The next big names in Grower Champagne
If you're familiar with the iconic growers of Champagne then perhaps you’d like to delve a little deeper into this fascinating world...
Whilst the likes of Jacques Selosse and Cedric Bouchard have gained cult status in the past few decades, there are a veritable bounty of small-scale growers creating mesmerising Champagne who are, right now, little known beyond the borders of France… but their stars are in ascent.
At Sip, we work with approximately 50 of these exciting new artisans. Many are young and in their early years of production but already turning out truly astonishing wines, and we are lucky enough to exclusively import many of them to the UK. Here are a clutch of our favourites...
If you like Jacques Selosse or Agrapart & Fils... try Domaine Vincey
When it comes to growers from the Côte des Blancs first on the list is, perhaps the most famous producer of all, Jacques Selosse, closely followed by Agrapart & Fils. A name that you will probably not have heard of is Domaine Vincey, who are situated just a short hop down the road from Avize in the village of Oger. This Maison released their first vintage in 2014 and have been astonishing us ever since with complex, fruit-forward, oak-vinified wines and an almost obsessive care and attention to terroir. If you’re a fan of Côte des Blancs Chardonnay we recommend you sample either their second release La Premiere 2015 (also available in magnum) or their sensational single vineyard wine Le Grand Jardin.
If you like Larmandier-Bernier… try Barrat-Masson
Based in the southerly village of Vertus, Larmandier-Bernier is another longstanding Côte des Blancs producer. Travel south a little further still though and beyond the marshes of Saint Gond comes the Côte de Sezanne – the same chalk terroir only more southerly – offering its own distinct style of Champagne. Barrat-Masson have been producing wine since 2010 and are now fully organic. They create a range of fascinating and expressive wines such as their Nuances de Carnoie, a 60/40 Chardonnay Pinot Noir blend, 70% oak vinified with 0g/ltr.
If you like Egly-Ouriet… try Georges Remy
If you’re a fan of Egly-Ouriet then we implore you to try Georges Remy. Hailing from the nearby village of Bouzy, we originally came across Georges on the basis of his sensational Coteaux Champenois, but have been blown away by his transition into Champagne. Working with predominantly Pinot Noir from small plots, which he vinifies independently, he creates enormously powerful and expressive wines that never fail to wow. In fact, in a recent tasting at Chelsea Vintners, his Le Mont de Tauxieres was the standout bottle drawing more orders than anything else on offer – which included the likes of Agrapart & Fils and Emmanuel Brochet, alongside a clutch of Grand Maisons.
If you like Emmanuel Brochet… try Gaspard Brochet
Emmanuel Brochet might be the most famous member of the Brochet clan, but theirs is a family of vignerons each producing wines in their own inimitable style, but none more so than Gaspard Brochet. His first wine, Lion Tome I – a pure Pinot Noir from a single plot in Ecueil – was a revelation. He followed this with an equally impressive Chardonnay, a 50/50 Pinot Noir/Chardonnay blend and his first non-vintage cuvée, 333.a. His next lines are currently being disgorged, so if you’d like a shot at sampling one, join the waiting list for Lion Tome II and we’ll let you know when they arrive. Be warned though, they won’t hang around for long! In the meantime, if you’d like to sample something else from the family, we also work with Jules Brochet and Louis Brochet.
If you like Jacques Lassaigne… try Beaugrand or Jean Velut
He might have put the tiny village of Montgueux on the map, but he’s not the only vigneron to take advantage of this southerly chalk outcrop. We work with two exceptional growers who both create their own incredible style of Chardonnay from this fascinating terroir. The first, Beaugrand, were one of the first families to establish in the village and create a wonderfully complex and spicy style from 50 year old plantings. Try their Carte Blanche Non Dose for a lesson in just how rich and 0g/ltr can be! The second is Jean Velut who make a wine exclusively for Sip Champagnes. Lumiere et Craie Sip Edition was Bottled in 2013, as a perpetual reserve, then disgorged 8 years later in March 2021, offering a gorgeous wine full of brioche and salted caramel with a chalky edge.
If you like Cedric Bouchard… try Julien Prelat
Travel to the very southerly reaches of Champagne and the name of Cedric Bouchard abounds. We work with a number of spectacular winemakers in the Aube including Remi Leroy, Dosnon, Brocard Pierre and even one from the very same village, Celles Sur Ource, by the name of Julien Prelat. His Presle is a lovely example of just how good Chardonnay can be in a region where Pinot is the predominant varietal. After all, the terroir is Kimmeridgian clay and limestone just like the nearby vineyards of Chablis.
If you like Jérôme Prévost… let us introduce you to the Marne Valley
Jérôme Prévost is rightly renowned for his wonderful old vine Meunier from the village of Gueux in the north of the Montagne de Reims, but Meunier’s spiritual home is the Vallée de la Marne. We work with many exceptional producers in this region who are bringing out the best from this often overlooked noble grape. We could highlight many Meuniers from our collection but the best way to see the different expressions this grape is capable of is with our Meunier Exploration Case, featuring three different styles from three superb producers.
Order any of the highlighted bottles above and enjoy free shipping with the code FREESHIP, or sample a range of new wave Grower Champagne with one of our Exploration Cases. They represent considerable savings over buying the bottles independently and come with free shipping as standard.
With Christmas get-togethers around the corner, put some Champagne on the table that will get people talking!