And from the lovely village of Chigny-les-Roses (yes, lots of roses there), Champagne J. Lassalle’s current releases are very impressive. Their non-vintage Cuvée Préférence is a mature beauty, expressive, generous, stylish, and the palate is remarkably elegant. If you are used to the big Champagne houses, the extra pleasures offered by this cuvée will shock you. Kermit Lynch

Founded in 1942 in the heart of the Montagne de Reims, J.Lassalle is not only a family business, it is a family business owned and run by three generations of females and the impression you get from their vineyard, winery and finished product is a sense of organisation, harmony and flair. The House produces 100,000 bottles anually from its 11 hectares of vineyard planted to the three Champagne varieties, Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay. They fashion their five cuvee’s from five years of reserve wine delivering flavoresome yet elegant wines.

A very traditional house that makes really impressive wines ….. I was as wowed as always by what I found here. Burghound

One of my favorite Champagne producers, J. Lassalle - Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate

It is a caress going down! Lassalle’s Champagne Rosé is very pale in color with strawberry and raspberry perfume in the subtle bouquet. No, it doesn’t shout, and red wine was not added to color it. It grows on you - a connoisseur’s rosé, and it is bone dry! Kermit Lynch

10% pinot Meunier, 75% pinot noir and 15% chardonnay. A high-toned and distinctly fruity nose that is at once elegant, pure and refined leads to extremely effervescent flavors that border on the foamy, all trimmed in a delicately yeasty finish that is superbly long. This is a complete wine and while there are certainly more powerful rosés around, few offer the balance and délicatesse that this one does. Tasted: Oct 01, 2007 Score: 93 Drink: 2007+ Issue 28 Allen Meadows; Burghound

Founded in 1942 in the heart of the Montagne de Reims, J.Lassalle is not only a family business, it is a family business owned and run by three generations of females and the impression you get from their vineyard, winery and finished product is a sense of organisation, harmony and flair. The House produces 100,000 bottles anually from its 11 hectares of vineyard planted to the three Champagne varieties, Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay. They fashion their five cuvee’s from five years of reserve wine delivering flavoresome yet elegant wines.

A very traditional house that makes really impressive wines ….. I was as wowed as always by what I found here. Burghound

One of my favorite Champagne producers, J. Lassalle - Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate

The 2002 vintage is made from prestigious Crus of 50% Chardonnay and 50% Pinot Noir. It has been bottle aged in cellars for almost eight years before being disgorged prior to release. Laurent Perrier described the vintage as having a distinctive golden yellow hue with green highlights and a fruity character, revealing the wines maturity, the aroma evolves into notes of ripe fruits, and acacia honey. The rich complexity and depth of flavour has a still youthful freshness which is gradually revealed on the palate. The long finish is marked with persistent notes of yellow stone fruits. It is expected to have excellent ageing capacity.

The Champagne Guide 2012 is just weeks away, and the 2002 vintage is one of its darlings, set to be the greatest and longest-lived of the decade. L-P nailed it with this brilliantly delicate and poised wine of fresh lemon, white summer fruits and salty minerality. 95 Points; Tyson Stelzer

While champagne shows the character of a specific harvest, non-vintage brut exemplifies the style of a particular House. Freshness, elegance and balance, all of which are typical of Laurent-Perrier's wines, are found in the Brut L-P year after year.

Chardonnay, is the dominant grape variety and its proportion is unusually high for a non-vintage champagne blend, being double the average. The blend is made of wines from more than 55 crus or villages and between 10 and 20% of reserve wines are used. Brut L-P is aged on its lees for approximately three years and only a very light dosage is used to preserve its balance and natural freshness.

The colour is a pale golden hue, with fine and persistent bubbles. The nose is fresh and delicate, showing good complexity with its hints of citrus and white fruit. With its elegant style, Brut L-P has led the way in making champagne the ideal apéritif. Perfectly balanced, with crisp flavours and finesse, it is also an ideal companion for fish, poultry and white meat.
 
Pale gold in colour with fine and persistent bubbles. Delicate and fresh, with good complexity and notes of citrus and with fruit. Fresh and supple upon entry with rounded and expressive flavours from which the fruit progressively emerges. Good balance and length. Only the best grape juices are used for this wine. Chardonnay 45%, Pinot Noir 40%, Pinot Meunier 15%. The blend is made of wines from more than 55 crus or villages with an average vineyard rating of an impressive 94%. At least 10%, and sometimes over 20% of reserve wines are also used to ensure perfect consistency in the Brut L-P.

