Champagne, please

There is something special about having a glass of champagne. The sound of the popping of the cork, the bubbles rising in the glass, always evokes feelings of excitement and pleasure.

However, drinking a bad champagne can be an unpleasant, and disappointing, experience. So If you are looking for quality and value for money, check out some of the smaller producers who put a lot of love and care into making fine wines.

Champagne

Simon Field, buyer for Berry Bros. and Rudd, says that they are always on the lookout for good individual growers as they demonstrate a real sense of terroir. “What you are paying for is a reflection of what is in the glass as the smaller houses don’t have marketing budgets,” says Simon. “As there are so many different villages in the Champagne region, you get several styles.”

The vineyards surrounding Cramant and Mensil-sur-Oger in Cote de Blancs produce chardonnay grapes. Blanc de Blancs is the term used for champagnes made only from this grape. These wines are usually light and refreshing yet still elegant that, Simon says, become richer as they age. The Montagne de Reims and the Côte des Bar have a cool limestone terrain and is where pinot noir grapes are grown. The more robust pinot meunier thrives in the more clayey soils of Vallée de la Marne.

Most champagne is made from the three grapes. Producers may blend grapes varieties from different years, regions and villages.

Pinot noir adds body and structure to the wine, pinot meunier is used to add fruitiness and aromas, while chardonnay adds a hint of elegance and freshness.

Once you have discovered the taste profile that suits your palette, you can ask your wine merchant for suggestions.

Champagne Pierre Peters in Le Mesnil-sur-Oger,Côte des Blancs is a small producer that Simon rates highly. Its champagnes are characterised by their richness, subtlety and elegance.

Another one to look out for is Champagne R & L Legras which tends to produce soft, flowery chardonnay wines. If you prefer something richer, take a look at Champagne Lahaye, one of the leading small wine grower/producers in Montagne de Reims. He has vineyards in Bouzy, famed for its good pinot noir grapes. The style of champagne is earthier and bursting with red fruit flavours. 

Champagne Vilamart is also a sought-after producer whose wines tend to be rich yet lively and are great examples of fine wines from this region.

Simon points out that as less sugar is usually added to these wines, you are able to mark the authentic terroir as you savour each drop.

If you want to try champagnes from the grand marques, Simon recommends three which I put to the test to see why they stand out from the crowd.

Billecart-Salmon Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru NV, £58, bbr.com
One of the few remaining champagne houses to be owned by the original family. The fine bubbles of this chardonnay cuvée are the hallmark of a first-class champagne. Deliciously creamy with a slight kick, this is an elegant wine that will tantalise your taste buds.

Gosset Grand Reserve Brut, £49.95, bbr.com
A stylish rich and robust, champagne from the oldest wine house in the region. Chardonnay slightly edges pinot noir in this blend. Laced with fruity and biscuit tangs, it has a long and balanced finish. A champagne par excellence.

Pol Roger Brut Réserve NV, £39.95, bbr.com
The small family-controlled house of Pol Roger is renowned for its superb champagnes. It was Sir Winton Churchill’s favourite marque and is beloved by champagne connoisseurs. Zesty fruity flavours are complemented with hints of nuts and honey, a  rich yet fresh wine. Exquisite.

By Daralyn Danns

Wines from Spain

Ask most people to think of a Spanish wine and rioja would be the one that springs to mind. But, Spain produces plenty of corkers which are well worth considering this party season.

Berry Bros. & Rudd, Britain's oldest wine and spirit merchant, has recently come up with its first serious Spanish Offer: 95 wines from 34 producers from 17 regions of Spain. 

I asked Simon Field, Berry Bros. & Rudd Spanish wine buyer, to give me some pointers regarding Spanish wine.

Simon has an on-going love affair with the traditional styles of wines from Rioja. “These are wines which flatter to deceive with their modest colour and extraordinary power and length,” says Simon. “They are wines that are invariably released to the market when they are ready to drink, which is rather refreshing in this day and age.”

But, Simon points out there are great finds beyond Rioja. Ribera del Duero could give the region a run for its money. The region’s Vega Sicilia –  regarded as Spain’s most prestigious wine estate – Grand Reserva Unico wines are not released on to the market until they are over 10 years old – including at least seven years of barrel-ageing.

“The challenge,” says Simon, “Is how on earth to disseminate the rest, to evade the increasingly desperate offers from the mediocre, all too prevalent in these parlous times, and, even more difficult, to select from the voluminous and impressive canon of wines now being produced in lesser-known regions.”

Although, the work is ongoing, Berry Bros.& Rudd has come up with a wonderful selection.  “Value, approachability and points of difference are the watchwords here,” says Simon.

Here are a few I have tried and enjoyed:

Gramona, Brut Nature, Gran Reserva Cava 2007, £16.60
Made by the traditional champagne method, the addition of chardonnay to the permitted grapes (the xarel-lo, macabeo and parellada being the mainstays), and improved winemaking, has led to the production of much better quality wines.  So, if you thought cava was a mass-market tasteless fizz, then you will be pleasantly surprised when you try this.

Bursting with stone fruit flavours, fused with hints of almond and sourdough, this is an extremely drinkable bubbly. No sugar has been added.

Pinot Noir, DO Catalunya, Celler de Capçanes, Monstant 2010, £19.95
Pinot noir is a hard grape to grow, but Celler de Capçanes has managed it. Red fruits are tinged with slightly smoky flavours that tantalise the palate. An elegant and enjoyable wine.

Pétalos, Descendientes de J Palacios, Bierzo 2010, £16.95 

Farmed biodynamically from  60 year-old vines, grown by Alvaro Palacios  – a producer to watch out for –  this vino, made entirely from the mencia grape, is bursting with rich juicy fruit with a savoury twang. Laced with smooth tannins, this wine has an almost velvety texture.

El Seque Do Alicante 2010, £24.95
This Spanish mourvèdre enriched with cabernet sauvignon and syrah is a superb complex wine brimming with coffee-flavoured damsons. Delicious!

By Daralyn Danns