These bottles were all drunk on the trip. Some great discoveries here – these are all from smaller growers. Champagne Emmanuel Brochet Le Mont Benoit Extra Brut NV France Emmanuel…
Grower Champagne: Marie Noelle Ledru Grand Cru 2009
I found this on the list at La Maison du Columbier in Beaune the other night. It was beautiful. This place has the most amazing wine list: it’s so good…
Grower Champagne: Vouette & Sorbée Brut Nature Fidèle NV
Champagne Vouette et Sorbée is one of the star growers in the Aube, in the south of the Champagne region. Bernard Gautherot was persuaded to begin making his own wines…
Grower Champagne: Egly-Ouriet Brut Tradition Grand Cru NV
Back in the day, when I was just getting into wine, the first ‘grower’ Champagne I encountered was Egly-Ouriet. This was in the mid-1990s, when grower Champagne wasn’t much of…
In Champagne, day 3 (part 2): De Sousa and Pierre Paillard
De Sousa is a small Champagne house with a Portuguese name. It’s run by Erick and Michelle Se Sousa, and was established by Erick’s father and mother in the 1950s….
In Champagne, day 3 (part 1): Pierre Peters and Ulysse Collin
Day three began with a brilliant visit with the engaging, smart Rodolphe Péters (above) of Champagne Pierre Peters. He explained that there are three critical elements for him in making…
Grower Champagne focus: the remarkable Gimonnet Oenophile 2005
I’m quite a Gimonnet fan, so I was delighted to find this in a wine shop in Reims at a sensible price. It’s just beautiful. 2005 isn’t the best ever…
Grower Champagne focus: Gimonnet Cuvée Fleuron 1er Cru Blanc de Blancs 2006
Had this at lunch on Thursday at the excellent Prospect restaurant in San Francisco, where sommelier Josh Thomas has put together a stunning and well priced list of fizz. I’m…
Christmas Grower Champagne: Legras Presidence 2007, Savart L’Ouverture and Selosse Initial
Three Christmas grower Champagnes. Quite lovely. Champagne R&L Legras Présidence Vieilles Vignes Brut Grand Cru Chouilly 2007 France Low dosage of 5 g/l, Blanc de Blancs. Very stylish, fresh, lemony…