vintages, tasted a trio of R.D.s and had a look at the new Coteaux Champenois.
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Champagne: What to Expect in 2020
February 19, 2020
Our previous write-up highlighted what a spectacular year 2019 was for champagne. The good news? 2020 is set to be even bigger! In this article, we look to the future and discuss which champagnes we can expect to be released in 2020.
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New Release: Bollinger La Grande Année 2012
February 18, 2020
The highly anticipated release of Bollinger La Grande Année 2012. See photos and reviews from the launch event on 17th February 2020. Limited Quantities available due to small harvest in 2012.
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Champagne 2019: Year in Review
February 15, 2020
Our 2019 Champagne Review takes a look back at an eventful year for the world’s best sparkling wine, highlighting the best new releases from around the region.
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Champagne MOOC
January 15, 2020
Today, the Comité Champagne launched the first module of their much anticipated Champagne MOOC (Massive Open Online Course). Specially developed as a tool for Champagne lovers to extend their knowledge, anyone can access four learning modules free of charge.
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Wine of the Week: Charles Heidsieck Blanc des Millénaires 2004
December 23, 2019
This week, Jancis Robinson MW named Charles Heidsieck Blanc des Millénaires 2004 her wine of the week. During a recent tasting, Jancis was impressed by the sheer confidence, appeal and completeness of this latest prestige cuvée from Charles Heidsieck.
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Krug Appoints New Chef de Cave
December 17, 2019
Champagne Krug have announced that Julie Cavil will take over as winemaking director in the new year. Incumbent winemaking director Eric Lebel will become deputy director of Krug and will lead projects involving all of the brands within the Moët Hennessy portfolio.
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Champagne Among The Highest Performing Wine Regions in 2019
December 13, 2019
The recent annual Liv-ex report on the state of international fine wine found that Champagne was one of the best-performing regions of 2019, experiencing 2.2% growth, in what was a difficult year for fine wine in general.
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The Next Chapter: Louis Roederer Cristal 2012 and Cristal Rosé 2012
December 11, 2019
Eighteen months on from the release of Cristal 2008, the next instalments in the collection have arrived: Cristal 2012 and Cristal Rosé 2012. Described by cellar master Jean-Baptiste Lécaillon as “the next chapter”, 2012 is the first vintage of 100% biodynamically farmed Cristal.
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2019 Champagne & Sparkling Wine World Championships: Awards Ceremony
December 10, 2019
The CSWWC 2019 Awards Ceremony was once again a huge success, with Champagne battling both Trentodoc and Franciacorta for the World Champion Trophies. Check out all the Best in Class Champagne winners and other notable awards here.
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The Krug Experience: Tasting Review and Photos
November 29, 2019
Essi Avellan MW recently hosted our latest Krug Experience tasting, in which guests sipped no less than twelve Krug champagnes (both Grande Cuvée and Vintage), including four examples from magnum. Check out the review and photos of the event here.
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Tasting Review: Champagne Latest Releases
November 16, 2019
Despite frequently tasting newly released champagnes, we rarely take the opportunity to sit down and taste just new releases. At our tasting at Frederick’s earlier this week we did exactly that, tasting a range of styles from some of the top champagne producers side by side.
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Vitalie Taittinger to Become President of Champagne Taittinger
November 12, 2019
Pierre-Emmanuel Taittinger, who has been President of the company since 2006, will be stepping down at the end of the year. His daughter Vitalie Taittinger will take over as President, while son Clovis will be promoted to General Manager.
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The Telegraph: Christmas is coming, here’s how to find the best champagne for you
October 22, 2019
With so many different brands and styles on offer, selecting new champagnes can often be a challenging decision – particularly with Christmas fast approaching. In this Telegraph article, Victoria Moore shares her top tips for choosing something new.
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Billecart-Salmon: Champagnes Old & New
October 20, 2019
An insightful visit to Billecart-Salmon earlier this summer involved an extensive tour of the cellars with newly appointed chief executive Mathieu Roland-Billecart – who proudly showed off their many shiny new winemaking toys – and a tasting of champagnes both old and new with winemaker Florent Nys.
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Tasting Event 19th September – Photographs
October 18, 2019
See the photographs from the 18th September 2019 Champagne and English Sparkling Wine Range tasting at Frederick’s.
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New Krug 2006: “A Balance Close to 2002 and 1989”
October 16, 2019
“Krug 2006 is a story of indulgence, charm, roundness and elegance,” says Eric Lebel, long-time cellar master of Krug Champagne. Read the review of the London launch of Krug 2006 and find out the story of this iconic vintage.
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Bollinger 007 – Limited Edition ‘No Time To Die’
October 8, 2019
Bollinger has just released the next limited edition 007 inspired champagne for the film ‘No Time To Die’ and a spectacular Moonraker inspired Crystal Ice Bucket.
Find out more here and see the photos! -
Tasting Review: How Well Does Champagne Age?
October 5, 2019
Earlier this week, Jancis Robinson MW presented our standout champagne tasting of the year to a packed St James’s Room at 67 Pall Mall. The theme was champagne’s ageing potential and guests sampled ten pairs (an old and current vintage) from ten major brands.
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Laurent-Perrier: Something New, Something New, Something… New
October 3, 2019
A year of change for Laurent-Perrier sees the house welcome a new champagne, Blanc de Blancs Brut Nature NV; a redefined prestige cuvée concept, Grand Siècle Iterations; and finally, a new chef de cave, Dominique Demarville. We caught up in June to find out more.
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Jancis Robinson: Pink Champagne – A Serious Wine Now
October 1, 2019
In her most recently published article, Jancis Robinson MW celebrates the recent rise in quality and popularity of pink champagne. In the last 10 to 15 years the category has grown from simply fashionable to really quite serious champagne.
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Champagne Salon Blanc de Blancs 2008
September 29, 2019
Not many champagnes are as eagerly anticipated as Salon 2008. Produced only in magnums (just 8,000 were made) and exclusively available as part of a specially designed wooden case, the ultimate rarity just got rarer. We met president Didier Depond in June to find out more.
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New: Charles Heidsieck Brut Millesime 2008
September 25, 2019
Charles Heidsieck has launched their Brut Millésime 2008 and is the latest house to do so, with many having released a few years ago. Millésimé 2008 already displays all the elegance and power of an outstanding vintage, qualities which will only be enhanced with time.
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Rare Champagne: New House, Same Vision
September 2, 2019
Last year, Rare Champagne separated from parent brand Piper-Heidsieck, becoming the third champagne house of the burgeoning EPI group. We met veteran chef de cave Régis Camus at the vast premises in Reims earlier this summer to taste some treasures, both old and new.
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Charles Heidsieck: Chardonnay, Chardonnay, Chardonnay
August 29, 2019
This summer, we stopped off at Charles Heidsieck’s majestic garden and reception facility, Pavilion des Crayères, for a quick-fire visit and tasting with managing director Stephen Leroux. We sampled the new Coteaux Champenois and Collection Crayères releases.
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Taittinger: The Elusive Comtes Magnum!
August 26, 2019
We were truly spoilt during our recent tasting at Taittinger, which included not one, but two(!), of the notoriously rare Comtes magnums. Discussion centred around the newly released 2013 vintage, the future for Comtes, and the recently renovated vinification of Comtes Rosé.
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The Krug Symphony, Conducted by Olivier
August 22, 2019
Scheduling appointments at twenty champagne houses in one week is never an easy task, but perhaps our greatest feat of organisation was pinning down Olivier Krug. We managed to catch up with the globetrotting face of the company amidst his ever-busy international schedule for a whopper of a tasting this June.
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Bérêche et Fils: Top Grower Turns Iconic Domaine
August 19, 2019
Raphaël Bérëche is quite possibly the most cheerful and energetic winemaker in Champagne. Alongside brother Vincent, his passion for terroir focused champagne is transforming the family business from a top grower into an iconic domaine. We visited in June to find out more.
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Eric Rodez: Artisanal Champagne
August 15, 2019
Having been Mayor of Ambonnay and cellar master of Champagne Rodez – considered one of the best grower champagne producers in the region – for over 30 years, Eric Rodez is one of Champagne’s most eminent figures. We met in June to find out more about the man behind the distinctive blue glasses.
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Louis Roederer: Something Old, Something New
August 12, 2019
A memorable evening at Louis Roederer earlier this year saw us taste the new vintage releases from 2013, preview Cristal 2012 and Cristal Rosé 2012, and sample the upcoming magnum launches from the Cristal Vinothèque programme. This one’s not to be missed!
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Palmer & Co: Bottles vs Magnums and Vintage Collection
August 10, 2019
Our last visit to Palmer & Co’s new winery in Reims included a comparison of the current range from bottle and magnum and a selection of older vintages from the late release Blanc de Blancs and Vintage Collections.
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Leclerc Briant: Champagne Range Tasting and Bioenergetic Innovations
July 23, 2019
We recently visited Leclerc Briant with Jancis Robinson MW. General manager Frédéric Zeimett and winemaker Hervé Jestin discussed the winemaking innovations happening at Leclerc Briant and we tasted a range of champagnes, including Hervé’s personal project.
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Charles Heidsieck release range of Coteaux Champenois 2017 blancs
July 22, 2019
Charles Heidsieck have released a new limited edition Coteaux Champenois blancs range, which includes four different bottles produced from the grapes of four stunning Chardonnay crus: Villers-Marmery, Vertus, Oger and Montgueux.
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Jancis Robinson MW: Mystery wine: NV champagnes
July 16, 2019
A fascinating article detailing the often too difficult task of discerning information about a specific bottle of non-vintage champagne was recently published by Jancis Robinson MW on her website. She argues in favour of producers making information more available.
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2019 Champagne and Sparkling Wine World Champs: Gold & Silver Medals
July 15, 2019
The 2019 Champagne and Sparkling Wine World Championships was the biggest and best competition yet, with a record-breaking number of entries. The 186 Gold and 212 Silver medal award winners were announced last week – we review the Champagne winners here.
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Jancis Robinson MW: NV champagnes tasted in London
July 11, 2019
Jancis Robinson MW has recently tasted and scored more than 60 non-vintage champagnes, having attended two great champagne events in the capital, Taste Champagne and New Wave Champagne. Here we provide a link to the full article on her website.
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Veuve Clicquot name Didier Mariotti as new Cellar Master
July 5, 2019
Veuve Clicquot have announced that Didier Mariotti, currently chief winemaker at G.H. Mumm, will be joining the house next month and will take over as chef de cave in January 2020.
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Laurent-Perrier: New Grand Siècle ‘Iterations’ and Blanc de Blancs NV Cuvée
June 25, 2019
A year of big change for Laurent-Perrier sees the release of a brand new cuvée, Blanc de Blancs Brut Nature NV, and the introduction of Grand Siècle ‘Iterations’, which will from now onwards be numbered, allowing consumers to discern information about their specific bottle.
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New Limited Edition Champagne: Palmer & Co Grands Terroirs 2003
June 24, 2019
A newly released limited edition champagne from Palmer & Co challenges the notion that hot vintages are unsuitable for producing wines with long-term ageing potential. Grand Terroirs 2003 is named in tribute to the unique vineyards that make it so expressive and fresh.
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2018 Vins Clairs: A Vintage Summary
June 14, 2019
Earlier this year, we tasted a range of 2018 vins clairs with winemakers at fifteen different houses in Champagne. Thanks to exceptional weather throughout the year, some have been calling it ‘the vintage of the century’ and expectations are already sky-high. But just how much potential does 2018 have?
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Lanson: 2018 Vins Clairs Tasting and Clos Lanson Vertical 2014-2006
June 13, 2019
Lanson Chef de Cave Hervé Dantan is a huge fan of vintage 2018, telling us: “It was a dream, this harvest.” We visited the house in Reims earlier this year to sample the vins clairs and conduct a vertical tasting of all the Clos Lanson vintages from 2006-2014.
