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
CHRISTIAN GOSSET
Loiselu 2018
Our “Champagne of the Month” for February 2026 is from Champagne Christian Gosset from the town of Aÿ in the Vallée de la Marne. Christian set out on his own journey in 2015 at the age of 50 having previously been co-winemaker at the excellent family domaine of Gosset-Brabant. With 35 years of experience behind him, Christian produces wines of great class from his 5 hectares estate encompassing plots in the villages of Avenay-val-d’or, Chouilly, Dizy and Le Mareuil-sur-Ay alongside home plantings in Aÿ; famed for its rich Pinot Noir. The estate is farmed organically (uncertified), without the use of herbicides, pesticides or fungicides and is certified HVE.
“Loiselu” is a vintage wine, this edition being 2018 and born from the lieu-dit from which it takes its name. Loiselu is located on a steep 15% East-facing mid-slope in Aÿ. The old Pinot Noir vines were planted in 1963 on clay-limestone soil with chalk bedrock. The grapes were pressed in a Coquard basket press at the winery of friend and neighbour Jean-Baptiste Geoffroy. Fermentation with native yeasts in a combination of new and old 228 litre oak barrels from Champagne. The wine underwent spontaneous malolactic fermentation with no fining or filtering. Bottled in 2019, the wine was afforded 36 months aging sur lattes. Disgorgement was in April 2022 with 1gl of dosage and sealed with a natural cork, alcohol is at 12.5% abv.
Tasted 16:45 Sunday 25th January 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, chamomile, geranium, violet, quince, gooseberry, red apple, ripe pear, grapefruit, orange peel, apricot, papaya, lychee, cantaloupe melon, pineapple, pineapple cubes and raspberry. There are secondary notes of pineapple tarte tartin, raspberry fudge, shortbread, toast, vanilla and cloves. Tertiary aromas include marzipan, dried apple, pineapple toffee, dried apricot, ginger, kerosene, praline, hay and honey.
Price circa €79.99
We were huge fans of Gosset-Brabant and Christian has continued to craft delicious wines with great character.
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)