Chamapagne Rosé is a true delight to the senses and Billecart-Salmon rightly takes its place in the top echelon. A vibrant Salmon pink colour greets the glass, with a long, smooth, delicate, elegant and refined palate to follow. Without the price tag that others of this quality demand, this is a Champagne that all must enjoy at least once.

Veuve Clicquot Brut Yellow Label Champagne Nv. A Champagne from the fuller-bodied school with flavours of buttered toast, brioche and biscuit to complement the ever present fine acidity and flavour length that is a trademark.

Nv Billecart Salmon Brut Nature, A visual intensity of pale gold, enhanced by the clarity of a pure and sparkling ensemble. With ultra-fine, regular and plentiful bubbles which are focussed towards the surface of the glass in a disciplined manner. It’s the engagement of an authentic seduction, nuanced by the purity and the exact maturity of a distinct and vibrant aromatic profile (orchard fruits, fresh citrus and small pains au lait). An ample and harmonious tactile approach, preserved by a deliciously chiselled mineral tension. A well balanced and nicely rounded lightly sparkling sensation is strengthed by a captivating gustatory rajectory (white flesh fruits, lime trees and almond cream.

Heidsieck & Co Monopole Champagne Brut NV is a pale yellow colour. The palate is primarily yellow fruit oriented, particularly peach on the outset. The nose has aromas of stewed fruits with hints of honey. There are also floral notes providing a foretaste of the lightness of the champagne. The mouth, similar to the nose, is fruit dominated with cherry plumes, oranges, and peaches. Fresh, elegant, and delicate, this brut Champagne is very pleasant on the palate.

The thrilling energy of this splendid season charges it with a vibrancy and definition that places this blend on a plateau elevated high above even the lofty heights that this cuvee has attained under the new Charles Heidsieck. In searching for any other entry non-vintage cuvee to which to compare it, I can fathom none short of the mesospheric heights of Krug itself. In sheer age (current Krug Grande Cuvee is only one year older) and depth of reserves, this Charles Heidsieck splendidly upholds its elevated position among Champagne's richer NVs... In sheer, breathtaking calibre for the price, this is the greatest Charles Heidsieck Brut Reserve I can remember. It deserves to be the house champagne we all have chilled perpetually at the ready this year. Rating: 96/100.

Piper-Heidsieck's roots trace back to Florens-Louis Heidsieck, who created the original company of Heidsieck & Co. Christian Heidsieck joined the venture alongside Guillaume Piper and once Florens-Louis died in 1828, the duo decided to continue the adventure side by side, founding Champagne Piper-Heidsieck. Émilien Boutillat offers a reflection on time with Brut Sauvage 1982 and Hors-Série 1982, presented in the Diptyque 1982 gift box, numbered, and released in a limited edition of 500 boxes. Offering more than a mere flashback, the Chief Winemaker proposes a particularly unique tasting: Émilien Boutillat shares a real reflection on time in his pairing of the two cuvées in one box. A dialogue between two facets of one vintage, of one blend, of one philosophy, revisiting bygone times, each with its own vision. The results of the 1982 harvest are considered amongst the most exceptional ever witnessed in the history of Champagne. The grapes grew under steady weather conditions. The results were irreproachable and the harvest abundant! The grapes, all varieties included, were in excellent condition and stood out for their nesse, equilibrium and grandeur, hallmarks of a great year in Champagne. The fruit of the same vintage, the same blend and dosage, Brut Sauvage 1982 and Hors-Série 1982 each boast a distinctive character, a result of their different ageing processes. There are two ways for a champagne to age: on lees or in a corked bottle following disgorgement. Disgorged in 1992, Brut Sauvage 1982 was cellared on lees for 10 years and cork-aged for 29 years. Hors-Série 1982 spent 39 years on lees before being disgorged in 2022. Tasting the two together offers a truly unique experience as these two cuvées showcase a new perspective on time, revealing different phenomenal sensations and precise generous aromas on the nose and the palate. Hors-Serie 1982 Tasting Note: With a pale golden robe, Hors-Série 1982 being recently disgorged present quite young, luscious notes of mirabelle plums, kumquats, dried pineapple, and fresh quince, with a touch of ginger and earl grey tea. Smoky accents of coffee beans and toast balance out the wine’s minerality. Brut Sauvage 1982 Tasting Note: Harbouring a golden robe and glints of copper, Brut Sauvage 1982 presents a clean, fresh structure and long finish. Initial accents of candied fruits, pastry notes of brioche and frangipane and a touch of vanilla and nutmeg pave the way to warm harmonies of chestnut honey, aged rum and Espelette pepper.

A legacy since 1734, Champagne Taittinger is the largest eponymous family owned Champagne House and one of the top, independent champagne brands in the world. This family of growers cultivates the second largest vineyard in the Champagne region. The composition of the house’s cuvées is a result of an intuitive and complex process, one which the Taittinger family know how to create and sustain; a Champagne which is completely unique. The Taittinger Comtes Blanc de Blancs 2007 is a lively champagne with a light, abundant bubble. There is a bouquet on the nose of pears and fresh cut flowers and flavours of lemon zest and fresh pineapple. A delicate balance of finesse and aromatic intensity.