Vintage Champagne Exploration

Bottles individually purchased: £535

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.

2005 – Warm and wet summer growing conditions yielded mixed results due to difficulties with mildew. 

2007 – Poor weather made for hard work in the vineyard, but a cool summer yielded good acidity and a classic style of Champagne.

2015 – A vintage remembered for its high ripeness and dry, hot weather.

2017 – A challenging vintage, with severe weather events that tested vignerons.

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

Remy Lequeux-Mercier Millésime 2005

We kick off with one of a range of older vintage wines from Remy that benefits from 10+ years on lees and then subsequent bottle ageing. This is the most mature and tertiary in character with lots of mushroom, stone fruit and earthy notes on the nose. The palate shows a brightness and freshness that belies the age with ample weight and a lovely chewy layer on the mid to late, followed by some smokey notes and a bright grippy finish.

Remy Lequeux-Mercier Millésime 2007

A nice point of comparison with the previous wine, this cuvée is the same blend but different in character. The nose is more focussed but with ample fruit and freshness whilst the purity and drive of 07 nicely controls the mid palate with a lovely primary fruit layer.

Caillez Lemaire Pur Meunier 2017

Proof that a year doesn't need to be universally exceptional to achieve results. Diligent choices and careful selection at harvest has enabled Laurent and Virginie to capture rich fruits, spice and bright acidity in their pure Meunier.

Henriet Bazin Cuvée Marie-Amelie 2015

The village of Villers-Marmery in the Montagne de Reims is one of the few to make Chardonnay in the Pinot Noir heartland but it is also one of the best. This vintage is wonderfully elegant with an inviting nose full of papaya, melon and a touch of white chocolate. The palate is a real surprise with a thick bed of chalk, crisp lemon and this incredible saline freshness. As it begins to open it offers some gentle toffee notes but always against that powerful chalky backbone.

Domaine Vincey Auge 2020

The second release of this cuvée is a touch broader with some honey on the nose. The palate is more generous and textured with layer upon layer of honey and fresh green apple. The oak adds a lovely warmth and generosity which will only enhance given time, whilst the finish lifts it all beautifully.

Bonnaire Cramant 2004

Perhaps saving the best to last, this is a 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.

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.