Vintage Champagne Exploration

Bottles individually purchased: £507

One winemaker. One Maison. One expression. One year. If you want to truly understand what the essence of a Champagne is and the critical role climate plays, then start with a vintage. 

Spanning six different years between 2005 and 2020, each wine displays its own distinctive characteristics, whilst remaining wedded to the weather of the year it embodies.

Notes on each vintage:

2004 – A great year that provided a large yet high quality yield, with wines that offer a rare balance of freshness and aromatic depth.

2012 – One of the finest vintages of the century to date.

2013 - A cool and classic vintage reminiscent of typical growing conditions 50+ years ago.

2016 – A challenging year with many climatic hazards, but ultimately one which has produced fruit-forward, rich wines with bright acidity.

2019 – Heat throughout the growing season led to a big and bold vintage with plenty of maturity.

2020 – An August heatwave allowed favourable ripening conditions with the grapes retaining more freshness than 2019

Bonnaire Cramant 2004

Going from old to new, we start with this superb example of the village of Cramant. Renowned for it's elegance and fine expression of the Côte des Blancs terroir, with age the Champagne delivers beautiful buttery, toffee'd notes that blend seamlessly with the classic crisp chalky profile.

Henriet-Bazin Marie Amelie 2016

A brilliant example of Chardonnay from the Montagne de Reims balancing chalky minerality and zesty lemon with richer secondary flavours. A beautifully crafted wine full off finesse and poise. 

Caillez Lemaire Jadis 2012

A fabulous blend from an incredible vintage, created by Hachette Vignerons of the year 2024. At a recent tasting this was just coming into it's prime drinking window, displaying beautiful secondary flavours alongside fresh fruit notes.

Pierre Legras Idee de Voyage 2013

Made from old vines planted on the hillsides of Chouilly in 1947, the intensity of the Chardonnay grapes is balanced by cooler climate throughout the '13 growing season. The result is a really nicely balanced Chardonnay that captures the fresh chalk and mineral style of the village with pulpy fruit and the start of some beautiful toasty notes from both 50% oak vinification and ample time in bottle.

Louis Brochet La Jacquessone Blanc de Meunier

We finish with two very different wines from Louis Brochet. This is their first pure Meunier from a single vineyard and single harvest. Rich and perfumed on the nose, the palate follows with more intensity and a nice layer of sweet fruit. It's hugely juicy on the mid to late which links up with a touch of oak and a grip of salinity.

Louis Brochet Rose Millesime 2020

For a point of difference we cap off the set with a vintage Champagne rosé. This cuvée is made from three distinct plots – 'Les Rosets' in Sacy for the Pinot Noir, 'Les Vouagnes' in Ecueil for the Chardonnay, and the famous terroir of 'Mont Benoit' in Villers aux Nœuds for the red wine that completes the blend. And what a beautiful blend is is, full of rose pips, a touch of clementine and toast. There's good length and an amazing level of juicy fruit. The finish lingers nicely with a taste of strawberry.

Please note: Occasionally, due to stock availability, we may need to substitute bottles. In this situation, the replacement cuvées will be in the same style, and of the same or greater value.