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Champagne Boizel: 2018 Vins Clairs and Champagne Range Tasting
June 12, 2019
Based in Épernay, Champagne Boizel have a long and illustrious history with a tradition of trendsetting. We met with Florent Boizel, who has taken over the reins from his recently retired father, to sample some 2018 vins clairs and taste the range of finished champagnes.
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‘Fighting for Freshness’ with Jean-Baptiste Lécaillon
June 11, 2019
Jean-Baptiste Lécaillon recently presented a fascinating masterclass at 67 Pall Mall entitled ‘Fighting for Freshness’, in which he explained the challenges facing winemakers as they battle to cope with riper grapes and higher alcohol levels in a warming climate.
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New: Laurent-Perrier Vintage 2008
June 7, 2019
Laurent-Perrier have just launched their latest vintage champagne: Vintage 2008. Chef de Cave Michel Fauconnet described 2008 as one of his “favourite years for vinification” and it’s easy to see why. The enriched texture from extended lees ageing makes this the best vintage from Laurent-Perrier since Vintage 2002.
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Dominique Demarville to leave Veuve Clicquot for Laurent-Perrier
June 6, 2019
Dominique Demarville will be leaving Veuve Clicquot to join Laurent-Perrier at the end of the year. Demarville has been Chef de Cave at Clicquot since 2006 and will be replacing the retiring incumbent Michel Fauconnet as Chef de Cave at Laurent-Perrier.
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New: Krug Grande Cuvée Edition 167 NV
May 23, 2019
This week, Krug unveiled their latest creation: Grande Cuvée Edition 167 NV. Based on the 2011 harvest, this will be a very short release due to the limited quantities produced. We have also recently listed magnums of Grande Cuvée Edition 164 NV, based on the spectacular 2008 vintage.
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New Release: Dom Pérignon P2 2002
May 13, 2019
Combining all the vibrancy of the 2002 vintage with the complexity and youthful vigour afforded by extended lees ageing, the recently released Dom Pérignon P2 2002 is one of the best champagnes of the decade and has already received a coveted 20/20 score from Jancis Robinson MW.
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Moët & Chandon: 2018 Vins Clairs Tasting
May 10, 2019
Moët & Chandon winemaker Amine Ghanem talked us through the trials and tribulations of the 2018 vintage during our last visit to Champagne. He acknowledged it was a “challenging” vintage, but overall still “one of the best years region wide” – the resulting base wines he showed us were outstanding.
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Recently Listed: Leclerc Briant Abyss 2013 and Les Basses Prières 2014
May 7, 2019
In June 2017, Leclerc Briant submerged 20,000 bottles of champagne 60 metres deep under the Atlantic Ocean. Winemaker Hervé Jestin believes the undulating motion of the sea transfers positive energy to the champagne, lending it a unique maritime quality.
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Philipponnat: 2018 Vins Clairs Tasting
May 6, 2019
“The biggest challenge was not making too much!” With an abundance of ripe and healthy grapes, Philipponnat had a successful harvest in 2018, a vintage which sixteenth generation family member Charles Philipponnat likens to 1995, 2009 and 2012.
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Pol Roger: 2018 Vins Clairs Tasting and Blanc de Blancs Vertical 2012-1986
May 1, 2019
In early March, we met with President of Pol Roger Laurent d’Harcourt at the winery in Épernay to taste the 2018 base wines and conduct a vertical tasting of Pol Roger Blanc de Blancs vintages, dating from 1986-2012.
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Bioenergetic Winemaking at Leclerc Briant
April 26, 2019
Leclerc Briant winemaker Hervé Jestin is paving the way in bioenergetic winemaking. Utilising techniques such as underwater ageing and vinification in gold-lined barrels, Jestin produces wines with a high level of positive energy. We visited the house in Épernay to find out more.
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Billecart-Salmon: 2018 Vins Clairs Tasting
April 22, 2019
Billecart-Salmon were one of the first houses to pick grapes last year, kicking off their harvest on 22nd August. We tasted the vins clairs with new Chef de Cave Florent Nys, and also shared a comprehensive range of finished champagnes.
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Bollinger: 2018 Vins Clairs Tasting
April 19, 2019
Shortly after the 2018 harvest, Bollinger Chef de Cave Gilles Descôtes declared that “2017 was the worst harvest of my life and 2018 is the best”. We visited the house in Aÿ to taste the base wines and also tasted some of the rarer grape varieties, such as Arbane, Petit Meslier and Pinot Gris.
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Laurent-Perrier: 2018 Vins Clairs Tasting
April 15, 2019
“Everything is good, my work now is to find which ones are very good.” Laurent-Perrier had a successful harvest in 2018, a year which Chef de Cave Michel Fauconnet believes will most certainly produce a stunning vintage champagne and hopefully a strong Alexandra Rosé as well.
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New: Bollinger La Grande Année 2008
April 11, 2019
Yesterday, Bollinger launched their latest vintage champagne, La Grande Année 2008. From the vintage of the century and with a redesigned bottle that decelerates oxygen exchange, this could be their best yet. We compared it in bottle, magnum and jeroboam at The Ledbury in London.
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New Release: Pol Roger Brut Vintage 2012 & Blanc de Blancs 2012
April 10, 2019
Today, Pol Roger launch their eagerly anticipated Brut Vintage 2012, following the release of Blanc de Blancs 2012 last month. From a vintage whose reputation rivals that of both 2002 and 2008, these champagnes are highly anticipated by critics and consumers alike.
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Veuve Clicquot: 2018 Vins Clairs Tasting
April 9, 2019
An insightful vins clairs tasting with Dominique Demarville, Veuve Clicquot’s eminent Chef de Cave, painted a clear picture of the 2018 vintage. Fresh, ripe and mature, with plenty of ageing potential, the base wines at Clicquot were either exceptional or good… none of them were bad.
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Taittinger: 2018 Vins Clairs Tasting
April 7, 2019
The unusual weather patterns in 2018 produced the “perfect conditions for the vineyard”, according to new Taittinger Chef de Cave Alexandre Ponnavoy. We met last month to taste the vins clairs, which displayed incredible specificity: each wine showcasing the distinctive characteristics of its individual origins.
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Piper-Heidsieck and Rare Champagne: 2018 Vins Clairs Tasting
April 4, 2019
Émilien Boutillat chose a good vintage to start his new role as Piper-Heidsieck cellar master. “The quality of the grapes was perfect all over the region,” he told us. We tasted the base wines and shared a magnificent lunch paired with Rare Champagne.
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Charles Heidsieck: 2018 Vins Clairs Tasting
April 2, 2019
“The wines in 2018 were good overall. Some were exceptional… some over-mature.” Charles Heidsieck Chef de Cave, Cyril Brun, was slightly more cautious than other winemakers regarding the potential of 2018. We tasted a range of vins clairs and reserve wines with the always engaging winemaker at the cellars in Reims.
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Louis Roederer: 2018 Vins Clairs Tasting
March 29, 2019
Not many are as excited as Jean-Baptiste Lécaillon about 2018s potential, a year he describes as having “the density of 2002 and the precision of 2008.” During our visit, we also tasted the latest Cristal Vinothèque’s and a mind-blowing pair of Cristal magnums.
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Ruinart: 2018 Vins Clairs Tasting
March 26, 2019
As a winemaker, Ruinart Chef de Cave Frédéric Panaïotis is excited by vintage 2018, “a year of extremes.” However, as a human, he’s worried about what it signifies for our changing climate. We tasted the vins clairs from this exceptional year at the house in Reims.
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Palmer & Co: 2018 Vins Clairs Tasting
March 25, 2019
Earlier this month, we tasted the base wines from 2018 with Champagne Palmer & Co. Having previously released video footage of harvest 2018 describing it as “exceptional”, Palmer clearly rate the latest vintage highly and we soon discovered why.
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March 2019: Champagne Range Tasting Review
March 21, 2019
Our Champagne Range Tasting on Wednesday 20th March at Frederick’s, Islington was once again a roaring success. Fifty guests tasted over thirty-five champagnes and English Sparkling Wine, some New releases and even a few magnums.
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Palmer & Co Unveil New Winery
March 9, 2019
Champagne Palmer & Co unveiled their new winery last month. Designed to meet the highest environmental standards, the state-of-the-art winery symbolises Palmer’s respect for sustainable development, whilst reflecting their impeccably high standards.
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New Release: Dom Pérignon Rosé 2006
March 5, 2019
With a red wine content of more than 20% and having spent 10+ years ageing on the lees, it is perhaps unsurprising Chef de Cave Vincent Chaperon describes new Dom Pérignon Rosé 2006 as one of his favourite ever vintages.
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LIVE Bollinger Tasting and Q&A
March 1, 2019
On Wednesday 6th March 2019, we’ll be going LIVE on Instagram TV with Bollinger winemaker Karl Reuter, who’ll be guiding us through a tasting of six Bollinger champagnes and answering questions put to him by the live audience.
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New Release: Veuve Clicquot La Grande Dame 2008 & La Grande Dame Rosé 2008
February 19, 2019
Veuve Clicquot launched the much awaited La Grande Dame 2008 and La Grande Dame Rosé 2008 in London this week. We tasted them with Chef de Cave Dominique Demarville, who has combined depth and silkiness with lightness and elegance in these superb new cuvées.
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New Release: Vazart-Coquart Blanc de Blancs Special Club 2010
February 16, 2019
Based in the Grand Cru village of Chouilly, Vazart-Coquart have access to some of the greatest vineyards in the whole of Champagne. Their new release, Special Club 2010, is an exquisite example of the power of Chardonnay from the Côte des Blancs.
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New Release: Dom Ruinart Blanc de Blancs 2007
January 25, 2019
Last week, Ruinart launched the latest iteration of their prestige cuvée champagne: Dom Ruinart Blanc de Blancs 2007. The brilliant young winemaker Caroline Fiot was in London to present the new release, alongside the house NV cuvée and the previous vintage of Dom Ruinart.
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Single Vineyard Champagne: Fad or Future?
January 19, 2019
Since the early 21st century, a quiet revolution has been occurring in Champagne, and the ever-burgeoning demand for artisanal, hand-crafted cuvées continues to flourish. What are the origins of single vineyard champagnes, why are they so popular, and are they a fad or the future?
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Two Men We Will Miss
January 17, 2019
Richard Geoffroy retired as Dom Pérignon Chef de Cave at the beginning of this year, handing the reins to his successor, Vincent Chaperon. In this article, Jancis pays tribute to Geoffroy, a bona fide champagne legend who leaves behind a considerable legacy.
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Champagne in 2019: What Can We Expect?
January 16, 2019
Our previous write-up highlighted what a spectacular year 2018 was for champagne. The good news? 2019 is set to be even bigger! In this article, we look to the future and discuss which champagnes we can expect to be released in 2019.
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Champagne 2018: Year in Review
January 14, 2019
Our 2018 Champagne Review takes a look back at an eventful year for the world’s best sparkling wine, highlighting the news stories that made headlines, including stunning new releases; a record-breaking harvest; world-class tasting events; and a first for English sparkling wine.
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Available Now: Dom Pérignon 2008
January 10, 2019
After a wait of over 6 months, one of the most anticipated champagnes of the century – Dom Pérignon 2008 – has finally arrived. Described by legendary Chef de Cave, Richard Geoffroy, as “a miracle year,” demand will certainly be high. Secure you allocation now.
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How Long Before Drinking Should Champagne Be Open?
December 18, 2018
Should champagne be opened in advance of drinking? If so, for how long? Here we debunk the myth that opening bottles in advance is just for red wine and help you maximise your champagne experience this Christmas.
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‘Week of Effervescence’
December 14, 2018
At JancisRobinson.com, this is the ‘Week of Effervescence’. All this week, new articles have been published on all things sparkling. Here we share links to the articles not already featured in our News & Reviews section, including a Cristal vertical and an English sparkling wine tasting.
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Mr Dom Pérignon’s Life in Bottles
December 13, 2018
Read Jancis Robinson’s review of our recent Dom Pérignon Retrospective tasting – including scores, tasting notes and a league table of all 23 champagnes tasted, spanning 1990-2009. Full article on JancisRobinson.com.