Brut L-P is aged on its lees for approximately three years - whereas the requirement is only 15 months in Champagne. Only a very light dosage (12 grams per litre) is used to preserve its balance and natural freshness. After dosage, all Laurent-Perrier's wines are cellared for a further three months prior to shipping.

Just why this prestigious Champagne house is often overlooked remains a mystery. Quality is the keynote, with individual character and personality to the fore. Chardonnay dominates with pinot noir at the heart and a small quantity of pinot meunier to give roundness and fruitiness. Glace fruits and jasmine greet the nose with hints of pink grapefruit. The palate is long and fine with intense white stone-fruit flavours, hints of warm brioche and honeysuckle. The bright acid finish gives a sense of energy and vitality"- Peter Bourne, Gourmet Traveller Wine Magazine, December/ January 2009. 

While champagne shows the character of a specific harvest, non-vintage brut exemplifies the style of a particular House. Freshness, elegance and balance, all of which are typical of Laurent-Perrier's wines, are found in the Brut L-P year after year.

Chardonnay, is the dominant grape variety and its proportion is unusually high for a non-vintage champagne blend, being double the average. The blend is made of wines from more than 55 crus or villages and between 10 and 20% of reserve wines are used. Brut L-P is aged on its lees for approximately three years and only a very light dosage is used to preserve its balance and natural freshness.

The colour is a pale golden hue, with fine and persistent bubbles. The nose is fresh and delicate, showing good complexity with its hints of citrus and white fruit. With its elegant style, Brut L-P has led the way in making champagne the ideal apéritif. Perfectly balanced, with crisp flavours and finesse, it is also an ideal companion for fish, poultry and white meat.
 
Pale gold in colour with fine and persistent bubbles. Delicate and fresh, with good complexity and notes of citrus and with fruit. Fresh and supple upon entry with rounded and expressive flavours from which the fruit progressively emerges. Good balance and length. Only the best grape juices are used for this wine. Chardonnay 45%, Pinot Noir 40%, Pinot Meunier 15%. The blend is made of wines from more than 55 crus or villages with an average vineyard rating of an impressive 94%. At least 10%, and sometimes over 20% of reserve wines are also used to ensure perfect consistency in the Brut L-P.

Brut L-P is aged on its lees for approximately three years - whereas the requirement is only 15 months in Champagne. Only a very light dosage (12 grams per litre) is used to preserve its balance and natural freshness. After dosage, all Laurent-Perrier's wines are cellared for a further three months prior to shipping.

Just why this prestigious Champagne house is often overlooked remains a mystery. Quality is the keynote, with individual character and personality to the fore. Chardonnay dominates with pinot noir at the heart and a small quantity of pinot meunier to give roundness and fruitiness. Glace fruits and jasmine greet the nose with hints of pink grapefruit. The palate is long and fine with intense white stone-fruit flavours, hints of warm brioche and honeysuckle. The bright acid finish gives a sense of energy and vitality"- Peter Bourne, Gourmet Traveller Wine Magazine, December/ January 2009. 

To produce Laurent-Perrier’s luxury cuvée, Bernard de Nonancourt decided to concentrate on two of the mainstays of Champagne’s know-how: the blending of different crus (wines from separate villages) and from different harvest years.

The epitome of Champagne blending, Grand Siècle calls on wines from the finest growths and the very best harvests; years which have been declared as vintages by Laurent-Perrier. Made to be given or shared with friends and family, it is a very seductive Champagne, totally enjoyable.

Grand Siècle is a blend of pinot noir and chardonnay, with the latter being slightly dominant. The grapes are supplied by twelve of the most prestigious crus or villages, all of them Grands Crus classified at 100%, such as Ambonnay, Verzenay, Mailly, Avize, Cramant, Chouilly and Le Mesnil-sur-Oger. Within the vineyards of these crus, only the very best plots are selected, as are the finest musts from the pressings. The blended wine is then aged for about 5 years.

