Blanc de Blancs

Although one should not necessarily judge a Champagne by the number of listings it has in the Michelin-starred restaurants of Paris, one can not fail but to be impressed by Legras in this respect; and in many other respects, indeed, as one tastes the wines. Founded in the 16th century, Legras is one of the great names of Chouilly, the famous and most northerly village of the Côte de Blancs. The House style combines a firm and classic structure with a generous fruit profile.

Champagne R&L Legras Brut is a pure and very satisfying expression of Chardonnay; the Brut has been aged for three years on its lees and has a modest dosage of six grams per litre. The floral aromas are complemented by an autolytic yeastiness and yellow fruits on the palate. Linear and focused, yet not without an attractive depth of flavour, the wine has a long mineral finish.

The Cuvée de Réserve goes from strength to strength and is now one of the most sought-after of our non-vintage Champagnes, no mean achievement for a Grower Champagne and indicative, perhaps, of the long overdue re-appraisal of the hierarchy in this region, where the hegemony of the Grandes Marques has held sway for so long.

This perhaps explains the inherent complexity on the palate, with its notes of hazelnut, acacia and apricot garlanding the more usual descriptors of citron pressé, sweet spice and crushed rock. The dosage is seven grams per litre and the finish is powerful, with a twist of salinity to confirm the fact that the majority of the fruit is sourced from the great village of Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, the balancing 30 percent coming from equally prestigious Grand Cru sites in Oger, Chouilly and Cramant

Mealy, light, quite faint fruit on the nose at the moment, but there is a purity to it which is very attractive. On the finish, the yeasty character is excellent, and there is a lovely sea-salt note to finish. The nose is bound to open up in due course. 
Richard Hemming, MW - jancisrobinson.com

Gosset are near neighbours to Bollinger in the Grand Cru Champagne village of Ay. Stylistically, one associates their wines with power, informed as they are by oak fermentation and a large proportion of Pinot Noir in the blends. The news of a release of a Blanc de Blancs was something of a surprise (even though there is already a Celebris BDB), a surprise compounded by the extraordinary elegance and freshness of the wine.

On closer inspection, this should perhaps have been expected, all the more so because the majority of the fruit is sourced from the great Grand Cru villages of the Côtes de Blancs: Avize, Chouilly, Cramant and Le Mesnil sur Oger. The wine has an attractive nose of spring flowers and Mirabelle plums, then a harmonious mid-palate, with gentle honey and hints of quince and apricot evidenced.

The silky notes are juxtaposed with distinct chalky acidity on the finish, the hallmark of Mesnil fruit, here beautifully married within the ensemble.

Fruits of a one hectare plot in the southern Grand Cru village of Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, Salon is the most famous statement of Chardonnay Champagne that one is likely to encounter; aged for a decade and to be kept, if one has the patience, for another decade at least. Green gold colour then intense aromas of honeydew melon, nectarine and recently  cooked brioche. The palate has a linear shard of acidity, a Keatsean composure and yet real energy and dazzling potential. From the best vintage so far this century, surely a contender for the best wine of the century...so far!
Simon Field MW, Champagne Buyer

Taittinger is one of the few family-owned, independent Champagne houses in Reims. Its top Champagne is Comtes de Champagne. First produced in 1952, it is made from 100 percent Chardonnay grapes from six Grand Cru sites in the Côte de Blancs. This is finely aromatic, rich, creamy blanc de blancs at its best.

The 2006 epitomises Taittinger’s famed purity and elegance. This is a wine of the very highest calibre. The nose is beautifully poised, clean and pure with waxy lemon notes and the merest hint of biscuit. The palate is effortless, so fine, yet has no shortage of complexity or length. Citrus-laden, a tiny hint of white chocolate comes with the creamy texture. Tasted alongside the 2004 it is clear that the 2006 is going to develop in a similar, fine, fashion and I suspect, given the precision it displays now, the 2006 is likely to surpass that fine vintage in time.

Pol Roger is perhaps best known as Winston Churchill's favourite Champagne. The House remains family-owned and has a reputation for producing Champagnes of finesse and elegance which age very well.

This has all the hallmarks of a great blanc de blancs; white flowers, citrus, a touch of stone fruit and the merest hint of honey. A sure sign that Pol Roger has delivered yet again when nature presented ideal conditions for vintage Champagne. Citrus dominates the palate at the moment, with buttery brioche and almonds in the background. Very fresh and beautifully balanced, this will certainly provide immediate gratification but an extra couple of years will add a layer of honeyed complexity to this excellent wine. A real treat.

