Champagne and Sparkling

Famously delicate and sexy pink At the March 2022 Taste Champagne (300 wines) I have to say this stood out as one of the most delicious "drinking Champagnes" on show - and there were some very Showy wines on show that day. A huge success for us, easy to forget just how gorgeous it is - firstly it is so very savoury, forget the cherry fruits, it's more like Xmas cake, rhubarb, forest floor, nettle and nutmeg. When the glass is empty the aromas persist. This is Grand stuff, the stuff of deluxe cuvee, truly epic. And a dinner wine too. A cunning counsel for you - don't serve it too cold, err on the cellar-temperature side. March 2022. Of course the whole Billecart range is exceptional and impressive but the 'basic NV is a STEAL! Seriously, super-tight with Silex and citrus, grippy and bracing. On best-ever form.

Family firm since 1670 in Premier Cru village of Champillon just north of Epernay. 100% black grapes. Delicate and fresh, nutty, lively mousse. Perfect House Champagne.

Slight copper hue, spicy, ripe fruit, crème brulée, full-flavoured but delicate & charming. Fine persistent mousse. Totally enjoyable and quite typical of the black-grape dominated Montagne de Reims style.

Classically made Champagne with grapes sourced from Premier Cru vineyards in the Marne Valley, a blend of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from the Côtes des Blanc. This wine spends 3 years ageing prior to disgorgement. Top quality Premier Cru Champagne with full flavoured intense developed citrus and floral aromas.

Mature and complex NV The nose has maturity with a touch of floral freshness for this cuvée, which expresses aromas of fresh fruit and ripe pears. A full and precise flavour followed by a fine freshness and a rich bouquet bear witness to the ageing of this cuvée in the House’s traditional cellars.

Famously delicate and sexy pink In a convenient half-bottle size.

Properly serious food wine, a Michelin-star classic! Parker 92 Aromas of almond paste, green orchard fruit, citrus oil and pastry cream introduce the latest example of Billecart's NV Brut Sous Bois, a bottling that's based on the 2009 vintage. The oak influence is much less pronounced than was the case with some of the early renditions of this cuvée, and it's really going from strength to strength, revealing a medium to full-bodied palate that's broad-shoulder and structured, with lively underpinning acids. Jancis 17/20 This new cuvee is all vinified in oak but hasn't a hint of obvious oak on the nose. Lovely quality of fizz. Brooding and intense. There is marked density here and excellent balance and persistence. As usual, we are not told on the back label how old this blend may be, just that it is 'respectfully composed' of the three Champagne varieties. But it's impressive wine and I suspect it will not be cheap. Recommended. Edge of green on the nose here. Steady bead. Really quite rich and intense. Quite a meaty nose – but then food smells are coming in from the 67 Pall Mall kitchen! Mathieu Billecart suggests Tete des Moines or Comté as a food match or mushroom risotto ‘but the mushrooms have to be in season’. Lots of impact. I agree with Alistair Cooper MW, as below. "baby brother to Clos St-Hilaire" (only £300 cheaper!!!). I've always loved Sous Bois but the current release sees it "on fine mid-season form" as Bertie Wooster might say. Tasting it recently (March 2022) was like a flashback to a recent tasting at Krug. This is a wine certainly head and shoulders above its status and price. Billecart launched it with ambition, and they have over-delivered. Utterly charming. jancisrobonson.com 17+ "A baby brother to Clos St-Hilaire, 100% barrel-fermented. One-third of each variety from selected parcels – older, lower-yielding parcels tend to be chosen for the Sous Bois. 52% grand cru grapes, 16% premier cru (across the whole portfolio; their Meunier isn’t grand or premier cru). One-third reserve wine. Malo blocked. Long lees-ageing (6–7 years). Slightly oxidative style – the most oxidative they make. A richer mouthfeel as well as real bite. A savoury and yeasty note on the nose – almost slight Marmite (yeast extract). The oak is very well integrated and just frames the wine – the subtle note of spice comes in on the finish – slightly cedary note? (AC)"

Special Cuvée is composed of over 85% Grand and Premier crus of the three main Champagne varieties: 60% Pinot Noir, 25% Chardonnay and 15% Meunier. It is cellar aged for twice as long as required by appellation regulations with only a moderately dosage or between 7 and 8 grams per litre, to keep it as taught and crisp as possible. A golden colour with very fine bubbles. There is a beautiful aromatic complexity with ripe fruit and spicy aromas; hints of roasted apples, compote and peaches. A subtle combination of structure, length and vivacity; bubbles like velvet; pear, brioche and spicy aromas, notes of fresh walnut.

60% Pinot Noir, 25% Chardonnay and 15% Pinot Meunier. Full bodied and powerful. Toasty, nutty and biscuity with light citrus notes and complex creamy mouthfeel. Excellent with smoked fish dishes.

England's top winery's top wine. Named after their entry in the Domesday Book in 1086. Easily the equal to the best of luxury cuvee Champagne.

England's top winery's top wine. Named after their entry in the Domesday Book in 1086. Easily the equal to the best of luxury cuvee Champagne.

