$100 and over
Delamotte Blanc de Blancs Non-Vintage
Agrapart & Fils 7 Crus Extra-Brut Non-Vintage
Product Information: The NV Brut 7 Crus is a very pretty. Bright, mineral and intensely vibrant, the 7 Crus is full of energy and refreshment. 7 Crus is a blend of two harvests: in this case, 60% is 2021 from 1er Cru sites; and 40% is 2020 from Grand Cru sites. The reserve wine was raised in neutral, 600-litre oak casks from François Chidaine and Didier Dagueneau. The breakdown is 90% Chardonnay and 10% Pinot Noir. Even at this first level, the wine is aged for three years on lees. It was disgorged with 6 g/L dosage. This is the most immediately seductive cuvée in the Agrapart range, yet it is still extremely fine. It’s long, deep and saline with some gentle grip. Sadly, we do not get nearly enough. The reviews below refer to a previous disgorgement. Disg. March 2024. The Agrapart range begins with a non-vintage wine called 7 Crus. The name refers to the seven Côte des Blancs villages from which the wine derives. These include Avize (from younger vines aged 20 to 40 years), Cramant, Oger, Oiry, Avenay-Val-d’Or, Coligny and Vauciennes. Like all Agrapart wines, the fruit is from 100% estate-owned and farmed vineyards. Maker: In 1894 at the beginning of France’s lively Belle Époque “the beautiful era” or Europe's golden era between 1871 to 1914. Arthur Agrapart started the family domaine that would become Champagne Agrapart & Fils. The estate has weathered many storms, including World War I, an economic depression, and the German Occupation during World War II, which devastated stock by millions of cases throughout the region. In the 1950s, Arthur’s grandson Pierre set out to rebuild the family business by making wines of quality rather than following the commercial trends of the day. Pierre’s sons Pascal and Fabrice took over the reins in 1990, farming their own vineyards along the prestigious Côte de Blancs, as well as blending and bottling their own wines. By the early 2000s, upon realising the brothers did not have the same goals for the future of the estate, Pascal began the long-term process of dividing the estate in two. His vineyards would become the backbone of Domaine Pascal Agrapart, focusing on the unique single vineyard cuvées that he had championed since the early 1990s and the remaining family vineyards would provide the fruit for the assemblage cuvées, 7 Crus & Terroirs, still bottled under the Agrapart & Fils label today. Pascal has been joined by his eldest son Ambroise and their ultimate goal is to produce only wines bearing the Pascal Agrapart label. Philosophy: The winery is based in the grand cru village of Avize, famous for its cuvees of 100% Chardonnay. Pascal and Ambroise farm 10 hectares from some 60 different vineyard plots in the Côte de Blancs, including Oger, Cramant, Oiry and Avize. They farm using only homeopathic vine treatments, composts, manures, and regular plowing. The Agraparts were one of the first families to bring the draft horse back to the vineyards, and named a cuvee in honour of their first four-hooved friend, Vénus. In plowing the old-school way, they expose the clay and limestone soils to immune-boosting properties of the wind and sun. While they once were the object of ridicule, they now lead a return to authentic, ancestral practices. Their quality control extends to manual harvests, a selective triage of the grapes, and the use of native yeasts during fermentation. Malolactic fermentations are employed to round out the intensity of these mineral-driven Champagnes. The wines age on their lees for an extended period of time, and then are racked to both stainless steel and neutral oak barrels—the latter being a rarity in Champagne before Pascal started using them. All wines are bottled unfined and unfiltered. Nose - Apricots, Pears, Fennel Vibrant fruit here, with peaches, apricots, lemons, pears, almonds and spicy anise notes. Palate - Intense Minerality, Pillowy Palate, Citrus Peel medium to full-bodied, ample and pillowy palate. Finish - Chalk, Lingering Citrus, Saline White flowers, chalk and citrus linger.
