Champagne & Sparkling

Our mixed case brings together three stand-outing Champagnes: our best seller UKC, and two superb blanc de blancs. It's a delicious selection for summer.

This mixed case includes two of each of the following:

White
Champagne R&L Legras, Brut, Blanc de Blancs
Champagne Thiénot Brut Blanc de Blancs
Berry Bros. & Rudd United Kingdom Cuvée, Grand Cru, Mailly

Sourced from the prestigious Grand Cru village of Mailly, located at the heart of the Montagne de Reims, and benefiting from over three years ageing, our UKC Cuvée is a classic blend of 75% Pinot Noir and 25% Chardonnay.

All the hallmarks of Grand Cru are here, with brioche and flowers on the nose and an elegant palate which marries notes of lemon grass, gingerbread and honeysuckle. The wine effortlessly combines structure and finesse and reverberates with a really authoritative Grand Cru crescendo on the finish.

{***}
{region}Champagne{region}
{color}White{color}
{maturity}drink-now{maturity}
{maturity-text}Drink now{maturity-text}
{ratings}
[]Jancis Robinson::16/20
{ratings}
{***}

Family-owned Antech are the most prestigious producer in Limoux and we are delighted to have worked exclusively with Françoise Antech, from the sixth generation of the family, to craft this wonderfully expressive Crémant de Limoux. A blend of 70% Chardonnay and 15% of each of Chenin Blanc and Mauzac, aged traditionally and generously on its lees, this is a beautiful balanced wine, with elegant aromas of orchard fruit and honeyed spice and a palate which marries more exotic fruits with a clean, pebbly backdrop and an impressive depth of flavour. This great value sparkling wine has ripe, green apple and zesty lemon fruit with Chardonnay giving a creamy lift.

{***}{region}Languedoc-Roussillon{region}
{color}White{color}                                                               {maturity}drink-now{maturity} {maturity-text}Drink now{maturity-text}
{vintage}NV{vintage}{***}

Located in Prosecco’s Conegliano region of the Veneto lie the 60 hectares of Masottina’s vineyards. Owned by the Dal Bianco family since 1946, they switched from being a négociant to vineyard owner in the 1960s. They produce a classic expression of Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco. With fine, persistent bubbles, this is pale straw yellow with greenish highlights. The nose is intense, fruity with the rich scent of apple, lemon and grapefruit. It has a pronounced aroma of wisteria in bloom and acacia flowers. The palate has a pleasant acidity and fresh flavour. Full-bodied, and lingering, a soft finish rounds off this crowd-pleasing Prosecco.

A deliciously dry style. Masottina Prosecco Brut was judged No.1 Sparkling Wine from over 600 entries from 20 countries at the 16th annual Effervescents Du Monde 2018 held in Dijon, France. This comes on top of a 96 point Gold Medal score at the Decanter World Wine Awards 2017 so we're obviously well and truly into the seriously good territory here.

{***}{region}Veneto{region}
{color}White{color}                                                               {maturity}drink-now{maturity} {maturity-text}Drink now{maturity-text}
{vintage}NV{vintage}{***}

"A cuvée which expresses, simply and cheerfully, the nobility of Chardonnay. A natural tribute to this wonderful grape variety ambassador of freshness and finesse, pillar of the style of the House. " N.Uriel, cellar master.

{***}{region}Champagne{region}
{color}White{color}
{maturity}drink-now{maturity}
{maturity-text}Drink now{maturity-text}
{ratings}
[]Jancis Robinson::17/20                                                            []Wine Enthusiast:: 90/100                                                         []Stephen Tanzer:: 92/100
{ratings}{***}

Although one should not necessarily judge a Champagne by the number of listings it has in the Michelin-starred restaurants of Paris, one can not fail but to be impressed by Legras in this respect; and in many other respects, indeed, as one tastes the wines. Founded in the 16th century, Legras is one of the great names of Chouilly, the famous and most northerly village of the Côte de Blancs. The House style combines a firm and classic structure with a generous fruit profile. Champagne R&L Legras Brut is a pure and very satisfying expression of Chardonnay; the Brut has been aged for three years on its lees and has a modest dosage of six grams per litre. The floral aromas are complemented by an autolytic yeastiness and yellow fruits on the palate. Linear and focused, yet not without an attractive depth of flavour, the wine has a long mineral finish.

