Champagne Blend
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Champagne Mailly,
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Sourced from the prestigious Grand Cru village of Mailly, located at the heart of the Montagne de Reims, and benefiting from over three years’ ageing, our non-vintage United Kingdom Cuvée is a classic blend of 75 percent Pinot Noir and 25 percent Chardonnay.
All the hallmarks of Grand Cru are here, with brioche and flowers on the nose and an elegant palate which marries notes of lemon grass, gingerbread and honeysuckle. The wine effortlessly combines structure and finesse, and reverberates with a really authoritative Grand Cru crescendo on the finish.
All the hallmarks of Grand Cru are here, with brioche and flowers on the nose and an elegant palate which marries notes of lemon grass, gingerbread and honeysuckle. The wine effortlessly combines structure and finesse, and reverberates with a really authoritative Grand Cru crescendo on the finish.
Gusbourne Estate,
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Bottles of this product are discounted by 30%. Price shown includes saving.
Pale lemon in colour with fine streams of bubbles, the palate is characterised by green apple freshness with bright acidity and citrus fruit. Hints of lemon zest and hazelnut complexity are enhanced by a finely textured mousse and long, refreshing finish.
Pale lemon in colour with fine streams of bubbles, the palate is characterised by green apple freshness with bright acidity and citrus fruit. Hints of lemon zest and hazelnut complexity are enhanced by a finely textured mousse and long, refreshing finish.
Anthonij Rupert,
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Aromas of roasted hazelnuts and citrus fruit are evident on the nose and continue on the palate. The mousse is integrated and finely-textured adding vibrancy to the fresh fruit character, biscuit complexity and bright acidity. Long and cleanly dry on the finish, Perfect for drinking now.
Katherine Dart, MW, Wine Buyer
Katherine Dart, MW, Wine Buyer
Bollinger,
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Bottles of this product are discounted by 20%. Price shown includes saving.
This highly polished rosé combines notes of plum, patisserie, cinnamon and spice. With structure and weight and harmony of vibrant flavours right across the palate, this is a delicious accompaniment that can match a variety of dishes.
Bollinger is famed for its rich and savoury style of wines, dominated by Pinot Noir and underwritten by oak fermentation and extensive lees maturation. It seemed only a matter of time before the release of a non-vintage rosé and this wine has been well worth the wait.
This highly polished rosé combines notes of plum, patisserie, cinnamon and spice. With structure and weight and harmony of vibrant flavours right across the palate, this is a delicious accompaniment that can match a variety of dishes.
Bollinger is famed for its rich and savoury style of wines, dominated by Pinot Noir and underwritten by oak fermentation and extensive lees maturation. It seemed only a matter of time before the release of a non-vintage rosé and this wine has been well worth the wait.
Bollinger,
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Bollinger was established in 1829 by Jacques Bollinger and Paul Renaudin. The House has a reputation for producing muscular Champagnes with body, depth and power; these are classic, complex, Pinot-Noir dominated Champagnes with the ability to age gracefully for many years.
A blend par excellence; Special Cuvée is the purest expression of Bollinger's house style. Its biscuity nose is endowed with hints of white fruit and the rich, full-bodied palate is perfectly balanced by fresh acidity and a soft, delicate mousse. A stylish Champagne that is ideal to drink now or in the next two or three year.
A blend par excellence; Special Cuvée is the purest expression of Bollinger's house style. Its biscuity nose is endowed with hints of white fruit and the rich, full-bodied palate is perfectly balanced by fresh acidity and a soft, delicate mousse. A stylish Champagne that is ideal to drink now or in the next two or three year.
Hambledon Vineyard,
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Our English Sparkling Wine is made for us by Hambledon Vineyard in Hampshire. It is bright and enticing from the outset, with a fine mousse that brings added vibrancy to the crunchy acidity and pithy, chalky citrus fruit. Hints of toasted nuts and brioche add complexity to the nose and palate. The finish is scented and long, with a touch of creaminess. Perfect served chilled as an apéritif.
