Latest news with #ChampagneRegion
CNA
15-07-2025
- Business
- CNA
Grower champagnes: What makes these small-producer bottles special (and worth the hype)?
At Singapore-based Convivial Champagne Bar, the by-the-glass wine list offers a curated selection of champagnes. With one exception, none of them comes from the major-name champagne houses. Instead, the list features producers like Larmandier-Bernier, Andre Clouet and Domaine la Borderie – names that may be unfamiliar to most people. Among champagne lovers, however, these names carry weight. These are grower champagnes: Wines made by independent, often family-run vineyards in the Champagne region, and they are worth seeking out. For years, grower champagne was an insider's secret, a case of 'if-you-know-you-know.' But not anymore. Over the past two decades, this once-quiet movement has gone global, elevating boutique producers to cult status. Labels like Pascal Agrapart, Egly Ouriet, and Ulysse Collin now command prices comparable to those of prestige brands such as Dom Perignon and Krug, if not more. WHAT SETS GROWER CHAMPAGNE APART Prized for their authenticity, sustainability practices and sense of place, grower champagnes were once nicknamed 'farmer fizz.' The Champagne region is home to 15,900 farmers, each owning an average of just two hectares across the 319 villages permitted to produce champagne. Historically, most growers sold their grapes to prestige champagne houses from Champagne Ayala to Champagne Pol Roger to LVMH's vast stable of Krug, Dom Pérignon, Ruinart, Veuve Clicquot and Moet & Chandon. Only a few growers bottled wines under their own names. Initially meant for local consumption, these small-batch wines attracted international attention in the 2000s. Discerning importers and sommeliers championed the category, and a quiet revolution began. While both major houses and growers produce non-vintage and multi-vintage blends, the difference lies in scale and control. Growers craft their wines exclusively from vineyards they own and manage (with some exceptions who now buy grapes from others and have changed their status from growers to micro-negotiants), offering complete control from vine to bottle. Production remains modest. Most growers produce 20,000 to 35,000 bottles annually; a minuscule output compared to Veuve Cliquot's annual production of 19 million bottles or Moet Chandon's almost 30 million bottles a year. Consider cult micro-producer Jerome Prevost, who built his stellar reputation on just two hectares of land in the Montagne de Reims, producing only 13,000 bottles. His entire production amounts to what a major house might label in an hour. A GROWING DIFFERENCE At the Vintage Club in Singapore, general manager Stephanie Rigourd encourages wine lovers to consider the diversity of Champagne's villages, plots and subplots. 'Champagne offers a huge diversity of terroir,' she said and pointed out the terroir nuances across the five sub-regions – Cote des Blancs, Montagne de Reims, Vallee de la Marne, Cote des Bars, and Cote de Sezanne. 'We don't have the same topography or microclimate from one slope to another.' Small producers often highlight these distinctions through site-specific wines: Single-grape cuvees (many of them, like Laherte Freres, produce 100 per cent Pinot Meunier-based Champagnes), single-vineyard or single-village bottlings, and single-vintage expressions. By contrast, larger houses lose this level of nuance in mass-produced blends. 'Smaller producers have generally shown a closer connection to their lands and focus on 'better' farming practices — tending towards sustainable if not organic, regenerative or biodynamic practices,' said Matt Lamb, beverage director of The Lo and Behold Group. But terroir alone doesn't amount to the rising prominence. The farming and winemaking practices are equally distinct, as in the case of revered grower Anselme Selosse of Domain Jacques Selosse. An early pioneer, Selosse sought inspiration from Spain and Burgundy in 1974 when he embraced organic farming, lower yields, indigenous yeast and eschewed the use of sulphur. 'There's a greater sense of exploration,' said Lamb, noting the use of unconventional vessels such as concrete and ceramics for vinification. Dosage – a mix of wine and sugar added to champagne before the final bottling – is another differentiator. Growers tend to use lower dosages. 