Ayala Le Blanc de Blanc A/18
Product Description: This elegant and complex Champagne is perfect for pairing with fine, simple cuisine that highlights quality ingredients. Enjoy it as an aperitif, or pair it with seafood dishes like scallop carpaccio, citrussy sea bass tartare, or fresh oysters. The vibrant acidity and minerality also make it a perfect match for creamy cheese or vegetable-based starters. Maker: Champagne Ayala, founded in 1860 by Edmond De Ayala, has a long-standing legacy of producing exceptional Champagne with an unwavering commitment to quality. The House of Ayala is renowned for its craftsmanship and innovation, particularly in its focus on creating Champagne that highlights the pure expression of Chardonnay. The company’s roots in the village of Aÿ have remained firm, with the iconic founder's bold decision in 1865 to release "dry champagne" with a minimal dosage, setting a new standard for Champagne production. Ayala continues to honour its founder’s vision by offering wines with elegance, finesse, and the signature purity of Chardonnay. Under the direction of a new generation, particularly since the acquisition by the Bollinger family in 2005, Champagne Ayala has invested heavily in modernising its facilities while maintaining the highest standards of craftsmanship. Their meticulous approach involves working with an extensive selection of crus to ensure that each bottle reflects the best of Champagne's diverse terroirs. Today, the House continues to flourish under the leadership of Hadrien Mouflard, who has spearheaded the transformation of Ayala’s identity with a renewed focus on purity and precision. Philosophy | AYALA: At Champagne Ayala, the philosophy is built on one key principle: "Honor the essence." This guiding belief sees the House dedicated to revealing the purest expression of Chardonnay, the cornerstone of its winemaking. This commitment drives every decision, from vineyard management to vinification, to the final blending process. The House works with a unique and diverse palette of crus, with 50 of the 70 crus exclusively dedicated to Chardonnay, sourced from the finest terroirs of the Champagne region. Ayala’s philosophy embraces organic principles, with a growing commitment to sustainable practices, including the conversion of its own vineyards to organic viticulture, and the pursuit of environmental certifications such as HEV and VDC. The production process at Ayala is a masterclass in precision. Each cru undergoes micro-vinification, allowing the individual characteristics of each vineyard to shine before being carefully blended into the final cuvée. The extended aging of their wines on lees, paired with the low dosage, ensures that Ayala’s champagnes embody an exceptional balance of freshness, complexity, and elegance. This purity and focus on terroir have earned Champagne Ayala a reputation for producing wines that are as distinctive as they are exquisite, with a clarity and freshness that stands out in every bottle. Through these practices, Ayala continues to honour the craftsmanship and legacy of its founder, Edmond De Ayala, while paving the way for a bright future. Tasting Notes: Nose Elegant, Fragrant, Citrusy Aromatic delight, opening with notes of pear, grapefruit, and delicate jasmine, creating a fresh and vibrant bouquet. Subtle hints of acacia honey and a touch of citrus zest enhance the fragrance, providing an inviting and layered profile that draws you in. Palate Fresh, Lively, Structured Vibrant character with lively flavours of blood orange and pastry. The texture is sleek and elegant, with a beautiful minerality. Bright acidity provides structure and balance, giving it an exciting and refreshing finish. Finish Long, Crisp, Mineral Long and crisp, leaving a lasting impression of bright citrus and chalky minerality. The purity of the Chardonnay shines through, with a delicate balance between freshness and complexity that continues to evolve with each sip.
By Farr Chardonnay
Gary Farr is still one of Victoria's true Chardonnay maestro's and his Chardonnay By Farr is another example. Taken from the original By Farr vineyard, this is a clearly a wine of true clarity and finesse. Flavours of melon and hints of spice with wonderful oak integration mean this wine is simply delicious upon release, but handle some careful medium-term cellaring.
Moët & Chandon Grand Vintage Rosé Champagne
Moët & Chandon is arguably the most famous name in the world of Champagne. The first impression that strikes when tasting the Grand Vintage 1999 is an impression of wealth, both in the development of aromas and flavours of the wine in the mouth.
Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin Vintage
Veuve Clicquot has been producing fine quality Champagne since it was founded in 1772. In 1810, Madame Clicquot broke new ground by creating the first vintage Champagne, made of grapes from one single harvest. Veuve's non vintage is consistently rated in the top handful of NV Champagnes and delivers a powerful bubbly with a rich mouthfeel. The Ponsardin vintage is elegant with generous freshness and the Pinot Noir lends body to a very lively wine. On the palate there's layers of floral and fruity complexity that flows into a remarkably long and powerful finish.
Pommery Brut Royal Non-Vintage
Established in 1836, Madame Pommery is credited with creating the first vintage brut style of Champagne in 1874, at a time when most champagnes were excessively sweetened with sugar. This revolutionary dry style set the benchmark for the rest of Champagne and it is in this spirit that the style of Pommery endures; with each cuvée displaying sublime elegance, finesse and freshness. Pommery is one of the few Champagne Houses that produces their large formats in the actual bottle in order to allow for optimal ageing.
Gosset Grand Blanc de Blancs Non-Vintage
Product Information: This Champagne highlights the more mineral characters of the different Champagne varying terroirs. Dialling into the chalky minerality, the Chardonnays are selected from various crus - Avize, Chouilly, Cramant, Villers-Marmery, Trépail - where the chalk breaks through to the surface in the Montagne de Reims, Vallée de la Marne and the Côte des Blancs. Earthy mineral aromas, very refined, delicate and attractive overall, with aromas of white flowers, citrus and a trace of honey. Lovely tension! As crisp and lively as it gets. Bottled at the end of the spring following the harvest and with 4 years minimum ageing in the cellars. The dosage is a low 7g/l adjusted with precision to preserve the balance between freshness and fruit without masking the wine’s character and purity. Maker: The oldest Wine House in Champagne: Aÿ 1584 The history of the Gosset family goes back five centuries to Jean Gosset (1484-1556), “Lord of Aÿ and Mareuil”, who was the first official ancestor in the lineage. The origins of “Maison Gosset” itself date back to the year 1584 when Pierre Gosset, Lord and Alderman of Aÿ, decided to set up a négociant business. 16 generations, all of direct lineage, have continued to build upon his work in Aÿ-Champagne and ensured that Champagne Gosset’s savoir-faire, lives on. Towards the end of 1993, the Champagne Gosset became part of the family-owned Renaud-Cointreau group which has since made it its mission to preserve the Gosset style. In the late 20th century, Champagne Gosset’s association with the Cointreau family, as well as the birth of the Gosset Celebris vintage cuvées, propelled the Champagne House to be amongst the most prestigious Champagne Houses. The unique bottle Jean Gosset first used the antique bottle that would become the emblem of the Gosset Champagne House in 1760. This bottle is an exclusive model that used to be part of the family’s collection of ancestral bottles. It owes its name to the “antique glass” colour of the glass paste from which it is produced. This elegant bottle is bears a neck label known as the “necklace medallion” named after Albert Gosset (truly one of a kind in the Champagne region), is instantly recognisable. Philosophy: Gosset is dedicated to crafting wines with perfect balance between freshness and distinctive character. Each cuvée reflects the region’s diverse terroirs, sourced from 140 hectares of Champagne vineyards. Their unique vinification process preserves natural fruit freshness and enhances aromatic expression, resulting in Champagnes with great mineral freshness, deep varietal character, and excellent aging potential. This approach delivers rich, balanced, and complex drinking experiences for connoisseurs and enthusiasts alike. Nose - Chalky, Savoury, Herbaceous Earthy mineral aromas, very refined, delicate white flowers, marjoram and floral honey. Palate - Lemon, Sherry Notes, Energetic Nervy, crisp and lively on the palate. Lemon peel, white peach, subtle nougat and sherry complexity. Young and fresh overall. Finish - Chalk, Sea Spray, Minerality A clean, appetising finish and aftertaste. Lip-smacking.
