Champagne & Sparkling

Sourced from the prestigious Grand Cru village of Mailly, our Own Selection Champagne is a classic blend of 75% Pinot Noir and 25% Chardonnay. With more than three years Eageing, it is a delightfully complex example of non-vintage Champagne. Aromas of brioche and flowers draw you in on the nose. The palate is elegant, marrying notes of lemongrass, gingerbread and honeysuckle.

Ready to drink now

Davy Żyw, Champagne Buyer, Berry Bros. & Rudd

This delicious sparkling wine shows elegant aromas of orchard fruit and honeyed spice. Aged traditionally and generously on its lees, it shows more exotic fruits on the palate with a clean, pebbly backdrop and an impressive depth of flavour.

Barbara Drew MW, Content Officer, Berry Bros. & Rudd

This is made for us by the celebrated Hambledon Vineyard. Bright, pure and refreshing, a neatly woven mousse supports notes of stone-fruit, gooseberry crumble and English meadow. The palate is foaming and firmly mineral, showcasing the quality of the Chardonnay from Hampshire’s pure chalk soils. This is the perfect partner for any celebration.

Davy Żyw, Senior Buyer, Berry Bros. & Rudd

The 2011 Taittinger Comtes de Champagne is superb with generous, bright aromas of lemon cream, stone fruits, baked pastry and almonds. The palate has a subtle verve: rich but not overbearing and its weight is carried with deftness and elegance. There is freshness here and a fine mousse brings a lively energy. Beautiful acidity and with extraordinary length, it finishes with a twist of salinity leaving you reaching for a second sip.

Larissa Buckley, Account Manager, Berry Bros. & Rudd

2005 Taittinger Comtes de Champagne is finely aromatic, a rich and creamy Blanc de Blancs at its very best. Although the 2005 can be enjoyed from release, a decade of patience will be well rewarded.

When Pierre Taittinger first discovered the Champagne region, he was a young officer during the First World War. He returned several years later to invest his energy into developing a family-owned independent Champagne house in Reims which is still managed by the Taittinger family today. 

Francois Taittinger chose Chardonnay as the dominant grape as he believed that modern tastes would increasingly appreciate the lightness, finesse and elegance of the Chardonnay grape in their flagship offering - Comtes de Champagne - first produced in 1952.

“We will never produce a large quantity of Comtes de Champagne because the technical characteristics we require so that this cuvée can be a very great wine are essentially unique in Champagne and very financially demanding. 

The Comtes de Champagne displays an eternal youth derived from our province’s greatest Chardonnay, a triumphant blend of force and elegance. Connoisseurs will appreciate it.”

Pierre-Emmanuel Taittinger

A lean and focused Champagne with lemon rind hints and a fine mineral drive. It's chalky and stony with a tense, firm structure. - Decanter

Made from Chardonnay grapes from an old, 100 % Grand Cru vineyard in Avize, La Vigne aux Gamins is a unique Cuvee full of love and flavour. The wine has a very clear, almost limpid colour and delicate bubbles. The nose develops very subtly Aromas of prune whilst aerating the wine reveals notes of cooked fruits, brioche and the lovely lingering finish of a great terroir. La Vigne aux Gamins is free of all embellishments, making it an exceptionally pure Champagne.

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{color}White{color}                                                                                                {maturity}drink-now{maturity}
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 []Wine Enthusiast:: 94/100{ratings}        {***}

Bottled July 2016, disgorged May 2019. Zero dosage.

This is the second release from Leclerc Briant’s new clos in Montagne de Reims; the panoramic site was chosen for the longevity it gives its wines, and for their lucid nature. The 2015 vintage was vinified in mixed oak barrels – including second fill from Haut-Brion Blanc – giving it added texture. The nose is pretty and tightly coiled, with white flowers, green apples, nectarines and wild honey. The palate is cleansing, with racy white-and-yellow fruits, sweet hay, camomile and much more; it’s got lip-puckering tension and salinity. This is finely woven, with beautifully integrated mousse and minerality.

Drink 2024 - 2035

Davy Żyw, Senior Buyer, Berry Bros. & Rudd

The first impression is as invigorating as a sea breeze. I love the interplay of mirabelle, grapefruit and lychee fruit with minty freshness and waxiness from lees contact. And all this is welded to a beautifully proportioned palate with plenty of structure, bright acidity and the mousse animating. It's a very salty finish that pulls you back for more. 

A cuvee of 41% Chardonnay, 33% Pinot Noir and 26% Pinot Meunier. Of these, 15% fermented in oak and 85% in stainless steel. The final blend contained 36% reserve perpetual and 10% reserve wines of the 2012 - 2018 vintage from oak. The dosage is 7 g/l. 

Drink or hold

Stuart Pigott, Senior Editor at JamesSuckling.com (August 2023)

The first vintage of Leclerc Briant’s Abyss was in 2012. The cuvée takes its name from its unique ageing: it is stored 60 metres under the sea off the coast of Brittany for up to a year. Leclerc Briant considers this the ideal environment for the maturation of Champagne, devoid as it is of oxygen and light. Prior to submersion, the wine was aged for 10 months in second-fill oak barriques quietly sourced from some top estates in Bordeaux.

Abyss is always Leclerc Briant’s most intriguing cuvée, but the stunning 2018 is one of the finest they have released. The nose blends floral and white-peach aromas with a savoury and mineral edge. The palate is zesty and refreshing with a vivacious energy and tension running through it. A gentle salinity on the palate is interwoven with a purity of fruit derived from winemaker Hervé Jestin’s terroir-driven approach. This is a prestige-cuvée Champagne like no other, perhaps with its finest vintage yet.

