The Festive Champagne Guide 2018
We're there: my Champagne picks for Christmas, New Year and every other kind of festivity, whittled down with difficulty to what I hope...
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Nov 21, 2018
Cristal Vinothèque: the quest for eternal youth
The tasting of the first two vintages, 1995 and 1996, of Roederer's ultrarare Cristal Vinothèque When Louis Roederer released the first...
Jul 6, 2018
How to become a winemaker at a top Champagne house at the age of 27
Caroline Fiot in the garden of Champagne Ruinart, where she is a winemaker Oddly, until last week I had never visited Ruinart in Reims....
Feb 6, 2018
Charles Heidsieck Blanc des Millénaires 2004: a long-awaited new vintage
No one could accuse Champagne Charles Heidsieck of rushing things or releasing vintages too frequently, not so far anyway. The new...
Dec 13, 2017
The Festive Champagne Guide 2017
So here they are: my Champagne picks for Christmas, New Year and every other kind of festivity, whittled down with difficulty to what I...
Sep 11, 2017
Krug's Champagne creations of 2004 (and others)
Olivier Krug was in town last week for the launch of the 2004 vintage Krug. Unsurprisingly, there wasn’t a spare seat in the house – a...
Jun 13, 2017
Growers' Champagne Month: top picks
In homage to Growers’ Champagne Month (June, in case you didn’t know), I’ve listed below some of the top names and am highlighting two...
May 15, 2017
Return of the Bollinger Lunch: James Bond and vintage Champagne surprises
The Bollinger Lunch was, as you can imagine, a rather nice fixture in the calendar until it was dropped a couple of years ago. Searching...
Apr 19, 2017
Dom Pérignon 2000: the art and mystery of P1, P2 and Rosé Champagne
Dom Pérignon 2000, P2, P1 and P1 Rosé and winemaker Vincent Chaperon in London Dom Pérignon has just launched its P2 2000 Champagne. I...
Feb 10, 2017
Romance in a Wine Bottle
There's no harm in serving up vinous clichés, as long as they're good. These are: two pink Champagnes and two reds that will have your...
Dec 9, 2016
The Festive Champagne Guide 2016
December 29, 2016: prices and stockists updated. I’m writing this a few days after The Wine Gang’s 2016 Ultimate Champagne Evening, so...
Sep 29, 2016
WINE OF THE WEEK: Bruno Paillard Première Cuvée Brut Champagne, France
£35.95, The Whisky Exchange; £38.99, Handford Wines; £44.99, Selfridges The first week of October is National Champagne Week. I don’t...
Sep 2, 2016
Krug, Egg, Two Chefs and Two Michelin Stars
Above: Iberico pork, ajo blanco, boquerón anchovies, eggshell and cinders by Michael O'Hare. The edible eggshell was made from egg white,...
Aug 26, 2016
Try finding a wine writer who doesn't love Alfred Gratien Champagne
Chef de cave Nicolas Jaeger who still ferments everything in oak barrels Alfred Gratien must be one of the least visited of Champagne...
Jun 2, 2016
Liquid Gold: seven vintages of Cristal Champagne – drunk, not just tasted!
The occasion was a dinner at the Hotel Particulier in Reims, the Roederer family home, in May 2016, hosted by Jean-Baptiste Lécaillon,...
Jun 2, 2016
The Golden Age of Champagne
Vins Clairs from the great 2015 vintage, some of which will go into Cristal in the current, new Golden Age of Champagne Rather a quaint...
Mar 25, 2016
Is Champagne a Wine for Food? A light-bulb moment
Winter trips to Champagne can be a bit nippy. Perishingly cold, actually (cue: violins). And tasting dozens of vins clairs, the region’s...
Feb 11, 2016
WINE OF THE WEEK: Oeil de Perdrix Rosé Champagne
£19.99, or £17.99 in any 6 bottles, Majestic Initially I resisted choosing this Champagne on the grounds that a) pink Champagne is too...
Dec 10, 2015
The Festive Champagne Guide
Ten Champagnes to put you in the mood for Christmas and all the rest Listed in ascending order of price, ignoring special offers and...
Dec 9, 2015
WINE OF THE WEEK: Charles Heidsieck Brut Réserve
£37.95, Eton Vintners, £42, Berry Bros & Rudd This fabulous Champagne was voted best value of the night at a tasting called Ultimate...
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