By Rose Murray Brown MW  Published in The Scotsman 18 August 2018

Drive through Champagne’s tiny twisting village lanes and every street has a sign advertising a grower’s name.  Since the early 1990s there has been a resurgence of growers ‘going it alone’, making small quantities of handcrafted Champagnes that reflect the ‘terroir’ of their vines.

Just under one third of the 15,800 growers in Champagne now sell fizz made from grapes they have grown with their own name on the label.  The other two-thirds either sell grapes under contract to large houses or to co-operatives and their grapes end up in big blends.

The growing band of these independent growers falls into two camps.  Those based in Champagne’s southerly Cote des Blancs focus on citrusy Chardonnay cuvees – and those based in Montagne de Reims, Vallee de Marne or in the southerly Aube on the red grapes, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier.

 

CHARDONNAY CUVEES

CHAMPAGNE PIERRE GIMMONET CUIS PREMIER CRU BLANC DE BLANCS BRUT NV   ***STAR BUY***
(£30 Virgin Wines www.virginwines.co.uk)
The Gimmonets have grown vines since 1750, but started bottling their own fizz in Cuis in the 1930’s.  One of the larger growers, they own 28 hectares making 8 different Champagnes.  The key is their old vines, most over 40 years old which Didier Gimmonet says helps grape ripeness and concentrates fruits.  This is on the lighter side with crisp minerality, pure Chardonnay fruits and rich nutty finish: 12.5%

CHAMPAGNE LARMANDIER BERNIER PREMIER CRU BLANC DE BLANCS EXTRA BRUT NV
(£39 Woodwinters, Edinburgh & Bridge of Allan www.woodwinters.com; Lea & Sandeman www.leaandsandeman.co.uk)
Pierre Larmandier is a legend in the Cote des Blancs.  An intellectual thinker with a profound philosophy and belief in biodynamic farming.  Based in southerly Vertus, he took over his family’s domaine on his father’s death and has completely revitalized it converting to biodynamic in 2000.  This Premier Cru is supremely dry, extremely minerally, almost chalky, a pure rendition of Chardonnay: 12.5%

CHAMPAGNE RENE JOLLY BLANC DE BLANCS BRUT NV
(£31.99 Waitrose Cellar www.waitrosecellar.com)
Pierre-Eric Jolly’s family have grown grapes in the Cote des Bar (Aube) since 1737.  Today he focuses on very traditional winemaking with no filtration and makes overtly fruity styles.  Biscuity, roasted aromas, pure citric fruits with creamy length: 12%

CHAMPAGNE A R LENOBLE GRAND CRU BLANC DE BLANCS CHOUILLY NV
(£35 Aitken Wines; Luvians; Bon Vivant; Stannary Wine, London)
One of my favourite Blanc de Blancs made by brother and sister team Anne and Antoine Malassagne in their Damery-based winery.  They like to think of their Champagnes as individual wines.  Rich rounded creamy fruits with a fleshy ripe vinous palate – this comes from the Grand Cru Chouilly village in Cotes de Blancs where they own 10 hectares: 12%

CHAMPAGNE GONET SULCOVA BLANC DE BLANCS BRUT NV
(£29.99 Raeburn Fine Wines, Edinburgh www.raeburnfinewines.com)        
One of many Gonet families in Champagne, this Epernay-based winery run by Vincent Gonet and Davy Sulcova combined their names in 1985 when they started bottling their own fizz.  Stylish sleek Chardonnay from plots in Montgueux and Mesnil sur Oger – a classic style with smooth biscuity richness: 12%

CHAMPAGNE J L VERGNON CONVERSATION BLANC DE BLANCS BRUT NV
(£34 Waitrose; Berry Bros & Rudd)
Based in Le Mesnil-sur-Oger in Cote des Blancs, Christophe Constant (pictured above) who runs JL Vergnon focuses on Chardonnay from old vines.  Using no malolactic fermentation and long lees ageing he creates creamy flinty zesty Chardonnay cuvees – this is one of his lightest and most appealing – designed as its name suggests to encourage conversation: 12%

CHAMPAGNE COLLARD PICARD CUVEE PRESTIGE BRUT NV  ***STAR BUY***
(£42 Swig winemerchants www.swig.co.uk)
The flagship wine from progressive growers young Olivier Collard and Caroline Picard, who now have cellars in Epernay’s prestigious avenue du Champagne.  Predominantly Grand Cru Chardonnay with equal blend of premier cru Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier and a blend of four vintages matured in large foudres.  Rich apricot fruits, honeyed undertones, creamy palate and sumptuous length: 12.5%

 

PINOT NOIR CUVEES

CHAMPAGNE DIDIER CHOPIN BRUT NV
(£24.99 Laithwaites www.laithwaites.co.uk)
Didier and Karine Chopin are one of the newest grower houses, established in 1989 using fruit from Karine’s 3 hectare family vineyard.  This affordable cuvee is essentially a Blanc de Noirs, from two black grapes, but is unusual as it is predominantly Pinot Meunier, with 40% Pinot Noir.  Floral aroma, clean citric palate with rich toasty notes from long lees ageing: 12%

CHAMPAGNE LAHAYE BRUT NATURE GRAND CRU NV    ***STAR BUY***      
(£39 The Wine Society www.thewinesociety.com; £40 Berry Bros & Rudd www.bbr.com)
Benoit and Valerie Lahaye stopped using chemicals in the 1990s and registered their tiny 4 hectare vineyard as biodynamic in 2010, a brave move in this northerly climate.  Based in the Pinot Noir village of Bouzy in Montagne de Reims, they are one of the few to own a horse for ploughing.  This predominantly Pinot Noir cuvee (90% Pinot Noir & 10% Chardonnay) is partly oaked with no malolactic and low dosage.  Deliciously vinous fizz with rich succulent fruit and beautiful length: 12%

              
CHAMPAGNE MARC HEBRART PREMIER CRU CUVEE DE RESERVE BRUT NV
(£26 The Wine Society www.thewinesociety.com)
From a small progressive house run by Jean-Paul Hebrart, Marc’s son.  They used to sell their grapes to big houses, but now bottle their own.  Their style is rich full-flavoured fizz mainly from Pinot Noir, no Pinot Meunier is used, from their 14 hectares across 65 plots in Grand Cru and Premier Cru vineyards.  Well priced cuvee, a rich red-fruited fizz with smoky notes.  It lacks a great length, but still good value: 12%

CHAMPAGNE GREMILLET BLANC DE NOIRS BRUT NV
(£28.95 Drinkmonger, Edinburgh & Pitlochry)
From Balnot sur Laignes in southerly Aube region, south of Troyes best known for its Pinot Noir.  This 40 hectare property has steep south facing vineyards making good value cuvees with a style focused on emphasizing ripe fruit in this warm southerly location.  Smooth rounded red fruit notes with light biscuit hints: 12.5%

CHAMPAGNE LEFEBVRE CUVEE RESERVE BRUT NV   ***STAR BUY***
(£34.99 Laithwaites www.laithwaites.co.uk)
Last year this cuvee from little-known Cuperly family beat off stiff competition from big houses in the Champagne Masters, it raised a few eyebrows in the Champagne world.  You can see why Gerard Cuperly’s rich complex zesty dense Pinot Noir-dominant cuvee stole the show.  Popular with tasters for its zesty fruit concentration: 12%

Join Rose’s Champagne Masterclass to celebrate Edinburgh Festival at The Royal Scots Club on Thursday 23 August 7.30pm –9.30pm

Taste 9 Champagnes for £40  – for online booking click HERE