Davy Zyw, Buyer (July 2019)
Davy Zyw, Buyer (July 2019)
Hambledon Vineyard,
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Lucid and fresh, the nose is full of lifted rose aromas, cranberries and wild strawberries. The palate offers notes of forest fruit, chalky salinity, blackcurrant leaf and raspberry tartlets. Made with mainly Chardonnay, 12% Pinot Noir gives this wine its elegant pink hue and vivid red-fruit character. The finish is perfumed and long, with crunchy redcurrant notes.
Davy yw, Wine Buyer, Berry Bros. & Rudd
Davy yw, Wine Buyer, Berry Bros. & Rudd
Hambledon Vineyard,
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Hambledon Vineyard has a long and fascinating history. Not only does the village have the reputation as the cradle of cricket, long before Lord’s it seems, but it is also the location of the first English commercial vineyard, courtesy of the Francophile Sir Guy Salisbury Jones, who developed the vineyards in the early 1950s. After an uneventful hiatus the vineyard was purchased by Ian Kellett in 1999 and his investments of both patience and capital are now yielding fruit, quite literally, in the form of some of the best located Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier grapes in the country.
Fruits of the 2011 harvest, with reserve sines added from 2010, this is a most impressive effort, its lees-ageing imparting gentle biscuity notes and adding weight and structure to the first impressions, which recall English orchard fruit, yellow fruits and quince.
Fruits of the 2011 harvest, with reserve sines added from 2010, this is a most impressive effort, its lees-ageing imparting gentle biscuity notes and adding weight and structure to the first impressions, which recall English orchard fruit, yellow fruits and quince.
Nyetimber Vineyard,
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For over 25 years Nyetimber has had a single aim: to make the finest English sparkling wine, one to rival the very best in the world, including Champagne. A true pioneer, Nyetimber was the first producer of English sparkling wine to exclusively grow the three celebrated grape varieties: Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay. Each bottle of Nyetimber is made from 100 percent estate-grown grapes.
This sparkling wine has a fine mousse that enhances the toasty, almond and honey notes. The acidity is poised and provides the perfect foil to the baked apple and spice on the palate. Perfect served chilled as an apéritif, but also good with lighter starters, shellfish or poultry.
This sparkling wine has a fine mousse that enhances the toasty, almond and honey notes. The acidity is poised and provides the perfect foil to the baked apple and spice on the palate. Perfect served chilled as an apéritif, but also good with lighter starters, shellfish or poultry.
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The Champagne grower-producer Gaston Chiquet has made a name for itself as one of the best. In a region with thousands of small producers, it is a credit to owners Antoine and Nicolas Chiquet. Based in the evocatively named Dizy, the family first planted vines in 1746 but did not produce Champagne until 1935, when brothers Ferdinand and Gaston Chiquet took the bold step of setting up their own label, rather than merely selling grapes to the larger houses. Today they produce 15,000 cases a year.
A blend of 30 percent Chardonnay, 40 percent Pinot Meunier and 30 percent Pinot Noir, this has nine grams per litre dosage. The nose has pure, red-berry aromatics of strawberries, raspberries and hints of pink grapefruit. The palate is vibrant with an attractive weight from the dosage.
The NV Brut Rose Premier Cru is a beautifully poised, centered wine. Predominantly Pinot Noir, the Rose impresses for its breadth and rich, voluminous personality. Hints of crushed flowers, Rose petals and sweet red berries linger on the refined, polished finish. The Rose is 40% Pinot Meunier, 30% Pinot Noir and 30% Chardonnay, including 18% still red Pinot.
Drink: 2012-2016.
Antonio Galloni - Wine Advocate - eRobertParker.com - Nov 2012
A blend of 30 percent Chardonnay, 40 percent Pinot Meunier and 30 percent Pinot Noir, this has nine grams per litre dosage. The nose has pure, red-berry aromatics of strawberries, raspberries and hints of pink grapefruit. The palate is vibrant with an attractive weight from the dosage.