As with the classic vintage Pol Roger, their vintage Blanc de Blancs offers exceptional quality at an attractive price. This 2004 is forward in style and will show very well from release through until 2018; notes of white flowers, citrus and stone fruit with delicate honey and brioche characters in the background. Fresh and vibrant, it is beautifully balanced with fine acidity, and offers an long, attractive crystalline finish. Very classy indeed.
Martyn Rolph, Private Account Manager

Krug released the 2003 vintage of the incredibly rare Clos du Mesnil, with a real appeal to avid collectors. Clos du Mesnil comes from a single walled vineyard of Chardonnay vines in Mesnil-Sur-Oger. Krug produces one of the purest expressions of a 100% Chardonnay Champagne that you will ever have the pleasure of tasting. Only available through a strict allocation process due to the tiny quantities (only 8671 individually numbered bottles of 2003 available in the world), this is an incredibly rare Champagne.

2003 is a year that offered abundant warmth and produced generously styled Champagne. This has played perfectly in to the hands of the Krug house style and as such their wine is among the best of the vintage, with wonderful richness and depth. These are presented in a wooden case.
Few wine lovers would disagree with the sentiment that Krug sits firmly atop the Champagne tree. In 1843, Joseph Krug set out with a singular aim; to craft the finest expression of Champagne every year, irrespective of conditions. A cuvee he simply named, Numéro 1.
Chris Pollington, Fine Wine Account Manager

For me, Krug is more than a Champagne. It is a word that stands for artistry, tradition, craftsmanship, and moments of pure pleasure… All Krug's wines are small masterworks, and although Grande Cuvée may be lighter and fresher than its predecessor, Private Cuvée, after a few extra years in the cellar it outshines the competitors' vintage Champagnes… If the opportunity arises, never miss the chance to drink a Krug!
Richard Juhlin

This is one of the finest Blanc de Blancs Champagne on the market, luminous of hue, rounded of form and lengthy in the memory. The distinctive clear bottle for Ruinart, Blanc de Blancs is based on an 18th century original; its Chardonnay persona is harmonious and elegant, capturing the House style.

The 2007 Dom Ruinart is the first vintage made entirely by Chef de Caves Frédéric Panaïotis, which shows just how long the production cycle is in Champagne. A striking, tightly-coiled wine, the 2007 Dom Ruinart will leave readers week at the knees. In this vintage, Panaïotis took Dom Ruinart, which has traditionally relied on a relatively high percentage of Chardonnay from the Montagne de Reims and tilted the balance to 75% Côtes des Blancs and 25% Montagne de Reims fruit. As a result, the 2007 is much more chiseled and steely than is the norm. The citrus, slate, crushed rock, white pepper, mint and floral notes really sizzle in this powerful, dramatically rich Champagne, with bright saline notes that add freshness and vivacity to the striking finish. The 2007 is a stunning Champagne by any measure. Although it is very early, the 2007 has the potential to go down as one of the great Dom Ruinarts. It is every bit that special. Dosage is under 5 grams per liter, a pretty striking change from the 2006, which was closer to 10. Readers who can grab the 2007 won’t want to miss it.
Antonio Galloni

Rich butter and brioche on the nose, on the palate an inspiring juxtaposition of an almost tropical ripeness and an astonishing purity of flavour.Tiny bubbles and intense flavour, champagne that has been aged for over six years but still has the sturdy power of youth.

A gifted and well-known oenologue, Christophe Constant at Vergnon has excellent raw materials to work with, helped by the situation of his vines. His philosophy is to nurture ripe and mature Chardonnay, usually from old vines, to eschew malolactic fermentation, and to allow the wines a lengthy maturation pre (and post) disgorgement, to facilitate integration and presage a potential for lengthy ageing. A very sound philosophy indeed it would seem.

A pure and powerful expression of Le Mesnil-sur-Oger Chardonnay, this has as its base year 2008 and a dosage of six grams of residual sugar. A deeply satisfying nose of Mirabelle plum, almond and acacia leads to the palate where the mousse is fine and the texture rich; hints of flint and brioche add to the happy assemblage and the finish is impressive. A worthy dialectic.

Richer than the more linear and citric 2008, this is reflective of the warmer growing season. Abundant stone fruit, lemon pith, brioche and a hint on honey on the nose. Generously textured on the palate, with a fine mousse and the requisite seam of acidity keeping everything in check. This is a Pol Blanc de Blancs to enjoy straight off the boat, although I would expect this to gain a little added complexity and nuttiness with some age. 

A classic lemon citrus nose complemented by puff pastry a hint of honey and delicate white flowers. The 2009 has a gentle nature and a clean attack that may not have the vibrancy of cooler vintages but offers a creamy flow, nice weight and gentle bubbles to accompany the rhubarb and apple tang in the finish. A great vintage Champagne to get stuck into early, it slips down very easily so no need to wait. Drink 2018 – 2024. 
Peter Newton, Private Account Manager.