Henrietta Gullifer, Account Manager, Berry Bros. & Rudd

The Millésime Rare is an absolutely delicious Champagne, and a wonderful example of the quality of the 2008 vintage. Made up of 70% Chardonnay and 30% Pinot Noir, all grapes for the wine were sourced from Grand Cru villages. Initially delicate on the nose, it opens up in the glass to show aromas of sweet peach, dried flowers, almonds and white pepper. The palate is ripe with a rich mousse; it’s zesty and refreshing, with hints of pineapple, blood orange, liquorice and freshly-baked pastries.

Drink 2022  E2035

Paul Keating, Private Account Manager, Berry Bros. & Rudd (Nov 2021)

Made from Chardonnay grapes from an old, 100 % Grand Cru vineyard in Avize, La Vigne aux Gamins is a unique Cuvee full of love and flavour. The wine has a very clear, almost limpid colour and delicate bubbles. The nose develops very subtly Aromas of prune whilst aerating the wine reveals notes of cooked fruits, brioche and the lovely lingering finish of a great terroir. La Vigne aux Gamins is free of all embellishments, making it an exceptionally pure Champagne.

Dosage is 6 grams per litre.

The NV Brut 7 Crus is a very pretty, entry-level wine in this range. Bright, mineral and intensely vibrant, the 7 Crus is all energy. All the elements are so well proportioned. A blend of 90% Chardonnay and 10% Pinot Noir, this captures all the house signatures with tons of energy and better overall balance than in some previous editions. White flowers, chalk and citrus linger.

Drink 2023 - 2031

Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com (November 2023)

The style of Pol Roger is always about opulence, sophistication and purity, and their flagship wine, Réserve Brut, is the epitome of their craft. This is a careful balance of the three noble varieties of Champagne: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir & Meunier, grown across 30 of the region’s most desired villages. Although this is a non-vintage Champagne, this Réserve Brut is made mainly from the harmonious 2020 vintage, with 25% reserve wine. The reserve wine is held in steel tank, a blend of older vintages adding weight and complexity to the palate.

Aged for four years, longer than many non-vintage Champagnes, this additional time on lees guarantees the toasted patisserie flavours but also gives the finest, foaming effervescence. White gold in the glass, with a nose of golden pear, tangerine and fresh almond croissant. The palate dances with white peach, clean lemon pith, golden crumb and crescendos with a saffron-infused, chalk stream finish. A Champagne which reminds you what Champagne should be.

Drink now

Davy Żyw, Senior Buyer, Berry Bros. & Rudd (October 2024)

Wow, this really is a magnificent vintage Champagne. Tasted side by side with the 2006, the 2007 Blanc des Millénaires was fresh, precise and zippy. I preferred it! With bright acidity, red apple and brioche notes, Cellar Master Cyril Brun calls 2007 a ‘dangerous champagne.’ Sensational now but with lots of potential for further ageing. The 2007 is linear, crisp with flint stony notes with a finish that goes on and on. Purity is the word that springs to mind when tasting, a perfect aperitif that is both refreshing and complex.

Drink 2022 - 2034

Berry Bros. & Rudd

An incredibly fresh, mineral and focused Champagne with aromas and flavours opening up in the glass beautifully. The nose is highly perfumed bringing notes of white flowers, fresh citrus fruits, lemon, grapefruit-like, with white peach and fresh yeasty dough coming along. On the palate the wine has a gentle creamy entry and shows racy acidity, amazing purity and steeliness, it will go a long way. Flavours of lemon, lime and orchards with touches of white pepper with a chalky finish and impeccable balance, truly exquisite and amazing vintage of Comtes to buy now and leave in the cellar for a few years.

Drink 2024 - 2040

Berry Bros. & Rudd

In classical Pol Roger style, this Rosé shows power, sophistication, and charm. Salmon pink in the glass, the nose is a heady mix of forest fruits and fine patisserie. The palate shows opulence but a firm grip and chalky cleansing tension. A blend of 60% Chardonnay, and 40% Pinot Noir, using the assemblage method using Pinot Noir red wine from the Grand Cru villages of Ambonnay and Bouzy, together with Hautvilliers. This gives a fantastic depth of fruit with a smoky, floral scent and muscularity on the palate. A proudly Pinot style, with raspberry and blood orange, mesmerized by a seamless, foaming and long mineral finish. Just superb. Drink with roast chicken and bearnaise. Or it is a spiced fish stew with a saffron rouille.

Perfect to drink now, but it will cellar to 2035.

Davy Zyw, Senior Buyer, Berry Bros. & Rudd (November 2022) 

Blend: 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay.

The 2015 Grande Année is a testament to Bollinger’s exceptional winemaking, being aged for 7 years, all under natural cork which sets them apart. With their emphasis on a high proportion of Pinot Noir in the blend, the Champagne offers a symphony of aromas, from small stone fruits and a medley of red currant to exotic touches of mango, all layered with a delicate woody scent. On the palate, it presents a rich texture reminiscent of Mirabelle plum jam, culminating in a finish that blends nougat and citrus notes for a generous and complex tasting experience. 

Sigurdur Thor Gunnlaugsson, Account Manager, Berry Bros. & Rudd (March 2024)

This blend of the three classic Champagne grape varieties forms the signature Thiénot style of finesse, fruit and freshness, offering springtime notes, magnificent balance and a lingering finish. The Champagne House’s great classic.

52% Chardonnay, 32% Pinot Noir, and 17 % Pinot Meunier from the 2018 harvest, with tank-aged reserve wines added. Dosage 5.7 g/l.

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.