It is brilliant yellow in colour, and has subtle aromas of honey, hazelnuts, grilled almonds and brioche, making it the perfect companion for refined dishes. It also pairs wonderfully with poultry and truffles as with veal and morel mushrooms.

Its attractive nose of toast and green apples is augmented by hints of minerals, soy and creamy yeasts, and its explosive bubbles propel those outgoing elements in the wine's unmistakably classy, perfectly integrated flavors. The wine is appropriately long and slightly lemony at the finish and calls for service with tangy finger foods. No other prestige-label Champagne comes close in value. 94 Points; Connoisseurs' Guide to California Wine—November 2004

Pale straw. Intense, pungent aromas of mineral-accented green apple, Anjou pear and spice.  Deep and fleshy, with almost painfully concentrated orchard fruit flavors and a sappy, clinging texture.  For all its weight and power, this is also precise and vibrant, finishing with a nervy mineral tone and excellent length. 92 Points; Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar

Chalky, flinty aromas of orange, lemon and bread dough.  Balanced, mouth-filling flavors of apple cider, malt and yeast are more expressive than the nose.  Soft lemon drop finish. 92 Points; Josh Raynolds; Wine News

Floral aromas; toasted almond flavor notes; lots of finesse, with a nice, lacy, wonderfully seductive character. QRW Tasting Panel; Quarterly Review of Wines

Warm and rich, offering spice, leather and gently oxidative notes, with toast, citrus and ginger. It's all married to a refined texture and vibrant structure, keeping this focused and persistent, with a wonderful kaleidoscopic finish. Drink now through 2012. 94 points Wine Spectator

This champagne is famous for its highly expressive bouquet, which stems from the very careful preservation of the grape's natural fresh red fruit aromas. It is one of the rare rosé champagnes to be made using the maceration (skin contact) technique, which gives it the extraordinary depth and freshness that has made it the benchmark for rosé champagne arounf the world. Revered by wine-lovers for its flavours and by aesthetes for the beauty of its 17th century-style bottle, the Cuvée Rosé Brut is one of the stars in the Laurent-Perrier range. Laurent Champagne.

Deep orange-pink color, with a fine bead. Ripe cherry and redcurrant on the nose, with darker earth, tobacco and herb accents. Rich, full and deep, with a spike of acidity on the back giving lift and nerve to the sweet cherry and red berry flavors. Finishes firm, with good breadth as well as length to the sweet red fruit flavors. A serious style of rose, with the weight and depth to work with hearty foods, even red meats.Josh Raynolds, Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar

With its bottle shape dating from the late 16th century, this is a traditionally made rosé, using color from macerating Pinot Noir grapes. It is full, ripe, flavored with strawberries and other sweet red fruits, with a layer of dryness. The wine finishes fresh and crisp. Wine Enthusiast

Copper pink in color, this is a red-fruited rosé. It’s firm with gentle grape-skin tannin that rounds it without astringency. A mineral back note and a hint of raw almond mark the end. A firm, clean line of flavor, this is ready to pour with crab. Wine and Spirits; December 2010

Moderate salmon hue with an active bead. Shy nose with whiffs of cherry and vanilla. Bright flavors of cherry pie, strawberry and creamy vanilla shine on the palate and offer a toasty appeal. Tart cherry fruit joined by tangy citrus elements in the finish. The Wine News—Winter 2010

Rose were for long regarded as the illegitimate offspring of Champagne, recipients of coarse, heavy pressings wines partially masked by high dosage levels. Today they are routinely priced above ‘normal’ NV (or vintage) blends and are carefully made. Whether they really merit the premium is irrelevant: the market has spoken. But Laurent-Perrier is a special case: this is 100% pinot noir, rather than a blend coloured by pinot noir red wine. The full salmon colour is an immediate indication of its provenance, the bouquet complex and alluring, leading directly into the cherry and strawberry flavours of the long, sustained palate; excellent finish and aftertaste. 95 points, $150; James Halliday Top 100

Madame Coco is sourced primarily from the Aude Valley, in the foothills of the Pyrenees. The high altitude and proximity to the mountains results in cool evening breezes and nights that allow the creation of elegant sparkling wines. The region has been producing sparkling wines since the early sixteenth century, a heritage that pre-dates Champagne by over a century.