The NV Brut Rose Premier Cru is a beautifully poised, centered wine. Predominantly Pinot Noir, the Rose impresses for its breadth and rich, voluminous personality. Hints of crushed flowers, Rose petals and sweet red berries linger on the refined, polished finish. The Rose is 40% Pinot Meunier, 30% Pinot Noir and 30% Chardonnay, including 18% still red Pinot.
Drink: 2012-2016.
Antonio Galloni - Wine Advocate - eRobertParker.com - Nov 2012
Hambledon Vineyard,
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Hambledon Vineyard has a long and fascinating history. Not only does the village have the reputation as the cradle of cricket, long before Lord’s it seems, but it is also the location of the first English commercial vineyard, courtesy of the Francophile Sir Guy Salisbury Jones, who developed the vineyards in the early 1950s. After an uneventful hiatus the vineyard was purchased by Ian Kellett in 1999 and his investments of both patience and capital are now yielding fruit, quite literally, in the form of some of the best located Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier grapes in the country.
A beautiful vivid pink with a bright red berry hue, it displays an array of wild strawberry aromas on the nose that lead to a generous, complex palate of buttered toast, ripe lemon and juicy hedgerow fruit.
Presented in a gift box, this pack contains one bottle of the following:
- Hambledon, Classic Cuvée Rosé, Sparkling
Presented in a gift box
A beautiful vivid pink with a bright red berry hue, it displays an array of wild strawberry aromas on the nose that lead to a generous, complex palate of buttered toast, ripe lemon and juicy hedgerow fruit.
Presented in a gift box, this pack contains one bottle of the following:
- Hambledon, Classic Cuvée Rosé, Sparkling
Presented in a gift box
Champagne Marguet,
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The enthusiastically engaging Benoît Marguet-Bonnerave, the fifth generation in the family, is at the helm of Marguet. Benoît has coverted the vineyards (in two villages, Ambonnay and Bouzy, both Grand Cru) to biodynamic farming since 2009 and uses extremely low quantities of sulphites in the winemaking. He has been particularly successful with his rosé, made from Chardonnay and Pinot Noir by the saignée method.
Who better than Benoît Marguet, doyen of Ambonnay, to complete our UKC Grand Cru trilogy? Sourced from the finest Grand Cru villages, this is perfectly balanced and richly structured. It is an exuberant and beautifully fragrant wine, with red berries and other summer fruits dancing harmoniously on the palate.
Who better than Benoît Marguet, doyen of Ambonnay, to complete our UKC Grand Cru trilogy? Sourced from the finest Grand Cru villages, this is perfectly balanced and richly structured. It is an exuberant and beautifully fragrant wine, with red berries and other summer fruits dancing harmoniously on the palate.
Champagne Mailly,
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The glorious summer of 2009 was particularly good for Mailly's Grand Cru Pinot Noir grapes, a high percentage of which are used in its vintage blends. The resulting wine is ripe, rounded and opulent with aromas of nectarine, pear, white blossom and biscuit. The palate is rich and textural with red apple, peach and a delicate honeyed note on the finish, which will develop beautifully with time.
Davy Zyw - Wine Buyer
Davy Zyw - Wine Buyer
Champagne Billecart-Salmon,
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Billecart-Salmon is one of the few remaining Champagne houses to be owned by the original family and was established in 1818 by Nicolas-François Billecart. Most of Billecart-Salmon's fruit comes from a small vineyard holding, though this is supplemented with grapes bought in from the Marne Valley and the Montagne de Reims. Meticulous production techniques, from the use of their own cultured yeast to its long, slow, cool fermentation, ensure that the family has 100 percent control of production.
This is without doubt one of the finest, yet least known, Grande Marque Champagnes, made with mainly Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier. This Champagne is lively, elegantly textured and fresh, with a very long finish.
This is without doubt one of the finest, yet least known, Grande Marque Champagnes, made with mainly Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier. This Champagne is lively, elegantly textured and fresh, with a very long finish.
Louis Roederer,
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Louis Roederer, a wonderful family-owned Champagne House founded in 1776, has a tremendous reputation for quality. It has remained an independent, family-owned company and is now managed by Frédéric Rouzaud, who represents the seventh generation of the lineage. Eighty percent of the firm's needs are supplied by their own, magnificent, 444 acres of vineyard holdings.
