If you buy only one Pinot Noir Champagne...

At Sip, we stand confidently behind each and every wine we import. Unlike other retailers, we select our wines on merit alone, which means you can buy with confidence, as there are no bottles stocked just to make up the numbers. Even so, occasionally we come across something truly remarkable – a Champagne that stands out even in a field of excellence. One such bottle is Didier Herbert's Pinot Noir DH1.

On a recent call, Peter described it as: "one of the best bottles of the year"... and this was in December! 

So, what is it that makes it so special?

We can start with location. Didier is based in the village of Riley la Montagne in famed Pinot Noir territory of the Northeast of the Montagne de Reims. This is 'home turf' for Pinot, in clay/limestone soil with south and south-easterly exposition to soak in all the sunshine.

Next comes the vines themselves. DH1 is produced from 40 year old vines, which produce fewer grapes but with fabulous concentration, which is reflected in the fact that there are just 323 examples of this prestige cuvée available... and far fewer in our personal allocation.

Finally and, perhaps most importantly, is vinification. Unlike the majority of the Champagnes produced by this Maison, DH1 is 100% oak vinified and aged on cork. What this means is 'micro-oxygenation'; a small amount of oxygen interacting with the juice in the barrel and then subsequently when it's bottled. This creates a wine that ages beautifully, becoming richer and deeper in flavour as time passes.

So, if you're looking for an incredible bottle for a gift, special occasion or just fancy treating yourself to a beautiful example of Pinot Noir Champagne, then this is the bottle to buy.

As we mentioned, it's a limited edition release and our allocation is very limited, so get one while you can!

Didier Herbert Pinot Noir DH1 - £95 per bottle | Cases from £450