Over 170 years of experience have gone into the making of this ripe tangerine and toasted brioche Champagne.
It's the work of 5th-generation winemaker Julian Fourrier, whose father, Philippe, created this special cuvée in honour of his wife, Brigitte. Her maiden name was Delmotte.
The grapes are a classic blend of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay taken from vineyards first planted by Philippe and Brigitte.
All the family's 18 hectares of vines lie within Champagne's little known Côte des Bar, described by Wine Folly as "the hottest Champagne region right now".
Made traditionally, this fine fizz was aged four years on its lees to enhance its rich toasty flavour.
Presented in a handy half bottle - perfect as a celebratory bottle for two!
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Finding a parcel of 2010 claret nine years after this 5-Star vintage was a coup for our Buyer Jean-Marc Sauboua. Critic Michael Schuster described the wines of 2010 on release as “massively elegant, fresher, firmer, more tannic”, Suckling praised them for being “very precise, focused and fresh to taste”, “dangerously good” said Jancis Robinson MW.
Médoc wines that year proved particularly good value too. The 40 hectare estate Château Carcanieux has very gravelly soils, hence its original name Carcanieux Les Graves. This encourages superb concentration and ripeness in the wines. Cabernet with Merlot, and aged in barrel, this silky claret has a fine balance of fruit and maturity, with spice from the oak. Decant and serve with steak au poivre.
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Golds and many high scores for this luxurious Premier Cru, pure Chardonnay Champagne – rich and long.
Paul Goerg is a leading independent Champagne house, as this Premier Cru testifies. Owned by eight grower families, it was voted by Le Guide Hachette as the top Champagne out of 100 tasted – above vintage Veuve Clicquot and equal to Krug. Goerg is named after a respected 19th century mayor of Vertus, located in the famous Côte des Blancs. Here, Chardonnay is king and an impressive 85% of it is classified as Premier Cru.
The elegance, finesse and purity of this variety is the hallmark of the Goerg style, enriched here with 40-50% reserve wine. The chalky soils of Vertus lend a rich, yet refreshingly mineral quality, while three years’ ageing adds considerably to the wine’s complexity. Superb for celebrations and lovely with oysters.
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So we were delighted when we finally secured access to some nearby white vineyards with incredible fruit that has allowed us to create the prestigious La Clarière Blanc. This dazzling white Bordeaux combines bright, character-filled Sauvignon Blanc and richer, creamier Sauvignon Gris to create an extraordinarily sensuous wine. It has enjoyed all the same lavish, no-expense-spared treatment in the winery usually accorded to the red, and the result is a citrussy, complex, textured wine that is absolutely irresistible. Oak fermented, lees stirred, and then aged in partnew oak barrels, the richness and complexity is reminiscent of the grand wines of Pessac Léognan. Smooth, rich, long and lavish … it's simply magnificent – a very worthy partner to the red. It's a truly fine dining partner that really shines when served with luxury cuisine.
The Champagne region grows three grapes, two red – Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier – and one white – Chardonnay. Blanc de Blancs is made only from Chardonnay and, as Hugh Johnson says, it therefore has “great grace and less weight than traditional Champagne”. Laithwaite’s is a tip-top example which has been expertly created for us by a superb cellar in Vertus, one of Champagne’s finest villages. This particular cuvée is 100% Premier Cru vineyard fruit and was matured for 30 months before release – double the required minimum – to ensure a luxurious, toasty biscuit character. It’s ideal for special occasions, on its own or with smoked salmon canapés.
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