Champagne Discovery
beyond the bubbles
- TASTING EVENTS -
bespoke tastings
- coming soon -
- TASTING EVENTS -
champagne masterclasses
- coming soon -
- TASTING EVENTS -
champagne et fromage
- coming soon -
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-three 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 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!
Champagne of the Month
VILMART
Cœur de Cuvée 1998
Our “Champagne of the Month” for December 2022 is Vilmart’s 1998 edition of Cœur de Cuvée. Laurent Champs is the fifth generation to take the helm of Champagne Vilmart, based in the Montagne de Reims village of Rilly-la-Montagne. In all, Laurent 11 hectares of vines at his disposal; all of which are located within the village limit and having an average age of 35 years. The domaine eschews the use of chemical fertilisers, herbicides and insecticides in order to maintain equilibrium in the vineyard and have obtained HVE certification.
Cœur de Cuvée is always a vintage wine, born from the best two plots of the estate which are home to the oldest vines, at the time of the 1998 vintage; the average age of which was 50 years. It is a blend of 80% Chardonnay and 20% Pinot Noir; production was limited to 6000 bottles. Only the middle press is used, followed by ten months ageing in 225 litre fûts de chêne; prior to seventy months on the lees. Malolactic fermentation was blocked, the bottle was secured with a natural cork and dosage is at 7gl.
Tasted: 14:25 hours, Monday 26th December 2022 (flower day in the biodynamic calendar)
Glassware: Jamesse Absolus
Appearance: Clear, medium, gold.
Flavour characteristics: Pronounced intensity with primary notes of jasmine, violet, pear, green apple, quince, grapefruit, lemon rind, lemon juice, cantaloupe melon, pineapple, star anise, mango and preserved lemon. Secondary aromas of shortbread biscuit, toast, brioche, butterscotch, coconut and vanilla fudge. Tertiary notes include almond, marzipan, hazelnut, dried fig, dried dates, dried apple, gingerbread, marmalade, hay, honey and coffee.
A delicious, unctuous wine that is at its peak; drink now!
Price – no longer available, purchased on a visit to the domaine in 2008 (€45.00). Current vintage 2015 – circa €98.00
tchin tchin
WHAT'S IN OUR GLASS
A brief description of the most recent wines we have been enjoying. Tchin tchin!
Charles Dufour – Orange Sanguine
Jacques Selosse – Brut Rosé
Leclerc-Briant – Rosé Brut
Egly-Ouriet – V.P.
Jean-Marc Sélèque – Quintette
Piollot – Colas Robin
Caillez-Lemaire – Rosé
Pascal Doquet – Blanc de Blancs
Vincent Charlot – Le Fruit de ma Passion