Berry Bros. & Rudd

Derived from the 2019 vintage, Benoît Dussot's NV Brut Nature Les Semblables (Boréal) is derived from north-facing holdings. Wafting from the glass with scents of crisp pear, citrus oil, white flowers and buttery pasty, it's medium to full-bodied, pillowy and chiselled, its fleshy core of fruit girdled by racy acids.

Originally from Beaune, Benoît Doussot arrived in Champagne in 2015 after a stint at Domaine Fichet in Meursault. Working at Vouette & Sorbée, he perceived that organic growers were selling their fruit to big houses and the local cooperatives for no premium, and he set out to change that. Today, Doussot works with some 12 hectares of vines, farmed by nine different vignerons, divided among 18 parcels. In sourcing, he's looking for the second terrace of Kimmeridgian limestone; and all his cuvées are derived from a single vintage, a single grape variety and this same terrace, differentiated by their different expositions.

Drink 2023 - 2030

William Kelley, Wine Advocate (August 2023)

The 2015 Brut Vintage Rosé is generous and demonstrative, bursting with aromas of peach, orange and pear mingled with hints of red berries, fresh bread and ginger. Full-bodied, layered and vinous, it's rich and enveloping, its textural attack segueing into an ample, fleshy core that's girdled by bright acids and enlivened by a pillowy mousse. Long and expansive, it's more generous and gourmand than its racier 2014 predecessor, but just as good.

Drink 2021 - 2031

William Kelley, Wine Advocate (Sep 2021)

Precision, pleasure & elegance is what I always associate with Billecart Salmon. And in a vintage as fabled as 2008, these hallmark traits are revealed in greater detail. The Billecart Vintage 2008 is pure joy, tiny, steady bubbles stream through wild gold in the glass.The nose is filled with baked russet apples, waxy lemons and the golden crumb of cherry crumble, all supported by the noble Pinot vinosity of Grand Cru terroir.

The palate is a roasted medley of peach, Red Macintosh and white cherry, very seductive, very classy. Pinot noir leads the mid palate, earthy and richly textured, with the hallmark tension of the vintage extending the palate with an electric Cotes des Blancs, mouth-watering tang. The mousse is silky and seamless, the finish is tart tartin with saffron flecked Chantilly cream. The wine has benefitted from time in bottle, drinking beautifully now.

Davy Zyw, Senior Buyer, Berry Bros. & Rudd

Emmanuel Brochet derives from a farming family in a part of Champagne that converted from viticulture to agriculture (more lucrative, given their proximity to Reims) in the aftermath of phylloxera. One of the remaining outposts of the vine is the Mont Benoît, where his grandparents had some 2.5 hectares contracted out. So, in 1997, Brochet took over and started a project of his own—a choice he made freely and enthusiastically, he emphasizes, rather than out of obligation.

Emmanuel Brochet's brilliant NV Extra-Brut Le Mont Benoit is the finest rendition of this cuvée that he has produced to date. Unwinding in the glass with aromas of waxy citrus rind, crisp stone fruit, bread dough, beeswax and nutmeg, it's medium to full-bodied, deep and vinous, exhibiting terrific concentration without weight, uniting the full maturity of the vintage with the pillowy, chalky signature of the Mont Benoit. Complex and compelling, this release underlines Brochet's status as one of the reigning champions of artisanal Champagne.

Drink 2023 - 2040

William Kelley, Wine Advocate (December 2023)

It should come as no surprise that Pol Roger have delayed the release of their 2002 Vintage Champagne until 2012, in defiance of all commercial logic and the dictates of cash-flow. The reason is simple; 2002 is the best vintage in Champagne since 1990, a vintage which has not been equalled since and a vintage where the rewards of patience are and will continue to be very fine indeed. The wine was aged for nine years in Pol Roger’s famously deep cellars, kept at a constant 9 degrees, the perfect natural ambiance for gentle autolytic ageing and the nurturing of an exemplary equilibrium and a very fine and persistent mousse.
 
And as with all great things, fools rush in and the winemakers at Pol Roger, needless to say, are far from foolish. Indeed Cellar master Dominique Petit, formerly of Krug, is regarded as one of the greatest winemakers in the region and he knew from the out-set that the wine would need an unusually long cellaring before release. This, to borrow a phrase from another friend of Pol Roger, is his finest hour, thus far… The blend is a traditional one of 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay; after the double-débourbage (cold-settling) the first fermentation is in stainless steel, kept relatively cool. A full malolactic fermentation ensues, followed by the second fermentation in bottle and then the lengthy slumber beneath Avenue de Champagne in Epernay. The bottles are hand – tuned by remueurs, the prestidigitatory efforts of whom ensure the completion of  yeast autolysis and ensure a blameless richness and length on the palate.
Simon Field MW, Wine Buyer - June 2013

Firm and focused, with a creamy mousse supporting a subtle weave of lemon meringue pie, poached white peach, toasted almond and honey, showing a pronounced vein of smoky minerality that echoes on the finish. Drink now through 2025.

Wine Spectator 92/100

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[]Wine Enthusiast::92/100
{ratings}{***}

The 1996 Dom Ruinart is beginning to enter the second stage of its life post-release, where the aromas and flavours are starting to show hints of development. Orange peel, apricot jam, spices and mint are vivid and beautifully delineated in the glass. The 1996 remains fresh and vibrant on the palate, with remarkable depth and more than enough pure intensity to drink well for another 15-20 years. Readers looking for a 1996 Champagne to drink now will find considerable pleasure in the 1996.

Drink 2014 - 2031

Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com (March 2014)

This is Delphine’s top wine – at once her driest cuvée (at only 2g dosage) and oldest (old vines barely gives it justice, as these were planted in 1957 by her grandfather), so full of history and the culmination of decades of winemaking in the Cazals family. The 2014 vintage is very overlooked – this was a sunny vintage, which you can taste in the richness of fruit and quality of the finish.

