Champagne Discovery
beyond the bubbles
CHAMPAGNE IN NUMBERS
CHAMPAGNE AOC
34,300 hectares
319 villages (crus)
280,000 plots (lieux-dits)
15,700 growers
4,700 récoltants
390 négociants
125 coopératives
CHAMPAGNE IN NUMBERS
GRAPES
Pinot Noir 38%
Chardonnay 31%
Meunier 31%
Historic varieties <0.4%
Arbane, Chardonnay Rose, Fromenteau, Petit Meslier, Pinot Blanc
CHAMPAGNE IN NUMBERS
BEST MODERN VINTAGES
1982
1985
1988
1996
2002
2008
2012
ABOUT US
We are Gita and Lee, two self-confessed champagne lovers for whom this effervescent drink has been a huge part of our lives since meeting twenty-seven years ago. Our first trip to the region was in 1999 to source bottles for our wedding. Since then, we have been visiting several times a year, have tasted thousands of champagnes and continue to discover amazing new producers, incredible wines and stories. We are immensely passionate about the top quality smaller domaines who tell a narrative through their creations, from vineyard to bottle. As well as the bubbles, Champagne is home to some excellent still white, red and rosés too; not to forget Ratafia and Marc de Champagne. This famous region is fortunate to be home to a myriad of World class winemakers, producing an array of diverse wines, we really are spoilt for choice. We love wine, we absolutely adore champagne!
Tchin tchin!
Champagne of the Month
DOMAINE VINCEY
Le Grand Jardin 2014
Our “Champagne of the Month” for March 2026 is from Domaine Vincey, located in the village of Oger in the heart of the Côte des Blancs. The family have been tending vines for eight generations with Quentin taking control of the domaine in 2009. The 7 hectare estate has holdings in Oger, Le Mesnil-sur-Oger and Chouilly. Quentin and Marine began organic conversion for the entire estate in 2019 with certification being completed in 2022. Also working to biodynamic principles, the domaine; which produces around 10,000 bottles anually is focused on sustainability and of course, producing wines of great quality.
“Le Grand Jardin” is a vintage wine, this iteration being from the 2014 harvest. The lieu-dit from which it takes its name is located in Oger where the soil is typical clay-limestone on chalky bedrock that gives Oger wines its biting minerality and salinity. Unsurprisingly, the wine is a blanc de blancs, consisting of 100% Chardonnay from old vines, planted in 1967. Fermentation and aging took place entirely in fûts de chêne and was kept on the lees until bottling with no fining or filtering. Malolactic fermentation was blocked and the wine was also aged sous liège under a natural cork ensuring it is a full-on oxidative powerhouse. Bottled in May 2015, it was disgorged in May 2019 without dosage. Alcohol is at 12.5% abv.
Tasted 16:50 Sunday 1st March 2026 (fruit day in the lunar calendar)
Glassware: Chef & Sommelier Reveal’Up ‘Intense’
Appearance: Clear, medium, gold.
Characteristics: Pronounced intensity with primary aromas of honeysuckle, lemon blossom, baked Bramley apple, Bramley apple skins, quince, Chiku, lemon peel, lemon juice, orange juice, lychee, roasted and fresh pineapple. There are secondary notes of pineapple tarte tartin, sablé biscuit, Croix de Savoie, pineapple toffee, vanilla, cloves and cedar. Tertiary aromas include ginger, cinnamon, kerosene, marzipan, frangipane, hazelnut praline, caramel, toffee apple, marmalade, mushroom, hay and honey.
Price circa €80.00
As previously noted, this is a huge, powerful champagne that will benefit from large format glasses and/or decanting!
tchin tchin
WHAT'S IN OUR GLASS
Some of the most recent wines we have been enjoying.
Tchin tchin!
Etienne Calsac - L'Échappée Belle (2012 base)
Diebolt-Vallois - Blanc de blancs Extra Brut (magnum)
Corbon - Avize Grand Cru 2012
Augustin - O² Rosée
Jean-Marc Sélèque - Partition 2009 2ème Lecture
Lelarge-Pugeot - Les Charmes de Vrigny (2008 base)
Allouchery-Perseval - Tradition Blanc de Noirs
Barnaut - Clos Barnaut Rosé 2008 Coteaux Champenois
Lelarge-Pugeot - Tradition (2021 base)