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Tasting Review: 2008 vs 2009
December 12, 2018
With vintage 2008 currently dominating the attention of the champagne trade and associated media outlets, we decided to organise a tasting of champagne pairs from 2008 and 2009 (hosted by Jancis Robinson MW), to objectively compare the merits of both vintages and evaluate the price premium and superiority of 2008.
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2008 and 2009 Champagnes Compared Blind
December 11, 2018
Are the differences between 2008 and 2009 champagnes blindingly obvious? Read Jancis Robinson’s review, tasting notes and scores from our 2008 vs 2009 champagne tasting – including Dom Pérignon and Louis Roederer Cristal.
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Louis Roederer Cristal 2008 vs Cristal 2009
December 10, 2018
With media attention surrounding the new release now somewhat subdued, we evaluate the price premium of Cristal 2008 – “the most Cristal of all Cristals” – versus Cristal 2009, which has just entered an ideal drinking window.
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Rare Champagne Vertical Tasting
December 9, 2018
Following the recent release of Rare Le Secret, the 20-year clandestine project of Rare Champagne Chef de Cave Régis Camus, we were invited to a vertical tasting of past Rare Champagne vintages – dating all the way back to 1979 – with the secretive cellar master himself.
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Christmas Special Offers: Prestige Cuvées
December 7, 2018
As we get closer to Christmas, our champagne special offers keep getting better and better. This week, we’re promoting top of the range champagnes, with unbeatable prices on the most popular prestige cuvées, including Dom Pérignon, Krug Grande Cuvée and Louis Roederer Cristal.
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Christmas Champagne and English Sparkling Wine Recommendations 🍾🎁
December 6, 2018
In this article, we outline our top picks for Christmas 2018, highlighting some of the best new releases, award-winning cuvées, sparkling magnums, and a selection of the champagnes that we’ll be sipping next to an open fire this festive season.
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Tasting Review | Dom Pérignon Vertical: A Richard Geoffroy Retrospective
December 4, 2018
Our once-in-a-lifetime champagne tasting celebrating Richard Geoffroy’s magnificent achievements over his 28-year career was a roaring success, with guests sampling 23 champagnes from 1990-2009. Read the review from Simon Field MW and browse photos from the event here.
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Billecart-Salmon names Mathieu Roland-Billecart as Chief Executive
December 4, 2018
Earlier this month, Champagne Billecart-Salmon appointed Mathieu Roland-Billecart their new Chief Executive Officer, rounding off a busy bicentenary year which also saw the release of Bicentenary Cuvée 200 MV.
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Christmas Special Offers: Vintage Champagne Bottles and Magnums
November 30, 2018
This week, we have a range of vintage champagnes on offer for our weekly Christmas promotion, including magnums of new Louis Roederer Brut Vintage 2012 and Taittinger Brut Vintage 2012, and 11% off the world-class Piper-Heidsieck 2008.
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Christmas Special Offers: Non-Vintage Bottles and Magnums
November 22, 2018
This week we’re celebrating the most popular style of champagne: non-vintage. Since we love magnums, we’re promoting both bottles and magnums from some of the region’s most popular brands, including Bollinger, Charles Heidsieck and Pol Roger.
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Bollinger and Louis Roederer Special Offers
November 16, 2018
For our third weekly Christmas promotion, we have special offers on Bollinger and Louis Roederer champagnes, including three stunning new releases: R.D. 2004, Brut Vintage 2012 and Rosé 2012. Toast the end of the year in style with up to 27% off!
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Rare Champagne + Mellerio Jewellers = Le Secret
November 12, 2018
Last week, we had lunch with Régis Camus, Rare Champagne Cellar Master, and Diane-Sophie Lanselle, Communications Director at Mellerio, to discuss the now unclassified Rare Le Secret project and find out what inspired this great partnership.
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Laurent-Perrier and Veuve Clicquot Special Offers
November 9, 2018
The second in our series of weekly Christmas promotions sees special offers on Laurent-Perrier and Veuve Clicquot. With La Cuvée NV, Cuvée Rosé NV, Extra Brut Extra Old MV and Yellow Label NV Magnums on offer, there’s something to please every palate!
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2018: The Vintage of the Century?
November 5, 2018
With record-breaking rainfall in the winter, unprecedented sunshine hours in the spring and summer and the earliest harvest on record, 2018 has been a truly exceptional year in Champagne. With harvest now over, we share some feedback from the top winemakers in the region on what is set to be a standout vintage.
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Moët & Chandon Special Offers
November 2, 2018
In the weeks leading up to Christmas, we’ll be running a series of weekly promotions. Each week will have a different theme, promoting a different brand or a different style of champagne. For our first festive promotion, we have special offers on Moët & Chandon and Dom Pérignon champagne.
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2018 Champagne & Sparkling Wine World Championships: Awards Ceremony
October 29, 2018
The CSWWC 2018 Awards Ceremony at Merchant Taylors’ Hall last night was a triumphant celebration of the best sparkling wine the world has to offer. Champagne once again proved its dominance, picking up 5 of the 7 World Champion trophies.
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Prestige Cuvées – Nyetimber v Champagne
October 26, 2018
“That English sparkling wine v champagne blind comparison moves up a notch or two.” Read Jancis Robinson’s report of our recent Nyetimber 1086 vs Champagne Prestige Cuvées blind tasting at 67 Pall Mall.
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Nyetimber 1086 vs Champagne Prestige Cuvées
October 25, 2018
English sparkling wine producer Nyetimber made history with the launch of the first English prestige cuvées last month. Our panel of expert critics, including Jancis Robinson MW, blind tasted these groundbreaking wines alongside a range of prestige cuvée champagnes.
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Charles Heidsieck Collection Crayères: Blanc des Millénaires Vertical 1983-2004
October 23, 2018
Last year, Charles Heidsieck announced they would annually release a treasured collection of old vintages called Collection Crayères. The 2018 collection is a celebration of Chardonnay: every vintage of Blanc des Millénaires produced since 1983.
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Krug Grande Cuvée & Vintage Vertical Tasting: 2000-2010
October 22, 2018
At our most recent tasting at 67 Pall Mall, guests blind tasted Krug Grande Cuvée Editions 162-166 NV (2006-2010), and Krug Vintages 2000-2004, including Krug 2000 from magnum. Find out which champagnes were the highest rated on the evening here.
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A Visit to Champagne Palmer & Co
October 19, 2018
During our trip to Reims last week, we visited Champagne Palmer & Co to meet with Managing Director Rémi Vervier. After hunting in the underground cellars for the biggest bottle we could find, we discussed harvest 2018 and tasted two stunning examples of Palmer Vintage Collection.
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Tasting of 88 Champagnes from 1988
October 17, 2018
Last weekend, we attended a veritable extravaganza of champagne and food: a tasting of 88 champagnes from 1988 organised by fizz fanatic Peter Crawford and hosted at multiple Michelin-starred restaurants Domaine Les Crayères and L’Assiette Champenoise. Read our review of every champagne tasted.
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A Interview with Émilien Boutillat
October 15, 2018
Last weekend, we met with new Piper-Heidsieck cellar master Émilien Boutillat, who shared his thoughts on the 2018 vintage, what makes Piper-Heidsieck unique and what the future holds for winemaking in Champagne.
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New Rare Champagne: Rare Le Secret
October 3, 2018
Rare Champagne, the prestige brand of Piper-Heidsieck, have been keeping a secret for more than twenty years. They partnered with Mellerio, the oldest jewellery dynasty in the world, to produce an exceptional cuvée, Rare Le Secret, which the house finally revealed this week.
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New Release: Pol Roger Sir Winston Churchill 2008
October 2, 2018
Pol Roger launched their much-awaited prestige cuvée Sir Winston Churchill 2008 in London this evening. After the success of their Brut Vintage 2008, described as “one of their greatest ever years”, expectations for the prestige cuvée are sky-high.
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Coming Soon: Pol Roger Sir Winston Churchill 2008
October 1, 2018
Champagne fanatic and life-long Pol Roger devotee Peter Crawford recently tasted a bottle of Sir Winston Churchill 2008 at the house in Épernay. With its release imminent, Crawford’s tasting note suggests it may exceed expectations.
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A Moment in History for English Sparkling Wine: Nyetimber 1086
September 28, 2018
Since 1988, Nyetimber have been busy revolutionising English sparkling wine and this week they raised the bar again with the launch of their new prestige cuvée range ‘1086’. We tasted the new vintage-dated sparkling white and sparkling rosé at The Ritz launch event.
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The Award for Best Champagne & Sparkling Specialist goes to… The Finest Bubble! 🍾
September 25, 2018
At last week’s Decanter Retailer of the Year Awards 2018, The Finest Bubble were announced as the winners of the Best Champagne & Sparkling Specialist category.
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Review: Louis Roederer Cristal Vertical Tasting
September 24, 2018
Last week’s Louis Roederer Cristal Vertical Tasting compared every vintage of Cristal produced this century, from 2000-2009. Guests also tasted the two latest vintages of Cristal Rosé, and Cristal 2006 from both bottle and magnum. Read the full write-up here.
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Piper-Heidsieck Appoints New Cellar Master: Émilien Boutillat
September 21, 2018
Yesterday, Piper-Heidsieck announced the appointment of Émilien Boutillat as their new Cellar Master. Previous incumbent Séverine Frerson has joined Perrier-Jouët, where she will succeed current Cellar Master Hervé Deschamps in a few years.
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Tasting Review: Evolution of Champagne Masterclass with Essi Avellan MW
September 20, 2018
How well does vintage champagne age? We set out to answer this question last week, under the expert guidance of Essi Avellan MW, during our Evolution of Champagne Masterclass. With vintage champagnes ranging from 1983-2012, it was a night to remember.
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The Next Outstanding Vintage: 2012
September 19, 2018
Vintage 2008 has been stealing all the headlines lately but what about the future? Despite low yields due to frost and hail in the early season, a perfect August produced exceptionally mature and healthy grapes in 2012. Is this the next outstanding vintage?
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Aged Champagne Masterclass with Essi Avellan MW and The Finest Bubble
September 18, 2018
Last week, Essi Avellan MW presented an Evolution of Champagne Masterclass at Frederick’s, Islington, during which guests compared old and new vintage champagnes from five leading brands. Read SixAtmospheres’ Tom Hewson’s review of the event here.
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September 2018 Champagne Range Tasting
September 17, 2018
Our Champagne Range Tasting on Wednesday 13th September at Frederick’s, Islington was once again a roaring success. Fifty guests tasted nearly forty champagnes, including many new releases and even a few magnums. Browse the photographs here.
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Piper-Heidsieck Rare 1998 Named ‘Best Champagne of 2018’
September 10, 2018
Of nearly 200 champagnes tasted at The Drinks Business 2018 Champagne Masters competition, one stood out as the absolute best: Piper-Heidsieck Rare 1998. Available today in magnums only, this exceptional cuvée was awarded an average 98-points.
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Cooperative Champagnes Beat Famous Brands in Big Fizz Tasting
September 9, 2018
Patrick Schmitt reports on the recent 2018 Champagne Masters competition, created and run by The Drinks Business, at which a host of champagnes from cooperative producers were amongst the most highly acclaimed.
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Palmer & Co Video: “Exceptional” Champagne Harvest 2018
September 6, 2018
Champagne Palmer & Co have produced some stunning behind the scenes footage of the record-breaking 2018 Champagne harvest, which takes viewers on a journey through the vineyard and pressing centres. Check out the full video here.
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Vive La Difference: Almost 300 Champagnes Rated
September 5, 2018
In his extensive 2018 Champagne tasting report, James Suckling documents the noteworthy developments in the region over the past year, including soon-to-be-released Dom Pérignon 2008, and highlights some exciting future releases.
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Update: Champagne Harvest 2018
September 4, 2018
The 2018 Champagne harvest has now officially been underway for 2 weeks. With warm conditions continuing to prevail, most houses have been picking as fast as possible and the first juices are already fermenting. We bring you all the latest updates from Champagne.
