Champagne
Champagne, the epitome of elegance and celebration, is widely regarded as the pinnacle of sparkling wines. As one of the most prestigious wine regions in the world, Champagne has captured the hearts of wine enthusiasts and connoisseurs with its exceptional quality, refined craftsmanship, and iconic vineyards.
Historically, Champagne has been dominated by some world-acclaimed Champagne House, which source grapes and harvest from Champagne growers. These famous Grandes Marques include Louis Roederer (Cristal), Dom Pérignon, Krug, Moët & Chandon, Veuve Clicquot, and Bollinger, all of them are revered for their notable names that display unrivalled winemaking prestige and pedigree.
In the recent decade, the emerging Grower Champagne trend in Champagne is shaking up the industry by challenging the dominance of the big Champagne houses. These small-scale producers, also known as "Récoltant-Manipulant" or RM, grow their own grapes and produce their own Champagne, showcasing the unique terroir and character of their vineyards. Jacques Selosse, Ulysse Collin, and Champagne Vilmart & Cie are among the most prominent names in this trend, producing some truly artisanal and terroir-driven Champagnes.
Champagne is primarily made from three main grape varieties: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier. These grapes are carefully selected and blended to create a harmonious and complex flavour profile. Chardonnay contributes elegance, freshness, and finesse, while Pinot Noir adds structure, depth, and fruitiness. Pinot Meunier brings a touch of roundness and vibrancy to the blend.
The region of Champagne is divided into several distinct sub-regions, including Montagne de Reims, Côte des Blancs, and Vallée de la Marne. Each sub-region has its unique terroir, characterized by variations in soil composition and microclimates, which influence the style and character of the wines produced.
Champagne offers various styles, from non-vintage blends to vintage cuvées and prestigious prestige cuvées. While Non-vintage Champagnes typically epitomise the house style, the vintage Champagnes are made from grapes harvested in one particular year (top vintages such as 1996, 2002, 2008 etc), in which these wines showcase the unique characteristics of the specific vintage.
The prestige cuvées, often the flagship wines of the renowned Champagne houses, are the pinnacle of excellence. These exceptional Champagnes are created using the finest grapes, the most meticulous winemaking techniques and often benefit from extended ageing to achieve unparalleled complexity and finesse.
Champagne is synonymous with celebration, elegance, and luxury. Its effervescent charm and timeless appeal have made it the drink of choice for countless special occasions and memorable moments. With its rich history, iconic vineyards, and unrivalled quality, Champagne continues to captivate wine enthusiasts and connoisseurs alike.
Champagne
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Champagne | 1 | 97 (VN) | د.إ5,095.00 | |||||
Vinous (97)The 2007 Cristal Rosé opens with the most captivating, extraordinary bouquet imaginable. Sweet, exquisite and beautifully layered in the glass, the 2007 is intense yet weightless, with extraordinary overall balance and remarkable finesse. Today, the 2007 Cristal Rosé is a wine of pure seduction. There is little doubt the 2007 is a great Cristal Rosé in the making. This is the first vintage in which all of the fruit was farmed according to biodynamic principles. According to winemaker Jean-Baptiste Lécaillon, biodynamic farming has brought increased aromatic presence in the fruit and also given the Pinot a bit more intensity than normal, so much so that in 2007 the blend is 55% Pinot Noir and 45% Chardonnay as opposed to the 60/40 split that has been more typical over the years. In 2007, the fruit was picked in August, which is also unusual, but bud break got off to an early start, so the growing season turned out to be longer than the classic 100-day period that is typical from bud-break to harvest. All of that means the 2007 Cristal Rosé is a much more classic-feeling wine that one might have expected. |
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Champagne | 2 | 93 (VN) | د.إ2,045.00 | |||||
Vinous (93)The 2018 Camille Hommage Le Mesnil-sur-Oger is sourced from Volibarts, a well-exposed parcel in Mesnil that informed the 1961, the last Coteaux Champenois made at Roederer. It was aged in a combination of 60% amphora, 20% new oak and 20% steel. Lemon confit, almond, dried flowers and tropical accents fill out the layers effortlessly. It will drink well right out of the gate. |
