Annual Champagne Tasting 2023

Incredible value for a blanc de noirs (100% Pinot Noir) grower Champagne from the grand cru vineyards of Bouzy. It shows gorgeous aromas of stone fruit, citrus and strawberry, with complex brioche nuances, remarkable balance, ongoing elegance and a rich, refined, persistent finish. DECANTER

Release after release, year after year, I have always marvelled at the lemon blossom freshness that Clouet manages to capture in pinot noir from two of Champagne's most powerful terroirs.  Here it is again, in a captivating interplay of fleshy mirabelle plums, white peaches, crunchy golden delicious apples, and even a hint of pepper.  Wild honey and mixed spice join the maelstrom along the way, gliding obediently into a well-defined finish of soft minerality and integrated dosage.  TYSON STELZER, The Champagne Guide

The NV Brut Grande Reserve offers up layers of mineral-infused red fruits on a silky, mid-weight frame, with gorgeous length and a refined, subtle mousse. This impeccable, elegant wine shows terrific overall balance as well as complexity. I loved it. ANTONIO GALLONI

The effusive nose of candied citrus, ripe pear and brioche pulls you into this fresh and creamy champagne that hits all the pleasure buttons for a non-vintage Brut. Then the chalky freshness at the finish pulls you back for another sip. Excellent balance! 100% pinot noir. JAMES SUCKLING

The NV Brut Grand Réserve Grand Cru is a pure Pinot Noir from Bouzy. It's pure, fresh, fine and aromatic on the nose and round and delicate on the palate. The fruit-intense finish is chalky-mineral and stimulatingly fresh in its salty finesse and elegant yeastiness. Nice lemon juice flavors give an extra kick of refreshment. This is a picture-book NV Brut. STEPHAN REINHARDT, Wine Advocate

The latest release of André Clouet's NV Brut Grand Réserve Grand Cru is showing well, exhibiting a nicely integrated bouquet of red apple, ripe citrus fruit, honeycomb and blanched almonds, followed by a medium to full-bodied, enveloping palate with a fine mousse, ripe but racy acids and an elegant, understated profile, concluding with a well-defined finish. This is a stylish, harmonious wine WILLIAM KELLEY

Based in the Marne Valley, this producer has a predominance of Pinot Meunier in many of its Champagnes. Winemaker Marie Petit Loriot plays the tanks music as the wine ferments. This fruity wine is vibrant, densely textured and at the dry end of Brut. WINE ENTHUSIAST

Theodorine is names after the vinegrowers daughter. It's a blend of Meunier, Chardonnay, pinot noir and red wine from pinot noir.

A blend of meunier and chardonnay from the 2021 vintage.

100% pinot meunier from the 2013 vintage.

Tasted from magnum (the 750-milliliter bottle costs $285), the NV Brut (Gold) opens with lovely matured brioche, toast and ripe fruit flavors. Fresh, pure and elegant on the palate, with beautifully matured flavors and an elegant creaminess I don't find in the other cuvées, the "Gold" is a blend of 40% Pinot Noir, 40% Chardonnay and 20% Pinot Meunier as well as the vintages of 2009, 2010 and 2012. The wine reveals good grip and mineral tension and drinks well as an aperitif or with seafood and fish. Stephan Reinhardt, THE WINE ADVOCATE

Offering up charming aromas of ripe apples, red berries and crushed mint, it's full-bodied, broad and fleshy, with a youthfully ebullient mousse, ripe acids and a moderately intense finish. This rendition is a touch more sun-kissed and open-knit than the best examples, but it's a creditable effort. WILLIAM KELLEY, Robert Parker 2019 

The NV Brut Special Cuvée is fabulous. Hints of pears, pastry crust and hazelnut lead to an expansive core of fruit. There is plenty of the signature Bollinger oxidative style in this rich, enveloping Champagne. Once again the Special Cuvée is one of the best Champagnes in its price range. ANTONIO GALLONI

… 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. (96) TYSON STELZER

Like its rosé counterpart, the latest release of Bollinger's NV Brut Special Cuvée is showing especially well, bursting from the glass with aromas of honeyed apples, crisp stone fruit, buttery pastry, ripe lemons and fresh walnuts. Medium to full-bodied, fleshy and vinous, with a deep core of beautifully ripe fruit, racy acids and a pillowy  mousse, it's a charming, characterful wine that proves that Special Cuvée is firmly back where it belongs. WILLIAM KELLEY