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Champagne Designed for Space Travel has Lift-Off
August 31, 2018
Has the thought of not being able to drink champagne been putting you off space travel? Well, it’s time to dust off your spacesuit. Next month, Mumm Champagne will release a specially designed bottle of fizz able to be enjoyed in zero gravity conditions.
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Piper-Heidsieck: New Cellar Master and ‘Rare Champagne’ to Become Independent
August 29, 2018
Earlier this year, Séverine Frerson became Cellar Master of Piper-Heidsieck, while previous incumbent Régis Camus took on a new role as Cellar Master of Rare Champagne, which is to become its own brand. Check out the first pictures of new Rare Champagne bottles here.
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The Importance of Base Year in Non-Vintage Champagne
August 22, 2018
Non-vintage champagnes are a blend of multiple vintages. However, with 60-90% of the blend coming from a single vintage, or base year, the final blend inevitably displays subtle characteristics of that vintage. Just how much influence does base year have on non-vintage?
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Champagne Harvest 2018 Begins
August 21, 2018
The 2018 Champagne harvest officially began on August 20th – the earliest harvest since records began in 1822 – with the southern villages of the Côte des Bars being picked first. What does the picking schedule tell us about the maturity of the different grape varieties?
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Champagne: Glossary of Terms
August 14, 2018
Popping a cork has become so synonymous with celebration that the particularly unique vinous qualities of Champagne can be easily overlooked. Here we shed light on the complexities of our favourite effervescent tipple, by defining some of the key terms involved in Champagne and its production.
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The Original ‘Champagne Charlie’
August 13, 2018
“Little did I realise ‘Charlie’ was no mythical bon viveur, he was actually a real person: the enterprising and extraordinary Charles Heidsieck.” Read David ‘Vinosaurus’ Kermode’s full report of our recent Charles Heidsieck Dinner and Tasting here.
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Laurent-Perrier Grand Siècle NV: Bottle vs Magnum
August 10, 2018
We recently compared a bottle and magnum of Laurent-Perrier Grand Siècle NV and were surprised by how fresh and youthful the larger format was showing, despite being a blend of older vintages. Read the full tasting report here.
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Louis Roederer Cristal 2002 & Cristal Rosé 2002 Re-Release
August 9, 2018
Louis Roederer recently revealed that a very limited quantity of original disgorgement Cristal 2002 and Cristal Rosé 2002 were kept in the cellars in Reims for additional bottle ageing. Now 9 years post-disgorgemt, a small number have been re-released into the market.
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Coming Soon: Pol Roger Sir Winston Churchill 2008
August 8, 2018
Last year, Pol Roger described Sir Winston Churchill 2008 as “the best vintage since 1988 and the most investible Churchill we’ve ever made.” Due for release in Autumn 2018, we look forward to what is certain to be one of the most exciting releases this year.
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Is Climate Change Coming for Your Champagne?
August 7, 2018
Climate change is not just bringing us warmer summers, it’s affecting the way champagne is produced too. Bloomberg’s Elin McCoy speaks to winemakers at A. R. Lenoble and Louis Roederer to discover how they are combating the effects of a warming climate.
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Record-Breaking Year: A Look Forward to the 2018 Harvest
August 6, 2018
Record-breaking weather in 2018 is likely to produce one of the largest champagne harvests in living memory that will once again begin early, in late-August. What can we expect from this climatically exceptional vintage?
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David Kermode Discovers Charles Heidsieck’s ‘Finest Bubbles’
August 5, 2018
A ‘Champagne Charlie’ in another life himself, wine journalist David Kermode attended our Charles Heidsieck Dinner and Tasting at Frederick’s last week to sample a range of new and old vintages from this reformed house. Read his report for The Buyer here.
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Lanson: Old Vintage Collection Magnums
August 4, 2018
The Lanson Vintage Collection – old magnums kept on the lees and late-disgorged to express newfound complexity – comprises champagnes more than a century old. Every year, a few magnums from 1976 and subsequent vintages are released to a limited circle of enthusiasts and connoisseurs.
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Charles Heidsieck Dinner with Stephen Leroux
August 3, 2018
This week, Director of Charles Heidsieck Stephen Leroux hosted our Charles Heidsieck Dinner and Tasting at Frederick’s, Islington. With an expertly paired champagne/food menu and a rare magnum of Brut Millésime 1983 to taste, it was a night to remember.
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2018 Champagne & Sparkling Wine World Championships: Gold & Silver Medals
July 13, 2018
The 2018 Champagne and Sparkling Wine World Championships announced their Gold and Silver medal award winners last week. Here we discuss the noteworthy winners, including exciting future releases and the best performing houses and vintages.
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Krug Grande Cuvée Vertical Tasting: Editions 158-166 NV (2002-2010)
June 27, 2018
Last week, we held the most comprehensive Krug Grande Cuvée vertical tasting to date. At 67 Pall Mall, guests blind tasted Grande Cuvée Editions 158-166 NV (2002-2010). We also tasted two Krug Vintages: 2002 and 2004.
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New Release: Louis Roederer Cristal 2008
June 22, 2018
The long-awaited Louis Roederer Cristal 2008 was officially launched in London on Monday evening. Jean-Baptiste Lécailon described it as “the most Cristal of all Cristals”. Having already been awarded 100/100 from many critics, is this the best ever vintage?
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New Release: Dom Pérignon 2008
June 20, 2018
After much anticipation, Dom Pérignon have finally revealed their latest vintage: Dom Pérignon 2008. Launching what could be one of their best ever vintages at the wonderful La Résidence de France in London on Tuesday, the house also revealed Dom Pérignon P3 1990.
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Coming Soon: Dom Pérignon 2008
June 15, 2018
Although not officially launching in London until next week, the long-awaited Dom Pérignon 2008 was revealed – along with veteran Chef de Cave Richard Geoffroy’s retirement – in Champagne earlier this week. Here’s what we know so far.
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Lightstrike: Protect Your Champagne from Damage
June 14, 2018
Light exposure can damage wine irreversibly in as little as one hour. Read about how lightstrike occurs, which champagnes are the most susceptible and how to protect the bottles in your cellar.
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June 2018 Champagne Range Tasting
June 13, 2018
Our Champagne Range Tasting on Wednesday 13th June at Frederick’s, Islington was once again a roaring success. The sun shone as fifty guests tasted nearly forty champagnes, including many new releases and even a few magnums. Browse the photographs here.
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Great Value Magnum Champagne
June 8, 2018
We have long been obsessed with Champagne aged in magnum and always encourage friends and customers to choose magnums over bottles. However, many are put off by the price premium. Here we highlight some of the best value magnums available on the market today.
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Disgorgement: What Is It and Why Is The Date Important?
June 7, 2018
The modern champagne consumer is increasingly interested in the unique story behind the production of their bottle. One piece of information popularly sought after is disgorgement date. But what is disgorgement and why does the date matter?
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2017 Vins Clairs: A Vintage Summary
June 1, 2018
Earlier this year, we travelled to Champagne to visit thirteen different Champagnes houses and taste the 2017 Vins Clairs with their winemakers. Challenging weather has rendered this vintage one to forget for many, but there are some promising surprises. Which ones have the most potential? Read our full summary.
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Champagne André Robert: 2017 Vins Clairs
May 31, 2018
The 2017 vins clairs we tasted at grower house Champagne André Robert were some of the best in the region. Located in the legendary village of Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, we met with fifth generation family member Claire Robert and her husband Jean-Baptiste.
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Coming Soon: Louis Roederer Cristal 2008
May 30, 2018
Rarely is a champagne launch met with as much excitement as that surrounding Louis Roederer Cristal 2008 – tipped to be the best ever vintage. Set to hit the market within the next month, here we provide an overview of our previous tastings and outline what to expect from this remarkable release.
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Veuve Clicquot: 2017 Vins Clairs
May 23, 2018
We tasted the 2017 vins clairs at Veuve Clicquot with Chief Winemaker Gaëlle Goossens, who described it as “a difficult year, but good for Chardonnay”. We also discussed her thoughts on innovating winemaking by bridging the gap between oenology and viticulture.
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New Champagne: Charles Heidsieck Blanc de Blancs NV
May 22, 2018
Charles Heidsieck were one of the first houses to make an all-Chardonnay champagne, back in 1947. In a tribute to their rich history of Chardonnay, the house revealed a brand new cuvée last week: Charles Heidsieck Blanc de Blancs NV.
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New Release: Taittinger Comtes de Champagne 2007
May 21, 2018
Last week saw the official launch of Taittinger Comtes de Champagne 2007. New Chef de Cave Alexandre Ponnavoy was in London to discuss the latest vintage, which will be a very limited and rare release.
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Champagne Corbon: 2017 Vins Clairs and Vintage 1984
May 20, 2018
Located in the Grand Cru village of Avize, grower producer Champagne Corbon are a well-known name in the region. Fourth generation family member Agnès showed us some still wines and champagnes, including the “worst of her lifetime” – vintage 1984.
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Veuve Clicquot: 200th Rosé Anniversary
May 17, 2018
To commemorate the 200th anniversary since Madame Clicquot invented blended rosé champagne, Veuve Clicquot revealed the first ever Jeroboam of Rosé NV during a celebratory dinner at Manoir de Verzy and shared the secrets of their red winemaking expertise at a tasting in London.
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Lanson: 2017 Vins Clairs and old Vintage Collection Magnums
May 14, 2018
Our vins clairs visit to Champagne ended at Lanson, with Chef de Cave Hervé Dantan. Here we tasted a comprehensive range of base wines, current champagne releases and some stunning magnums of Vintage Collection, from 1979-1990.
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Moët & Chandon: 2017 Vins Clairs and Grand Vintage Collection 2002 & 1990
May 11, 2018
We met with winemaker Amine Ghanem to taste the 2017 vins clairs. As usual, discussion turned to the future of winemaking, of which Moët is at the forefront. Technological corks, thermovinification, thermal imagery – you name it, they’re doing it.
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Philipponnat: 2017 Vins Clairs and new Clos des Goisses 2009
May 9, 2018
Charles Philipponnat describes 2017 as a “funny vintage”. We visited the house of Philipponnat to taste the vins clairs and find out just what he means. Whilst there, we also sampled an incredible range of champagnes, including new Clos des Goisses 2009.
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Bollinger: 2017 Vins Clairs and new La Grande Année Rosé 2007 Magnum
May 4, 2018
Although Chef de Cave Gilles Descôtes described 2017 as “the worst since 1893”, Bollinger continued to innovate. We tasted the results of some exciting trials they are conducting with the rarer grape varieties Arbane, Petit Meslier and Pinot Gris.
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Laurent-Perrier: 2017 Vins Clairs, new Vintage 2008 and a Grand Siècle Vertical
May 2, 2018
The 2017 vintage favoured Chardonnay-dominant Laurent-Perrier. We tasted some rich and generous vins clairs with Chef de Cave Michel Fauconnet and sampled previews of upcoming Vintage 2008 and future Grand Siècle NV.
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Louis Roederer: 2017 Vins Clairs and a Cristal Vinothèque Masterclass
May 1, 2018
Legendary Chef de Cave Jean-Baptiste Lécaillon took us on a remarkable tour of the 2017 vintage, sharing trials on organic and biodynamic farming. We also tasted a mesmerising range of champagnes, including Cristal Vinothèque 1995.
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Taittinger: 2017 Vins Clairs and Comtes de Champagne 2008
April 27, 2018
Despite the complicated growing season, Taittinger produced some delicious Chardonnay base wines in 2017. We tasted a range of vins clairs with winemaker Loïc Dupont, who has produced a small amount of Comtes de Champagne 2017.
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Piper-Heidsieck: 2017 Vins Clairs and Rare 2002 from Methuselah
April 25, 2018
As with other houses, the 2017 season was a complicated one for Piper-Heidsieck. We met with current Chef de Cave Régis Camus and his deputy Séverine Frerson to taste a selection of vins clairs and hear their take on the vintage.
