Champagne News
Billecart-Salmon
Founded in 1818 by husband and wife Nicolas François Billecart and Elisabeth Salmon, the Billecart-Salmon House is rich with history. For nearly two hundred years, the Billecart family has been handing down the secrets to making exceptional champagne from generation to generation. Heirs of an ancestral savoir-faire, the whole family knows that it is their…
Champagne Collet
Created in 1921, Champagne Collet in Ay is the oldest society of Champagne growers and takes its name from its founder. The company’s origins go back to the Champagne Revolution in 1911 when winegrowers in Champagne took action against a number of producers who decided to mix grapes coming from other wine growing regions with…
Styles of Champagne
Styles of Champagne vary enormously. The use of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes generally prevail over minorities such as Meunier, and more often than not white and red grapes are blended. Exceptions are labelled Blanc de Blancs (100% Chardonnay) and Blanc de Noirs (100% Pinot Noir). The latter tends to be fuller bodied, as does…
Understanding Champagne Label Codes
There are many different combinations in which Champagne grapes can be grown and made into the sparkling wine. How this happens affects what is put on a Champagne bottle label. Here is an explanation of what the letters you see on the bottles mean. NM – Négociant-Manipulant – This appears on the label of large…
Does ‘Terroir’ matter for Champagne?
The term ‘Terroir’ is one of those for which wine enthusiasts have a good feel but find it hard to accurately define. It’s the expression or the link the land has with the wine. The silky complexity and array of smoky sensations aroused by a glass of claret or the fresh flinty aromas and lemon…
Champagne Lallier – Grand Crus
Unique Grands Crus… Lallier house makes Champagne by selecting the best grapes from the appellation, each cuvée is unique and different… Here are the Grand Crus from Champagne Lallier. Cuvée Grande Reservé – Grand Cru – 65% Pinot Noir, 35% Chardonnay Cuvée Blanc de Blancs – Grand Cru – 100% Grand Cru Chardonnay Cuvée Rosé…
Champagne LALLIER
Champagne LALLIER, uniqueness of Grands Crus… The House of LALLIER is situated in the heart of the village of Aÿ, historic birthplace of the Champagne region. Located above vaulted cellars dating from the end of the XVIIIth century, the House of LALLIER produces exceptional wines exclusively from Grands Crus vineyards. Francis Tribaut, owner and head winemaker epitomizes…
Can you tell the difference between Prosecco and Champagne?
A good Prosecco is a very good wine, however, Prosecco and Champagne are two very different wines, due to their wine making process, classic vs charmat, grape varieties and not least the cost. However many drinkers see them as similar, two sparkling wines with a massive price difference and yes, it can be true, that…
Fermentation in oak barrels vs steel tanks
Up until the 19th Century, still wine was traditionally produced in oak barrels. In Champagne, still wine was made in barrels that were commonly large and over 10 years old. These Oak barrels allow the Champagne still wine to “breath”. However wine in barrels does experience loss through evaporation and absorption, so the barrel must…