Pale, bright pink.  Expressive aromas of fresh red berries, tangerine and toasty lees, with a suave floral nuance.  Deeply pitched but quite energetic, offering pure strawberry and cherry preserve flavors underscored by zesty citrus and mineral notes.  Becomes richer and smokier with air and finishes with excellent clarity, thrust and persistence.  For such a powerful wine this Champagne is impressively lithe and incisive. JOSH RAYNOLDS

Brocard Pierre's entry-level and only blended-grape expression of Champagne, Cuvée Tradition Brut, spends three years on the lees in bottle before release, which in our opinion, makes it one of the best quality-for-value wine of Champagne.

The Tradition is made of Pinot Noir (80%), Chardonnay (10%) and Pinot Blanc (10%) grapes from vineyards planted on clay-calcareous soil near Celles-sur-Ource. 2018 vintage reserve wine makes up the dominant base, while 30% comes from different réserve vintages. The juice was fermented in oak (15%) and stainless steel (85%) at controlled temperature. The wine then spent 4 months in stainless steel, and it was aged on lees for 2.5 years. It has 6g/l of dosage.

A flattering nose dominated by the Pinot Noir. Good harmony in the mouth, strength associated with freshness but not heavy accompanied by a slightly mentholated finish. Ripe citrus. Unctuous mousse. Chalky, mineral and saline and mouth coating. Generous autolitic notes.

Pinot noir leads this accurate, well-crafted aperitif style of elegant finesse and persistence. A primary red cherry, wild strawberry and lemon fruit focus is underlined by taut acidity and expressive chalk mineral depth. Nuances of honey, anise and ginger are building as it gains maturity. It's clean and taut, a low dosage keeping the finish fresh and lively. TYSON STELZER

The base wine is equal parts pinot noir, chardonnay and pinot meunier from the'07 vintage, and 40% reserve wine is added prior to the wine being bottled for its second fermentation. The reserve wine has an average age of 10 years, so after three years on lees prior to disgorgement the Brut Reserve has an average age of just under six years. Aromas of brioche, almond and peach; the palate has great length and complexity, the youthful base wine's freshness contrasting with the velvety/creamy nuances of the Reserve. JAMES HALLIDAY

Light, bright orange. Intensely perfumed scents of raspberry, orange zest, white flowers and chalky minerals.  Juicy and precise in the mouth, offering vibrant red berry and blood orange flavors and a complicating hint of brioche.  The floral quality comes back strong on the very long, incisive finish, which features a subtle anise quality and smoky minerality. JOSH RAYNOLDS, Vinous Media

More product information will be added here soon! In the meantime, if you do have any questions at all about this product or others in our store, you can contact us by phone or email. Our friendly and experienced team are always happy to assist - we love drinking, selling, talking about and being in and around wine!

The NV Brut Cuvée Ste.-Anne (base 2022) is terrific. I tasted it in the middle of the range after many of the single-vineyard Champagnes, but the wine did not suffer at all from its placement. If anything, this tasting reinforced my long-held view that the Ste.-Anne is one of the very finest grower Champagnes in its price range. This release, based on 2022, is brisk and energetic to its core. Citrus, white pepper, chalk and floral top notes are finely cut. This is an especially brisk edition of the Ste.-Anne. Chardonnay planted on chalk increasingly plays a leading role in this bottling. Superb. Dosage is 2.5 grams per liter. Disgorged: October 2024. ANTONIO GALLONI

The work that Alex Chartogne has done with his single-vineyards benefits also cuvée Sainte Anne, which delivers fantastic value for money year in and out. This 2022 based blend is showing deliciously drinkable with crystalline fruitiness and impeccable energy. Fresh, vibrant and transparent, finishing on a saline zest. ESSI AVELLAN MW

Explosive aromas of toasty bready long-term less-matured complexities. Wonderful aged Chardonnay character, lovely refinement and tension on the palate, with finesse and piercing persistence. White flowers, citrus fruits, very detailed with no single thing dominating. The acidity is harmonious and refreshing on the dry, more-ish finish. HUONE HOOKE, The Real Review