Madame Coco is made exclusively from white wine grapes. Chardonnay is 85% of the blend and gives a core of pristine fruit, length and depth of flavour. Smaller amounts of Chenin Blanc and the indigenous Mauzac provide elegance and mineral acidity. Once vinified the base wine is transferred to the highly regarded sparkling wine specialist, Veuve Ambal, in Burgundy. The wine is made using “Methode Traditionelle”, undergoing secondary fermentation and then an average of twelve months on lees in bottle before disgorgement.

Madame Coco is a very spiffy little number from Fourth Wave Wine. It’s well packaged, well priced, well made and well easy to quaff. It’s a blanc de blancs sparkling white wine grown in France’s Aude Valley. It’s made with chardonnay (50%) and chenin blanc mostly, though there are some small inputs from other high acid white varieties. It spends 12 months on lees. It’s made properly – methode traditionelle – none of this tank-gassed-fermented business. If you go through a bit of sparkling wine, you’re pretty much mad not to jump onto this.

It’s French, it’s bubbly, it’s under $20 and it’s a whole lot of fun. In many ways, there’s no need to say anything more. It’s musky and lemony, alive with fluffy bubbles and flavoursome enough. I know it’s a blanc de blancs but I saw some Turkish delight characters in it; though that said, I drank a bit too much of this a bit too quickly, so maybe my judgement was impaired. It’s that kind of wine. Buy. By Campbell Mattinson; The Wine Front

Moet is over 250 years old and belongs to the exclusive group of luxury champagne creators, Louis Vuitton, Moet Hennessy and now Krug. It is by far the biggest selling Champagne in the world. Brut Impérial is a balanced assemblage of the three vine varieties disclosing a succession of elegant and harmonious sensations, a fresh maturity, supple and refined lines, inspiring well-being and an emotion which is appreciated and shared.

Years of patience are required for optimum maturity to be achieved. Within a few months, the wines are assembled. Within a few weeks, the yeasts have completed the malo-lactic fermentation process. Within a few days, the alcoholic fermentation has transformed the sugar into alcohol with the help of selected yeasts After harvesting, the grapes are transported, pressed and then juices fermented in vats. In order to ensure a carefully thought-out and natural wine-making approach and to guarantee the essence of the fruit is given full expression, keeping a tight rein over the entire production process is of paramount importance

Colour is pale yellow with shades of gold and citrus. A fine effervescence. Aroma is the epitome of subtlety, it is vinous without being green, buttery without being rich, and tropically warm with a lime blossom attack. Palate is delicate well-balanced, creamy and rich, there are unlimited fragrances and nuances that lead onto the broad palate, filling the tongue with highlights and leaving behind a sense of harmony, mellowness. A medium-bodied Champagne with generous fruit and toasted flavors, supple on the palate with a lingering rich finish. Joyous wines, with a generous and seductive personality, Moët et Chandon is still today, and more than ever before, the symbol of pleasure, grandeur and pure celebration.

The Moet & Chandon Grand Vintage 2002 is the finest wine made under this label and would rival all but the greatest vintages of Dom. How’s that for an about face? I’m not going to list names of flavours for the purpose of making the reader salivate. No, this blew me away because it walked the tight room between generosity of fruit and brilliant elegance and packaged all of this up in a lesson about texture. I rate it truly ‘exceptional’. BW WineStar

Tom Stevenson whom is to Champagne what Parker is to Bordeaux or Meadows is to Burgundy describes the 2002 as "One of the best bargain vintage champagnes on the market".

Both James Halliday (in his 2010 Top 100) and Gary Walsh of The Wine Front rate the wine at 95 Points, remembering these ratings are in context to other French Champagnes. For some clarity Halliday rated the exquisite Dom 2002 and the Roederer Cristal both 96 Points in the same publication.

