Sparkling Flashcards
Wiston Estate story
Story: Estate that existed since 1743 but only planted with vines in 2006 when Richard Goring and his wife return from Canada. Since 2011 ran by their son, Richard and his wife Kirsty, the estate has its vineyards deep rooted in the rolling hills and valleys of the South Downs where 16 acres Chardonnay, Pinot Noir & Meunier grow on chalk base soils.
Wiston Brut characteristics
35% Chardonnay, 35% Pinot Noir, 30% Pinot Meunier
Dosage: 8gr per litre
Lees aging: 3 and a half years
Suitable for vegans & vegetarians
Flavours: Pure green apple, ripe lemon, rich and complex maturity, fine bubbles, lots of toasty/biscuity aromas.
Food pairing: sashimi, tempura
Wiston Rose characteristics
Grapes: 40% Pinot Noir, 30% Chardonnay, 30% Pinot Meunier (blend, not skin contact)
Dosage: 8gr per litre
Suitable for vegans & vegetarians
Lees ageing: 3 and a half years
Flavours: rhubarb, raspberry, strawberry, redcurrant, lemon zest, sherbet, refreshing acidity
Food pairing: tempura
Guy de Chassey story
Story: The house of Guy de Chassey, which has been in existence for four generations, grows and produces its own champagne on the Montagne de Reims in the village of Louvois in Champagne. Louvois is one of only 17 villages in Champagne to have 100% Grand Cru status, classified according to Champagne’s complex quality hierarchy. Some Pinot Noir is also used from Guy de Chassey’s holdings in the village of Bouzy (also of Grand Cru status), as the microclimate here is a touch warmer and the Pinot Noir grapes are often riper. Four staff tend the 9.5 hectares of vineyards and much of the work is carried out by hand. Such is the quality of the fruit grown here at Guy de Chassey, that a percentage of the annual harvest has been sold off historically to the traditional Grande Marque Champagne houses, although Marie-Odile de Chassey is now retaining more grapes for her own bottles. Given that Corney & Barrow buys a large percentage of production and the remainder sells out largely at the cellar door, Guy de Chassey’s marketing expenses – a significant factor in the price of many Champagnes particularly the Grandes Marques – remain modest. This factor, together with the close, long-term relationship between Corney & Barrow and Guy de Chassey, allows us to bring you Guy de Chassey’s Grand Cru Champagne at exceptional prices year on year
Guy de Chassey characteristics
Grapes: 70% Pinot Noir & 30% Chardonnay
Blending approximately 35% of the Brut NV (non-vintage) contains mature ‘reserve’ wines from previous vintages, which add to the richness and complexity of the final champagne.
Maturation: a minimum of 3 years for the Brut NV blend in underground chalk cellars – the perfect environment for aging due to the constant, cool temperature and low light.
Dosage: Unspecified (Brut)
Vegan
Taste profile: A full, finely structured blend. This Champagne achieves aromatic complexity from a combination of young & old vine fruit, presenting youthful zest alongside more toasted brioche notes & cinnamon spice.
Food pairing: sashimi, tempura
Billecart Salmon story
The Champagne house is founded by married couple Nicolas-Francois Billecart and Elisabeth Salmon in 1818 and situated in Mareuil-sur-Ay. Since its establishment, seven generations have succeeded each other in the running of the house, staying faithful to the same motto: “Give priority to quality, strive for excellence”. They are particularly famous for their pale-coloured rosé Champagne.
Billecart Sous Bous characteristics
Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Pinot Meunier (% not specified)
Lees aging: 6 to 7 years
Dosage: 7gr per litre
Unspecified if suitable for vegans/vegetarians
Flavours: ripe citrus, dried fruits, butter notes, brioche
Food pairing: tempura
Billecart Salmon Rose characteristics
Grapes: 40% Chardonnay, 30% Pinot Noir, 30% Pinot Meunier
Dosage: 9g/L
Lees ageing: 3 years
Flavours: Redcurrant, red cherry, citrus zest, pink grapefruit
Food pairing: sweet red prawn tempura, sashimi, prawn nigiri
Laurent Perrier Story
Founded in 1812 by a former cooper and bottler Alphonse Pierlot. He willed his company to his cellar master Eugene Laurent who ran it with his wife. After Eugene died, his widow Mathilde, took control and named the company Veuve Laurent Perrier (veuve means widow). She led the company to great success, but this was short lived due to World War 1. Huge part of the success for LP brought Bernard who after the war returned to Champagne, studied and took the reins of the house, leading for 60 years. Today the company is run by two daughters and is considered the 3rd best selling champagne after Moet & Veuve.
Laurent Perrier Brut characteristics
Grapes: 45% Chardonnay, 40% Pinot Noir, 15% Pinot Meunier
Dosage: 10gr per litre, 3yr on lees
Suitable for vegetarians and vegans
Flavours: citrus, white fruits, honeysuckle, peach, toasty
Food pairing: sashimi, tempura
Laurent Perrier Rose characteristics
Grapes: 100% Pinot Noir
Lees Ageing: 5 years
Dosage: 9g/L
Flavours: Smoky red berries, red apple, blood orange and pomegranate
Food Pairing: tempura
Armand De Brignac story
Armand de Brignac Champagne is a prestige Champagne brand owned by the Cattier family. The family has a rich history as an elite Champagne house in the tiny village of Chigny les Roses as they have owned and cultivated family vineyards since 1763. Today, Patriarch Jean-Jacques Cattier oversees the Chateau’s wine production with strictly limited annual yields, ensuring that the family’s artisanal winemaking traditions are kept alive in each bottle.
The Cattier cellars are among the deepest and oldest in the Champagne region. They have three styles of architecture represented in the caverns: Gothic, Renaissance, and Roman. Armand de Brignac is aged in a special, gated section of the deepest part of these cellars, 119 steps underground.
Each bottle of Armand de Brignac is coated in metal, finished with the hand application of French pewter labels and polished. Only 20 bottles can be completed per person per hour in the winery, and as a result, no two bottles are the same.
Armand de Brignac has won the approval for many critics, including Jancis Robinson and Jose Penin, who rate the wine No 1 out of 1000 champagne bottlings in 2009.
Each bottle of Armand de Brignac is coated in metal, finished with the hand application of French pewter labels polished. Only 20 bottles can be completed per person per hour in the winery, and as result no two bottles are the same.
Armand de Brignac characteristics
Grapes: 40% Pinot Noir, 40% Chardonnay, 20% Pinot Meunier
Lees aging: 6 years
Dosage: 9g/L
Flavours: peach, apricot, red berry aromas, citrus, orange blossom, hints of brioche. Rich, concentrated palate.
Food pairing: everything!
Armand de Brignac Rose characteristics
Grapes: 50% Pinot Noir, 40% Pinot Meunier, 10% Chardonnay
Lees Ageing: not specified
Dosage: 9.5g/L
Flavours: Strawberry, currants, cherry, floral, sweet almond and pastry notes
Food Pairing: everything
Pol Roger story
Story: Champagne Pol Roger is a prominent Champagne producer based in Epernay. It is known for its elegant, balanced house style made from equal proportions Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier
The house was officially established in 1849, although at least two generations had been involved in the growing Champagne industry before Pol Roger. In the mid-1850s, export became a key focus, and the house began to eschew the traditional sweetness of Champagne, producing a drier style that was more in line with British tastes. Their most famous Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill Champagne was first released in 1975 to honor the great man, who had been close friends with Odette Pol Roger as well as a big fan of Champagne.