Vincent Laval By Georges Laval Cumieres Rose Brut Nature Non-Vintage
Product Information: Georges Laval's Cumieres Rose Brut Nature NV is now produced by his son Vincent. This Champagne bursts from the glass, showing remarkable energy, tension and focus. Sweet floral and mint notes add an upper register to a wine that is first and foremost about minerality. This a 50/50 blend of Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier; zero dosage; picked as whole bunches and carefully crushed by foot with a healthy amount of skin contact leading to a bold, vibrant red colour. Expect a rich, layered, detailed rosé unlike anything else you will have encountered. Maker: Four generations of the Laval family have been tending vines in Champagne and they have been producing estate bottled wines since the 1970’s. Georges Laval, Vincent’s father, was the first to begin bottling wines at the domaine in 1971. Vincent officially joined the family business in 1991 after finishing his studies, by 1996 he officially took the helm of the estate. Georges had set the standard for the quality of the wines coming from this tiny estate and Vincent has faithfully taken over the reins, without changing much. Taking note from a report written by Jacques Cousteau, Georges recognised the importance of farming organically very early on and accepted the responsibility of farming organically since 1971. The domaine was one of the first to make the conversion to organics, and for many years was one of only a handful of producers to farm in this manner. Philosophy: The Laval’s have about 2.5 hectares of vineyard holdings that they farm organically, certified Ecocert, along with some biodynamic practices. The Laval's go above and beyond to avoid any chemical overspray from neighbouring plots, in an effort to protect their soils & vines they go about treating about 30 additional acres of vines with their own organic treatments. They were even able to get all aerial treatment companies to distance their overhead treatments more than 15m from any of the families organic plots. They go as far as to trade parcels with other growers in order to have all their plots in specific lieu dits be all one cohesive healthy parcel as opposed to separate parcels throughout a given vineyard site. Above and beyond remember? All vineyard work is done by hand between just 4 people, including Vincent. Plowing is done by horse in all of their plots. All of their organic treatments and sprays are used only when necessary and with as little as possible. Nose - Vibrant Red Berries, White Flowers, Anise Vibrant aromas of fresh red berries and citrus fruits are complemented by suggestions of white flowers, anise and chalky minerals. Palate - Fleshy, Broad, Crackling Blood Orange Fleshy and broad but decidedly dry, offering crackling blood orange and bitter quince flavors that stretch out and deepen with air. Finish - Focused, Persistent Finish, Iodine Clings with excellent focus and tenacity on the strikingly persistent finish, which leaves notes of orange pith and iodine behind.
Agrapart & Fils Pascal Agrapart Champagne Complantée Grand Cru Extra Brut
Piper-Heidsieck Brut Champagne Non-Vintage (6 )
Bollinger Special Cuvée
Bollinger Special Cuvée is unquestionably one of the finest of all French champagnes, the Bollinger style is distinctive for its full-bodied toasty character derived from a high proportion of Pinot Noir and the inclusion of base wine that has been matured in oak.
Bollinger Special Cuvée Brut Non-Vintage + 2 Elizabeth Glasses
Product Description: This Bollinger Special Cuvée gift set includes one 75cl bottle of Special Cuvée and two 29cl Bollinger-branded crystal glasses. The set is presented in a limited-edition branded gift box of red and white, making it a perfect luxury gift. As for the champagne, Bollinger Special Cuvée is the label of choice for spoiling loved ones who appreciate the finer things in life. For over a century, connoisseurs have chosen Bollinger Special Cuvée for its subtlety, consistency, and the glamour it brings to everyday occasions. This release features a delicate blend of 60% Pinot Noir, 25% Chardonnay, and 15% Meunier, with over 85% sourced from Grands and Premiers crus. Special Cuvée is cellar-aged for double the length required by appellation regulations. It’s equally delectable enjoyed on its own, mixed into a mimosa, or paired with seafood, full-bodied cheeses, or richer meats like venison and beef. Did you know that in 1911, Georges Bollinger’s British agent suggested swapping the original name, “brut sans année,” for the English word “special” to better convey this Champagne’s outstanding qualities? And thus, a star was born. Bollinger Special Cuvée is the brand’s raison d’être! The Maker: For almost two hundred years, Champagne Bollinger has been making powerful, refined and complex wines that express the aromas of fruit in all its dimensions. In 1829, Athanase de Villermont’s vast estate just outside the town of Äy provided the