A great vintage for Champagne and the quality here augurs well for Dom Perignon (to be released sometime now I think). It’s 51% Chardonnay, 26% Pinot Noir, 23% Pinot Meunier. I’ve lost my notes but I remember it well. Glorious Champagne texture and flavour on offer here – it’s full bodied but fine, more or less dry yet fruity, with a superb long dry finish.  Florals, stonefruits and lemon biscuits with toasty bready complexity, although freshness and vigour is more important than the types of flavours. Top end. Rated : 95 Points Tasted : Aug10 Alcohol : 12.5% Price : $120 Closure : Cork Drink : 2010 - 2018 By Gary Walsh; The Wine Front

"One of the best bargain vintage champagnes on the market" says guru Tom Stevenson. Pinot noir (45%) and pinot meunier (15%) are at the front end, chardonnay (40%) at the back end. The perfumed bouquet has apple blossom, pear and wild herb flowers, the long, complex palate with fresh fruit flavours woven through rich and creamy/bready characters; the lingering finish has true gravitas. Imported by Moet Hennessy. 95 points & Halliday’s Top 100 Wines for 2010 – The Weekend Australian November 13-14, 2010

The Moet & Chandon Grand Vintage 2002 is the finest wine made under this label and would rival all but the greatest vintages of Dom. How’s that for an about face? I’m not going to list names of flavours for the purpose of making the reader salivate. No, this blew me away because it walked the tight room between generosity of fruit and brilliant elegance and packaged all of this up in a lesson about texture. I rate it truly ‘exceptional’. BW WineStar

Tom Stevenson whom is to Champagne what Parker is to Bordeaux or Meadows is to Burgundy describes the 2002 as "One of the best bargain vintage champagnes on the market".

Both James Halliday (in his 2010 Top 100) and Gary Walsh of The Wine Front rate the wine at 95 Points, remembering these ratings are in context to other French Champagnes. For some clarity Halliday rated the exquisite Dom 2002 and the Roederer Cristal both 96 Points in the same publication.

A great vintage for Champagne and the quality here augurs well for Dom Perignon (to be released sometime now I think). It’s 51% Chardonnay, 26% Pinot Noir, 23% Pinot Meunier. I’ve lost my notes but I remember it well. Glorious Champagne texture and flavour on offer here – it’s full bodied but fine, more or less dry yet fruity, with a superb long dry finish.  Florals, stonefruits and lemon biscuits with toasty bready complexity, although freshness and vigour is more important than the types of flavours. Top end. Rated : 95 Points Tasted : Aug10 Alcohol : 12.5% Price : $120 Closure : Cork Drink : 2010 - 2018 By Gary Walsh; The Wine Front

"One of the best bargain vintage champagnes on the market" says guru Tom Stevenson. Pinot noir (45%) and pinot meunier (15%) are at the front end, chardonnay (40%) at the back end. The perfumed bouquet has apple blossom, pear and wild herb flowers, the long, complex palate with fresh fruit flavours woven through rich and creamy/bready characters; the lingering finish has true gravitas. Imported by Moet Hennessy. 95 points & Halliday’s Top 100 Wines for 2010 – The Weekend Australian November 13-14, 2010

A blend of 35% Chardonnay, 60% Pinot Noir, 5% Pinot Meunier. The wine sparkles and breathes, binding together the sensations of depth and harmony. The complexity of taste begins initially with figs and dried apricots progressively revealing nuances of cocoa and cinnamon.

A fab French fizz (pronounced foo-yay - with apple and pear aromas, a light dry, floral, fruity palate and hints of almonds and hazelnuts. Persistent fine bead. A good value French.

Nicolas Feuillatte Reserve Particuliere is premium bubbly and a painstaking blend of some 200 base wines. Best of all, it’s available by the half bottle. Sydney Morning Herald

Quite a big, slightly sweet style. Complex style with aromas of freshly basked bread. Very nutty, toasty palate with good acid balance. Winestate

Receiving in the first week of January an email that says ‘Christmas and New Year are so last year...think Valentines’ I have to admit made me smile. The focus was Nicolas Feuillatte ‘Reserve Particulière’ Brut NV, and the clear message was ‘celebrate Valentines with a bottle or two’. I have to admit my bottle didn’t last until the day but was enjoyed well enough after the tasting was over. Deeper gold than most NV Champagne and a greater intensity on the nose, with hints of mushroom coming across. Both the above indicate the inclusion of some older base wine. Good weight and holding a true line to the end. Wonderful finish with plenty of secondary flavours emerging from the back palate. Around $55. On the Bench; The Key Report - Tony Keys

A classy, elegant style of Champagne with a tart, steely structure and firm, tight flavors. Very dry and a bit closed down, but the length and concentration suggest some wonderful development ahead. This style of Champagne would benefit from cellaring; at least four or five years would be optimal. 90 points, Wine Enthusiast