The vineyard is only 1ha and is looked after meticulously – Delphine and her team visit every morning leading up to harvest, and frequently throughout the year, to monitor the ancient Chardonnay vines. Fermented in stainless steel but aged for 1 year in old Burgundy barrels, this is a textured and complicated champagne with a depth and tension only achieved from this specific terroir. This is still young and will reward cellar ageing, especially from magnum.

Drink 2024 - 2044

Katie Merry, Assistant Buyer, Berry Bros. & Rudd

Produced with 50% Pinot Noir, 35% Chardonnay, and the rest Meunier, the 2018 Champagne Millésime Extra Brut was vinified and raised for nine months in barrels. It sees 3 grams per litre dosage and was disgorged in March 2023. It pours a rich, youthful yellow hue and is forward in its expressive notes of toasted oak spice that are very assertive and joined by notes of toasted croissant, orange marmalade, white pepper, and ripe red berries. 

Full-bodied, it has a lush and pillowy mousse and a fantastic texture, filling the palate with ample fruit, a chalky texture, and a rounded and fleshy personality. Although, at first, it feels as if its oak is not well-integrated, it impresses me more as it opens and is approachable in its ripe fruit now. It’s long on the palate and is a very well-made wine, but I’d like to see how this harmonizes over time. 

Drink 2025 - 2045

Audrey Frick, JebDunnuck.com (November 2023)

Champagne Bollinger is famed for its rich house style. This is partly because 80% of each Bollinger harvest is matured in oak barrels adding depth, complexity and texture. The nose tantalises with aromas of strawberry, orange blossom and warm cherry. The palate is wonderfully rounded, adding some cream to those strawberry flavours and a hint of rose petal. Enjoy this fresh and lively Champagne with grilled prawns or strawberries and cream.

Drink now

Alexandra Gray de Walden DipWSET, Berry Bros. & Rudd

Lemon tinged hue with persistent, incredibly fine bubbles, its hallmark Pol from the off. Starting with a tantalising freshness, the Chardonnay is dominant with the nose offering crisp white currants, granny smith apples and notes of orange blossom. Hints of wild redcurrants arrive with aeration. Superb texture and weight, flavours of apple skin and toasted almond hits the mid-palate, complemented by an exquisite mineral zing which holds throughout.

Slight richness of warm gingerbread on the finish, followed by a crystalline acidity and saline crunch, the length goes on and on. So moreish and sophisticated, but one does not need to be to enjoy this! Another string to the bow of this adored Champagne house, this limited bottling is one to snap up.

Recommended to enjoy from 2023 - 2032.

Chris Lamb, Senior Account Manager, Berry Bros. & Rudd

Founded in 1729, Ruinart was the very first Champagne House, and its Blanc de Blancs has always been the gold standard. Made from 100% Chardonnay, it is largely comprised of fruit from the Côte des Blancs, Montagne de Reims, the Sézannais and La Vallée de la Vesle. The aromatics are wonderfully clear, with notes of recently picked citrus, floral honey and fresh bread. The palate is full of sweet lemon and crisp nectarine, with a taut, refreshing line of acidity beautifully supported by generous, rich fruit. This will respond excellently to a further couple of years in the cellar. 

Charlie Leech, Buying Assistant, Berry Bros. & Rudd (April 2024)

The potential alcohol content was record high from the start, especially in Aÿ, with 11.1% straight away. Denis, just like me, sees great similarities between 2015 and 2019, but where the sharpness and freshness is better in 2019. It is not the acidity, but rather the mineral salt that gives the freshness together with the sense of umami the concentrated grapes give. Here, there is a swirl of exotic fruit and honey and a dry smokiness that I’ve learned to associate with the cluster of aromas that transforms over time into the note of railway on a hot summer’s day. It might sound fuzzy, but it makes perfect sense.

The combination of heated rail, dry gravel, dandelions and nettles that thrive in the embankment gives a concentrated, warm dryness strongly reminiscent of the character the grapes acquire when the temperature crosses the vine’s pain point on a few hot summer days. 41 degrees in the shade was a heat record in Champagne, especially a lot of shade, which the vineyards in Champagne cannot boast of, so the effect is reminiscent of that which arose in 1947, 1959, 1976, and 2003. Hence, this aroma was less marked in 2019. Let’s see if I’m right in 10 years when I expect “The Famous Note of Railroad Track” to appear in this beauty.

Richard Juhlin, The Champagne Club (June 2024)

I tasted the 2014 Extra-Brut Clos des Goisses from a bottle disgorged a la volée, in other words with no dosage and no sulfur added. At this very early and unfinished stage, the 2014 appears to be a linear, focused Champagne built more on persistence and focus than body, which is to say very much in the style of the year. Of course, much can change with dosage. It will be interesting to see how things end up. The blend is 71% Pinot Noir and 29% Chardonnay, done 64% in oak, 36% in steel, with no malolactic fermentation in any of the lots.

Drink 2024 - 2044

Antonio Galloni, Vinous (March 2023)

Yellow colour with a nose showing ocean, saltiness and seaweed at first. With time in the glass, it shows tarragon and butterscotch, and at last, it offers honey and coffee. Intense palate with minerals, citrus and oxidized red apples that are starting to dry out. Nice finish showing sea buckthorn on the long-lasting finish.

