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
SANCHEZ-LE GUÉDARD
Clos Sainte-Hélène 2016

Our “Champagne of the Month” for November 2026 was created by Christian Sanchez of Champagne Sanchez-Le Guédard based in the village of Cumières in the Vallée de la Marne, just to the North-West of Épernay.

The domaine was founded in 1954 when Christian’s maternal grandfather bought some land in order to plant his own vines complementing some vineyards he was renting in the formative years. In the early 1980’s the domaine passed to his parents and when it became Christian’s turn to head the family domaine, he sought to steer the estate towards sustainability. Organic conversion began in 2013, leading to certification three years later. The estate spans 5 hectares with plots in the Vallée de la Marne in Cumières and neighbouring Damery alongside Oger on the Côte des Blancs and Sermiers on the Montagne de Reims. Annual production is approximately 45,000 bottles and Champagne Sanchez-Le Guédard are members of Club Trésors, the oldest association of grower-producers that was founded in 1971.

“Clos Sainte Hélène” is a vintage wine, consisting entirely of Pinot Noir, this edition being from the 2016 harvest. It is also the “Special Club” offering of Sanchez-Le Guédard for Club Trésors. The clos, situated in Cumières is South-facing with chalk-marl soil. Vinification was in stainless steel tanks and malolactic fermentation was completed. All bottles were riddled by hand and it spent 6 years on the lees. The disgorgement date is unknown but dosage is at 4gl and the bottle was sealed with a natural cork. Alcohol is at 12% abv

Tasted 14:45 Sunday 24th October 2026 (fruit into root day in the lunar calendar)

Glassware: Chef & Sommelier “Reveal’Up Intense”

Appearance: Clear, medium, gold.

Characteristics: Pronounced intensity with primary aromas of honeysuckle, geranium, violet, orange blossom, red apple, quince, chiku, orange juice, orange rind, bergamot, cantaloupe melon, guava, green mango, lychee, pomegranate, nectarine, cranberry, raspberry, sarsaparilla and burdock. There are secondary notes of sablé, fresh bread dough, toast, short crust pastry, orange buttercream and crema Catalana. Tertiary aromas include cinnamon, cobnut, marmalade, dried apricot, dried apple, hay and honey.

Price circa €70.00

Still super bright and young, this wine will age very well for years to come. We had the pleasure of re-tasting Sanchez-Le Guédard in April this year and their wines well-worth seeking out.