'Healthy fruit picked with flavour and balance shouldn't have to be too far adjusted with excessively high levels of dosage', explained Lamb. Valentin Krug of Artisan Cellars, the first Singapore importer to carry grower labels believes transparency offered by these producers is a major draw. 'The growers give so much transparency,' said Krug. 'The back labels and websites detail the village name, base vintage year, harvest date, disgorgement date, years on lees and more.' He also pointed to the human element. 'You can speak to a human on the other side and not a sales force,' he said. Many grower estates are family-run, with winemaking philosophies shaped by generations of tradition and hands-on involvement. 'Champagne is the most exciting region for discovery, and the reason is grower champagnes,' Krug added. Today, worldwide demand for boutique champagne is on a steady rise. In 2023, grower and cooperative champagnes accounted for 28 per cent of the total exports (73 million of 271 million bottles). In France, boutique labels accounted for almost half the local champagne consumption. THE SINGAPORE AWAKENING With prices of prestige labels and white burgundies rising sharply in recent years, both sommeliers and collectors have sought alternatives, bringing grower champagnes into focus. 'Grower champagnes are certainly picking up pace in Singapore,' said Convivial founder Yeo Xi Yang. 'Wine merchants are making a deliberate effort to visit Champagne and discover new growers who are not yet distributed in Singapore.' 'Local consumers are very educated now. They are moving away from the big names because they finally understand champagne better,' affirmed Rigourd. When she arrived in Singapore in 2009, only one grower, Champagne Selosse, was available. By 2024, the market had expanded to include 155 grower labels. Singapore is fortunate to have good selection of growers, said JM Seleque's winemaker, Jean-Marc Seleque. 'By the time a grower champagne reaches Singapore, it's already been through a kind of curation.' Prices are climbing in tandem with demand. 'In 2018, we were selling Ulysse Collin for S$150. Today, it is priced at S$450 and sells out the day we release it,' said Krug. The maturity of our market is reflected in Singapore's first champagne festival, held in March 2025, which was declared a rousing success. 'The consumers certainly loved the in-person experience and connections developed,' reported Lamb, who organised the festival and facilitated travel for multiple champagne growers to meet with Singapore's vibrant consumer base. Besides the star-producers, Yeo offers more suggestions for newcomers like Girard-Bonnet, Nowack and Herbert & Co. 'At Convival, we do our best to source for alternatives, like their neighbours from the same village where the soil type and grape varieties planted are similar.' Here are five stunning grower champagnes, considerably more affordable than Krug and available widely in Singapore. JM Seleque Solessence Extra Brut NV (based on 2021 vintage) Jean-Marc Seleque is a third-generation winemaker based in Pierry, a premier-cru village just outside Epernay, in the Vallee de la Marne. His grandfather planted the first vines in 1965, and his father started bottling his grower champagne in the 1970s. When Jean-Marc took over in 2008, he put his own stamp on the Champagne. 'My father didn't move out of Champagne. When I took over, I had all this culture from my travels to other regions,' Seleque shared. He embraced single-vineyard bottlings, sustainable viticulture and low-intervention winemaking. Today, Seleque is regarded as a modernist among champagne producers, with a production of 100,000 bottles from 9 hectares spread across 45 plots. Solessence is a blend of 50 per cent Chardonnay, 40 per cent Pinot Meunier, and 10 per cent Pinot Noir, incorporating a significant portion of reserve wines. This zero-dosage cuvee opens to floral notes and offers layers of citrus zest complemented by brioche and bright, refreshing acidity. S$94, Artisan Cellars. Andre Robert les Jardins du Mesnil Blanc de Blanc Brut Nature NV Les Jardins du Mesnil is crafted from a selection of chalk-rich small plots in the grand cru village of Le Mesnil Sur Oger, located in Cote des Blancs. The village is celebrated for producing some of the most intense and precise expressions of Chardonnay – a reputation cemented by iconic champagnes like Salon's Salon Le Mesnil and Krug Clos du Mesnil. The house of Andre Robert traced its roots to the 1800s and is now led by fifth-generation winemaker Claire Robert and her