The 2012 Comtes de Champagne is gorgeous. Warm and resonant in the glass, the 2012 Comtes shows all the allure that makes this vintage so appealing. The combination of bright citrus, mineral and floral notes typical of Comtes, enhanced by the soft contours of the vintage, makes for an inviting, open-knit Champagne that is quite showy right out of the gate. Light tropical accents on the finish add an exotic flair. Usually, I recommend cellaring just-released Comtes, but that won’t be necessary here.

Drink 2022 - 2042

Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com (May 2022)

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!

Berry Bros. & Rudd

I was a huge fan of the 2008 Sir Winston but this is certainly equally as good. The 2012 maintains the classic Pol richness and vivacity whilst also perfectly showcasing the elegance and length of the vintage. Sir Winston is all about subtle balance, never overstated but always reassuringly forthright. The elegance of the vintage comes across in the wine’s more welcoming personality, 2008 is impressively tight whilst 2012 shows generous fruit in the mouth, an open and approachable feel yet still with tremendous power and depth behind.

Red fruit crunchiness aligns neatly with impressions of brioche, baked apple and honey. The finish is long and fine, offering an uplifting combination of quince and citrus, but the standout for this year’s offering has to be its precision. Winemaking has never been better at this address and the class and finesse of the 2012 demonstrates that in spades.

Peter Newton, Account Manager, Berry Bros. & Rudd

An absolute privilege to sample the latest Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill. There is incredible precision on the nose, showing delicate notes of waxed lemon, violets and a touch of toasted almond. The palate is simply divine; ripe and opulent white peach, apricots, apple tarte tatin, freshly baked bread encompassed in a vibrant mousse. There is an exceptional backbone of minerality too, giving this Champagne superb balance. I’d put this up with the 2008 in quality, it is truly exceptional.

Paul Keating, Account Manager, Berry Bros. & Rudd

The 2015 Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill from Pol Roger shows opulent aromas of brioche, apricot and honeydew melon on the nose. This is followed by a lively palate of tangy lemon, apple and gingerbread. The finish is long and luxurious, leaving behind a lasting impression of creamy vanilla and toasted almond. This is an absolutely stunning expression

Joshua Friend, Senior Account Manager, Berry Bros. & Rudd

The 2014 Brut Zéro Grand Blanc was made without any additions of sulfur dioxide. The buttery richness of raw short crust pastry is foremost on the nose, complemented by springy panettone. The freshness on the palate is immediate and deliciously bracing. Tiny, fine bubbles whirl up freshness, yeasty flavors and stony, chalky saltiness. Tension and tautness are compelling, as is the layered depth of rich, buttery autolysis. The finish is lasting, long and totally full-flavored. Zero dosage. Disgorged: May, 2022.

Drink 2023 - 2040

Antonio Galloni, Vinous (November 2023)

Laurent-Perrier make vintages very rarely, only selecting the very best years. This makes their Brut Millésimé a rare and outstanding champagne that expresses clearly the specific character of each vintage in the Laurent-Perrier style.

A charming nose that is both pronounced but also incredibly delicate. Touches of Amalfi lemons, oranges, stewed green apples and fresh pastries entice. The palate feels surprisingly settled, given the relatively recent disgorgement and the gentle mousse, a hallmark of the cuvée. Vibrant citrus, lemon compote, apple Tarte Tatin and a steely backbone.

Delicate floral aromas give a really refreshing feel, but there is considerable potential to age. This will cellar for 4 years or 40; the choice is yours. What is clear is that Grand Siècle has been, and still is, hugely underappreciated. 60% Chardonnay and 40% Pinot Noir coming from 2008, 2007 and 2006. 12 years lees ageing.

Paul Keating, Private Account Manager, Berry Bros. & Rudd (April 2022)

This is a completely different terroir expression to the 045, and the last vineyard to harvest each year – Paul never encounters problems with this ‘golden child’ plot. The soil is a deep, limey chalk. From the 2020 vintage, this has not gone through malolactic fermentation and has no added sugar, in order to express the purity of the Pinot Noir in Verzenay. A gourmand, exuberant champagne, this has been aged in 100% Burgundy barrels and demi-muids.

The nose has more tropical, exotic fruit flavours, extremely pure and intense, while the palate has a beautifully fine texture and citrus flavours. The finish is pure Pinot Noir, with a hint of iodine and a lovely minerality; this is such a food wine – but best paired with seafood.

Drink now to 2030

Davy Żyw, Senior Buyer, Berry Bros. & Rudd

Krug ID: 322038

The 2011 Vintage is a very pretty wine in this highly challenging vintage. Apricot, mint, dried herbs and a kiss of French oak open nicely in the glass. There is some of the savory character of 2011, but it is nicely woven into the wine’s fabric. To be sure, the 2011 is a slender vintage at Krug. That is especially evident in the wine's light-ish mid-palate and overall feel, yet all the elements are impeccably balanced. I expect the 2011 to be a relatively early maturing Vintage and would not push my luck on aging. Disgorged: Summer 2022.

Drink 2024 - 2036

Antonio Galloni, Vinous (November 2023)

The 2002 Clos du Mesnil is wonderfully pliant and expressive in the glass. The radiant personality of the year comes through in the wine's ripe, tropically-leaning flavours and open-knit personality. 

I imagine the 2002 will develop relatively quickly by Clos du Mesnil standards. Even so, there is more than enough freshness underpinning the fruit to support at least two decades of very fine drinking. 

Drink 2019 - 2032

Ian D'Agata, Vinous.com (March 2018)

This is an incredible rosé with super fine tannins that are layered and caress the palate, giving this Champagne an incredible mouthfeel. Iron and stone in the nose. Iodine. Dried flowers as well as dried strawberries and peaches. It's full-bodied but not overpowering and shows super complexity. Chalky sensation as well. A truly great wine for the table. You sip and fall in love. Aged all this time in the cellar of Dom Perignon. 

