Located in Mareuil-ser-Ay, Billecart-Salmon is a Grande Marque Champagne that was founded in 1818 via the marriage of Nicolas Francois Billecart and Elisabeth Salmon. It’s one of the few Champagne houses still owned by the original family. Meticulous vinification ensures the entire range displays incredible purity, clarity of fruit and lightness of touch. The flagship Nicolas-Francois Black 2007 is a wine of profound complexity and depth that will reward the patient. Built for the long haul, this is a wine deserving of the finest occasions.

PENFOLDS X Thienot Lot 1 175 Blanc de Blanc, Champagne

Immerse yourself in aromas of fresh dark berries and a delicate floral lift, underpinned by intriguing hints of forest floor and a subtle smokiness. The taste is expansive, revealing layers of dark fruit, a fine chalky minerality, and a precise acidity that carries through to a persistent, beautifully structured finish, showcasing the strength of Pinot Noir.

Suenen crafts just a single 600-litre demi-muid of this cuvée. It originates from a parcel of particularly low-yielding vines planted in Chouilly’s renowned Le Mont-Aigu terroir, near the Cramant border on the Butte de Saran. Now more than 45 years of age, these old vines suffer from fanleaf virus, resulting in tiny leaves, roots and bunches. Coupled with skeletal soils (just 35 cm of topsoil over pure chalk), this results in a deep yet compact expression of Chouilly that is unlike any other. Expect flesh and concentrated ripeness yet also chiselled structure and intense, saline minerality.