husband, Jean-Baptiste Denizart. Their Les Jardins du Mesnil is an elegant wine marked by a citrus-fruited core, crushed stone minerality and a refined texture. S$130, Clink Clink Champagne Gounel Lassalle Les Agneaux Blanc de Noirs Brut Nature NV Fourth-generation grower-winemaker Arnaud Gounel and his wife Sophie Lassalle channel their deep connection to the land into every bottle they produce. Their estate, named Les Agneaux — meaning 'the lambs' in French is in reference to the sheep that once grazed the vineyards — is a three-hectare certified organic and biodynamic plot in the premier cru village of Chigny-les-Roses, in Montagne de Reims. The vineyard is primarily planted with Pinot Meunier, and most of the cuvees are crafted in oak barrels with minimal sulphur, no malolactic fermentation, and zero dosage, resulting in pure and expressive wines. Their Blanc de Noirs is aromatic, vibrant, and creamy, offering notes of red apple skin and orchard fruits with a clean, defined saline finish. S$130, Clink Clink Champagne Francois Seconde La Loge Blac de Noir NV Montagne de Reims In the Champagne subregion of Montagne de Reims, oenologist Jerome Groslambert cultivates 5.5 hectares of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay vineyards spread across four villages surrounding Sillery, a grand cru village. Unlike many in the region, Groslambert did not inherit the estate; he spent a decade working alongside the previous owner before acquiring the majority share from the late Seconde's widow. Since taking the helm, he has embraced sustainable viticulture and remains deeply involved in every aspect of winemaking. Each year, he disgorges 60 jeroboams (three-litre bottles) and 20 Methuselahs (six-litre bottles) by hand — a labour-intensive task he shared during our last meeting. One of his standout wines, a 100 per cent Pinot Noir, reveals layers of fresh raspberries and shortcrust pastry, delivered with a seductive, elegant mousse. SG$99, Inflorescence Asia Champagne Marie Courtin 2009 Cuvee "Indulgence" Rose Extra Brut Once derided as the poor cousin of Champagne, Cote de Bar is a hotbed for grower and artisanal champagne houses. Here, the dynamic Dominique Moreau crafts a series of single-vineyard, single-variety, single-vintage, zero-dosage Champagnes in the village of Polisot, at her 2.5-hectare estate named after her grandmother. She has maintained a strong reputation for biodynamic viticulture since 2006.
Yahoo
07-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Terroirs et Vignerons de Champagne appoints new president
Terroirs et Vignerons de Champagne (TEVC) has named Eric Potié as its new president. Potié succeeds Véronique Blin, who stepped down after 13 years as president, choosing not to renew her mandate, the group announced. TEVC said Blin's tenure was 'essential' in elevating the business to the third-largest Champagne group globally. She spearheaded the 2022 merger between Centre Vinicole – Champagne Nicolas Feuillatte (CV-CNF) and Coopérative Régionale des Vins de Champagne (CRVC), alongside the acquisition of two brands. TEVC's product portfolio includes Champagne Nicolas Feuillatte, Champagne Castelnau, Champagne Abelé 1757 and Champagne Henriot. The company snapped up Champagne Henriot from Artémis Domaines in 2023. Potié, a long-time advocate of the cooperative model, has been a board member since 2009. Formed in 2022, TEVC brings together approximately 6,000 wine growers across 2,750 hectares, accounting for nearly 9% of the Champagne vineyard area. He was previously the secretary, vice-president, and first vice-president of CV-CNF. Potié said: "I am particularly touched by the trust placed in me by the board of directors, and more broadly by the associate-cooperators. I am fully committed to continuing the work previously undertaken. 'With my colleagues from the Bureau, always in close collaboration with the management committee, we are determined to give our best to ensure the company's sustainability, in the interest of its employees and members.' "Terroirs et Vignerons de Champagne appoints new president " was originally created and published by Just Drinks, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Irish Times
06-07-2025
- General
- Irish Times
This label will lead you to some of the very best Champagnes