backdrop for the founding of an extraordinary Champagne house - but as an aristocrat, Athanese was forbidden from engaging in commercial trade. With the recruitment of Joseph “Jacques” Bollinger, a Champagne merchant, and Paul Renaudin, a Champernois fascinated by the world of wine, the Bollinger legacy began. The Bollinger style is inimitable and recognised as such by great connoisseurs. It possesses a dense and subtle presence: a balance of the intensity of great Pinot Noirs and the freshness of Chardonnays from the Côte des Blancs. The house’s offerings are rooted in 5 tangible principles: the vineyards; Pinot Noir; magnums of reserve wines; the barrels, and time. Bollinger wines release a creamy effervescence resulting from vinifying in oak barrels and prolonged contact with the yeasts. Every tasting yields new delights that are guaranteed to transport you. The Vineyard: Bollinger has built its vineyards at the heart of the finest crus in Champagne. 180 hectares of vines are made up of 85% Grand and Premier crus and are farmed by our teams of growers across 7 separate vineyards: Aÿ, Avenay, Tauxières, Louvois and Verzenay for Pinot Noir; the Montagne de Reims, Cuis for Chardonnay; and the Côte des Blancs and Champvoisy for Meunier. Another of Bollinger’s distinctive features are the two plots of Clos Saint-Jacques and Chaudes Terres. There, ungrafted vines are entirely tended by hand and reproduced using a form of layering called provignage, preserving the extraordinary heritage from which the Vieilles Vignes Françaises cuvée is produced. Pinot Noir is the varietal on which Bollinger has staked its reputation. A demanding grape that requires care at every step, it remains front and centre because of the incomparable finesse it brings to a wine. Today, the Pinot Noir planted around the Montagne de Reims represents over 60% of the Bollinger vineyards. This also just happens to be the exact proportion it occupies in Special Cuvée! Multi-faceted and surprising, its unusually high ratio in the blends is a signature of the Bollinger style, to which it lends power, body and vinosity. It has been one of the founding principles of Champagne Bollinger’s identity from the very beginning. Bollinger is guided by a responsibility anchored in time and a commitment to people, the earth and our roots. It is committed to the well-being of its teams, preserving biodiversity, and reducing the brand’s carbon footprint. NOSE - Powerful, complex, red fruits The beauty of ripe fruit and spicy aromas; hints of roasted apples, compote and peaches. PALATE - Lush, enveloping, creamy A subtle combination of structure, length and vivacity; bubbles like velvet; pear, brioche and spicy aromas, notes of fresh walnut. FINISH - Dry, mineral, petrichor Mellow and refreshing, punctuated by a crisp bite derived from its Chardonnay component. Reviews + Accolades: 60% Pinot Noir, 25% Chardonnay, 15% Meunier sourced from more than 300 crus, including 85% grands and premiers crus; 15% fermented in old oak barrels. The complexity and richness of Special Cuvée is unparalleled among the entry non-vintage blends of every Champagne house, short of ascending to the mesosphere of Krug. Its grand recipe explains why, built on incredible depth of 50%-60% reserves. Triumphant complexity is a given at Bollinger, but it’s the dynamic freshness and vitality that really set it apart as one of the most affordable Champagne benchmarks. - Decanter, 96 Points. Lovely density and a fine-bubble texture. Dried apple and apricot with hints of dried flowers. Medium to full body. with medium-rich fruit. Spice, zest and ginger character. Usually 10% in barrel. 60% pinot noir, 25% chardonnay and 15% pinot meunier. About 40% reserve wine kept in magnums. Always really well done. - James Suckling, 93 Points. Fine and seamless, with mouthwatering acidity well-meshed with a rich range of crème de cassis, poached apricot, gingerbread and almond extract flavors, plus accents of fleur de sel, Meyer lemon peel and star anise. Long and lively on the creamy finish. Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier. - Wine Spectator, 93 Points. “... this iconic non-vintage cuvée is dominated by Pinot Noir that gives impressive richness as well as ripe stone fruits. Wood fermentation adds further complexity as does the age of this bottling before release. Drink this Champagne now.” – Wine Enthusiast
Dom Pérignon Brut Vintage
Dom Pérignon is the most famous Champagne in the world, and for good reason. The bouquet sparkles with delicate fresh violets in a setting of white peaches. The soft delicate flavours continue while the senses are tickled by the most delicate of fine bubbles. Though this is such a fine delicate wine, the complexity is astounding, along with its length. Stunning.
Larmandier Bernier Latitude Non-Vintage
Latitude is a 100% Côte de Blancs Chardonnay, predominantly grown, as it always has been, in vineyards on the southern side of Vertus. These are vineyards on roughly the same