This wine is without doubt one of the very top non-vintage Champagnes. Its elegant complexities come from the barrel-ageing of a high proportion of the blend, together with at least four years' maturation in bottle before disgorging.
The quintessence of the House style, Brut Premier offers quality and glamour as well as excellent value. A structured, elegant wine, it is deliciously creamy with almond and toast characteristics alongside the complexity and roundness that are the hallmarks of this House.
This wine is without doubt one of the very top non-vintage Champagnes. Its elegant complexities come from the barrel-ageing of a high proportion of the blend, together with at least four years' maturation in bottle before disgorging.
The quintessence of the House style, Brut Premier offers quality and glamour as well as excellent value. A structured, elegant wine, it is deliciously creamy with almond and toast characteristics alongside the complexity and roundness that are the hallmarks of this House.
Hambledon Vineyard,
Drink now,
Hambledon Vineyard has a long and fascinating history. Not only does the village have the reputation as the cradle of cricket, long before Lord’s it seems, but it is also the location of the first English commercial vineyard, courtesy of the Francophile Sir Guy Salisbury Jones, who developed the vineyards in the early 1950s. After an uneventful hiatus the vineyard was purchased by Ian Kellett in 1999 and his investments of both patience and capital are now yielding fruit, quite literally, in the form of some of the best located Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier grapes in the country.
A standard-bearer for the quality that England can achieve, this is a very assured wine, with a firm acidic spine, but also complexity and detail. Great focus and precision.
A standard-bearer for the quality that England can achieve, this is a very assured wine, with a firm acidic spine, but also complexity and detail. Great focus and precision.
Champagne Ruinart,
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Ruinart is a low-profile, yet select, Champagne house which is steeped in history. It was founded in 1729 by Nicolas Ruinart in the city of Reims, the year after a Royal Decree in 1728, whereby Louis XV gave his consent for sparkling wines to be shipped in baskets containing 50 to 100 bottles. This opened the gates of Europe to Champagne and thus makes Ruinart the oldest Champagne House.
Made from 40 percent Chardonnay and 60 percent Pinot Noir, R de Ruinart makes use of 40 percent reserve wine and is aged on its lees for three years. The wine is elegant with floral notes to the fore and hints of white peach and acacia on the palate. An excellent apéritif wine, this is a splendid introduction to the delights from this most ancient of Champagne Houses.
Made from 40 percent Chardonnay and 60 percent Pinot Noir, R de Ruinart makes use of 40 percent reserve wine and is aged on its lees for three years. The wine is elegant with floral notes to the fore and hints of white peach and acacia on the palate. An excellent apéritif wine, this is a splendid introduction to the delights from this most ancient of Champagne Houses.
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Leclerc Briant’s flagship wine is a true showcase of the House’s style. The blend (40% Pinot Noir, 40% Pinot Meunier and 20% Chardonnay) is sourced from organic and biodynamic vineyards across the Vallée de la Marne, Montagne de Reims and Côte des Blancs. A portion of the blend (20%) is fermented in used oak barrels, and the wine is aged on lees for at least two years, giving it a creamy complexity. The nose offers notes of candied citrus, green apple, apricot and almond, while the palate is electric in its freshness and salinity, driving on to a chalky, mineral finish.
Davy Zyw, Wine Buyer (winter 2018)
Davy Zyw, Wine Buyer (winter 2018)
Ready, but will keep,
Bottles of this product are discounted by 20%. Price shown includes saving.
Lemon gold appearance with a delicate creamy mousse. The nose is rich and complex showing soft floral tones with citrus and orchard fruit entwined with hints of vanilla and hazelnut. The palate is fresh with an abundance of lemon and apple, a rich nuttiness with a hint of salinity balanced with inviting acidity and a rounded smooth finish. A delicious wine which will develop beautifully over time.