Blanc de Blancs is a French term that literally translates as 'white from whites'. It is used to denote a wine that has been made solely from white grapes. In the vast majority of cases, the wine will be sparkling and usually from the Champagne region. Around the world, most white wines are made exclusively from white grapes but in Champagne producers frequently blend wines from both red and white grapes, hence the need for the term. Almost all white grapes grown in Champagne are chardonnay although this won't appear on the label. As well as a Blanc de Blancs, some Champagne houses produce a Blanc de Noirs, a white wine made from red grapes. This is made by quickly crushing the grapes and separating juice from skins. The permitted red grapes in Champagne include pinot noir and pinot meunier. Typically, a larger Champagne producer will offer a range of wines including a Brut Non-Vintage, made from a blend of red and white grapes from several vintages and several sub-regions. There will also be a vintage, made from grapes produced in one year, a rosé, a demi-sec (medium dry), and a luxury cuvée, the very best wine they produce. Some will also produce a Blanc de Blanc (or Blancs) or a Blanc de Noirs, or both. You may also come across the term Côte des Blancs on the label of some Champagne bottles. This translates as 'hillside of the whites' and refers to a specific area rich in chalk and limestone soils that produce very crisp mineral wines made from the Chardonnay grape. So it is a Blanc de Blancs from the Côte des Blancs. READ MORE Blanc de Blanc Champagne tends to have a lively acidity, fresh floral notes, with plenty of lemon and peach fruits. It is usually finer and less fruity than a blended wine. With age it takes on notes of brioche, toasted hazelnuts and freshly baked bread. These are among the best Champagnes so don't ignore them.
Forbes
28-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Explore Champagne, France: Top Attractions, Vineyards And Travel Tips
Champagne region in France at sunrise. getty "I only drink Champagne on two occasions, when I am in love and when I am not." Coco Chanel If you haven't had the pleasure of visiting the Champagne region in north east France and its beautiful villages, vineyards and Champagne houses, this is the year to do so. July 4, 2025 marks the 10-year anniversary since Champagne hillsides, houses and cellars became a UNESCO World Heritage site. And there will be major festivities on the day including a big party in Champillon, in the heart of the historic hillsides, that will include a picnic, music, dance and birthday cake. Festivities will continue throughout the month to celebrate the world's most prestigious sparkling wine. On July 14, 2025 on the Avenue de Champagne in Epernay there'll be a picnic, toast and party with fireworks. July 19th will feature a picnic concert of the Flâneries Musicales at the Parc de Champagne, in Reims. Champagne vineyards Comite Champagne is unique to the Champagne region and is a protected appellation (AOC); recognised in more than 130 countries worldwide (although not, surprisingly in the United States). It is so highly prized that a special committee controls every aspect of the sparkling drink from how many grapes are grown in the region and when they'll be harvested, to the number of bottles that are to be sold each year. Since 1941, the CIVC (Comité Interprofessionnel du Vin de Champagne) has promoted the common interests of Champagne houses and growers and ensured the wine has retained its prized status globally. The Comité records all transactions, track the movement, manage the reserve and protect the appellation against counterfeit products. Champagne grand cru sparkling wine production in bottles in rows in dark underground cellars, Reims, Champagne, France getty But Champagne is not just simply prized and enjoyed thanks to the efforts of the Comité but because of the unique qualities of the actual product itself, created every year by over 16,000 winegrowers from grapes harvested by hand by 120,000 pickers. The cool climate and unique terroir (chalk soil) where the three main grape varieties are grown (Pinot noir, Chardonnay, Meunier) contribute to the wine's unique flavors. Champagne has long been associated with special occasions, joyful moments, success and positivity. As Charles Dickens said: 'Champagne is one of the elegant extras in life.' View of the Avenue de Champagne, Épernay, France getty The wine of Kings and the King of wines The Champagne vineyards date back to Roman times when they were planted in the 5th century (or possibly even earlier). From 816 to 1825, France's royalty was