A blend of Premier Cru and Grand Cru Pinots Noir grapes from the terroirs of Aÿ, Mareuil-sur-Aÿ, Avenay, Bouzy, Ambonnay, Verzenay and Tauxières with a touch of Chardonnay from the Côte des Blancs -mainly Avize, Villeneuve-Renneville, Vertus- (respectively about 90% - 10%).
Its specific style and colour are the result of blending in about 8% red wine mainly from the vineyard plots in Aÿ (Pierre Robert, La Pelle) and Mareuil-sur-Aÿ (Cumaine, Vaularon, Mutry).
The vines are very well sited and belong to Deutz. The red wine is made by our cellar-master.
After almost three years ageing on its lees, the aromas have softened and harmonised, giving this Brut Rosé a particularly subtle nose, and a very interesting mixture of softness and freshness on the palate. Calabria Family Wines, Importer

The NV Extra Brut Blanc de Blancs Premier Cru Les Terres Fines offers a striking expression of Chardonnay from Cuis. Smoke, slate, crushed rocks, white pepper and lemon confit are all vivid in this striking, wonderfully nuanced Champagne. Dosage of just two grams per liter is expertly judged in a Blanc de Blancs that really sizzles with energy. This release is 70% 2016 and 30% perpetual reserve going back to 1986. (94) ANTONIO GALLONI

The NV Brut Blanc de Noirs Récolte Noire is a touch more elegant than the Récolte Brute, with layers of perfumed Pinot fruit that emerge gracefully from its medium-bodied fame. This delicious Champagne possesses lovely balance in an understated style. ANTONIO GALLONI

Revealing aromas of toasted nuts, yellow orchard fruit and dried orange rind, the latest release of the NV Brut Premier Cru is medium to full-bodied, fleshy and charming, with a pinpoint mousse and a rich but lively core of fruit, concluding with a biscuity finish. William Kelley, ROBERT PARKER

Named after the light cavalry of Napoléon Bonaparte, in which the soldiers were the first to use the art of sabring, the Cuvée des Hussards is powerful and expressive. This cuvee was elaborated from 85% Chardonnay and 15% Pinot Noir coming from Premier and Grand Cru vineyards older than 40 years old. 2012 is regarded as the vintage of reference of the last decade.


"Pale and lively. Straight up the nose. Quite different from the wines so far. More lively and tense but good undertow. Fruit not oak expressed here. Racy with depth and undertow. Vibrant " 17/20 Jancis Robinson

The NV Esprit Nature is a fine introduction to this range. Silky and aromatic, with lovely palate presence, the Esprit Nature is a good choice for drinking now and over the next handful of years. Pear, white flowers and mint lend quite a bit of aromatic presence and overall lift. Dosage is 5 grams per liter. Disgorged: July 5, 2023. ANTONIO GALLONI

A rich version set in a firm, finely honed frame, with exotic spice, lime blossom and orange liqueur notes forming an aromatic thread, which winds through raspberry tart, grilled nut, graphite and crystallized honey flavors. Silky in texture, with a long, mouthwatering finish. WINE SPECTATOR

The NV Hommage au Pinot Noir is silky, soft and accessible. Gentle hints of dried orchard fruit, spice, chamomile, lemon confit, dried flowers and a touch of oak all grace this restrained, classy Champagne. This release is based on 2019, with 40% reserve wines. Disgorged: November 15, 2022. Drinking window 2023- 2030. ANTONIO GALLONI

The NV Brut Rosé is flat-out delicious. The word 'balance' is so overused in wine, but I really can't think of a better way to describe the Brut Rosé. It is not nervy nor overly rich, but just impeccable in its poise and overall harmony. A healthy amount of Pinot lends volume and intensity to this Chardonnay-based Rosé. This is the sort of wine that is opened and disappears within a few minutes. Antonio Galloni, Vinous

The NV Brut Rosé L’Insouciance (2016 base) is ethereal, lifted and very pretty, if a touch eccentric, with lovely red berry and floral character. The relatively high percentage of Chardonnay and partially blocked malolactic fermentation keeps the flavors bright. This release is 40% Pinot Noir, 30% Chardonnay, 25% Meunier and 5% still red Pinot, based on 2016. Dosage is 6 grams per liter. Disgorged: July, 2018. ANTONIO GALLONI, Vinous