Champagne Gosset is the oldest wine producer in Champagne, dating back to 1584. Situated in the tiny Grand Cru village of Aÿ, 5km from Epernay, Gosset has some rather famous neighbours, including Bollinger. Gosset’s blends come from some of the best villages across the Marne Valley encompassing both Grand and Premier Crus. It may not be the most famous of the Grande Marques simply because they don’t produce vast quantities, making only 1.3 million bottles a year, yet the quality of production here is at a very high level.
With this small production, Gosset concentrates on the quality of its wines rather than the quantity. One of the distinguishing characteristics of the Gosset style comes from their decision to create most of their cuvées without the use of malolactic fermentation; this preserves the purity of the fruit in the wine. This is evident in the 2006 Gosset Grand Millésime. Having spent eight years maturing in the darkness of the Champagne Gosset cellars in Epernay, this 56 % Pinot Noir and 44 % Chardonnay wine is an excellent expression of the 2006 harvest (disgorged in spring 2015). With a “low dosage” and no malolactic fermentation this is a very precise Champagne, with a move away from the brioche, toast notes one often
*This offer is available until 31st December.
Lemon gold appearance with a delicate creamy mousse. The nose is rich and complex showing soft floral tones with citrus and orchard fruit entwined with hints of vanilla and hazelnut. The palate is fresh with an abundance of lemon and apple, a rich nuttiness with a hint of salinity balanced with inviting acidity and a rounded smooth finish. A delicious wine which will develop beautifully over time.
Champagne Gosset is the oldest wine producer in Champagne, dating back to 1584. Situated in the tiny Grand Cru village of Aÿ, 5km from Epernay, Gosset has some rather famous neighbours, including Bollinger. Gosset’s blends come from some of the best villages across the Marne Valley encompassing both Grand and Premier Crus. It may not be the most famous of the Grande Marques simply because they don’t produce vast quantities, making only 1.3 million bottles a year, yet the quality of production here is at a very high level.
With this small production, Gosset concentrates on the quality of its wines rather than the quantity. One of the distinguishing characteristics of the Gosset style comes from their decision to create most of their cuvées without the use of malolactic fermentation; this preserves the purity of the fruit in the wine. This is evident in the 2006 Gosset Grand Millésime. Having spent eight years maturing in the darkness of the Champagne Gosset cellars in Epernay, this 56 % Pinot Noir and 44 % Chardonnay wine is an excellent expression of the 2006 harvest (disgorged in spring 2015). With a “low dosage” and no malolactic fermentation this is a very precise Champagne, with a move away from the brioche, toast notes one often
*This offer is available until 31st December.
Jacquesson,
Ready, but will keep,
Cuvée 742 is based on the 2014 vintage – a varied year in Champagne that required meticulous selection. The Chiquet brothers are constantly fine-tuning, and this year saw the wine aged on lees under cork rather than crown cap, and two months further ageing in oak. The result is even more complex than previous releases. Full of orchard fruit and cinnamon, tarte tatin, Chantilly cream, white blossom and savoury depths – this elegant wine has the texture of pure silk. Intelligent, supple and full of energy. Drink now to 2029.
Davy Zyw, Buyer (November 2019)
Davy Zyw, Buyer (November 2019)
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A blend of 95% Chardonnay with 5% Pinot Noir, this rosé Champagne is a shimmering pale pink colour. The nose is a wash of raspberry, wild strawberries, pink grapefruit and acacia, with a hint of aniseed and mint. With time, the wine reveals aromas of blackcurrant, peach skin, fresh almond, passion fruit, chalk and a heady scent of roses. On the palate, it is supple and fresh with a soft and creamy effervescence followed by a fleshy fruitiness supported by a citrus backbone. Chalky minerality lends breadth to this long and saline wine. A juicy fruity sensation, and a hint of salt, set in an ever-changing whirl of freshness.
Davy Zyw, Wine Buyer (winter 2018)
Davy Zyw, Wine Buyer (winter 2018)
Champagne Moet & Chandon,
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Sensual, direct and rewarding: the Impérial Rosé is a benchmark style from the largest and most famous House in Champagne. Pinots Noir and Meunier dominate the blend, with 10% of the former added as red wine to give the wine its vibrant pink hue and berry-scented character. Chardonnay completes the final blend, giving freshness and minerality. The style is heady, immediately enjoyable and full of charm, with notes of forest fruit and strawberry shortcake. Drink now.
