Champagne
Is there any drink in the world more synonymous with celebration and good times than Champagne? When only the very best will do, we feature a range of top quality Champagne from recognised producers and some really special bubbly from our house producer Penet-Chardonnet. All are available for immediate home delivery and can be with you in time for that special occasion.
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Champagne
The Champagne region of France is home to the best and most famous sparkling wine in the world. The UK is one of the largest champagne drinking countries in the world and nowhere in the wine world is branding so important with sales often driven by the status attached to certain Houses (rather than the grape, sub-region or style as with most other wines). Needless to say, this means some of the best selling Champagnes are actually very poor value for money when compared to some of the smaller, less well-known producers.
All Champagne is made from Chardonnay, Pinot Noir or Pinot Meunier and most are a blend of two or all three (no other grape varieties are allowed). Styles can range from dry Brut and Zero Dosage Champagne (as perfectly illustrated by our house brand - Penet-Chardonnet) to Doux (sweet) versions. Within the area itself the communes or vineyards are split into Grand, Premier and Deuxieme Crus and this is as much an economic marker for the sale of grapes as it is a quality scale for the wine.
There are three basic styles of Champagne: NV (Non-Vintage), Vintage and Prestige Cuvees. Non-vintage cuvees (blends) form the bulk of Champagne ’s production; the style depends on the house and can range from light, perfumed styles to full, rich, biscuity versions made from a blend of grapes from several vintages and vineyards locations. Vintage Champagne is made only from the grapes harvested in a specific year. There is generally a significant step-up in quality with vintage champagne to match the higher price it demands. As a rule, the best houses only release vintage wines in the very best years.
The most expensive Champagnes are the prestige cuvees made from the best vintage champagne the house has collected over a great number of years. They are generally outstanding wines made in minute quantities and command the sort of prices that if you have to ask, you probably can't afford.
Vintage recommendations – 1982, 1983, 1985, 1990, 1995, 1996, 1998, 2004
Don't forget - Champagne is one of the best food matches in the world of wine, it complements almost anything.
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