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Ruinart: 2017 Vins Clairs and Dom Ruinart Blanc de Blancs 2007
April 19, 2018
Chef de Cave Frédéric Panaïotis talked us through the 2017 vintage for Champagne Ruinart. Although a difficult year for Pinots, we tasted some stunning Chardonnay vins clairs and sampled the upcoming Dom Ruinart Blanc de Blancs 2007.
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Palmer & Co: 2017 Vins Clairs and Vintage 1995 Collection from Magnum
April 18, 2018
Our first tasting of the 2017 Vins Clairs took place at Palmer & Co. Describing it as “a special harvest… quite difficult”, the team took us through the trials and tribulations of 2017 and shared a magnum of Vintage 1995 Collection to conclude.
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Record Year for English Still and Sparkling Wine Production
April 3, 2018
Still and sparkling wine production continued to fizz in 2017, as a record number of UK wine bottles were released last year. Here we discuss why the industry is performing so well and what the future holds for UK wine.
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Charles Heidsieck: A Brand New Cuvée & Champagne Charlie 1982 Magnum
March 30, 2018
When in Reims last month, we visited Charles Heidsieck to taste their exciting brand new cuvée Blanc de Blancs NV and sampled a magnum of Champagne Charlie 1982 from their Collection Crayères range.
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March 2018 Champagne Range Tasting
March 27, 2018
Browse the photographs from our March 2018 Champagne Range Tasting at Frederick’s in Islington. Over fifty guests tasted a whopping fifty champagnes, including new releases, from brands such as Bollinger, Dom Pérignon, Louis Roederer, Pol Roger, Piper-Heidsieck, Taittinger and more…
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Global Launch of Bollinger R.D. 2004
March 23, 2018
Yesterday we attended the launch of Bollinger R.D. 2004. A champagne that has aged on the lees for 12+ years is now tasting delightfully fresh and forward, with all the complexity of a recent disgorgment. We also experimented with the effects of different dosages and disgorgements on R.D.
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Champagne for a Birthday/Anniversary
March 8, 2018
By chance, 2018 is one of the best years to buy champagne for birthdays and anniversaries. Know someone born in 2000, 1998, 1988 or 1968? Why not gift them vintage champagne born in the same year – the perfect 18th or 50th celebration!
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Dosage: What Is It and What Do The Categories Mean?
February 25, 2018
After blending, bottling, maturation, riddling and disgorgement, the final step in Champagne production is dosage. But what exactly is ‘dosage’ and how does this affect the champagne’s eventual classification?
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Sell Us Your Cellar
February 19, 2018
If you are selling champagne that was bought on release from a UK agent and stored in a bonded warehouse, we may be interested in purchasing it. Here we outline the most important factors for sale and highlight sought after products.
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Mix 6 and Mix 12 Champagne Pricing
February 16, 2018
We try to make the top Champagne brands and cuvées as affordable as possible by offering tiered levels of pricing that can be mixed. Find out how our ‘Mix 6’ and ‘Mix 12’ pricing works.
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Palmer & Co Vintage Vertical Tasting & 2005 Magnum Horizontal Tasting
February 16, 2018
Yesterday, we conducted a vertical tasting of Palmer & Co vintage champagne and a horizontal comparison of five vintage 2005 magnums, including Charles Heidsieck, Lanson and Palmer & Co Blanc de Blancs.
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Technological Corks: What’s The Big Deal?
February 15, 2018
Diam are revolutionising the cork industry with their technological corks and TCA/cork taint removal process. How is this done, what exactly does it mean and which houses are using technological corks already?
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Krug Rosé Will Now Display Editions: Krug Rosé Edition 21 NV Is The First
February 9, 2018
Krug Rosé will from here onwards be following the example of Grande Cuvée and be displaying its Edition on the front label. The first release, Krug Rosé Edition 21 NV, is based on the magnificent 2008 vintage.
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New Release: Pol Roger Brut Vintage 2009
February 8, 2018
New Pol Roger Brut Vintage 2009 is a wonderfully fresh, fruit-forward champagne from a generous and warm vintage. We tasted it alongside the previous release – Pol Roger 2008 – for comparison.
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New Release: Krug Grande Cuvée Edition 165 NV
February 7, 2018
The latest release of Krug Grande Cuvée, Edition 165 NV, is the smallest and rarest batch of Grande Cuvée ever. Just released in the UK, this is a classically world-class Krug: a stunning champagne based on a unique vintage.
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New Release: Charles Heidsieck Blanc des Millénaires 2004
February 6, 2018
We kicked off 2018 with the launch event of the long-awaited Blanc des Millénaires 2004. Director of Charles Heidsieck, Stephen Leroux, presented this stunning champagne and we also had a taste of the new rosé vintage: Rosé Millésime 2005.
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Valentine’s Day: Swap the Red Roses for a Good Bottle of Rosé
February 3, 2018
This Valentine’s Day, swap the red roses for a carefully selected bottle of rosé champagne: the real secret to winning the heart of the one you love. Check out our Valentine’s Day offers here.
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How Can Champagne Be Delivered Within 2 Hours?!
February 2, 2018
Last year, we upgraded our same day delivery service in London to within 2 hours, which seems to have delighted, impressed and baffled consumers and media alike. Here, we explain how it’s done and share some fun facts about our unique service!
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Krug Vertical Tasting: 1988-2004
February 1, 2018
Last year, we blind tasted every vintage of Krug produced since 1988 with Olivier Krug and Jancis Robinson MW. With over ten vintages, a Grande Cuvée and a magnum thrown in for good measure, it was a truly special occasion.
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Jancis Robinson: Krug vintage vertical back to 1988
January 31, 2018
Read Jancis Robinson’s report of our outstanding Krug vintage vertical tasting last November. “This would have been a dream tasting anyway, but I particularly love tasting a group of wines blind.”
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Champagne Provenance: Why It Matters
January 17, 2018
Establishing provenance, or a ‘record of ownership’, is absolutely essential in the champagne business. The conditions under which each bottle has been sourced and stored can significantly impact the eventual enjoyment it provides.
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Coming Soon: Bollinger R.D. 2004
January 13, 2018
The latest iteration of Bollinger R.D. (Recently Disgorged) will hit the market in late-March 2018. Here we share our thoughts on the bottle of Bollinger R.D. 2004 that we tasted with cellar master Gilles Descôtes last year.
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Champagne Palmer & Co
January 12, 2018
After impressing us at several tasting events in the past, we added a range of Palmer & Co champagnes to our website last year. One of the newest houses in the region, what is their history and what do their champagnes taste like? The Finest Bubble reveal all.
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Coming Soon: Charles Heidsieck Blanc des Millénaires 2004
January 10, 2018
After twelve years of waiting, we finally have a new vintage: Blanc des Millénaires 2004. Not yet officially launched, but available to purchase in February 2018, here we share our tasting notes from a bottle sampled with cellar master Cyril Brun.
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New: Laurent-Perrier La Cuvée NV
January 5, 2018
Last year, Laurent-Perrier announced that their brut non-vintage – the fifth best-selling champagne in the world – was to be discontinued and replaced with an entirely original blend. The new champagne, La Cuvée NV, proved to be an instant hit, winning a Gold medal at CSWWC 2017. Read our review here.
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Grape Expectations: What to Expect from Champagne in 2018
January 2, 2018
Here, we cast our minds to the future. With many big releases confirmed for next year, such as Louis Roederer Cristal 2008 and Veuve Clicquot La Grande Dame 2008, it is sure to be exciting. But what do we know for sure and what can we predict?
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Year in Review: Champagne in 2017
December 29, 2017
We take a look back at the most exciting Champagne releases of the year, from entirely new blends to re-releases of old classics and from non-vintages with updated base years to the latest vintage releases of prestige cuvées. We also highlight worthy award winners and review the year for TFB. Roll on 2018!
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Laurent-Perrier Grand Siècle Vertical Tasting
December 18, 2017
We were recently offered the opportunity to taste some older vintages of Laurent-Perrier Grand Siècle: 1) A blend of 1999, 1997 and 1996, and 2) A blend of 1997, 1996 and 1995. Sampled alongside the current release, the results were very interesting.
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100 Best Champagnes for 2017
December 15, 2017
FINE Champagne magazine recently revealed their list of the ‘100 Best Champagnes for 2017’. Here, we discuss the Top 10 and draw attention to the worthy winners and surprise contenders.
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Christmas Champagne Gift-Wrapping
December 14, 2017
With Christmas fast approaching, we’re busy gift-wrapping all your presents and delivering them within 2 hours in London! With five different colours to choose from and a selection of handwritten cards, gifting has never been so easy.
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The Finest Bubble wins the 2017 Gold Medal for Champagne List in London!
December 12, 2017
Wine-Searcher have just announced the winners of their Retailer Awards 2017 and we are delighted to reveal that The Finest Bubble were awarded a Gold Medal for Champagne List in London!
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Lanson Noble Cuvée Brut 2002 & Organic Champagne ‘Green Label’
December 1, 2017
Champagne Lanson recently launched their Noble Cuvée Brut 2002. We tasted it with head winemaker Hervé Dantan alongside the new organic champagne ‘Green Label’ and the next Clos Lanson 2007 – due next year.
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Video: Prestige Cuvée vs Vintage Tasting with Jancis Robinson
November 29, 2017
Did you miss our latest Champagne tasting? Fear not! Full coverage of our spectacular Prestige Cuvée vs Vintage tasting with Jancis Robinson MW is now live. Watch a video footage comparison of each unique pair from the comfort of your home.
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Piper-Heidsieck: New Rare Rosé 2007
November 22, 2017
Piper Heidsieck recently released their first ever rosé vintage of the esteemed prestige cuvée Rare. We tasted it with head winemaker Régis Camus alongside Essentiel NV – also just launched in the UK – and some old vintages of Rare.
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Dom Ruinart Rosé Vertical Tasting
November 10, 2017
We were invited to a weekend at The Savoy for a vertical tasting of Dom Ruinart Rosé champagnes with head winemaker Frédéric Panaïotis. With 2002, 1998 and 1988 on show, it was a stunning showcase of pink champagne.
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November 2017 Champagne Tasting
November 9, 2017
Browse the photographs from our latest Champagne Range Tasting at Frederick’s. Over fifty guests tasted 42 champagnes from Bollinger, Dom Pérignon, Gosset, Louis Roederer, Pol Roger, Piper-Heidsieck, Taittinger and more…
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Charles Heidsieck Collection Crayères
November 8, 2017
Charles Heidsieck have revealed a treasured collection of old vintages named ‘Collection Crayères’. Released in extremely limited quantities, we are pleased to offer five incredible vintages, in bottle and magnum, from the 1980s.
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Jancis Robinson: Champagne Showdown
November 3, 2017
Read Jancis Robinson’s review for the Financial Times of our recent Prestige Cuvée vs Vintage Champagne tasting at 67 Pall Mall. “Think seriously about buying a vintage-dated bottling,” Jancis advises.
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New Release: Moët Grand Vintage 2009
November 1, 2017
Last week, Moët & Chandon launched Grand Vintage 2009. As is customary with a new release, they also launched two Grand Vintage Collections, 2002 and 1990. Read the review of our tasting with head winemaker, Benoît Gouez.
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Bollinger: An 1829 Cellar, a 1914 Champagne and a 1928 Red Wine
October 27, 2017
It’s not often that we taste Champagne that belongs in a museum. Our visit to Bollinger with Jancis Robinson MW included a tour of the newly renovated cellars and a tasting of Champagne produced during WWI.
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The Future According to Taittinger
October 20, 2017
Our trip to Reims in August included a smorgasbord of Taittinger: over twenty champagne tasted with head winemaker Loïc Dupont, including an interesting look into the future with Comtes de Champagne 2008 and 2012.
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Review: Prestige Cuvée vs Vintage Champagne Tasting with Jancis Robinson MW
October 13, 2017
Our Prestige Cuvée vs Vintage Champagne tasting with Jancis Robinson MW at 67 Pall Mall on Wednesday evening was a roaring success. Read our review, see the results and browse the pictures.