Gosset Grand Rose Non-Vintage
Product Information: This rosé has a high percentage of Chardonnay, which imbues freshness and precision, complemented by Pinot Noir vinified as both white and red base wines. The red wines are derived from different Champagne crus (Ambonnay, Bouzy, Cumières) and are vinified and blended to obtain a very fine and crunchy fruit. Bottled at the end of the spring following the harvest. This wine spends a minimum of 4 years ageing in the cellars. The dosage is adjusted with precision (8 g/l) to preserve the balance between freshness and fruit without masking the wine’s character and purity. A very tasty aperitif style wine. Moreish. The first impression is white flowers, hawthorn, green apples and citrus. As the Champagne warms up, a hint of grapefruit peel comes to the fore, accompanied by almond, ginger, and star anise. Almond and sherry like notes continue on the palate. Very energetic, interesting and satisfying blush Champagne. Maker: The oldest Wine House in Champagne: Aÿ 1584 The history of the Gosset family goes back five centuries to Jean Gosset (1484-1556), “Lord of Aÿ and Mareuil”, who was the first official ancestor in the lineage. The origins of “Maison Gosset” itself date back to the year 1584 when Pierre Gosset, Lord and Alderman of Aÿ, decided to set up a négociant business. 16 generations, all of direct lineage, have continued to build upon his work in Aÿ-Champagne and ensured that Champagne Gosset’s savoir-faire, lives on. Towards the end of 1993, the Champagne Gosset became part of the family-owned Renaud-Cointreau group which has since made it its mission to preserve the Gosset style. In the late 20th century, Champagne Gosset’s association with the Cointreau family, as well as the birth of the Gosset Celebris vintage cuvées, propelled the Champagne House to be amongst the most prestigious Champagne Houses. The unique bottle Jean Gosset first used the antique bottle that would become the emblem of the Gosset Champagne House in 1760. This bottle is an exclusive model that used to be part of the family’s collection of ancestral bottles. It owes its name to the “antique glass” colour of the glass paste from which it is produced. This elegant bottle is bears a neck label known as the “necklace medallion” named after Albert Gosset (truly one of a kind in the Champagne region), is instantly recognisable. Philosophy: Gosset is dedicated to crafting wines with perfect balance between freshness and distinctive character. Each cuvée reflects the region’s diverse terroirs, sourced from 140 hectares of Champagne vineyards. Their unique vinification process preserves natural fruit freshness and enhances aromatic expression, resulting in Champagnes with great mineral freshness, deep varietal character, and excellent aging potential. This approach delivers rich, balanced, and complex drinking experiences for connoisseurs and enthusiasts alike. Nose - Sherry Complexity, Grapefruit Peel, Ginger Flower The first nose expresses white flowers, hawthorn, green apples and citrus. As the Champagne warms up, a hint of grapefruit peel comes to the fore, accompanied by ginger and star anise. Palate - Pineapple, Intense, Saline On the palate, flavours of citrus fruit mingle with pineapple and finish with a sparkling saline note. Finish - Lingering, Moreish, Savoury Excellent style. Long-lingering aftertaste is clean and dry and moreish. Very energetic, interesting and satisfying.
Taittinger Brut Réserve Champagne Non-Vintage
Larmandier-Bernier Latitude Blanc de Blancs Extra-Brut Non-Vintage
Larmandier-Bernier Latitude Blanc de Blancs Extra-Brut NV is produced using 100% Côte des Blancs Chardonnay grapes. The vineyards are on the Southern side of Vertus. In the cellar, Larmandier uses mostly large format casks and less and less steel tanks. These are vineyards on roughly the same 'Latitude' and the name also hints at the breadth of texture that the wines from these sites (having more clay in the soil) tend to offer up. In the cellar Larmandier uses mostly large format casks (almost all the wood now comes from Stockinger in Austria) and less and less steel tanks. The alcoholic and malolactic fermentations take place without inoculation, and there is no fining or filtration. Bottle maturation takes place in the underground cellars over a period of more than two years, and each bottle is disgorged manually, six months before being released, and dosed at low, Extra Brut levels. Pure and mineral, the most recent bottling offers cut-diamond precision, citrusy, chalky energy and a succulent, textured core. In short, it is a classic 'Larmandier' wine that is all class. Dosage is 3-4 grams per litre
Pol Roger Vintage
One of the finest of all French Champagne houses and in top form in recent years with their vintage releases. Vintage Pol combines elegance and finesse with depth and complexity of flavour.