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.
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.
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.
Introducing only the sixth release of Charles Heidsieck Blanc des Millenaires Blanc de Blancs since 1983, 2006 is the latest release.
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.
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 […]
Taittinger’s UK venture has taken another giant leap, as they have secured planning permission for their new winery for Domaine Evremond.
Tasting the New Bollinger PN VZ15 in the Jancis Robinson ‘The Wine Glass’ and Lehmann Grand Champagne.
Released on 21st July 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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
“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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
See the photographs from the 18th September 2019 Champagne and English Sparkling Wine Range tasting at Frederick’s.
“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.
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!
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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?
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
“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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
“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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
“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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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?
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
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.
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!
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.
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.
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.
“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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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?
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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?
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?
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.
“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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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?
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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?
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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?
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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…
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.
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!
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?
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.
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.
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.
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?
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
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.
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.”
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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?
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!
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.
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.
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.
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!
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.
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.
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.
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.
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…
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
Sir Winston Churchill’s relationship with Pol Roger dates back to 1945 when a friendship began between Churchill and Odette Pol-Roger..
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..
Following The Champagne & Sparkling Wine World Championships awards dinner on 14th September, we know now the winners of the prestigious trophies for each category.
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.
The Decanter Retailer of the Year awards 2017. The Finest Bubble was entered into the ‘Champagne Specialist’ Category. Find out how we did here.
Read Jancis Robinson’s article what has changed in the champagne non vintage category and the relationship between the house and the consumer.
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.
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.
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.
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!
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Photographs from our Champagne tasting at Fredericks. Champagne from Bollinger, Charles Heidsieck, Krug, Dom Pérignon, Louis Roederer, Pol Roger and more
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.
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”.
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!
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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?
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.
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…
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!!
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.
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.
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.
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…
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.
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.
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!
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…
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…
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?!
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…
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.
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.
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’?!
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?
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.
“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.
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…
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..
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.
Read Jancis Robinson’s write up of our fascinating blind vertical tasting of Krug Grande Cuvée Editions from different base vintages.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Read Jancis Robinson’s write up of our Prestige Cuvées from 2002 Tasting, in her blog and at FT.com
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.
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.
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.
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
View the photographs from our recent Champagne tasting ‘Prestige Cuvées from 2002’ hosted by Jancis Robinson MW.
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.
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.
Read Alice Lascelles How To Spend It article on English sparkling wine and it’s development for the future.
Read Andrew Jefford’s article on English Sparkling wine and what can be expected in the future.
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.
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.
Photographs of Pol Roger Sir Winston Churchill Vertical Champagne tasting hosted by James Simpson MW on 29th June 2016 at 67 Pall Mall
Photographs from our Champagne tasting at Fredericks. Champagne from Bollinger, Charles Heidsieck, Krug, Dom Pérignon, Louis Roederer, Pol Roger and more.
Victoria Moore writes in The Telegraph explains how The Finest Bubble is continuing to organise Champagne Tastings with extra special vintages
Krug Clos Du Mesnil 2002 – a stunning new release. Champagne from the most famous single vineyards in Champagne
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
Read about and view photos of Bottle vs. Magum & Jeroboam Champagne tasting hosted by Essi Avellan on 23rd May 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.
Read an overview of what has lead Dom Perignon to become a global brand, the superb vintages produced and ‘Plenitudes’
Read the article and view photos from our Taittinger Comtes de Champagne Vertical Tasting with Philip Tuck MW at Fredericks
Read Victoria Moore’s Telegraph article on the new release and launch of Salon 2004
The Finest Bubble visited Bollinger to taste 2015 Vins Clairs. Is 2015 a potential to rival the fantastic 2002 vintage?
Read Alice Lascelles FT How to Spend It article on the rise of vintage champagne and vertical tastings
Our summary of Grand & Premier Cru vineyards – why they are important in the production of Champagne
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.
Photographs from our Champagne tasting at Fredericks. Champagne from Bollinger, Charles Heidsieck, Krug, Dom Pérignon, Louis Roederer, Pol Roger and more.
Read Jancis Robinson’s article ‘English bubbles updated’; following a blind tasting with The Finest Bubble Jancis gives her scores and thoughts
Read Alice Lascelles FT How to Spend It article on the newly released Krug 2002.
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.
The Drinks Business discusses the importance of Brut Premier to Louis Roederer with Jean-Baptiste Lécaillon
Reuters have estimated a record breaking 2015 for Champagne sales of around €4.7bn
Krug 2002 – one of the most highly anticipated releases is finally heading it’s way to the market.
The video of Bottle vs. Magum & Jeroboam Champagne tasting hosted by Jancis Robinson MW on 8th October 2015.
Read Alice Lascelles ‘How To Spend It’ article on the new releases of 2006 champagne, including a magnificent bottle from Pol Roger
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
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
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.
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.
“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’
Photographs of Bottle vs. Magum & Jeroboam Champagne tasting hosted by Jancis Robinson MW on 8th October 2015.
We have recently added some new investment opportunities to the website, click through here for a breakdown of the best of the bunch.
Watch the creation of this magnificent Saint Louis Crystal ice bucket made for Champagne Bollinger’s SPECTRE Limited Edition release.
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.
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.
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?
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.
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?
Celebrating the UK Champagne Ambassador 2015 – Simon Stockton. Click through for the full article.
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.
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!
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.
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.
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…
The Champagne region was recently granted UNESCO World Heritage status. Why? Is Champagne “heritage”? What does this mean for the future? Answers inside.
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?
With the popularity of Rosé Champagne on the rise, we turn the spotlight on how it’s made and which one’s taste best…
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.
We asked Jancis Robinson MW some questions with regards to our exciting upcoming event.
Released this year, Bollinger La Grande Anneé 2005 is truly Bollinger’s own version of the vintage. Find out more here
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
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
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
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
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
Interested in Champagne – Find out more about the processes behind Champagne making in this comprehensive but easy reading article
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!)
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.
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?
Research on 170-year-old shipwrecked Champagne reveals some interesting facts about nineteenth-century winemaking and the potential future of marine cellarage.
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…”
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.
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.
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.
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…
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!
Some good news, some mild news and some irrelevant news – the chancellor announces the 2015 Budget, with alcohol duty a focus.
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.
An in-depth look at POP scores, a measurement of investment value. Should we trust them and can they be more representative?
The Finest Bubble team headed northwest to the beautiful Cotswolds…and tasted something very special.
Okay, two things.
Fine, three.
The next vintage of Dom Pérignon is almost here – but what do we know about the 2005 already?
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.
In this third instalment, Richard shares an interesting tasting note from Dom Pérignon, tastes Krug 1998 and tells us what his favourite Krug is.
“Champagnes …. each and every one is different and totally worth encountering.”
A prodigious review of the evening by one of our guests.
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).
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.
Legendary British jeweller, Stephen Webster, explains the motivation behind the limited edition Dom Pérignon Rosé Jewel Edition 2002.
From Islington to Champagne. Visiting Hautvillers Abbey and tasting Oenothèque in the historical and spiritual home of Dom Pérignon.
