2008 is looking like a very good vintage in Champagne. The summer was a cool one, and the season was saved by beautiful sunny days just before and during harvest….
Champagne Marie-Noëlle Ledru Grand Cru NV
This is one of the cult grower Champagne producers. Marie-Noëlle Ledru took over her 6 hectare family domain in 1984. It’s based in Ambonnay, and all the wines are hand-riddled, hand-disgorged…
Champagne Veuve Clicquot La Grande Dame 2006
Just released: the new vintage of Veuve Clicquot’s flagship Champagne, La Grande Dame. It’s the 2006, and this year it is 53% Pinot Noir (Grand Cru: Ay, Bouzy, Ambonnay, Verzy…
English sparkling wine versus Champagne – the Noble Rot tasting – my results
I mentioned a while back that I’d taken part in a tasting of English sparkling wine versus Champagne. Organized by counter-culture wine publication Noble Rot, it pitted a carefully selected…
Champagne Dom Pérignon 2006
New release of a classic. And it’s lovely. A really good vintage for Dom P. [Aside, I never realized before that Dom stood for Dominus, and was a title for…
Champagne Vilmart et Cie Grand Cellier d’Or Premier Cru 2010
I recently reviewed Vilmat’s Grand Cellier NV Cuvee, and really liked it. Now it’s the turn of its elder sibling, the Grand Cellier D’Or 2010. This is a remarkable wine…
Champagne Agrapart Avizoise Extra Brut Grand Cru 2008
Enjoyed this last night at The Glue Pot in Reims, which has a lovely list of grower Champagnes and craft beers. This was 94 Euros on the list. It’s really…
Champagne Gimonnet Blanc de Blancs Cuvee Cuis 1er Cru NV
I love this Champagne. It’s one I’ve enjoyed before, and so it was nice that it was the first one to be shown on this trip, in a small tasting…
Champagne Taittinger Prélude Grands Crus NV
Taittinger make some very nice wines. I’ve particularly enjoyed their NV of late, which always shows well in blind tastings. They have a sizeable vineyard holding of 288 hectares, which helps…