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Time-Travelling with Lanson: from 2016 to 1959
October 6, 2017
The first ever Noble Cuvée Blanc de Blancs and Brut vintages; Black Label NV blends based on the last vintage of the previous six decades; and a comparison of vintage and prestige cuvée. Our recent trip to Lanson had it all.
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Laurent-Perrier: New Cellars, A Grand Siècle Vertical & Magnums Galore
October 5, 2017
We met with Cellar Master Michel Fauconnet to visit Laurent-Perrier’s renovated cellars and conduct a vertical tasting of Brut Vintage and Grand Siècle (all from magnum) alongside Jancis Robinson MW.
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Moët & Chandon / Dom Pérignon: Vintage vs Prestige Cuvée 2009-1995
September 29, 2017
A comparison of eight vintages of Moët & Chandon and Dom Pérignon, from newly released 2009 to very old 1995 with their respective winemakers, Benoît Gouez and Richard Geoffroy.
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Louis Roederer: The Old, The New & Everything in Between
September 28, 2017
Is there a better way to spend a Sunday evening than dinner with Jean-Baptiste Lécaillon at the Louis Roederer family mansion? We tasted new Cristal 2008 and the exclusive late-release Cristal Vinothèque 1995.
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Pol Roger: Brut Vintage from Magnum vs Sir Winston Churchill from Bottle
September 26, 2017
During August bank holiday weekend we stopped in Épernay with Jancis Robinson MW for a comprehensive comparison of Pol Roger Brut Vintage and Sir Winston Churchill, dating back to 1993. All in the name of research!
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Churchill Connection: Pol Roger
September 23, 2017
Sir Winston Churchill’s relationship with Pol Roger dates back to 1945 when a friendship began between Churchill and Odette Pol-Roger..
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September 2017 Champagne Tasting
September 22, 2017
Photographs from our Champagne tasting at Fredericks. Champagne from Bollinger, Charles Heidsieck, Dom Pérignon, Gosset, Laurent-Perrier, Louis Roederer, Pol Roger, Piper Heidsieck, Taittinger and more..
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Champagne & Sparkling Wine World Championships: Trophy Winners
September 20, 2017
Following The Champagne & Sparkling Wine World Championships awards dinner on 14th September, we know now the winners of the prestigious trophies for each category.
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Jancis Robinson: A Tour of Nine Major Champagne Houses
September 18, 2017
Jancis Robinson MW, accompanied by The Finest Bubble journeyed to Champagne at the end of August to visit nine champagne houses. Read her in depth report.
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Decanter Retailer of the Year awards 2017: Champagne Specialist
September 17, 2017
The Decanter Retailer of the Year awards 2017. The Finest Bubble was entered into the ‘Champagne Specialist’ Category. Find out how we did here.
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Jancis Robinson: the NV revolution
September 16, 2017
Read Jancis Robinson’s article what has changed in the champagne non vintage category and the relationship between the house and the consumer.
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Financial Times: How the Champagne wine glass is killing the flute
September 12, 2017
How does the shape of a champagne glass affect the tasting of the contents and why do Champagne houses chose to use different glass designs. Read The Financial Times article to find out.
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Krug Vintage 2004
September 7, 2017
Yesterday, Krug launched their new Vintage 2004 in London. This latest release completes a special trilogy of Krug Vintages – 2002, 2003 & 2004 – not seen since the late 80s. We tasted it with Olivier Krug today.
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Charles Heidsieck: New Facility, Vintage Releases & ‘Collection Crayères’
September 6, 2017
We met with Charles Heidsieck Cellar Master Cyril Brun at the newly renovated tasting facility in Reims. An incredible tasting included a Blanc des Millénaires vertical and a preview of the new ‘Collection Crayères’, dating back to 1981.
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Krug: A Visit to Clos du Mesnil & The New Krug Maison
September 4, 2017
We visited Krug over August bank holiday weekend with Jancis Robinson MW. With an unexpected visit to Clos du Mesnil, a tour of the new Maison, a mini-vertical tasting and dinner at the house, it was well-worth the long drive!
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Champagne Salon Blanc de Blancs 2006
August 1, 2017
Last month, the tiny yet ultra-prestigious Champagne Salon released their latest vintage: Salon Le Mesnil Blanc de Blancs 2006. Just the 40th release since its inception in 1905, this is another seriously rare cuvée with outstanding ageing potential. Read tasting notes and more info here.
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The one we’ve all been waiting for…. Krug Grande Cuvée Edition 164
July 20, 2017
Each year, the expert winemaking team at Krug blend over 120 wines to make an entirely new creation of Krug Grande Cuvée. The latest release, Edition 164 – based on the outstanding 2008 vintage – may just be the best one yet.
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Moët & Chandon MCIII – The World’s First ‘Ultra-Prestige Cuvée’?
July 19, 2017
Moët & Chandon MCIII is a champagne like no other. A blend of six different vintages, utilising three different ageing vessels and an assemblage of finished champagne and still wines; this is the ultimate in luxury.
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Champagne & Sparkling Wine World Championships: Gold & Silver Medals
July 13, 2017
Last week, the Gold and Silver medal results for the 2017 CSWWC were announced. We discuss the noteworthy winners and exciting future releases entered and highlight the best performing Houses and vintages.
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Champagne Barons de Rothschild
July 6, 2017
In 2003, the biggest name in wine turned their attention to the sparkling variety and founded Champagne Barons de Rothschild. We tasted the full range at the London Wine Fair in May with Managing Director, Frédéric Mairesse. Read our thoughts here.
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June 2017 Champagne Tasting
June 22, 2017
Photographs from our Champagne tasting at Fredericks. Champagne from Bollinger, Charles Heidsieck, Krug, Dom Pérignon, Louis Roederer, Pol Roger and more
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Definitive Champagne Data Continued: (The Critics’ Top 25)
June 21, 2017
Following on from our ‘Definitive Champagne Data’ report last month, here we extend the list and highlight the critics’ Top 25 champagnes from the incredible 1996, 1998, 2002 and 2004 vintages.
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Dom Pérignon Launches Vintage 2009
June 19, 2017
Dom Pérignon launched their new Brut Vintage 2009 last month before 2008 – the first time in history they have skipped a vintage. We tasted it alongside 2003 and 2006 with head winemaker Richard Geoffroy, who described it as “majestic and persistent”.
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Is Vintage 2008 The Next 2002?
June 15, 2017
We compared fifteen 2008s (+ new Krug Grande Cuvée based on 2008) to assess the quality of this emerging vintage in champagne. For reference, we tasted five 2002s alongside – and threw in a couple of curveballs to keep everyone alert!
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Definitive Champagne Data: The Critics’ Favourite Vintages, Brands and Cuvées
May 25, 2017
We’ve analysed data from over 1,000 ratings of the best champagnes from the top wine journalists, authors and critics to find out which vintage (1996, 1998, 2002 or 2004) and which cuvées are rated the highest.
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Review: Prestige Cuvée Blanc vs Rosé Champagne Tasting with Essi Avellan
May 19, 2017
Our Blanc vs Rosé Champagne tasting on Wednesday evening was a huge success. Essi Avellan MW presented some of the world’s finest Champagnes and guests voted on their favourites. Read our review of the evening.
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The Finest Bubble June 2017 Portfolio
May 12, 2017
Download or request a printed copy of our new June 2017 Portfolio. Containing information on the Champagne brands we list and with many interesting articles on all things Champagne, this 56-page Portfolio is a must-have for any fizz fanatics.
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Jancis Robinson MW in the Financial Times: Has champagne lost its fizz?
May 5, 2017
Read Jancis Robinson’s MW article in the Financial Times: Has champagne lost its fizz? Jancis discusses the recent effects of other sparkling wine varieties, supermarket discounts and the rise of English sparkling.
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Future Champagne Vintages: ’08-’12
May 3, 2017
We spend a lot of our time romancing over our favourite past vintages of Champagne. But what about the future? With the arrival of the incredible 2008’s now imminent, we take a look-forward into Champagne’s upcoming vintages: 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2012.
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Comité Champagne Masterclass: O² in Winemaking (by Delphine Goffette)
May 1, 2017
During March’s #Champagne Experience Day, we attended an educational masterclass on the effects of oxygen in winemaking. Project Manager of the Comité’s Oenology Department debunked a few myths about O².
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Krug Grande Cuvée Editions: First Ever Blind Tasting w/ Jancis Robinson MW
April 28, 2017
In Dec 2016, we compared five Editions of Krug Grande Cuvée in their first ever blind tasting. Alongside Krug 2002 & 2003, their quality was undeniable, as was the interesting variation between them.
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Lanson: New 2017 Extra Age Range
April 25, 2017
Champagne Lanson have just released the new Extra Age range! An exciting blend of the 2004, 2005 & 2006 vintages, we tasted them with Lanson UK Managing Director, Paul Beavis at 67 Pall Mall and were seriously impressed with their affordable quality.
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Charles Heidsieck Masterclass: 2008-1981 Vintages with Cyril Brun
April 24, 2017
Last month, we attended a Charles Heidsieck Vintage Masterclass tasting with Cellar Master, Cyril Brun. A showcase of Heidsieck’s ageing potential beginning with a 2008 base vintage and finishing with a 1981 magnum.
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Henri Giraud: Barking Mad or Genius?
April 20, 2017
In 2009, Champagne Henri Giraud invested in 10 terracotta egg-shaped tanks to assess their effect on the maturation of wine. The house now has more than 50 clay containers and are producing more. Have they gone crazy or are they one step ahead of the field?
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Vins Clairs: 2016 Vintage Summary
April 17, 2017
Our definitive 2016 Vintage Report, based on Vins Clairs tastings at ten Champagne houses with the winemakers. Extreme weather has produced surprisingly fresh and balanced base wines, but what potential does 2016 really have? Read our full summary.
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Bollinger: 2016…. The Next 1988?
April 12, 2017
The difficult 2016 vintage appears to have been kind to Champagne Bollinger. We tasted the Vins Clairs at the winery in Aÿ last month and the house are optimsitic – even drawing likeness to the magnificent 1988 vintage! We judged for ourselves…
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New Release: Veuve Clicquot Extra Brut Extra Old (Vintages 1988-2010)
April 11, 2017
Yesterday, Veuve Clicquot launched their new Champagne, Extra Brut Extra Old at the Moët Hennessy offices in London. We tasted it with Chef de Caves, Dominique Demarville at the winery in Reims last month. It’s good!!
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Bruno Paillard: Realisation of a Dream
April 10, 2017
Bruno Paillard founded this eponymously named Champagne house in 1981: the first in nearly a century. A remarkable success story that is still being written… we met with daughter, Alice and tasted (sniffed) the 2016 Vins Clairs and current Champagne range.
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Dom Pérignon P2 2000: The Next Plenitude for the Millennium Vintage
April 7, 2017
Dom Pérignon P2 2000 was released this week. We tasted it alongside P2 1998 at the Rosewood Hotel launch in London with winemaker Vincent Chaperon. Lively and energetic, this is really exciting Champagne.
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Moët & Chandon: Innovation, Innovation, Innovation
April 6, 2017
Enlightening, educational and at times jaw-dropping, our visit to Moët was one of a kind. Amine Ghanem showed us the 2016 Vins Clairs, new Grand Vintage 2008, a 1988 magnum and the ultra-prestige MCIII.
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Veuve Clicquot: 2016 ‘The Year of Pinot Noir’ & La Grande Dame 2008
April 4, 2017
Chef de Caves, Dominique Demarville showed us the 2016 Vins Clairs, a trial blend for this year’s Yellow Label NV and both La Grande Dame & Rosé 2008. We also cellared some Champagnes from the 60s…
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Champagne Lanson: Vive la Révolution
April 2, 2017
Big changes have occurred at Champagne Lanson since Chef de Caves, Hervé Dantan took the reins two years ago. We sampled the 2016 Vins Clairs, the latest Black Label NV blend and Clos Lanson 2016 as Hervé talked us through the new developments.