80% Pinot Noir, 20% Chardonnay. In 1975 the domaine decided to introduce a ‘natural cuvée’, they didn't add the usual dosage. This resulted in a clear, lively Champagne that was ideal as an aperitif. At this time there were only three producers making this kind of Champagne, each had their own name for the wine: Brut 0, Brut Savage, and in the case of Jean Vesselle, Brut 100%. Today the wine - this wine - is named ‘Extra Brut’. It's very interesting considering the popularity of 'Extra Brut' and zero dosage wines today. It has the power and roundness of Pinot Noir with the drive and minerality of Chardonnay. French Wine Centre

Disgorged April 2022. For a number of vintages, Aurélien Laherte has been experimenting with a sans soufre (zero sulphur) cuvée. In 2018 he cracked it with two barrels of Côte des Blancs juice, drawn from two Premier Cru terroirs in Vertus and Voipreux. Laherte noted that the key factors to the stability of vinifying in the absence of any additions were zero dosage and full malolactic conversion.
The third release of Laherte’s Nature de Craie is drawn from a single vintage (2020) drawn from parcels planted in 1960, 1965 and 1987. The word craie refers to the chalky soil of these terroirs, which lie on the lower slopes ensuring good exposure, in turn providing ripeness of fruit and no need for additional dosage. From hand-harvested and traditionally pressed fruit, this release was vinified in neutral oak barrels before aging on cork for 12 months. It was disgorged in April with no dosage. Bibendum

Since the Larmandiers felt they had picked a touch too early to produce their emblematic rosé in the 2015 vintage, they elected instead to produce the 2015 Extra-Brut Blanc de Noirs, an attractively pillowy, racy, medium to full-bodied Champagne redolent of freshly baked bread, orchard fruit and buttery pastry. Concluding with a long, chalky finish, it represents a fine success. WILLIAM KELLEY

The 2015 Brut Nature Blanc de Noirs 1er Cru is a new wine in this range that emerges from the deeper clay soils found in the southern part of Vertus. A brawny, potent Champagne, the Blanc de Noirs is endowed with tons of depth and some angularity that needs time to soften. It will be interesting to see where this goes in more favorable years. Zero dosage. ANTONIO GALLONI

Based on the 2019 vintage, the new NV Extra-Brut Rosé de Saignée is a rich, gastronomic wine, delivering aromas of raspberries and cherries mingled with notions of kirsch, warm spices and petals. Medium to full-bodied, layered and fleshy, with racy acids and a pretty pinpoint mousse, it's a vinous Champagne that would work well at table. WILLIAM KELLEY

1er. 70% Pinot Noir 15% Chardonnay 15% Meunier. Montage de Reims. 8g/L dosage

85% Pinot Noir
15% Meunier
Dosage 1,5g/l

100 % Pinot Meunier
Dosage 1,5g/l

Pale yellow. Highly perfumed aromas of tangerine, pear, white flowers and ginger. Silky and focused on the palate, offering vibrant orchard and citrus fruit flavors that gain flesh and weight with air. Shows a seamless texture and finishes long, with clinging pear and honeysuckle qualities. JOSH RAYNOLDS

Firm and fragrant, with an overtone of wild sage and thyme, this shows a lovely range of ripe black raspberry, mandarin orange peel, graphite, mineral and spice notes. There's real drive to this tightly meshed, mouthwatering Champagne, yet this is refined and creamy on the palate, with raw silky texture. Long, chalky finish. Alison Napjus, Wine Spectator

More product information will be added here soon! In the meantime, if you do have any questions at all about this product or others in our store, you can contact us by phone or email. Our friendly and experienced team are always happy to assist - we love drinking, selling, talking about and being in and around wine!

More product information will be added here soon! In the meantime, if you do have any questions at all about this product or others in our store, you can contact us by phone or email. Our friendly and experienced team are always happy to assist - we love drinking, selling, talking about and being in and around wine!