crowned in Champagne's Reims Cathedral, where Champagne was the prized drink of coronation banquets and it was customary to gift these wines to any royalty visiting the region. This has included British royals since the 17th century when King Charles II first enjoyed the sparkling wine while Queen Victoria was the first British monarch to issue royal warrants to Champagne producers. So Champagne came to be known as the wine of coronations and referred to as "the wine of Kings and the King of wines.' Champagne's revered reputation was so firmly established by the twentieth century that even Winston Churchill famously said to motivate his troops, "Remember gentlemen, it's not just France we are fighting for, it's Champagne." Today, the UK is Champagne's second biggest export market (after the United States) in volume and in value. And although the wine became the drink of Royalty, in Champagne today, you'll find it in most households throughout the region. In fact, Champagne makers will tell you that in the region, Champagne is 'vin de pays' — nothing pretentious, easy drinking and not just for special occasions. Reims,France - Storage of bottles of champagne getty Champagne houses, Cooperatives and Growers to Visit There are 16,200 winegrowers in Champagne, 130 Cooperatives and 370 Champagne houses that produced 271.4 million bottles of Champagne in 2024. Many are open to visit. The Avenue de Champagne in Epernay is a great place to start. Many of the well known Champagne Houses including Moët & Chandon, Perrier-Jouët and Pol Roger are located here and offer tastings and tours and of course, the option to buy bottles. Also, there's an excellent shop, Trésors de Champagne, that offers a wide selection of Champagnes, starting as low as 18 euros a bottle, some of which you can try by the glass. After experiencing Champagne Avenue, venture out to some of the houses and growers including these five that will give you a good range of Champagne styles from large and medium houses to small, independent growers. Champagne Pommery was founded in Reims in 1836 by Monsieurs Alexandre Louis Pommery and Narcisse Greno. Initially, the company focused on wool production before moving into Champagne. But it was the genius of Madame Louise Pommery who not only created the first vintage "brut" Champagne in 1874 but greatly expanded the business with production increasing from 300,000 bottles to 3 million. Today, the house sells around six million bottles annually and stores 25 million in reserve in its cellars. It has an impressive visitor offering with extensive tours in 18 kilometers of Roman cellars, various tasting packages and a lovely Art Nouveau villa to visit. And since 2003, Pommery has had ambitious annual art exhibitions in the cellars. Champagne Besseraat de Bellefon, founded in 1843 in Epernay, is a medium size house, producing 700,000 bottles a year. They use the Meunier grape, the only indigenous grape to Champagne and using a unique process and less sugar results in a unique taste and bubbles that are 30 percent finer than other Champagnes. The house has a shop and you can stay on site in one of three lovely suites. Champagne Vincent d'Astrée, launched in 1956 in Pierry, is a cooperative of five families buying from 170 growers. It has a lovely tasting room and offers a cellar tour where you can see the world's largest Champagne flute (160 bottles are required to fill it). It's a boutique operation headed by a female winemaker and produces 50,000 bottles a year consisting of 4 vintage and 4 non-vintage. Champagne Jacquart in Reims opened in 1964 and today has a stellar signature collection (all aged at least 3 years) ranging in price from 38 to 130 euros. You can buy these from their shop and try the wines by the glass on their charming terrace, including the priciest Alpha 2014, just released this summer. Christian Muller is a small grower in Mailly Champagne that produces 20 -25,000 bottles a year of 4 different Champagnes, all excellent. Their stunning new terrace above their shop overlooks their own vineyards and is an idyllic spot for a tasting. Where to Stay and Eat in Champagne Notre-Dame de Reims, Listed as World Heritage Site by UNESCO getty A good base for a visit to the region is Hotel Margaux, a new 4-star property in Epernay with 27 elegant rooms and suites. Unsurprisingly, visitors are spoiled for choice of excellent restaurants. Table Kobus in Epernay is a fantastic bistro with four prix fixe options with