Drink or hold

James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com (August 2023)

This is the result of nearly 15 years of cellar ageing. With this time comes an added power that doesn’t feature in standard vintage Dom Pérignon. The nose has beautiful ripe orchard fruit, honeysuckle and freshly baked pastry. The palate is as rich as one would expect from Plénitude 2 in this hot vintage. But the balance of a creamy acidity and flint-like minerality give the wine a lively balance. There are layers of marzipan and candied pineapple, apricot compote, warm breakfast pastry and liquorice. A wonderful salinity rounds out this remarkable wine. I thoroughly enjoyed this recently, but I dream of how well it will develop over 8-10 years in the cellar.

Paul Keating, Private Account Manager (June 2021)

After a long day of tasting young Barolo, I craved Champagne. There is a sort of symbiotic relationship between Champagne and Piedmont that I can’t really explain except to say I enjoy it tremendously. The growers really seem to be on the same wavelength in so many ways, so when I saw Jérôme Prévost’s NV Les Béguines, I grabbed it. 

The Béguines (2019 disgorgement) is wonderfully fresh and open-knit and so expressive. Sometimes I think we open these wines too soon after release; I know I do. But with a few years on the cork, the Les Béguines offers up pear, spice, ginger and dried flowers, all with notable freshness and verve.

Drink 2022 - 2028

Antonio Galloni, Decanter.com (December 2022)

This rare and exclusive Clos is nestled above the domaine above the town of Avize. 2012 marks its introduction into the Waris Hubert range, which marries the extraordinary quality of the vintage—50% fermented and matured in barrique, 50% in inox tank.

This rich and complex Champagne takes its position amongst the finest Clos in Champagne. The nose is seductive, with a distinct crepe suzette character. There is autumnal spice on the palate, and foam surges over golden apple and roasted stone fruit, typical of Avize village, which added richness to the 2012 character. Mineral, poised and brimming with energy. 

Drink 2023 - 2040+

Davy Żyw, Senior Buyer, Berry Bros. & Rudd

Disgorged January 2018. Dosage is 6 grams per liter.

The NV Bulle de Rosé is a pretty wine, even if it is a bit less exciting than the other Champagnes in this range. Pale-coloured, light and gracious, the Bulle de Rosé is an enjoyable drink. Even so, I think Fred Savart could do more to elevate this wine to a level where it is closer to his other Champagnes. The Bulle de Rosé is the same base as the Accomplie, approximately 65% Pinot Noir and 30% Chardonnay, with about 5% still red Pinot.

This is another stellar set of wines from Fred Savart. There is not much else to say. Minimal handling allows for a very pure expression of the sites Savart works with. As always, these are rich, vinous Champagnes built on textured,multi-dimensional profiles.

Drink 2022 - 2028

Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com (July 2018)

There are 5,400 bottles of the NV Extra-Brut Blanc de Blancs Les Pierrières (2017), disgorged in February 2022 after 48 months on the lees—and this is the last time there will be two disgorgements, as from next year onward, Les Pierrières will systematically see 48 months' tirage before disgorgement. Wafting from the glass with scents of confit citrus fruit, lemon zest, spring flowers, almond paste, pastry cream and wet stones, it's medium to full-bodied, satiny and precise, with terrific cut and tension, concluding with a long, saline finish. An additional year before disgorgement delivers a less primary, more integrated, seamless Champagne.

Drink 2022 - 2040

William Kelley, Wine Advocate (August 2022)

The 2014 Extra Brut Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Minéral is a powerful, intense Champagne that captures all of the natural power of these old vines in Avize and Cramant. Aptly named, the Minéral is infused with tremendous mineral and soil inflections that give a real feeling of gravitas. Crushed rocks, slate, chalk and citrus accents are some of the many nuances that emerge with a bit of time in the glass. This release is fabulous. It is also a reticent wine, though, so at least a year or two in bottle will help soften.  - Antonia Galloni

This is a beautiful wine from a complicated vintage – 2017 in Mesnil-sur-Oger was one of storms and heavy rains, and an early harvest to avoid frost risk. Luckily these grapes are sheltered by the eponymous walled vineyard just behind Madame Cazal’s chateau, from old, low-yielding vines planted in the 1980s.

Only 4000 bottles were produced, and 10% of the wine was aged in oak barrels for 10 months. The result is an incredibly fresh nose of nectarine and buttery brioche, with an energetic, lively palate brimming with apples and citrus peel. As with all Delphine’s wines, the texture is velvety soft and the structure is stunning, meaning this wine is delicious to drink now until 2036. 

Katie Merry, Assistant Buyer, Berry Bros. & Rudd

Creamy and flavorful, yet it remains precise and vertical, with an array of lemons, green apples, pie crust, almonds, hazelnuts and chalk. Medium-bodied with creamy, fine bubbles. Lots of energy, with zesty citrus notes at the end. Layered blanc de blancs. 100% chardonnay from 4 Grand Cru villages. 40% from 2018 and 60% from 2017. Disgorged May 2022. - James Suckling 95/100

71% Pinot Noir, 29% Chardonnay with 25% vinified in oak tuns and 20% malolactic fermentation. RS 8 g/l.

There is real savour of age on the nose of this wine, which seems to have considerable development. Something very appetising on the palate but with the intrigue of the age on the nose. It may have 8 g/l dosage, but it tastes bone dry and extremely vibrant on the end. Only 20% malo presumably had an effect. Lots of wild-flower flavours  Ea bit of a wild card overall.