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Taittinger: One Big Champagne Family
March 30, 2017
We tasted the 2016 base wines with Vitalie Taittinger, Loïc Dupont & Damien Le Sueur. Discussing the influence of oak barrels, the new ‘image of Taittinger Rosé’, the potential for Comtes 2016 and Taittinger’s new winery; this was a truly eye-opening visit.
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Visit to Krug: How Olivier Krug & Eric Lebel are Revolutionising Champagne
March 28, 2017
The 2016 Vins Clairs; reserve wines as old as 1998; winemaking with an iPad; Grande Cuvée 163rd Edition; Clos du Mesnil 2002; and revolutionising Champagne terminology. It’s all happening at Krug!
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Vertical Tasting of every Pol Roger Sir Winston Churchill Vintage: 1975-2004
March 27, 2017
Read Tim Hall’s review of the first ever complete vertical tasting of Pol Roger Sir Winston Churchill. Every vintage made from 1975 to 2004, all in magnum (but for the 1988 jeroboam)… where was our invite…
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Charles Heidsieck: 2016 and Essi Avellan Brut Réserve NV Blend
March 23, 2017
Assistant winemaker, Stéphane Lipreau guided us through a tasting of the 2016 Vins Clairs. We also sampled the oldest reserve wines in stock (Cramant 1996) & Essi Avellan MW put her blending skills to the test…
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Gosset: The 2016 Vintage, How to Blend Wine & Gosset ‘Personal Cuvée’?!
March 20, 2017
We tasted the 2016 Vins Clairs with cellar master Odilon de Varine, talked winemaking secrets and heard about Gosset’s grand plans: including the opportunity for consumers to create their own blend?!
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Louis Roederer: 2016 Vins Clairs & Cristal Rosé 2009 with JB Lécaillon
March 16, 2017
In the first of our Vins Clairs 2016 articles, we recount our visit to Louis Roederer to taste the 2016 base wines. Chef de Cave Jean-Baptiste Lécaillon had a lot to say about both the present and the future…
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Pol Roger: ’02, ’04, ’06, ’08, who do we appreciate?
March 7, 2017
To celebrate the release of Pol Roger Brut Vintage 2008, we put it to the test in a blind vertical tasting of the last four vintages of Pol: 2002, 2004, 2006 and 2008. We also threw in the non-vintage for good measure.
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Charles Heidsieck Rosé Millésimé 2006
February 28, 2017
Ranked 2nd out of 14 in our recent Rosé Champagne blind tasting, Charles Heidsieck Rosé 2006 is a stunner and great value with a £95 RRP. Definitely one of the best Rosé’s on the market.
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Brexit = Beginning of British Bubbly?
February 24, 2017
In the latest leaked Brexit document, the EU’s concern that British firms could violate protections given to EU products was revealed. Could this pave the way for ‘British Champagne’?!
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Cristal 2009: Biodynamic Bubbly
February 22, 2017
With 40% of Cristal 2009 harvested from biodynamic vineyards, this is a perfect example of how changing the viticulture can subtly affect a Champagne’s style. Will these effects manifest equally as this percentage increases?
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Video of our Prestige Cuvées from 2002 Champagne Tasting
February 20, 2017
Full coverage of our Prestige Cuvées from 2002 Champagne Tasting hosted by Jancis Robinson MW on 6th Oct 2016, including short clips of Jancis’ thoughts on each pair.
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2016: No Celebration for Champagne
February 17, 2017
“Everything that could go wrong, did.” The most difficult growing season in Champagne for 60 years was saved by late sunshine. A miraculous vintage? Definitely. A future great? Probably not.
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Pol Roger Brut Vintage 2008 Launch
February 16, 2017
Pol Roger launched their latest release, Brut Vintage 2008 last Thursday at Kensington Palace. Pol are already claiming it to be one of their best ever years and we’re inclined to agree…
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The Key to His/Her Heart? Pink Champagne
February 13, 2017
Valentine’s Day is nearly upon us and Olly Smith recommends The Finest Bubble for pink fizz. Remember – we do Same Day London Delivery, for those averse to pre-planning..
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The Making of Champagne
February 10, 2017
What makes a sparkling wine ‘Champagne’? What goes into the blend and how is it made? What do the different styles mean and why does one taste sweeter than the other? The answers you seek are here.
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Jancis Robinson MW – Krug Grande Cuvée Vertical Tasting
February 9, 2017
Read Jancis Robinson’s write up of our fascinating blind vertical tasting of Krug Grande Cuvée Editions from different base vintages.
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The Last 2002 Prestige Cuvée?
February 7, 2017
Lanson Noble Cuvée Blanc de Blancs 2002 is probably the last prestige cuvée release from the already fabled vintage. Now the 2002’s are all available, read why we think this is one of the best.
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Fourteen Shades of Pink
February 3, 2017
A blind tasting of thirteen Rosé Champagnes and one English Sparkling with FT’s Alice Lascelles, Richard Bampfield MW, Simon Stockton and Frederick’s restaurant manager Matt. Just another Wednesday.
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The Importance of Correct Champagne Storage
January 26, 2017
Correct Champagne storage isn’t just worth the effort – it’s absolutely essential. Follow these key guidelines to ensure your Champagne matures into something magnificent and valuable.
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Louis Jadot 2015 En Primeur Tasting
January 13, 2017
This year TFB went along to the annual Louis Jadot 2015 En Primeur Tasting with one aim, to taste every single wine and then to select those they deemed to be the best in the line up. Read the reviews here.
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Jancis Robinson MW – 2002 champagnes and other fizzes
December 5, 2016
Read Jancis Robinson’s write up of our Prestige Cuvées from 2002 Tasting, in her blog and at FT.com
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Release of Bollinger Grande Année 2007 and Vertical Tasting
December 5, 2016
We were privileged to be among the first people in the UK to taste the 2007 Vintage of Bollinger La Grande Année and what a treat it was too.
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Dom Pérignon Rosé 2005 Launch & Vertical
November 29, 2016
We were invited to the launch of Dom Pérignon Rosé 2005, we were treated a vertical of some other Rosés, read the full article here.
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Krug Grande Cuvée – Editions Explained
November 23, 2016
Krug have announced that from now on each different release of Krug Grande Cuvée NV will be labelled as an edition. Read the article to find out more.
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Julia Harding – Cuvée Winston Churchill 1988 to 2004
October 31, 2016
Read Julia Harding’s article ‘Cuvée Winston Churchill 1988 to 2004’ on The Finest Bubble’s June vertical tasting on Pol Roger’s prestige cuvée
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Prestige Cuvées from 2002 Tasting
October 10, 2016
View the photographs from our recent Champagne tasting ‘Prestige Cuvées from 2002’ hosted by Jancis Robinson MW.
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Ao Yun 2013: China’s First Fine Wine
October 3, 2016
Read the article on China’s first Fine Wine ‘Ao Yun 2013″ backed by LVMH. Vineyards situated in one of the most remote parts of the Shangri-La region.
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2002 Prestige Cuvée Champagne – Pre Tasting with Jancis Robinson MW
September 28, 2016
As our Prestige Cuvées from 2002 Champagne tasting is fast upon us, we tasted a range of 2002’s from both vintage and prestige cuvées with Jancis Robinson MW for a preview.
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Alice Lascelles on English sparkling wine’s new fizz
September 28, 2016
Read Alice Lascelles How To Spend It article on English sparkling wine and it’s development for the future.
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Jefford in Decanter: England’s Marlborough Moment
September 27, 2016
Read Andrew Jefford’s article on English Sparkling wine and what can be expected in the future.
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Anne Krebiehl MW – English Sparkling Wines
September 26, 2016
Anne Krebeihl MW writes for The World of Fine Wine on English Sparkling wines, explaining how producers now have the reserve levels to produce non-vintage wines.
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Champagne: Glossary of Terms
August 20, 2016
Popping a cork has become so synonymous with celebration that the particularly unique vinous qualities of Champagne can be easily overlooked. Here we shed light on the complexities of our favourite effervescent tipple, by defining some of the key terms involved in Champagne and its production.
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Pol Roger Sir Winston Churchill Vertical Tasting
June 30, 2016
Photographs of Pol Roger Sir Winston Churchill Vertical Champagne tasting hosted by James Simpson MW on 29th June 2016 at 67 Pall Mall
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June Champagne Tasting
June 23, 2016
Photographs from our Champagne tasting at Fredericks. Champagne from Bollinger, Charles Heidsieck, Krug, Dom Pérignon, Louis Roederer, Pol Roger and more.
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The Telegraph: Champagne Tasting with The Finest Bubble
June 8, 2016
Victoria Moore writes in The Telegraph explains how The Finest Bubble is continuing to organise Champagne Tastings with extra special vintages
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New release: Krug Clos Du Mesnil 2002
June 7, 2016
Krug Clos Du Mesnil 2002 – a stunning new release. Champagne from the most famous single vineyards in Champagne
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Portfolio June 2016
May 23, 2016
Download or Request our new June 2016 portfolio. With all the Champagne brands we list and interesting articles on different vintages, bottles v magnums and overviews of the different Champagnes, this portfolio is a must have when buying Champagne
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Bottle vs Magnum Champagne Tasting with Essi Avellan MW
May 23, 2016
Read about and view photos of Bottle vs. Magum & Jeroboam Champagne tasting hosted by Essi Avellan on 23rd May 2016
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Clos Lanson – The Secret Walled Vineyard
May 18, 2016
Champagne House Lanson has just announced one of their biggest secrets. Clos Lanson 2006 has been created from a 1-hectare plot in the City of Reims.
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Dom Pérignon: Vintages and History
May 4, 2016
Read an overview of what has lead Dom Perignon to become a global brand, the superb vintages produced and ‘Plenitudes’
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Taittinger Comtes de Champagne Vertical Tasting
April 29, 2016
Read the article and view photos from our Taittinger Comtes de Champagne Vertical Tasting with Philip Tuck MW at Fredericks
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Victoria Moore in the Telegraph – Salon 2004
April 27, 2016
Read Victoria Moore’s Telegraph article on the new release and launch of Salon 2004
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Tasting of Champagne Bollinger Vins Clairs from 2015
April 8, 2016
The Finest Bubble visited Bollinger to taste 2015 Vins Clairs. Is 2015 a potential to rival the fantastic 2002 vintage?
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Alice Lascelles in the FT – The Rise of Vintage Champagne
April 5, 2016
Read Alice Lascelles FT How to Spend It article on the rise of vintage champagne and vertical tastings
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Champagne’s Grand & Premier Cru Vineyards
April 4, 2016
Our summary of Grand & Premier Cru vineyards – why they are important in the production of Champagne
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Jancis Robinson on Krug
March 24, 2016
Read Jancis’ article ‘Krug’s unusual ethos’ – she tells her story of her recent visit to Champagne Krug, tasting the new Krug 2002 and Krug Grande Cuvée.
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February Champagne and Sparkling Tasting
March 2, 2016
Photographs from our Champagne tasting at Fredericks. Champagne from Bollinger, Charles Heidsieck, Krug, Dom Pérignon, Louis Roederer, Pol Roger and more.
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Jancis on English sparkling wines
March 1, 2016
Read Jancis Robinson’s article ‘English bubbles updated’; following a blind tasting with The Finest Bubble Jancis gives her scores and thoughts
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Alice Lascelles in the FT – Krug Vintage 2002 is finally released
February 3, 2016
Read Alice Lascelles FT How to Spend It article on the newly released Krug 2002.
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Jancis Robinson – Krug 2002 arrives at last
January 27, 2016
Read Jancis Robinson’s article ‘Krug 2002 arrives at last’; an article that highlights the significance of this latest Krug vintage release, reviews and scores.
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Louis Roederer Brut Premier – Best Proof of Roederer Expertise
January 11, 2016
The Drinks Business discusses the importance of Brut Premier to Louis Roederer with Jean-Baptiste Lécaillon
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Record Champagne Sales In 2015
January 6, 2016
Reuters have estimated a record breaking 2015 for Champagne sales of around €4.7bn
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Krug 2002: Available from 1st February 2016
January 5, 2016
Krug 2002 – one of the most highly anticipated releases is finally heading it’s way to the market.