French classics like Foie Gras and duck magret. For an upscale dining experience, La Brasserie Le Jardin is in the beautiful grounds of Le Domaine les Crayeres in Reims. Chef Christophe Moret offers a seasonal, local menu a la carte or prix fixe. And while in Reims, be sure to visit the magnificent Cathédrale de Reims. Rotisserie Henri IV in Ay offers a casual outdoor dining experience with daily specials like roast chicken and various salads. Top tips for the perfect Champagne serve Tasting of brut and demi-sec white champagne sparkling wine from special flute glasses getty The recommended serving temperature is between 8 and 10°C. To chill a bottle of Champagne, place in an ice bucket filled half with water and half with ice, 30 minutes before serving. Or chill at the bottom of the fridge a few hours before opening. When opening a bottle of Champagne, start by removing the wire cage and its foil cap. Keep a firm grip on the cork and be sure not to point the bottle at anyone. Next, still keeping a firm hold on the cork, hold the bottle by the body and rotate it gently, removing the cork from the neck without letting it escape. When serving, do not hold the person's glass when pouring. As glamorous as it looks, the coupe is not the best glass for Champagne. Choose a fairly tall and tulip-shaped – bulbous at the bottom glass to give the bubbles enough room to develop but which tapers at the top to fully concentrate the aromas.
Forbes
16-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Champagne Vs. Crémant: Which French Sparkling Wine Is Right For You?
Waiter serving a glass of sparkling white wine getty If you've ever stared at a wine list and wondered whether you should spring for Champagne or go for that slightly cheaper French sparkling wine called Crémant, you're not alone. They both have French names. They both have bubbles. They both pair beautifully with french fries. So what's the actual difference—and which one should you order? Here's your quick, no-fuss guide to figuring out which French sparkler fits the occasion (and your budget). Festive photo of sparkling wine in glasses getty Champagne is sparkling wine made in—you guessed it—the Champagne region of France. The French are extremely serious about this. If it doesn't come from Champagne, it legally can't be called Champagne. (Think of it like how only certain ham can be called Prosciutto di Parma, and the Italians will absolutely fight you on it.) Crémant, on the other hand, is sparkling wine made elsewhere in France, using pretty much the same labor-intensive method—meaning the bubbles come from a second fermentation inside the bottle, not from a soda machine—but without the high-stakes branding (and usually, without the Champagne-level price tag). It's like Champagne's laid-back cousin: still elegant, still fancy, but less likely to max out your credit card. Champagne is known for its bright acidity, delicate mousse (fancy term for bubbles), and complex flavors. Depending on the bottle, you might taste notes of green apple, brioche, lemon curd, almonds, or even a little smoky minerality. In other words, it's doing a lot—but in a way that makes you feel fancy, not overwhelmed. Crémant varies a little more because it's made in different regions, with different grapes: Overall, Crémant is usually a little fruitier and softer than Champagne. It's less "grand gala" and more "really excellent garden party." Champagne sticks mainly to three grapes: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier. The balance between these grapes gives Champagne its famous structure and elegance. Crémant gets to be more experimental. Depending on the region, you might find grapes like Chenin Blanc, Cabernet Franc, Pinot Gris, or even Trousseau. It's basically a choose-your-own-adventure situation—just with bubbles. Champagne bottle in a bucket of ice. getty Here's where Crémant starts looking even better: Basically, if you want to impress your friends and have enough money left for snacks, Crémant is your buddy. Close-up of group of high-quality Champagne corks getty In short: Champagne says 'Congratulations on your promotion!' Crémant says 'Congratulations on surviving another Zoom meeting!' Both are important. Whether you pop open a prestigious Champagne or a playful Crémant, you're already winning—because you're drinking good sparkling wine. The real secret isn't picking the "better" one. It's picking the one that fits the moment—and the one you're excited to drink.