A pale golden hue with varied tinges and a fine cordon of bubbles. Powerful aromas of grilled hazelnut, green apple, quince and fig, this is a perfectly balanced, fruity yet dry Champagne which draws its strength from Premier and Grand Cru vineyards. Complex subtle hints, with a dominance of white fruit such as apples and pears. Clear-cut and well balanced, appley in the mouth with pressed figs, strawberries, buttery truffles and a mild sensation of overflowing tropical fruit platters. Good with a variety of dishes and at its best with white meat or a Monkfish blanquette with mushrooms. “Thick in texture, with intensity to the apple, citrus and dough flavors, fresh and lively! Wine Spectator

For anyone wanting to mark Bastille Day in a thoroughly French fashion today, the current-release Nicolas Feuillatte Reserve Particuliere Non-Vintage Brut is an excellent option. Its base wine is a blend of 40 per cent pinot noir, 20 per cent chardonnay and 40 per cent pinot meunier and it is green-edged straw in the glass. It has small, persistent bubbles and aromas of croissant, marzipan and pear. Elegant citrus and green apple flavours come through on the front of the pala te and yeast y , creamy, toasted cashew characters chime in on the middle palate. Crisp steely acid shows at the finish. It would be good with antipasto, smoked salmon blinis or wonton wrapped prawns.  Daily Telegraph

I opened this last night in a mixed bag of local sparkling and Champagne and found it to be excellent. I reviewed it a year or so ago with less enthusiasm, so either I’m inconsistent or this particular batch/blend is much improved. Perhaps a combination of the two. Writing notes on NV champagne is a lottery anyway – what with cork, transportation and storage issues, not least the fact that you might be buying a completely different wine to the one I’m reviewing. Anyway, sad to say the Australian sparklings were yet again characterised by their coarse grating acidity. Ho hum. Spicy cinnamon dough, a sort of dustiness and rich spicy strawberry accented fruit. It has a gentle foaminess and lovely balance – not too sweet but not too dry and difficult. Made for drinking and pleasure with witty conversation, of which I might add, I contributed more than my fair share. Rated : 92 Points Tasted : Oct09 Alcohol : 12% Price : $60 Closure : Cork By Gary Walsh; The Wine Front

A fab French fizz (pronounced foo-yay - with apple and pear aromas, a light dry, floral, fruity palate and hints of almonds and hazelnuts. Persistent fine bead. A good value French.

Nicolas Feuillatte Reserve Particuliere is premium bubbly and a painstaking blend of some 200 base wines. Best of all, it’s available by the half bottle. Sydney Morning Herald

Quite a big, slightly sweet style. Complex style with aromas of freshly basked bread. Very nutty, toasty palate with good acid balance. Winestate

Receiving in the first week of January an email that says ‘Christmas and New Year are so last year...think Valentines’ I have to admit made me smile. The focus was Nicolas Feuillatte ‘Reserve Particulière’ Brut NV, and the clear message was ‘celebrate Valentines with a bottle or two’. I have to admit my bottle didn’t last until the day but was enjoyed well enough after the tasting was over. Deeper gold than most NV Champagne and a greater intensity on the nose, with hints of mushroom coming across. Both the above indicate the inclusion of some older base wine. Good weight and holding a true line to the end. Wonderful finish with plenty of secondary flavours emerging from the back palate. Around $55. On the Bench; The Key Report - Tony Keys

A classy, elegant style of Champagne with a tart, steely structure and firm, tight flavors. Very dry and a bit closed down, but the length and concentration suggest some wonderful development ahead. This style of Champagne would benefit from cellaring; at least four or five years would be optimal. 90 points, Wine Enthusiast

A pale golden hue with varied tinges and a fine cordon of bubbles. Powerful aromas of grilled hazelnut, green apple, quince and fig, this is a perfectly balanced, fruity yet dry Champagne which draws its strength from Premier and Grand Cru vineyards. Complex subtle hints, with a dominance of white fruit such as apples and pears. Clear-cut and well balanced, appley in the mouth with pressed figs, strawberries, buttery truffles and a mild sensation of overflowing tropical fruit platters. Good with a variety of dishes and at its best with white meat or a Monkfish blanquette with mushrooms. “Thick in texture, with intensity to the apple, citrus and dough flavors, fresh and lively! Wine Spectator

