Champagne special: bubbles to taste for the holidays

Gosset: Celebris Rosé 2008 Brut, the price of rarity

For only the fourth time in 25 years, the house presents a new copy of its prestige cuvée in a rosé version. The 2008 vintage is the fruit of thirteen years of work to achieve the perfect balance, specifies the cellar master of Gosset Odilon de Varine. Composed of 72% Chardonnay and 28% Pinot Noir, including 8% red wine from Ambonnay and Bouzy, this rosé champagne with a copper robe offers aromas of strawberry jam and, on the palate, an explosion of black cherry and blood orange with an iodine finish. Disgorged in April 2021 after twelve years in the cellar, and dosed at 6.5 grams of sugar per liter, Celebris Rosé 2008 has only been produced in 15,000 copies. A rarity that comes at a price, 175 euros per bottle.

Perrier Jouet: the 2013 vintage of the iconic Belle Epoque

Founded 210 years ago by Nicolas Perrier and Adelaïde Jouet the day after their wedding, the house has been distinguished for half a century by its prestigious Belle Epoque cuvée, with the iconic bottle adorned with white Japanese anemones designed by Emile Gallé . The 2013 vintage is presented this fall. Coming from a year marked by a cold winter, a wet spring and a dry and sunny summer, Belle Époque 2013 is characterized by its pale gold color, its aromas of pear, blackberry and citrus and its generous mouth. Composed of 50% Chardonnay from the Côte des Blancs and 45% Pinot Noir from the Montagne de Reims, this floral and crystalline cuvée with fine bubbles is sold for 149 euros.

Mandois: a Duo des Terroirs box 2015

With his own 32 hectare estate cultivated organically, Claude Mandois notes that “depending on the terroir, each grape develops its own subtle and precise aromas”. He therefore had the idea of ​​creating two vintages, each coming from a different plot of the Côte des Blancs. One in the North, on the Grand Cru de Chouilly terroir. The other in the south, on Vertus Premier Cru terroir. At the end of the year, Mandois champagne is therefore offering a Duo des Terroirs box set including two Blanc de blancs from the 2015 vintage, one from Vertus chardonnays with aromas of passion fruit and pineapple and the other from Chardonnays de Chouilly with aromas of fresh fruit, pear and apple and a salty finish. To be able to compare these two vintages, produced in 4,300 copies, it will cost 98 euros.

Laurent Perrier: a new Cuvée Rosé called Butterflies

Promoter of rosé champagne thanks to the gift of innovation of its iconic president, Bernard de Nonancourt, more than 50 years ago, the Laurent Perrier house offers a new limited edition of its Cuvée Rosé, called Butterflies in the image of copper lepidoptera adorning the openwork dress which follows the original shapes of the bottle and serves as its setting. These butterflies also symbolize respect for nature and the environment, dear to the house. This maceration rosé made from 100% Pinot Noir has been aged for five years. With its salmon color, it gives in the mouth the impression of diving into a basket of red fruits. This superb bottle is sold for 85 euros or 250 euros per box of three.

Canard Duchêne: the Blanc de Noir of the 2012 V cuvée

In homage to its founder Victor Canard, the Canard Duchêne house, now owned by the Thiénot group, is presenting the V 2012 vintage this year. This Blanc de Noir is the result of a blend of 70% Pinot Noir and 30% Pinot Meunier. Those from the mountain of Reims bring elegance and finesse and those from the Marne Valley bring fruity aromas to balance the wine. This cuvée without dosage, therefore extra-brut, includes 40% of grands crus and 20% of premiers crus. After eight years in the cellar, it presents a pale gold color, a brioche nose with aromas of yellow fruits then raspberries, and a long finish with notes of grapefruit. It sells for 65 euros and can be paired with five cheeses specially selected by the famous Parisian house Androuët.

Nicolas Feuillatte: the very affordable Special 2015 cuvée

This cooperative of 5,000 winegrowers allows cellar master Guillaume Roffiaen to offer some very affordable vintages. For the end of year celebrations, he notably selected the Cuvée Spéciale 2015, resulting from a vintage of high quality and composed of 40% Chardonnay, 40% Pinot Noir and 20% Meunier. It is sold for 30 euros. For lovers of more prestigious bottles, Nicolas Feuillatte offers his 2008 Palme d’Or cuvée comprising 95% of grands crus in equal parts between Pinots Noirs from the Montagne de Reims, a pledge of elegance, and Chardonnays from the Côte des Blancs , a guarantee of minerality. This fine and delicate champagne is sold for 130 euros.

Pannier: the finesse and complexity of the 2012 Egerie cuvée

This year, the Château-Thierry house presents its Egérie 2012 vintage for which the cellar master Yann Munier has produced a blend of 52% Chardonnay, 43% Pinot Noir and 5% Meunier. The 2012 vintage, difficult from a climatic point of view, nevertheless produced grapes of excellent quality which allow this cuvée to offer a floral citrus nose and an intense palate combining the charm of Pinots and the freshness of Chardonnays. . With finesse and complexity. This beautiful bottle is sold for 96 euros.

From Saint Gall: the 2015 So Dark Pinot Noir

Bringing together fifteen cooperatives, Champagne De Saint Gall, specialist in Blancs de Blancs, now offers a champagne composed exclusively of grands crus, dominated by Pinots Noirs from the mountain of Reims (80%), which explains the name of this wine. vintage: So Dark. “The 2015 Pinots Noirs are expressive and full-bodied, hence the decision to make them a vintage cuvée,” explains cellar master Cédric Jacopin. The 20% of Grands Crus of the Côte des Blancs bring minerality and freshness and give this blend a fruity and delicate dimension. This pretty bottle with the black and gold label is sold at a very reasonable price of 40 euros.

Duval Leroy: six bottles for a secret tasting

To celebrate her thirty years at the head of the house, Carol Duval Leroy has imagined an original concept. She has selected six emblematic bottles of her career, corresponding to some of the finest vintages of recent decades: Duval Leroy Blanc de Blancs 1996, Extra Brut 1998, Blanc de Blancs Brut nature 2002, Clos des Bouveries 2006, Cumières 2007 and Cuvée MOF premier cru 2008. All its bottles are sold masked at the same price of 39 euros. A real gift for some bottles that are worth around a hundred euros. And it is only during the tasting that we will discover a QR code written under the cap allowing to know which cuvée it is.

Pommery and Vranken celebrate 2008

The Vranken-Pommery group is highlighting the great 2008 vintage this year with two beautiful bottles. First the Pommery Grand Cru Royal 2008, presented at the end of the year in a special red and gold “celestial storm” case. This blend of grands crus is characterized by its crystalline color, its floral nose and its mouth with tones of honey and mirabelle plum. It is sold for 55 euros. Then the Diamant Bleu, Blanc de Blancs 2008 from Vranken, resulting from the blend of three great vintages: Avize, Cramant and Le Mesnil-sur-Oger. This champagne with a pale yellow color presents a beautiful finesse and a long, fresh and elegant finish. It is sold for 60 euros.