Barrels & Bottles Wine Blog

News from Champagne Marguet:

"We are free from frost now since 15th May, and that's no doubt a good thing for our region. The wines have been growing fast since a month due to the alternance of rain and warm days. The pressure of mildew is therefore important for both organic or non organic growers."

"We had quite strong storms here and there, but no hale yet, fortunately. We expect to have dry conditions this week now. The blossom is just starting in the vineyards and we guess harvest will be starting towards the 10th of September."

Champagne Marguet is steadily growing. We have been selling 15% more in 2008 compare to the same period in 2007. We are going to develop and build more stocks from harvest 2008 (thanks to new grapes supply from the family), but there will be no change in our winemaking techniques, and we will always invest to keep on our style and quality. Only improvements can happen."


Benoit Marguet

Labels: champagne

Champagne Lallier has recently announced a zero dosage wine - showing a return to a unique French wine-making tradition.

Fruit for the cuvee is exclusively Grands Crus (80% Pinot Noir and 20% Chardonnay), this wine has aged 4 years on lattes with cork stoppers maintained by staples. A feature particularly with bottles and magnums for just a few bottles. The wine undergoes partial malolactic fermentation.

After many years spent in the quiet of their vaults, the "Zero Dosage" Champagne has no further sugar added to the blend.

It seduces with its maturity and delightful elegance. The attack is frank, vivacious and creamy. The aromas are well advanced and the finish is a beautiful minerally.

Labels: champagne

Mark Price (National Accounts Manager) recently visited the Champagne House Gosset in the village of Ay (next to Epernay) on a trip supported by the UK importers and Gosset's Export Manager Patrick Ligeron.

By Eurostar to Paris with a group of other Independent Merchants then onto Reims and its splendid Cathedral. A dinner on the first day held in Patrick's favorite Reims eaterie started with the Gosset Grande Reserve and matched Foie Gras, followed by a fillet of Turbot with the Grande Rose, a pre-dessert of local chesses with VS Cognac from Gosset's own Cognac range Frapin which is believed to have been the Cognac on the Titanic's fatal Dinner menu. Dessert followed with a hot chocolate fondant washed down with a rather strong coffee and a perfect introduction from the enigmatic Patrick.

The second day we were met at the hotel by Patrick and headed over the mountain of Reims towards the Champagne
epicentre of Epernay. A look at the recently harvested vineyards of Gosset, followed by the cellar tour and bottle production led eloquently and informatively by Patrick. He then presented and poured the range of Gosset wines which interestingly is now owned by the Cointreau family.

Gosset champagne is the oldest house producing champagne and have created a wonderful boutique package, non vintage Brut Excellence, Grande Reserve which at £34.96 for a grand reserve is great value for money, Gosset Grande Rose, Gosset 1999 vintage and the Celebris Brut, vintage and Blanc de Blancs, Celebris being the premium champagne boxed beautifully in stunning gift boxes which will be available from early November and worthy of any special gift Christmas or not.

A trip so well put together with the passion of the people and the support given to us make you appreciate what all goes into the bottle we most frequently open. Gosset Grand Reserve is the house pouring champagne for worldwide renowned El Buli Restaurant in Spain, this shows the kind of places Gosset want to take the brand and it has all the quality to grow and grow, current bottle annual production is 1.1 million.

Labels: champagne

The launch of Gosset CELEBRIS 1998 has just been announced - the fourth vintage of their prestige cuvée in 10 years. Like the previous three vintages (1988, 1990 and 1995), this exclusively grands crus Champagne is destined to be received by enthusiasts the world over as a superb example of the skill of the oldest wine house in Champagne: Aÿ 1584.

Eight grands crus were selected for this outstanding blend: 64 per cent Chardonnay from the Côte des Blancs (Avize, Cramant, Le Mesnil Sur Oger and Chouilly) and 36 per cent Pinot Noir from the Montagne de Reims and the Grande Vallée de la Marne (Ambonnay, Aÿ, Bouzy and Verzenay). The result is an excellent example of an homage which was initiated 10 years ago and which is a tribute to the history of our champagne house, which has maintained its tradition for over four hundred years.

Labels: champagne

We are pleased to announce a tasting of the Grande Cuvee Collection of champagnes from Canard Duchene on 14th November 2007.

Master of Wine Mr. Andrew Barraclough will host the evening at our tasting rooms at Sheepbridge, Chesterfield. The tasting will include, amongst others their Blancs des Blancs and Charles VII Rose champagnes.

At only £22.00 per person including canapes and food matching this is a superb evening.

Labels: champagne, tasting

Barrels & Bottles were proud sponsors of this years Chatsworth Horse Trials - supplying wine and champagne for the event and entertaining the crowds with the spectacular "sabrage" demonstration. This is the art of removing the cork from a bottle of champagne with a sword .. great fun if a little wasteful on the champagne!



Andrew Coghlan proudly presents a magnum of Champagne Taittinger to winner Mary King.

Labels: champagne, chatsworth

Christmas Day this year was spent with a magnum of Champagne Taittinger (soft and creamy) for the preamble to dinner.

Served with the full Christmas dinner was Highfield Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand (fruity and zesty) and Ross Hill Mick's Lot Shiraz from Australia (full-bodied with tangy blackcurrant fruits)

This is about the 3rd year running where the Highfield Sauvignon has featured over the festive period. For the money and the style of wine needed to suit a range of drinkers and the type of food there is nothing which comes close.

Labels: champagne, christmas, wine