Champagne Discovery

beyond the bubbles

Le Champ du Clos, Vallée de l'Ource - Champagne Charles Dufour

CHAMPAGNE IN NUMBERS

CHAMPAGNE AOC

34,300 hectares

319 villages (crus)

280,000 plots (lieux-dits)

15,700 growers

4,700 récoltants

390 négociants

125 coopératives

CHAMPAGNE IN NUMBERS

GRAPES

Pinot Noir 38%

Chardonnay 31%

Meunier 31%

Historic varieties <0.4%

Arbane, Fromenteau, Petit Meslier, Pinot Blanc

CHAMPAGNE IN NUMBERS

BEST MODERN VINTAGES

1982

1985

1988

1996

2002

2008

2012

CHAMPAGNE IN NUMBERS

ABOUT US

We are Gita and Lee, two self-confessed champagne lovers for whom this effervescent drink has been a huge part of our lives since meeting twenty-seven years ago. Our first trip to the region was in 1999 to source bottles for our wedding. Since then, we have been visiting several times a year, have tasted thousands of champagnes and continue to discover amazing new producers, incredible wines and stories. We are immensely passionate about the top quality smaller domaines who tell a narrative through their creations, from vineyard to bottle. As well as the bubbles, Champagne is home to some excellent still white, red and rosés too; not to forget Ratafia and Marc de Champagne. This famous region is fortunate to be home to a myriad of World class winemakers, producing an array of diverse wines, we really are spoilt for choice. We love wine, we absolutely adore champagne!

Tchin tchin!

ŒNOTHÈQUE

CHAMPAGNE OF THE MONTH

Champagne of the Month
BRICE ALLOUCHERY
Les Sablons 2015

Our “Champagne of the Month” for October 2025 is produced by Brice Allouchery from Écueil on the Montagne de Reims. Brice took over the family domaine in 2018 which benefits from a plethora of old vines planted by his grandfather, the average age of which is around 60 years. Upon taking control of the business, Brice set about beginning organic conversion of his plots, the work of which carries on today.

“Les Sablons” is a vintage wine, our iteration being born from the 2015 harvest, the grapes coming from a single plot that gives the wine its name. Translating as sandy, this gives us a glimpse of the terroir from this Rilly-la-Montagne located lieu-dit. The sand aids water retention giving the vine roots an ability to draw up minerals from the otherwise porous chalky subsoil found in the village. Consisting of 80% Pinot Noir and 20% Chardonnay, fermentation was spontaneous with indigenous yeasts. Vinification took place in 500 litre foudres prior to 6 months ageing in 225 litre fûts de chêne. Malolactic fermentation was allowed to occur naturally and the wine was neither fined nor filtered. Bottling took place in July 2016 whereby the wine was allowed a further 3 years ageing on the lees prior to disgorgement in December 2019; the dosage being 0.93gl. Alcohol is at 12.5% abv.

Tasted 15:00 Sunday 28th September 2025 (fruit day in the lunar calendar)

Glassware: Chef and Sommelier – Reveal’Up ‘Intense’

Appearance: Clear, medium, gold.

Characteristics: Pronounced intensity with primary aromas of honeysuckle, geranium, orange blossom, red apple, quince, chiku, white peach, apricot, cantaloupe melon, passion fruit, pineapple, roasted pineapple, raspberry and wild strawberry. There are secondary notes of fresh bread dough, brioche, toast, vanilla, cloves, pineapple tarte tartin, crema catalana, coconut, butterscotch, pineapple fudge and charred wood. Tertiary aromas include almond, marzipan, caramel, toffee apple, dried apricot, marmalade, kerosene, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, hay and honey.

Price circa €60.00 (current vintage)

This was our first taste from Brice Allouchery and we were mightily impressed. The wine was abundant in fruit and had that beautifully balanced acidity; urging you to take another sip. Wonderful.