{***}{region}Champagne{region}
{color}White{color}                                                                                                {maturity}drink-now{maturity}
{maturity-text}Drink now{maturity-text}
{vintage}NV{vintage}
{ratings}
[]The Wine Advocate:: 91/100{ratings}   {***}

This, quite simply, is one of the finest Non Vintage Chardonnay Champagnes that one is likely to find, rather like Krug Grande Cuvée in its multi-vintage Grand Cru assemblage and its encyclopaedic complexity. Aged on lees for over ten years, the Hommage is rich and exotic on one level, with plenty of nutty depth, but also wonderfully fresh, linear and precise. Powerful enough for langoustines and other fruits de mer, this is so good that it works well as both aperitif and digestif…a revelation!

{***}
{region}Champagne{region}
{color}White{color}                                                                                                {maturity}drink-now{maturity}
{maturity-text}Drink now{maturity-text}
{vintage}NV{vintage}
{ratings}
[]Richard Juhlin:: 94/100  {ratings}     {***}

Originating from Chardonnay de Chouilly Grand Cru white grapes, this vintage is only made on the best years. It ages in cellar for more than four years. A deep yellow colour. Strong aromas of fruit including peaches and pineapple.Once served in flute, it is to be left a few minutes while it opens up. Will go perfectly with lobster carpaccio, sushi, grilled mullet or simply with a foie gras.

{***}{region} Champagne{region}
{color}White{color}                                                               {maturity}ready-keep{maturity} {maturity-text}Ready, but will keep{maturity-text}
{vintage}2012{vintage}{***}

Only in the very best years, Thiénot releases a “Brut Vintage” Champagne, which is a subtle harmony of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. The wine reveals white fruit and floral aromas on the nose, developing into sweet pastry notes. The wine is extraordinarily lively on the palate underpinned by stewed fruit notes.
"An attractive sense of freshness and purity with white peaches and lemons and youthful, primary characters and dried flowers. The palate has a very succulent and fleshy feel with white peaches, pears and apples, delivered in such expressive, delicious mode. Very long, fruit-drenched finish. Drink or hold. "- James Suckling

{***}{region}Champagne{region} {color}White{color} {maturity}drink-now{maturity} {maturity-text}Drink now{maturity-text} {ratings} []James Suckling::93/100[]Wine Enthusiast:: 92/100 {ratings} []The Champagne and Sparkling Wine award :: GOLD MEDAL {***}

Dark black currant, plum violet and spicy aromatics lead to a silky elegantly textured palate showing great depth, tension and persistence.

{***}
{region}Champagne{region}
{color}White{color}
{maturity}drink-now{maturity}
{maturity-text}Drink now{maturity-text}
{vintage}2007{vintage}
{ratings}
[]Wine Enthusiast::94/100
{ratings}{***}

The 2010 Dom Pérignon is hard to get a read on today. I have tasted it four times over the last few months, and my feeling is that it is still not totally put together. Apricot, pastry, chamomile, mint and light tropical notes are all signatures of a hot vintage with a very fast final phase of ripening that trails only 2002 and 2003 in terms of sugars. Of course, the year had plenty of challenges. The first part of the year was marked by cold and very dry weather during the winter and spring. June saw heat and some stress in the vines. July and August were quite warm, with heavy rains on August 15 and 16 that caused a widespread outbreak of botrytis that accelerated rapidly in the days leading up to harvest. Chef de Caves Vincent Chaperon explained that Chardonnay was favored over Pinot because better aeration within the clusters helped fend off rot, while parcels that had been less stressed by the June heat also suffered less from the effects of botrytis. Perhaps because of the unevenness in the season, there is also something disjointed about the 2010. While sugars were high, so were acidities, just behind 2008 in the decade of the 2000s. It will be interesting to see where the 2010 goes over time. It is the first vintage made under the direction of Vincent Chaperon, who worked alongside outgoing Chef de Caves Richard Geoffroy for many years. Drink 2021-2035. Antonio Galloni

{***}{region}Champagne{region}
{color}White{color}                                                                                                {maturity}ready-keep{maturity}
{maturity-text}Ready, but will keep{maturity-text}
{vintage}2010{vintage}
{ratings}
[]Antonio Galloni:: 93/100

[]James Suckling:: 98/100

{ratings}        {***}

This is, simply put, a Champagne lover’s dream, with lemon zest and greengage on the nose and a toasted-hazelnut quality underneath. Hints of spiced orange peel come through with a little aeration, as well as flavours of crunchy green apple and acacia that bounce off the tongue, with a remarkably fine effervesce throughout.