Drink 2019 - 2027

Jancis Robinson MW, JancisRobinson.com (October 2021)

At first glance, the champagne looks golden yellow, with light greenish hues and a fine, persistent sparkle.The first nose reveals a powdery, floral and mineral note evoking the chypre universe of perfumery. The second nose brings together toasted and spicy notes such as nutmeg mace, roasted hazelnut and almond, and a hint of coffee. Fig leaf aromas mingle with notes of black tea and fresh spices in the mouth. A lingering fresh finish is elevated by an elegant bitterness.

Dark black currant, plum violet and spicy aromatics lead to a silky elegantly textured palate showing great depth, tension and persistence.

{***}
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{maturity-text}Drink now{maturity-text}
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[]Wine Enthusiast::94/100
{ratings}{***}

Bollinger’s 2007 R.D. is superb, but it is also a wine that reflects the nature of a unique and challenging growing season. In most vintages the R.D. is marked by the distinct creaminess and breadth of Aÿ Pinot Noir. Two thousand seven, though, was a difficult year marked by very dry weather, rain at the end of the growing season and an early harvest in August, something that was not as common as it has become. Selection was essential. For the 2007, the blend is composed of just 14 villages compared to the more typical 18-25. Verzenay is the main Pinot component while Cramant plays the leading role in the Chardonnays. For these reasons, the 2007 is an R.D. driven by more focus, energy and tension than readers are used to seeing. Lemon confit, dried flowers, sage, mint, crushed rocks, almond and ginger are some of the aromas and flavors that give the 2007 its complex, multi-faceted personality.

The 2007 can be enjoyed now, but I would prefer to cellar it for a few years. It will age effortlessly for decades as it moves through the various phases of its life. I was reminded of the way Champagne can magically traverse time by magical bottles of the 1976 R.D. and 1996 Vieilles Vignes Françaises I tasted recently. The blend is 70% Pinot Noir and 30% Chardonnay, 91% Grand Cru fruit and the rest Premier Cru. Bollinger fans will notice the return of the original label, with the disgorgement date clearly visible, a tribute to Madame Bollinger, who was a pioneer in so many ways. Disgorged: July 10, 2020. Dosage is 3 grams per liter.

Drink 2022-2047.

The 2012 La Grande Dame is a pretty wine, but it is starting to show the first signs of aromatic development. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but it is something readers should keep in mind when deciding when to open this. I would not push my luck on aging. Dried pear, ginger, crushed flowers and spice fill out the layers nicely in a gentle, open-knit Champagne to drink over the next 5-10 years.

Drink 2023 - 2030

This is an incredible rosé with super fine tannins that are layered and caress the palate, giving this Champagne an incredible mouthfeel. Iron and stone in the nose. Iodine. Dried flowers as well as dried strawberries and peaches. It's full-bodied but not overpowering and shows super complexity. Chalky sensation as well. A truly great wine for the table. You sip and fall in love. Aged all this time in the cellar of Dom Perignon.

Drink or hold

The 2019 Extra-Brut Rosé de Saignée is produced from organically farmed old-vine Pinot Meunier grown in Villers Aux Noeuds that Brochet purchases from another grower. Bursting with aromas of raspberries, plums, sweet berries, peonies and orange, it's medium to full-bodied, fleshy and layered, with a textural, enveloping profile and a broad, expansive finish. Avoiding any of the ponderousness that can sometimes mar this style of rosé, especially when the grapes get very ripe, shows all the precision typical of this producer's style.

Drink 2021 - 2026

A distinct coppery colour with amber highlights. Superbly pretty. I noticed this particular bottle has six years of cork-ageing after being disgorged in the winter of 2015. The wine is moving into early mature middle age, showing tantalising complexity now: a touch of toffee, walnut, rich tea biscuit and sweet prunes. There is a silk mousse texture and it is all zipped up with a precise and bracing redcurrant racy finish. Quite a finale, positive freshness which promises more to come.

Drink 2022 - 2030

Tasted from magnum, the 1985 Krug Collection is a poignant reminder of just how well Champagne ages in the big bottle. Extraordinarily complex and yet so subtle, the 1985 is utterly captivating. A slight hint of Burgundian reduction adds aromatic nuance and intrigue as this stellar, silky Champagne shows off its pure pedigree.

The 1985 is at a glorious peak of expression, but has more than enough freshness to drink well for another 10-15 years, perhaps more. What a wine.

Drink 2016 - 2026

Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com (October 2016)

The NV Extra Brut Les Beguines is spicy, savoury and full of Meunier character. All it needs is time to soften and fully come together, as it has just been disgorged. Today, it is the raw energy that impresses me most. Dried pear, ginger, spice, dried herbs, anise and chamomile open gradually.

Time in the glass fills out the mid-palate and finishes nicely, giving a good idea of what is to come. This looks to be a medium-bodied, distinctly savoury, vintage for Les Beguines. This release is based on 2020, with 20% reserve wines from 2019. The dosage is 2.5 grams per litre.

Disgorged: October 2022.

Drink 2024 - 2032

A rare Champagne made only from red grapes, this dry wine is marked by an intense acidity that needs time to soften. At the moment, lemon flavor dominates, but with time, the crispness of fruit should round out. It's a wine that should age for many years. Drink from 2015. - Wine Enthusiast 90/100

Disgorged in 2022 after 36 months in tirage, the NV Extra-Brut Blanc de Noirs Les Maillons (2018) is based on the 2018 vintage, incorporating fully 60% reserve wines from the 2017 vintage.

Opening in the glass with scents of sweet mirabelle plum, honeycomb, orange oil, bee pollen and spices, it’s full-bodied fleshy and seamless, with a satiny attack that segues into a vinous, enveloping mid-palate that’s complemented by a fine, pillowy mousse.

