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, Chardonnay Muscadet, Chardonnay Rose, 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
ETIENNE CALSAC
L'Échappée Belle

Our “Champagne of the Month” for July 2026 was created by Etienne Calsac who is situated in the village of Avize on the Côte de Blancs. An excellent young winemaker, he has been producing terrific wines since 2010 when he took control of 3 hectares of the family estate, predominantly in Avize but also including this famous village’s only Clos – in his grandparents back garden! The estate includes plots in nearby Grauves – also on the Côte des Blancs, Bisseuil in the Grande Vallée de la Marne and a plot in Montgenost in the Côte Sézannais that is also planted with three of the lesser used varieties: Arbane, Petit Meslier and Pinot Blanc.Étienne has been awarded the HVE certificate for sustainable viticulture and does not use herbicides. In the cuverie, spontaneous fermentation takes place and malolactic fermentation is carried out.

Etienne’s excellent range begins with the great escape – L’Échappée Belle. A blanc de blancs consisting entirely of chardonnay, it is born from clay/limestone terroirs of the Côte des Blancs (Avize and Grauves), Vallée de la Marne (Bisseuil) and Côte Sézannais (Montgenost). Etienne employs a hands-off approach to his winemaking, allowing spontaneous fermentation and the wine is neither fined nor filtered. Aging is predominantly in stainless steel tanks with 20% in fûts. Reserve wines are utilised and the base harvest for this edition was 2021. Sealed with a natural cork, it was disgorged in March 2024 with 4gl dosage.

Tasted 16:35 Sunday 28th June 2026 (fruit day in the lunar calendar)

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

Appearance: Clear, medium, lemon.

Characteristics: Pronounced intensity with primary aromas of honeysuckle, chamomile, lemon blossom, gooseberry, green apple, pear, pear drops, quince, Chiku, grapefruit, lemon rind, lemon juice, apricot, nectarine, lychee, honeydew melon, passion fruit, pineapple, baked apple, flint and mint. There are secondary notes of chausson-aux-pommes, crème brulée, pineapple tarte tartin, sablé, toast, short crust pastry, vanilla and cloves. toffee apple, cloves, vanilla and toast. Tertiary aromas include praline, dried apricot, quince jelly, dried apple, kerosene, honey, nutty, cinnamon and marmalade.

Price circa €45.00

Etienne continues to go from strength to strength. He produces wines of great personality they are always well-worth seeking out. L’Échappée Belle is a real gem, it has wonderful precision, tension and purity of fruit.