Pierre Cellier - Blanc de Blancs

Vintage: Non-Vintage
Type: Champagne - Blanc de Blancs
Country: France



I tried this champagne at a tasting evening that had some amazing champagne. Unfortunately this one probably suffered because of it. I found the champagne a bit sharp on the pallet and with a slightly unpleasant after taste. surprising as it is a Blanc de Blancs, usually a favourite type of champagne for me.

Veuve Clicquot

Vintage: Non-Vintage
Type: Champagne
Country: France - Reims



One of the big houses, Veuve is quite easy to find, a bit expensive and a reliable champagne. It is probably my favourite of the big houses (perhaps Mercier but it is much harder to find). Great flavour, good bubbles and a dry finish.

Michel Lenique - Grand Cru 2004

Vintage: 2004
Type: Vintage Champagne - Grand Cru
Country: France




This vintage champagne is absolutely outstanding. Everything that you come to expect from Michel Lenique but with that vintage taste and finish. excellent bubbles and a great flavour. Not to be had every day though, save this bottle for a special occasion!

Michel Lenique - Blanc de Blancs

Vintage: Non-Vintage
Type: Champagne - Blanc de Blancs
Country: France - Pierry



This champagne is fantastic. Great overall taste with plenty of small refined bubbles. A gem, if you can find it!

Michel Lenique - 3D wines Brut Champagne

Vintage: Non-Vintage
Type: Champagne
Country: France - Pierry



This non-vintage champagne is a special selection that is available only through 3D wines. The house, Lenique is based in Pierry and they have been around for a long time and know how to make Champagne. This champagne has amazing bubbles, both small and plentiful that seem to last forever. The taste is great and there is almost no after taste. Very good and highly recommended.

Champagne Mercier- Cuvee du Fondateur

Vintage: Non-Vintage
Type: Champagne
Country: France - Epernay



This is a very good Non-vintage champagne. It is the Founder's selection from Mercier and I found it full of flavour, great bubbles and and overall excellent taste. It even had a bit of the "vintage flavour" to it, making it a bit stronger and fuller of flavour than one would expect from a non-vintage. Recommended.

Champage Tarlant

Vintage: Non-Vintage
Type: Champagne
Country: France - Epernay



Champagne Tarlant has a claim to fame for being a zero dosage champagne. This means that when the second fermentation occurs, they do not need to add any sugar to the bottle (the dosage). As far as I'm aware, this is unique for champagne.

Of course the quality of the champagne is very good. There seemed to be almost too many bubbles which were nice and small. The taste was great, though this is not my favourite Brut. Recommended.

Champagne Colin - Brut Rose

Vintage: Non-Vintage
Type: Champagne
Country: France



This Champagne house is the favourite of our friend, Colin. No surprise that it will be served at his wedding later this month!

Novelty aside: the bubbles are fine; there are obvious fruity notes, such as cherry and black currant; and the after taste is sharp and acidic. It is still delicious and goes down well when accompanied by Fossier's rose-flavoured biscuits.

Mercier - Brut Rose

Vintage: Non-Vintage
Type: Champagne
Country: France - Epernay



This rose champagne is a real treat. My husband (then fiance!) picked up a trio of Mercier Champagnes after our tasting at the House in Epernay. Some people think that rose wines suffer from identity crises but not this one. This one is bright and it dances to announce to your taste buds that it is a sparkling Champagne. Alas, this is not a vintage and it is made from a blend of grapes from two different years. It is still a beautiful wine to use for a toast at a special occasion at home.

Moet & Chandon

Vintage: Non-Vintage
Type: Champagne
Country: France - Epernay



One of the big houses in Champagne, especially since they bought Dom. This champagne is quite good, though I find that it is over-priced compared to some of the smaller houses (and even some of the large ones). Never a bad option, especially is money is not an issue.

Alexandre Lenique - Cuvee Brut

Vintage: Non-Vintage
Type: Champagne
Country: France - Pierry



This is an excellent bottle of Brut Champagne. It's the brother's label from Champagne Lenique in Pierry: a nice bottle with a modern label. This champagne it is great. Nice small and plentiful bubbles with a great taste and almost no after-taste. Hard to find, but if you do pick up a bottle (I had to go to champagne and to the producer to do so).

Champagne Colin

Vintage: non-vintage
Type: Champagne
Country: France



First things first, I'm note really a Champagne drinker. That being said, this is an excellent bottle and it was a pleasure to drink. I'm not sure how easy it is to get outside of France, but if you like dry champagne this is a good choice. What really impressed me with the bottle was how plentiful and tiny the bubbles were.