Glass of Bubbly
Nyetimber – the stuff of dreams
The night before my visit to Nyetimber I slept badly. I dreamt that I was walking among crowds of people towards the vineyard and was distracted by a giant winery that had somehow been transported from Champagne to the street where I walked. I wandered inside, spent ages exploring and eventually found myself in a…
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Sushi and Champagne: the Perfect Match?
It is rare for a sushi bar to propose Champagne on their wine list, yet the pairing of bubbles and raw fish is a particularly interesting one. There are two possibilities when matching Champagne and sushi: firstly Extra Brut or Nature Champagnes with their low sugar levels due to little or no dosage. This approach,…
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Champagne Deutz: Brut Rosé NV
The grapes are pressed using automatic and traditional Coquard basket presses, and only the first press must, cuvée, is used. The wine is fermented in small, 10,000 litre tanks, with each plot being vinified separately, at between 16 & 18 degrees centigrade for two weeks; all the wine undergoes malo-lactic fermentation. After the assemblage, the…
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Taittinger Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs
Produced in the cellars of the former Saint-Nicaise abbey (13th century) in Reims, Taittinger Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs receives all the lavish care and attention it needs to reach its peak. Every bottle of Comtes de Champagne strictly adheres to all of the following to make it such a rare luxury and the…
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Taittinger Comtes de Champagne Rosé
2004 Despite its unremarkable weather conditions, 2004 is an exuberant vintage. Although the winter was chilly, there was no period of intense cold. The very pleasant spring had low rainfall. The flowering period was long and began in mid-June, when the weather was cool. The summer was cool also, with weak sunshine, and was dry…
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Champagne Deutz: Amour de Deutz 2005
The grapes are harvested from the Cotes des Blancs, with over 80% of the grapes coming from vineyards that are rated Premier or Grand Cru. For some years the company has employed a policy of durable viticulture, cutting down on the use of chemicals, reducing yields and increasing grape quality. The harvest usually takes place…
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Champagne Deutz: Brut Classic NV
Viticulture The grapes are harvested in Ay, Marne Valley, Cotes des Blancs, and Montagne de Reims, with over 80% of the grapes coming from vineyards that are rated Premier or Grand Cru. For some years the company has employed a policy of durable viticulture, cutting down on the use of chemicals, reducing yields and increasing…
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Gratiot-Delugny Champagnes
Brut Reserve This is the traditional Cuvée of the Marne Valley, faithfully made by the Gratiot-Delugny family with a blend of Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier, this Champagne has a pale gold colour with fine and plentiful bubbles. It has a good length in mouth and a good intensity. This is a full bodied Champagne, excellent…
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Champagne Gratiot-Delugny
HISTORY Jules Gratiot and Louise Delugny who both came from Champagne families, founded the Gratiot-Delugny House in 1889 which is located in Croûttes sur Marne. Emile Gratiot succeeded as Récoltant-Manipulant (wine-grower), followed by Robert Gratiot, who today hands down the tradition and knowledge to his son David. THE VINEYARD There are three vineyardsof 9 hectares in:…
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