The Champagne Larmandier Bernier 1er Cru Terre de Vertus Blanc de Blancs (Disg. TBC) 2015 is an exceptional representation of a premier cru Champagne from the renowned Larmandier-Bernier estate in France. This 1500ml bottle, produced in the exceptional 2015 vintage, showcases the true essence of the terroir in which it was grown. On the nose, this Champagne offers an enticing bouquet of fresh citrus, green apple, and delicate floral notes. The pale golden colour is a testament to the wine's purity and elegance. On the palate, the Champagne Larmandier Bernier 1er Cru Terre de Vertus Blanc de Blancs delivers a crisp and refreshing experience, with a perfect balance of zesty acidity and creamy texture. Flavors of lemon, pear, and brioche dance on the palate, leading to a long and satisfying finish. Overall, this Champagne is a true expression of the Larmandier-Bernier house style, showcasing their commitment to producing exceptional wines that capture the essence of Champagne. A true delight for any Champagne lover.

Disg. Apr 2024. Les Chemins d’Avize debuted in 2009. For this cuvée, the Larmandier family vinifies fruit from two tiny plots in the heart of Avize (Chemin de Plivot, planted in 1955, and Chemin de Flavigny, planted in 1960). Both are chalky parcels with very little topsoil and lie on the lower slopes of Avize, not far from Agrapart and Selosse’s La Fosse vineyard. “Initially, it was really tough for the vines to grow here, the soil is so hard,” Arthur Larmandier told us. “Now, they make really, really great wines.” The winemaking is similar to the other cuvées, save for the use of smaller, neutral barrels due to the smaller quantities of wine produced. The wines age in bottle for a minimum of five years and are then disgorged by hand with only 2 g/L dosage. It’s a stunning, racy example of Avize, a little deeper than Terre de Vertus, though more delicate and less fleshy than this grower’s Vieille Vigne du Levant.

Armand de Brignac Champagne, colloquially known as the Ace of Spades, is well known for it's striking bottle design, references in pop culture and its unquestionable quality. Brut Gold is the flagship cuvýe of the range and the first style ever produced under the label. Its unmistakable gold-plated bottles are decorated at a single site in France's Cognac region and are fitted with pewter labels hand-applied to the surface of the bottle. The wine itself is marvelously complex and full-bodied, the bouquet is both fresh and lively, with light floral notes. On the palate, a racy fruit character perfectly integrated with the wine's subtle brioche accents.

In the words of no less than James Halliday, "Krug is the greatest wine of Champagne". At the House of Krug every Vintage is crafted to be different. Every Krug Vintage reveals the expression of a particular year with its distinct character: it is the music of the year as captured by Krug. It is a blend of expressive wines from a single year enhanced by a stay of over ten years in the cellars. The result a manifestation of time, place and feeling that verily leaps from bottle to flute.

Majestic, highly complex and individual, the Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill is the flagship cuvée of the house of Pol Roger. The Champagne is a blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir sourced exclusively from Grand Cru vineyards. Made only in exceptional years the exact blend is a family secret. Made in honour of Sir Winston Churchill the first release was in 1975.

Leclerc Briant was an early adopter of organic practices beginning in the 1960’s and pioneered the concept of single-vineyard Champagne starting in the 1970’s. Fifth generation vigneron, Pascal Leclerc started to follow biodynamic principles in 1988, with part of the production Demeter certified since 2003. Today, enologist Hervé Jestin continues the legacy of this visionary house. Ten hectares of vineyard spread between the Premier Cru villages of Cumières, Hautvillers, Mareuil-sur-Aÿ, Bisseuil in the Vallée de la Marne, Villers-Allerand and Rilly la Montagne in Montagne de Reims and the Grand Cru villages of Cramant and Le Mesnil-sur-Oger in the Côte des Blancs. Leclerc Briant also holds long-term contracts with another 8 hectares of biodynamically farmed vineyards. Les Basses Prières is from a single 0.17-hectare plot in the premier cru village of Hautvillers in the Vallée de la Marne. The southeast facing plot is planted to 80% Pinot Noir and 20% Chardonnay with an average vine age of 40 years. Spontaneous fermentation and aging take place in used 225-liter French oak barriques for 9 months followed by 36 months aging sur lattes. The wine receives a low dosage with just 2 grams per liter of residual sugar. 1,800 bottles produced.

Champagne authority Peter Liem writes that “among all Champagne villages, Aӱ is the most historically esteemed… Today, its terroir is still just as storied, and its grapes are sought after by winemakers across the region.” It is perhaps no surprise that the poet Alfred de Vigny declared in 1853 that “the mousse of Aÿ radiates happiness”. From a Grand Cru where Pinot Noir reigns supreme, Bérêche’s cuvée is sourced from less than a hectare of 40+-year-old vines at 280 metres’ elevation in the cool parcels of Brise Pot and Froide-Terre, bordering Mutigny in Grande Vallée de la Marne, where thin topsoils (at a maximum of 30cm) rest over dense Campanian chalk. Pinot Noir (75%) and Chardonnay (25%) fermented slowly in barrels and aged on lees in bottle for 78 months. The dosage was under 3 g/L. It’s a striking, penetrating Champagne whose depth of crystalline white fruits and soft spices is matched by its sinewy, chalky length and cut-glass precision. A flat-out stunner.