A complex, reliable Champagne that would show well in all occasions thanks to its freshness and class. Drawing on all three grapes (chardonnay, pinot noir and pinot meunier), this has a complex grilled-nut and autolysis character overlayed across red berries and citrus fruits. Definitely a lot of reserve wine character here. The palate delivers lemons, grapefruit, peaches and mangoes in a refreshingly pure, fleshy style. The bright acidity, handy balance and tannins smoothly frame the finish JAMES SUCKLING

One of the great signatures of the region, its calligraphy flowing with elegance, panache and balance, the last reflected in the equal proportions of the three great varieties of Champagne. A flamboyant straw gold lustre, and an immediately seductive nose, encyclopaedic in its indulgence. Nougat, praline, white pepper, spice and nectarine were first to the page for this taster, but there is much more behind that, the sugar discrete yet edifying, the long yeast ageing responsible for a happy and altogether luminous marriage of power and finesse. Consistently excellent. SIMON FIELD MW, Decanter

the wine wafts from the glass with an alluring bouquet of green apple, brioche, pastry cream and buttered toast. On the palate, it's medium to full-bodied, impressively layered and complete, with a crisp but fleshy core of fruit, a youthfully frothy mousse and bright acids, concluding with a delicately chalky finish. This is one of the very finest—as well as among the most consistent—non-vintage brut bottlings from any of the Grandes Marques, and comes very warmly recommended. While it will be drinkable on release, it will reward some bottle age too. WILLIAM KELEY

Equal parts Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Meunier. It pours a bright silver straw hue and is fresh on opening, with a floral perfume of white flowers, fresh pear, and fresh almond. Medium-bodied, it’s attractive and approachable, with juicy peach fruit that fills the palate, although it stays refined, with a pinpoint mousse and a clean finish. It is a lovely entry to the range to enjoy now or over the next 6-8 years, and I love this as an aperitif style. JEB DUNNUCK

The 2015 Brut Blanc de Blancs marries textural intensity with a good deal of freshness. White pepper, dried herbs, chalk, mint and citrus make a strong opening impression. I especially like the energy and tension here, but there’s plenty of depth, too. I would give the 2015 a year or two in bottle, maybe more, as it is quite reticent in the early going. It, too, is seriously impressive for the year. Disgorged: July 2021. Dosage is 7 grams per liter. ANTONIO GALLONI, Vinous.com

70% Chardonnay, 30% Pinot Noir from Cote Des Blancs (Vertus, Grauves, Cramant, Oger, Avize), Montagne De Reims (Cumières, Avenay-Val-d'Or, Villers-Marmery, Aÿ, Bouzy).
Base Year: 2017 with 45% reserve wine. 36 months on lees, disgorgement June 2021 with 9g/L dosage. Vinification: Stainless steel tanks. Partial malolactic fermentation. Domaine Wine Shippers, Importer

100% chardonnay from grand cru villages in the Côte des Blancs (Mesnil-sur-Oger, Cramant, Avize, Oger) from the 2008 vintage. 7g/l dosage

Luminous golden colour and fine cords of bubbles. The nose first reveals notes of citrus, candied lemon and yellow fruits. Then it evolves and reveals smoky notes of blond tobacco and roasted nuts. The finish is refreshing and long, ORPALE 2008 was imagined as a jewel of a cuvee. The 2008 Orpale is an exceptional, passionate cuvée that naturally has a special place at the table, served with gourmet aperitifs or with fine dishes during a meal. Domaine Wine Shippers, Importer

45% Chardonnay, 35% Pinot Noir, 20% Pinot Meuniere

An exotic sparkler, displaying rich, caramelized smoke and brioche notes, balanced with citrusy acidity and flavors of ripe apple, candied pineapple, lemon meringue and crystallized honey. Mouthwatering finish. Drink now through 2018 Wine Spectator

80 % Meunier
20 % Chardonnay
Dosage: 2,8g/l
50% Reserve Wine

This graceful Champagne offers hints of smoke and toasted brioche that transition to patisserie apple and blackberry fruit, candied ginger and mandarin orange peel notes. Seamlessly knit and mouthwatering, with a minerally underpinning and a finely detailed, dotted bead. Lush and creamy on the vibrant, lasting finish. Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Drink now through 2035. 95 Alison Napjus, Wine Spectator