For anyone wanting to mark Bastille Day in a thoroughly French fashion today, the current-release Nicolas Feuillatte Reserve Particuliere Non-Vintage Brut is an excellent option. Its base wine is a blend of 40 per cent pinot noir, 20 per cent chardonnay and 40 per cent pinot meunier and it is green-edged straw in the glass. It has small, persistent bubbles and aromas of croissant, marzipan and pear. Elegant citrus and green apple flavours come through on the front of the pala te and yeast y , creamy, toasted cashew characters chime in on the middle palate. Crisp steely acid shows at the finish. It would be good with antipasto, smoked salmon blinis or wonton wrapped prawns.  Daily Telegraph

I opened this last night in a mixed bag of local sparkling and Champagne and found it to be excellent. I reviewed it a year or so ago with less enthusiasm, so either I’m inconsistent or this particular batch/blend is much improved. Perhaps a combination of the two. Writing notes on NV champagne is a lottery anyway – what with cork, transportation and storage issues, not least the fact that you might be buying a completely different wine to the one I’m reviewing. Anyway, sad to say the Australian sparklings were yet again characterised by their coarse grating acidity. Ho hum. Spicy cinnamon dough, a sort of dustiness and rich spicy strawberry accented fruit. It has a gentle foaminess and lovely balance – not too sweet but not too dry and difficult. Made for drinking and pleasure with witty conversation, of which I might add, I contributed more than my fair share. Rated : 92 Points Tasted : Oct09 Alcohol : 12% Price : $60 Closure : Cork By Gary Walsh; The Wine Front

A grand cru wine from the famous village of Bouzy, this astonishingly good NV has depth of character, age and complexity well above its station. Vanilla cream, toasted bread and candied fruit aromas; this really fills the mouth. Food: smoked trout. 4 star rating SMH Uncorked Huon Hooke & Ralph Kyte-Powell.

Intense on the nose, like a Meursault with bubbles, this NV brut packs plenty of power into a slim package. Fine density and a texture like Irish linen. Beautifully done. Wine Spectator 91 points

A grand cru wine from the famous village of Bouzy. A lively and fruity champagne with berry aromas and a flavour and finesse that will accompany a meal from the aperitif to the dessert. Bright orange pink color. Exotic aroma of strawberry jam. Creamy and tactile, with exotic red   fruit flavors delivering compelling ripeness. Started a tad warm but grew creamier  and sweeter   with aeration, shedding its impression of alcohol. A fruit bomb of a rosé that’s delicious right now. 89 points Stephen Tanzer

NV Brut Rosé - Grand Cru: (75% pinot noir, 12.5% chardonnay and 12.5% Bouzy rouge). Not surprisingly given the blend proportions, this is very pinot-influenced with high-toned strawberry and raspberry aromas that lead to highly effervescent flavors that are also quite fruity but here the finish is notably drier and impressively long. Like the Réserve, this is not especially complex but it’s so delicious that one could easily drink a lot of it as it dances across the palate with a light touch. 90/now+ Burghound #28

Lovely aromas and flavors of tropical fruit, citrus, spice and yeast. The fine, persistent mousse accents the exceptionally fresh aromas and luminous golden yellow color. This elegant, complex, crisp and balanced Champagne features lingering flavors of fresh apples and lemons. This elegant Grand Brut can be enjoyed upon release or cellared for an additional two to three years or more if aged in magnums or jeraboams.

Lively bubbles and a fine, persistent mousse, matched by a crisp body make this a superb wine to be enjoyed with food. This Champagne pairs well with game hens or duck; pomme frittes with subtle horseradish aioli; mushroom tarts with truffle creme sauce; wild mushroom ravioli with shaved asaigo; duck confit with crispy leeks; salt baked king salmon; and roasted turkey with chestnut stuffing.

All smoothness on the palate. Medium bodied with lovely apple, toast, and pear flavors, good acidity and a long finish. Score: 92. The Wine Spectator

One of its kind in the Champagne region, this cuvée is made from a single "cru", the walled-vineyard owned exclusively by Philipponnat. The estate, made up entirely of steep hillsides facing south, has a total surface area of 5.5 hectares and produces on average 15 000 to 20 000 bottles per year but only in the best years.