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Video of Bottle vs. Magnum & Jeroboam Champagne Tasting
December 3, 2015
The video of Bottle vs. Magum & Jeroboam Champagne tasting hosted by Jancis Robinson MW on 8th October 2015.
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Alice Lascelles in the FT – Five 2006 champagne releases
November 10, 2015
Read Alice Lascelles ‘How To Spend It’ article on the new releases of 2006 champagne, including a magnificent bottle from Pol Roger
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Jancis Robinson – Dom Pérignon Vertical Tasting
November 3, 2015
Read Jancis Robinson’s article ‘Dom Pérignon, Cuvée William Deutz and La Grande Dame’; superbly written with reviews and scores of our Dom Pérignon 2002-2006 vertical tasting
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Olly Smith in the Mail on Sunday
November 2, 2015
Read Olly Smith’s Mail on Sunday article “What difference does a bigger bottle make? I’ll only have the one – but make it a magnum” on TFB’s Bottle vs Magnum tasting
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October Champagne & Sparkling Tasting
October 28, 2015
Our second Finest Bubble tasting at Frederick’s Restaurant in Islington included some spectacular champagnes from Laurent-Perrier, Gosset, Louis Roederer, Charles Heidsieck, Bollinger and Pol Roger.
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Dom Pérignon Vertical Tasting
October 26, 2015
With the recent launch of Dom Pérignon 2006, it is the first time in the brand’s history where it has released five vintages from consecutive years.
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Jancis in the FT: ‘Bottle v Magnum’
October 23, 2015
“The bold theme of comparing magnums and bottles of six of the most luxurious champagnes blind” Read Jancis Robinson’s Financial Times article ‘Bottle v Magnum’
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Bottle vs. Magnum & Jeroboam Champagne Tasting
October 9, 2015
Photographs of Bottle vs. Magum & Jeroboam Champagne tasting hosted by Jancis Robinson MW on 8th October 2015.
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New Investment Opportunities
October 6, 2015
We have recently added some new investment opportunities to the website, click through here for a breakdown of the best of the bunch.
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Video: Bollinger SPECTRE Crystal set 2007
October 2, 2015
Watch the creation of this magnificent Saint Louis Crystal ice bucket made for Champagne Bollinger’s SPECTRE Limited Edition release.
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Champagne Bollinger SPECTRE Limited Editions
October 1, 2015
Bollinger, James Bond’s favourite Champagne, have released several limited edition Champagne’s to coincide with the secret agent’s latest blockbuster; Spectre. Click through for details.
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Tasting: Krug Clos d’Ambonnay 2000
September 30, 2015
Just the fourth vintage from this legendary Grand Cru vineyard, Krug released Clos d’Ambonnay 2000 earlier this month. We tasted it last week at the LVMH offices, read our thoughts here.
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Champagne Investment for Beginners
September 29, 2015
Recent years have seen Champagne drift from party drink to savvy investment. But why is this so, how safe an investment is it and what are the basics to consider when starting out?
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67 Pall Mall: Latest
September 25, 2015
With our Bottle vs. Magnum & Jeroboam event just two weeks away, we visited 67 Pall Mall to see how the final touches are coming along. Pictures and details within.
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Coming Soon: Dom Pérignon 2006
September 24, 2015
Just five months after the 2005 release, we are expecting Dom Pérignon 2006 to be released before the end of 2015 – likely in the next month. What, if anything, do we know about this next vintage DP?
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Simon Stockton Named UK Champagne Ambassador
September 18, 2015
Celebrating the UK Champagne Ambassador 2015 – Simon Stockton. Click through for the full article.
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New Release: Taittinger Comtes de Champagne 2006
September 17, 2015
Taittinger have just released the latest expression of their prestige cuvée: Taittinger Comtes de Champagne 2006 – and what a release it is already proving to be! Read our review here.
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Cristal 2007 & Louis Roederer International Wine Writers’ Awards
September 16, 2015
The Finest Bubble attended the Louis Roederer International Wine Writers’ Awards last night. A great location, celebrating some amazing talent and the new Cristal 2007 to boot. Bravo!
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The Oxford Companion to Wine – New 4th Edition
September 15, 2015
This week sees the release of the fourth edition of The Oxford Companion To Wine. With 300 new entries, covering nearly a decade’s worth of new developments; this is even more in-depth than ever.
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Pol Roger Sir Winston Churchill 2004: Pre-Release Preview
September 3, 2015
We tasted Pol Roger’s newest release Sir Winston Churchill 2004. This marks the 15th release of Pol Roger’s prestige cuvée, an incredibly full-bodied champagne. Read our preview to the official launch.
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Preview for October 8th: Tasting Krug 1998 with Jancis Robinson MW
September 2, 2015
Yesterday we met with Jancis Robinson MW to discuss our upcoming Bottle vs. Magnum event on Oct 8th. We also blind tasted Krug 1998 from bottle and magnum as a preview and filmed the outcome…
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Champagne: We Love It …. And UNESCO Does Too!
August 27, 2015
The Champagne region was recently granted UNESCO World Heritage status. Why? Is Champagne “heritage”? What does this mean for the future? Answers inside.
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Slim Pickings for Champagne in 2015
August 24, 2015
Maximum allowable yields for the 2015 Champagne harvest are the lowest in a decade – but how is the vintage shaping up and what goes into deciding when to start picking?
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Rosé Champagne – Choosing Your Favourite
August 18, 2015
With the popularity of Rosé Champagne on the rise, we turn the spotlight on how it’s made and which one’s taste best…
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Bollinger R.D. 2002 – Second Tranche: New Release
August 10, 2015
Some 12 years on the lees this champagne recently disgorged 2002 is simply stunning; from the outstanding 2002 vintage you get ripe fruit and layers of complexities from its extended lees aging, one of Bollinger’s most promising releases.
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Looking forward to ‘Bottle vs Magnum’ Tasting with Jancis Robinson
July 24, 2015
We asked Jancis Robinson MW some questions with regards to our exciting upcoming event.
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Bollinger La Grande Année 2005: New Release
July 10, 2015
Released this year, Bollinger La Grande Anneé 2005 is truly Bollinger’s own version of the vintage. Find out more here
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Louis Roederer: Reims Visit
July 6, 2015
An experience worthy of sharing, very recently I journeyed to France with Louis Roederer to explore the magnificent vineyards and all things Louis Roederer. Find out more
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June 2015 Portfolio
June 23, 2015
Download or Request our new June 2015 portfolio. With all the Champagne brands we list and interesting articles on different vintages, bottles v magnums and overviews of the different Champagnes, this portfolio is a must have when buying Champagne
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Pol Roger Blanc de Blancs 2008: New Release
June 22, 2015
Pol Roger’s new release of 2008 Blanc de Blancs is the ‘best ever’ according to the managing director of Pol Roger UK. Find out more here
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Bollinger – Newly Listed
June 15, 2015
Bollinger with it’s large reputation and excellent champagnes once again provides us with a wonderful new brand to list. In line with the release of their R.D 2002, we’ve had nothing but praise for this new champagne
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Charles Heidsieck – Newly Listed
June 11, 2015
After endless tastings of Charles Heidsieck, it’s prowess and elegancy decided for us we needed to list it. Discover why we have started listing them
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Champagne: From Terroir to Wine
June 10, 2015
Interested in Champagne – Find out more about the processes behind Champagne making in this comprehensive but easy reading article
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Dom Pérignon – Les 3 Étages: Review
May 12, 2015
On Friday night, we attended Les 3 Étages: a unique experience of Dom Pérignon – and tasted the newly launched 2005 vintage, P2 1998, P3 1971 (and an extra special surprise Champagne!)
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New Release – Tasting Dom Pérignon 2005
May 7, 2015
We tasted the new Dom Pérignon 2005 alongside the previous vintage, 2004. Richard Geoffroy and his team have produced something spectacular, and from a tough vintage.
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Bottle vs Magnum: Is Bigger Really Better?
April 30, 2015
A tasting last October shocked us so much, we are running our own tasting and taking the concept even further. But why do magnums taste so much more youthful?
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Shipwrecked Champagne & the Future of Storage
April 22, 2015
Research on 170-year-old shipwrecked Champagne reveals some interesting facts about nineteenth-century winemaking and the potential future of marine cellarage.
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Dom Pérignon Rosé 2004 – First Taste!
April 21, 2015
Read what we think of Dom Pérignon’s latest release, the Rosé 2004. “All the richness of fruit that is so typical of the 2004 Blanc and the Rosé offers even more…”
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Which Glass When?
April 20, 2015
New research from Japan helps explain why the flavour of a wine is so affected by the shape of the glass you’re drinking it from.
We apply this to Champagne. -
Dom Pérignon – Les 3 Étages
April 15, 2015
Les 3 Étages: a unique experience of Dom Pérignon. Hosted over three floors, each representing a different Plénitude, this exclusive event offers guests the opportunity to taste Vintage 2005, P2 1998 and P3 1971.
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April Market Report – Champagne Regains Fizz
April 10, 2015
As the days grow longer and the evenings warmer, buyers begin to turn their attention to Champagne. Pol Roger Sir Winston Churchill was the biggest mover in March.
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Champagne & Caviar
April 9, 2015
Nothing beats the winning pairing of Champagne and Caviar to wow guests, entertain friends or simply to treat yourself! And we have a few favourites of both…
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Champagne Tasting: Wed 17th June 2015
March 27, 2015
Our first Champagne Tasting of 2015 will be an informal walk-around event at Frederick’s, Islington on Wednesday 17th June – tasting Louis Roederer, Krug, Pol Roger & more!
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Wine Duty Frozen – A Cold Move?
March 20, 2015
Some good news, some mild news and some irrelevant news – the chancellor announces the 2015 Budget, with alcohol duty a focus.
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Champagne Bureau Annual Tasting 2015
March 13, 2015
With 786 guests, 5,000 glasses used and 3,000 bottles opened, this was the largest Champagne tasting in Europe. Read our thoughts on the Champagnes presented.
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Investment – Spotlight on: POP Scores
March 10, 2015
An in-depth look at POP scores, a measurement of investment value. Should we trust them and can they be more representative?
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Champagne in the Cotswolds
March 3, 2015
The Finest Bubble team headed northwest to the beautiful Cotswolds…and tasted something very special.
Okay, two things.
Fine, three. -
Dom Pérignon 2005 – Coming Soon
February 27, 2015
The next vintage of Dom Pérignon is almost here – but what do we know about the 2005 already?
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TFB Launch Night – Part 4
December 26, 2014
Richard discusses the origins of rosé Champagne, tastes the Veuve Clicquot La Grande Dame Rosé 1998 and shares an interesting thought on the future of rosé.
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TFB Launch Night – Part 3
December 19, 2014
In this third instalment, Richard shares an interesting tasting note from Dom Pérignon, tastes Krug 1998 and tells us what his favourite Krug is.
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TFB Launch Night – A Review
December 15, 2014
“Champagnes …. each and every one is different and totally worth encountering.”
A prodigious review of the evening by one of our guests. -
TFB Launch Night – Part 2
December 12, 2014
In the second part of our launch night video, Richard compares the original release Dom Pérignon 1998, with the second release, Dom Pérignon P2 1998 (launched in 2014).
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TFB Launch Night – Part 1
December 5, 2014
Our launch night was a huge success and took place at Moët Hennessy’s London office. Here is Part 1 of our video coverage, featuring Dom Ruinart Blanc de Blancs 1998 from magnum.
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Dom Pérignon Rosé Jewel Edition 2002
October 10, 2014
Legendary British jeweller, Stephen Webster, explains the motivation behind the limited edition Dom Pérignon Rosé Jewel Edition 2002.
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A Trip to Dom Pérignon, Hautvillers
October 31, 2013
From Islington to Champagne. Visiting Hautvillers Abbey and tasting Oenothèque in the historical and spiritual home of Dom Pérignon.