54% Pinot Noir, 46% Chardonnay 3g sugar Dosage Expressive notes of white peach, honeysuckle and quince on the nose, followed by some brioche and exotic fruits. On the palate the champagne is full and quite open, beautifully balanced and with real richness, with touches of ginger and apricot jam.

Seriously impressive English fizz. A combination of battonage and light barrel ageing make for a rich, textural style with a gastronomic savoury edge. Top quality and a producer to watch... From UK agents Liberty Wines: Langham Wine Estate is one of the most exciting names in English wine, with Jancis Robinson describing their distinctive style as ‘à la Selosse’ and the IWSC naming them ‘Sparkling Wine Producer of the Year’ in 2020. Head winemaker Tommy Grimshaw is fast making a name for himself as one of England’s best young talents, crafting low-intervention, traditional method sparkling wines from a single site in rural Dorset. Langham began as a small vineyard planted by John Langham at his Dorset family home. It remained a hobby until 2009 when his son Justin started making wine in earnest. After studying viticulture at Plumpton, Justin planted the first block of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier at nearby Crawthorne farm, where they are based today. Now joined by a small but dynamic team, Langham remains independent and family-run. Winemaker Tommy employs a low-intervention approach in the cellar. The grapes were harvested by hand and carefully sorted in the vineyard and winery. The grapes were pressed in a pneumatic press and the juice was left to settle overnight, before being racked into a combination of stainless steel and old ex-Burgundy, ex-Bordeaux and ex-Champagne barriques. Primary fermentation occurred with indigenous yeasts, followed by full malolactic fermentation and roughly seven months ageing with regular bâtonnage for rich texture and additional complexity. The base wines (77% from the 2020 harvest) were blended without fining or filtration, alongside reserve wine from their 4000 litre concrete tanks. Secondary fermentation occurred in bottle, followed by a minimum of 14 months ageing on lees in bottle. It received a low dosage of 2 g/l litre.

Sixth generation Francoise Antech has taken this excellent producer to even greater heights, championing the Limoux region and Mauzac grape variety around the globe. The UK is the family's largest market , now looked after by seventh generation Baptiste. This is the first priced wine in a range of their Blanquettes and Cremants that we recommend. Blanquette de Limoux has a claim to being one of the world's oldest sparkling wines, with legend dating its creation to 1531.

Produced using the Traditional Method, this Classic cuvee boasts aromas of red apple, conference pear and elderflower. You’ll find notes of ripe apricots, baked apple and roasted hazelnuts on the palate leading to a creamy, vibrant finish.

This delightful sparkling rose is pure and bright full of zingy fresh fruit flavours. It is a blend of Pinot Meunier and Pinot Noir grown at Tuffon Hall in the beautiful Suffolk countryside. With two years on lees this provides depth and interest to the bright fruit. A great apero or also paired with all sorts of dishes. Awards Silver medal 2023 Wine GB East Awards Silver medal 2023 Essex Wine Awards

Entirely handpicked in the morning, cooled and directly pressed and fermented separately in stainless steel. Pinot Noir macerated briefly to give light salmon color.Second fermentation in bottle for 18 months in temperature controlled cellars.

This is a careful blend of the three of the classic Champagne varieties, Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay, and is made using the traditional method where the second fermentation is done in the bottle. It has a fresh, fruit aroma of green apple, melon with subtle honey and floral characters. On the palate a delightful combination of toffee apple and baked apple, rounded with good acidity and a delicate mineral finish.

Triple Zero is the cuvee that used to be Jacky's standard Petillant Naturel. The title refers to the fact this sparkling cuvee is not chaptalised, dosed, and contains no residual sugar. Essentially it is as pure as fizzy Chenin gets, taut, finely-tuned, intense floral flavours of citrus, minerals, white peach and apple blossom, overlaying a creamy, supple texture. Justerini & Brooks.

Absolutlely divine pet nat from Gramiller. So fine, fruity, fresh and elegant. 99% Clairette Brut, sown with 1% of the freshest Alicante which together give it aromas of white peaches, wild strawberries and red currants. The palate unfolds with these flavours whilst being juicy but oh-so fresh with the finest of tannins. An outstanding effort.

This is possibly Flint Vineyard’s pinkest and fruitiest Charmat Rosé to date, and, for the first time, the blend includes a portion of Pinot Noir and Bacchus. The 2023 is bursting with confected strawberries and cream. But it’s not just all fruit: there is a slight praline nuttiness in the background, which gives the wine some complexity. On the palate it is crisp and bursting with red fruits. Very drinkable as an aperitif and perfect for celebrations. A really lovely British drop playing the Italians at their own game. Well done Flint

Absolutlely divine pet nat from Gramiller. So fine, fruity, fresh and elegant. 50% Clairette and 50% Ugni Blanc. The palate unfolds with these flavours whilst being juicy but oh-so fresh and very fine and elegant Pet Nat. An outstanding effort.

Classically made Champagne with grapes sourced from Premier Cru vineyards in the Marne Valley, a blend of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from the Côtes des Blanc. This wine spends 24 months ageing prior to disgorgement. Top quality Premier Cru Champagne with full flavoured intense developed citrus and floral aromas. There is a joie de vivre about this wine that makes it very easy to drink and enjoy. Very good value.