Its grape-varieties are predominantly Pinot Noir, with the rest planted exclusively in Chardonnay. Always a vintaged wine, it is vinified according to the tradition upheld by generations of cellar masters and aged for almost ten years in the Philipponnat cellars which are excavated out of chalk. A powerful robust wine with a pronounced taste and lengthy finish.

Clos des Goisses could only be served with meals as it is a wine in the truest sense of the term. It marries perfectly with foie gras, truffles, red meats, game and dishes with sauce. A wine as much as a Champagne, Clos des Goisses deserves to be put into a decanter. With in the ample curves of a ewer, it reaches its full potential as a fine wine: aromatic power, finesse and voluptuousness. Contrary to the preconceived notion that Champagne does not improve with age, this Champagne is perfectly suited to ageing and may he kept for more than 10 years.

One of its kind in the Champagne region, this cuvée is made from a single "cru", the walled-vineyard owned exclusively by Philipponnat. The estate, made up entirely of steep hillsides facing south, has a total surface area of 5.5 hectares and produces on average 15 000 to 20 000 bottles per year but only in the best years.

Its grape-varieties are predominantly Pinot Noir, with the rest planted exclusively in Chardonnay. Always a vintaged wine, it is vinified according to the tradition upheld by generations of cellar masters and aged for almost ten years in the Philipponnat cellars which are excavated out of chalk. A powerful robust wine with a pronounced taste and lengthy finish.

One of its kind in the Champagne region, this cuvée is made from a single "cru", the walled-vineyard owned exclusively by Philipponnat. The estate, made up entirely of steep hillsides facing south, has a total surface area of 5.5 hectares and produces on average 15 000 to 20 000 bottles per year but only in the best years.

Its grape-varieties are predominantly Pinot Noir, with the rest planted exclusively in Chardonnay. Always a vintaged wine, it is vinified according to the tradition upheld by generations of cellar masters and aged for almost ten years in the Philipponnat cellars which are excavated out of chalk. A powerful robust wine with a pronounced taste and lengthy finish.

Clos des Goisses could only be served with meals as it is a wine in the truest sense of the term. It marries perfectly with foie gras, truffles, red meats, game and dishes with sauce. A wine as much as a Champagne, Clos des Goisses deserves to be put into a decanter. With in the ample curves of a ewer, it reaches its full potential as a fine wine: aromatic power, finesse and voluptuousness. Contrary to the preconceived notion that Champagne does not improve with age, this Champagne is perfectly suited to ageing and may he kept for more than 10 years.

In the centre of the Cote de Blancs are 24 hectares of Grand Cru vineyards from which Pierre Moncuit produces an exceptional Blanc de Blancs with a delightful biscuity character enhanced, no doubt, by a minimum three years bottle age

Nicole and Yves Moncuit's 20-ha domiane in Mesnil-sur-Oger is the source of some superb Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Champagne, all single vintage (though only wines from what are considered great vintages actually carry dates on them.) Andrew Jefford; The New France

This family grower in Le Mesnil, run by the rather scary Nicole Moncuit, is widely admired in France and widely available in the US as well as in Belgium and Switzerland but for some reason has never managed to establish much of a reputation in the UK. This may be because the style of wine is so determinedly Côte des Blancs, very lively and delicate and extremely refreshing – an aperitif champagne par excellence. Many British champagne lovers seem determined to insist on sheer weight in their champagne choices. There’s nothing wrong with that but it is after all only one style of champagne.

The Moncuit family make their champagnes exclusively from their own 20 hectares of Chardonnay vines, mainly around Le Mesnil but supplemented by five in Sezanne to the south west from which they make the even less expensive Hugues de Coulmet cuvée. Their policy is to bottle one year’s produce at a time; they don’t blend in reserve wines. Only the wines they – for which read Nicole – see as genuinely superior are aged and sold as vintage dated champagne however. The NV cuvée that is currently shipped to H & H Bancroft is based on the exceptionally good 2002 vintage, but I tasted one based on the 2000 last November that was also very impressive, with a hint of iodine about its minerality which she assured me made it a great partner for shellfish. Jancis Robinson