Concluding with a sapid, penetrating finish, 2018 was the first vintage in which Collin employed his new Coquard press, and it doesn’t seem fanciful to imagine that this contributes to the notable finesse of this release.

Drink 2022 - 2035

William Kelley, Wine Advocate (August 2022)

The 1998 Comtes de Champagne is a different story altogether. This is a sexy, up-front Comtes endowed with lovely richness in its fruit and open, expressive aromatics. It remains an impressive, inviting Comtes that should also continue to develop nicely in the bottle for at least another decade plus. - Vinous

The nose is layered with delicate floral notes and hints of cherry. The palate is incredibly bright and vibrant, with bundles of pink grapefruit and blood orange encompassed in a lively mousse. With the blend favouring Chardonnay, there are hints of tropical fruits too. This is drinking wonderfully now and will age well over the next six years.

Drink 2022 - 2030

Paul Keating, Senior Account Manager, Berry Bros. & Rudd

The colour is golden with emerald reflections and particularly fine bubbles. The nose is fresh, with a hint of menthol spicing up the fruity aromas of pink grapefruit and frangipane. On the palate, the wine evokes a range of gourmet aromas: apples baked in salted butter, tarte tatin, far breton. This subtle complexity is enhanced by a spicy touch of candied ginger and star anise. The long, tonic and mineral finish evokes fresh pineapples with a touch of citrus.

The 2012 vintage continues to prove it is one of the greatest of this millennium. It was sunny, but low yielding and the resulting wines have concentration, opulence and are worthy of time in the cellar. This unique parcel, late disgorged exclusively for Berry Bros. & Rudd, gives the palate richer golden depth, but also freshness.

A blend of 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay, the nose entices with roasted citrus, fig tarts and musky floral lift. The palate is a celebration of drinkability and complexity. The texture has a soft flow of fine mousse which carries the vintage’s richness in a cloud-like embrace. There are notes of peach, lemon meringue, the chewy corners of pâtisserie, and some depth of hazelnuts from evolution.

The finish is driven and typifies the grandeur of the vintage, but also the Grand Cru vineyards of Pol Roger. Everlasting, mineral elegance. Our 325th anniversary edition Pol Roger 2012 is testament to our enduring alliance with Pol Roger, but also the quality of their wines and the vintage.

Drink now to 2045

Davy Zyw, Senior Buyer, Berry Bros. & Rudd (October 2023)

Les Comtes is one of the greatest of all Chardonnay Champagnes, its fruit sourced from the finest Grand Cru sites of the Côte des Blancs. Blue chip provenance includes the villages of Avize, le Mesnil-sur-Oger, and Cramant; it is the best of the best. Or, doubly appropriate given its luxuriant gustatory profile; la crème de la crème. 5% of the wine is aged in wood before spring bottling and the ensuing lengthy somnolence wherein the alchemical process of autolysis weaves its patient magic over nearly a decade.

2004 was an abundant crop, but also, unusually given its volume, one of high quality, especially in the south of the appellation and for the Chardonnay grape. Aromas of pear, greengage, bergamot and white flowers prove immediately attractive; the palate boasts precision, focus and a wonderful mousse bead. The immediate impression is of freshness and vitality; this is complemented by a profound yet subtle intensity that more than justifies the supreme reputation of this wine.

Ready to drink

Berry Bros. & Rudd

An outstanding Chardonnay from the most exciting of all the current English sparkling wine producers (there is now very stiff competition), the 2009 has been aged for 36 months on its lees, and has undergone full malolactic fermentation. The wine has an impressive toasty depth, seldom hitherto encountered in England, with all the freshness and vivacity that we have come to expect from these patriotic sparklers.

The fruit character of tarte tatin and poached pear hints at an impressive ripeness, a ripeness that is naturally present and not in any way forced by an excessive dosage. All in all, very impressive indeed. Bravo M. Holland (and I don’t mean the gentleman, who, at the time of writing, is the President of France!).
Simon Field MW - Wine Buyer

Taittinger's 2007 Comtes de Champagne will be nearly impossible to resist upon release. Soaring aromatics, mid-weight structure and soft contours give the 2007 its alluring personality. Lemon oil, white flowers, mint, chamomile and green pear add brightness and freshness throughout, with a persistent, clean finish that makes it impossible to resist a second taste.

Today, the 2007 comes across as a slightly more open version of the 2004, with freshness that makes that wine so appealing, and a touch of textural richness that recalls the 2002. Although the 2007 does not have the explosive energy or verticality of the profound 2006, it will drink better earlier. The 2007 has been positively brilliant on the three occasions I have tasted it so far.

Drink 2018 - 2047

Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com (March 2018)

With fruit from the chalk vineyards of the Côte des Blancs, this wine named after Alain Thiénot's son Stanislas is tightly textured, mineral-driven, steely and crisp. Apple skins and lime juice feature along with a continuing freshness despite the wine's age.

{***}
{region}Champagne{region}
{color}White{color}
{maturity}drink-now{maturity}
{maturity-text}Drink now{maturity-text}
{vintage}2006{vintage}
{ratings}
[]Wine Enthusiast::92/100
{ratings}{***}

An expressive version, with vibrant acidity providing fine cut, and flavors of wild berry, toasted brioche, orange pâte de fruit and clover honey riding the finely detailed bead. Smoky on the finish. Enjoy this rich, balanced version with food. Drink now through 2027. - Wine Spectator

{***}{region}Champagne{region} {color}Rose{color} {maturity}drink-now{maturity} {maturity-text}Drink now{maturity-text} {ratings} []Wine Spectator::92/100 []Wine Enthusiast:: 92/100 {ratings} {***}