{***}{region}Champagne{region}
{color}White{color}                                                                                                {maturity}ready-keep{maturity}
{maturity-text}Ready, but will keep{maturity-text}
{vintage}2002{vintage}
{ratings}
[]The Wine Advocate:: 96+/100

[]Vinous:: 98+/100

[]Jancis Robinson MW:: 18.5/20

{ratings}        {***}

The 2002 Dom Perignon is at first intensely floral, with perfumed jasmine that dominates the bouquet. With time in the glass the wine gains richness as the flavors turn decidedly riper and almost tropical. Apricots, passion fruit and peaches emerge from this flashy, opulent Dom Perignon. The wines volume makes it approachable today, but readers in search of more complexity will want to cellar this for at least a few years to allow for some of the baby fat to drop off. Geoffroy describes the vintage as very ripe and adds that some of the Chardonnay showed the ill-effects of the hot growing season in the somewhat burned, dehydrated fruit that came in that year. This bottle was disgorged in July, 2009. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2032.

{***}{region}Champagne{region}
{color}White{color}                                                                                                {maturity}ready-keep{maturity}
{maturity-text}Ready, but will keep{maturity-text}
{vintage}2002{vintage}
{ratings}
[]The Wine Advocate:: 96/100

[]Decanter:: 97/100

[]Vinous:: 98/100

[]Jancis Robinson MW:: 18/20

{ratings}        {***}

The 2000 Dom Perignon P2 is drinking beautifully, wafting from the glass with complex and gently reductive aromas of iodine, lemon oil, tangerine and oyster shell that have begun to develop appreciable tertiary nuance. On the palate, it's medium to full-bodied, deep and expansive, with a broad attack, incisive acids, a classy mousse and a long, precise and mouthwateringly saline finish. The year 2000 delivered a precocious Dom Perignon, and this recently disgorged rendition has really benefited from the additional time sur lattes, acquiring notably more complexity while retaining more energy than the original disgorgement. Given its maturing profile I would plan to drink bottles within the next decade.

{***}{region}Champagne{region}
{color}White{color}                                                                                                {maturity}ready-keep{maturity}
{maturity-text}Ready, but will keep{maturity-text}
{vintage}2000{vintage}
{ratings}
[]The Wine Advocate:: 95/100

{ratings}        {***}

From one of the ripest vintages ever, this Dom Pérignon has a beautiful purity of ripe fruit and a perfect, fine mousse. A genuinely wonderful Champagne which will continue to drink for many years to come.

{***}{region}Champagne{region}
{color}White{color}                                                                  

          {maturity}drink-now{maturity}
{maturity-text}Drink Now{maturity-text}
{vintage}1990{vintage}
{ratings}
[]Wine Advocate:: 96/100

{ratings}        {***}

Medium lemon-straw colour. Praline and toasted hazelnut aromas dominate the nose with nuances of lemon curd and butterscotch. The palate is very rich with decadently silken texture and a high level of refreshing acidity. Predominately yeasty, brioche flavours are supplemented by a subtle earthy/savoury character and some minerality. Long, mineral coated praline finish. - Wine Advocate

{***}{region}Champagne{region}
{color}White{color}                                                                                                {maturity}ready-keep{maturity}
{maturity-text}Ready, but will keep{maturity-text}
{vintage}1985{vintage}
{ratings}
[]Wine Advocate:: 94/100

[]Vinous:: 97/100

{ratings}        {***}

Although one should not necessarily judge a Champagne by the number of listings it has in the Michelin-starred restaurants of Paris, one can not fail but to be impressed by Legras in this respect; and in many other respects, indeed, as one tastes the wines. Founded in the 16th century, Legras is one of the great names of Chouilly, the famous and most northerly village of the Côte de Blancs. An exemplary Champagne from a peerless vintage. Superlatives abound in what Julien Barbier describes as one of the very best wines he has ever made, an archetype of Chouilly Chardonnay. Toasted almonds and lemon zest vie for attention on a deliciously complex palate, with honey and brioche in support. The five grams of sugar defer gently to the power of the vintage; the finish is symphonic yet restrained, with plenty of potential underscoring the taut corridor of its peroration.

{***}{region}Champagne{region}
{color}White{color}                                                                                                {maturity}ready-keep{maturity}
{maturity-text}Ready, but will keep{maturity-text}
{vintage}2006{vintage}
{ratings}
[]Richard Juhlin:: 94/100{ratings}        {***}