Davy Zyw, Buyer (summer 2019)
Davy Zyw, Buyer (summer 2019)
Drink now,
Gosset is the oldest known producer of wine in Champagne, its origins going back to 1584. Situated in the tiny Grand Cru village of Aÿ, 5km from Epernay, Gosset has some rather famous neighbours, including Bollinger. Production, however, is much below that of the larger houses, at around 1.3 million bottles, where as Moët & Chandon are nearing 30 million. With this small production, Gosset concentrates on the quality of its wines rather than the quantity.
I used to find the style of Gosset’s Rosé a little ponderous, sometimes almost oxidised. How all that has changed; the wine is now wonderfully clean, with flavours of rosehip, redcurrant and peach, wonderful aromatics and impeccable length. The archetype of great rosé Champagne.
I used to find the style of Gosset’s Rosé a little ponderous, sometimes almost oxidised. How all that has changed; the wine is now wonderfully clean, with flavours of rosehip, redcurrant and peach, wonderful aromatics and impeccable length. The archetype of great rosé Champagne.
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Leclerc Briant creates wines which are captivatingly energetic and terroir-driven. The 2010 Extra Brut is a blend of 40% Pinot Noir, 40% Chardonnay and 20% Meunier from Cumières, Hautvillers and Verneuil. White gold in the glass, it has a pithy citrus character, lifted with notes of anise and camomile. The finish is pure, electric freshness with an underlying clay and chalky minerality. More than a mere apéritif, try this with roast fish on the bone, or chicken supreme with morels. Drink now to 2025.
Davy Zyw, Buyer (October 2019)
Davy Zyw, Buyer (October 2019)
Champagne Ruinart,
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Ruinart is a low-profile, yet select, Champagne house which is steeped in history. It was founded in 1729 by Nicolas Ruinart in the city of Reims, the year after a Royal Decree in 1728, whereby Louis XV gave his consent for sparkling wines to be shipped in baskets containing 50 to 100 bottles. This opened the gates of Europe to Champagne and thus makes Ruinart the oldest Champagne House.
Premier and Grand Cru sites only supply the grapes for this excellent rosé, which is made up of 45 percent Chardonnay and 55 percent Pinot Noir, with 18 percent of the latter added as red wine. A subtle nose of rosehip, spice and wild strawberry; on the palate the wine marries exuberant fruit with a richly velvety texture. Ruinart is famous for their Rosé; justly so it would seem.
Premier and Grand Cru sites only supply the grapes for this excellent rosé, which is made up of 45 percent Chardonnay and 55 percent Pinot Noir, with 18 percent of the latter added as red wine. A subtle nose of rosehip, spice and wild strawberry; on the palate the wine marries exuberant fruit with a richly velvety texture. Ruinart is famous for their Rosé; justly so it would seem.
Which grapes are included in the blend, and their proportion, is one of the key factors determining the style of most Champagnes. Three grapes are used - Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier.
26% of vineyards in Champagne are planted with Chardonnay and it performs best on the Côtes des Blancs and on the chalk slopes south of Epernay. It is relatively simple to grow, although it buds early and thus is susceptible to spring frosts. It produces lighter, fresher wines than those from Burgundy and gives finesse, fruit and elegance to the final blend. It is the sole grape in Blancs de Blancs, which are some of the richest long-lived Champagnes produced.
Pinot Noir accounts for nearly 40% of the plantings in Champagne and lies at the heart of most blends - it gives Champagne its body, structure, strength and grip. It is planted across Champagne and particularly so in the southern Aube district.
The final component is Pinot Meunier and this constitutes nearly 35% of the plantings. Its durability and resistance to spring frosts make the Marne Valley, a notorious frost pocket, its natural home. It ripens well in poor years and produces a soft, fruity style of wine that is ideal for blending with the more assertive flavours of Pinot Noir. Producers allege that Pinot Meunier lacks ageing potential, but this does not deter Krug from including around 15% of it in their final blends.