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Champagne | 1 | 97 (JS) | د.إ2,075.00 | |||||
James Suckling (97)So expressive on the nose, with cedar, dried lemon, praline, flint, chalk, grapefruit, white apricot and peach stone. So intense. Sharp, but creamy, with beautiful density and a compact mid-palate, yet elegant and refined. Medium body. Crazy length. Chardonnay from Le Mesnil-sur-Oger. 1,665 bottles made. Try from 2023. |
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Champagne | 4 | 96 (JS) | د.إ1,800.00 | |||||
James Suckling (96)Just over two-thirds pinot noir (Verzenay) and the balance southeast-facing chardonnay from Chouilly. This has 30% of oak fermentation which has compressed the wine, lending it an air of extreme concentration. The nose is gently spicy, offering peaches and cherries as well as neat autolysis edge. The palate has a powerful, long and assertive feel, with peach and lemon pith, chalky minerals, and some grapefruit. A powerful vintage for Roederer. |
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Champagne | 1 | 94 (DC) | د.إ2,340.00 | |||||
Decanter (94)Notes of dried fruit and candied lemon dance out of the glass, with aromas of fresh pastry and ginger spice. There’s also a distinctive toasted hazelnut element with a honeyed richness developing. Initial freshness is there, reflecting the lovely balance of this fine 2012 vintage, while textural creaminess evolves into toffee caramel on the generous, spicy finish. There’s more Pinot Noir (49%) in this blend, from the north-facing slopes of Verzenay and Mailly, and that’s helping the freshness, with the Villers-Marmery Chardonnay providing the silky, mid-palate richness. A difficult growing year with a very cold, wet spring and wet summer, was saved by sunny weather in the last couple of weeks before picking and resulted in a small, concentrated, ripe harvest, widely compared with top predecessors like 2002 and 1990. Tasted from magnum. Dosage: 7g/L. Disgorged: November 2020. 49% Pinot Noir from Mailly and Verzenay; 46% Chardonnay from Trépail and Villers-Marmery; 5% Meunier from Ludes, Chigny-les-Rosé and Rilly-la-Montagne. |
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Champagne | 1 | - | د.إ1,150.00 | |||||
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Paul Bara Annonciade Blanc de Noirs 2006 hails from the prestigious terroir of Bouzy, in the heart of Champagne. Fifth generation vintner Chantal Bara meticulously follows traditional methods to create this unparalleled champagne. Made exclusively from Grand Cru Pinot Noir grapes, it embodies the essence of Bouzy, lauded for its robust, expressive wines. The 2006 vintage has benefited from a decade of ageing in the Bara cellars, giving it a fine, complex bouquet and an assertive palate of luscious red fruits, hazelnuts, and warm spice, underscored by vivacious minerality. With a creamy mousse and superb persistence, Paul Bara Annonciade Blanc de Noirs 2006 is an emblem of both the esteemed Bara maison and the illustrious Bouzy terroir. Perfectly ready to drink now, it can be savoured alone or paired with exquisite gourmet dishes. |
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Champagne | 1 | - | د.إ1,010.00 | |||||
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The Paul Bara Comtesse Marie de France Brut 2010 is the epitome of fine Champagne meticulously crafted by the distinguished Paul Bara estate. Nestled in the heart of Bouzy, a Grand Cru village renowned for its exceptional terroir, this estate has masterfully produced splendid wines since 1833. The Comtesse Marie de France is a revelation in the world of vintage brut champagnes crafted from 100% Pinot Noir. Reflecting the richness of the 2010 vintage, it exhibits deep, intense flavours amplified by a minimum of eight years maturation. The Champagne's refined effervescence discloses enticing notes of ripe orchard fruits, honeyed brioche, and subtle mineral undertones, culminating in a long, resonant finish. With only limited quantities produced, the Paul Bara Comtesse Marie de France Brut 2010 offers not just a taste but an exquisite journey into the pedigree and legacy of the Champagne region. |
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Champagne | 1 | 94 (WS) | د.إ3,730.00 | |||||
Wine Spectator (94)This finely knit and lithe Champagne is smoky up front, opening into a lovely range of pastry, glazed apricot, lemon curd and candied ginger notes in the glass. Vibrant acidity drives the satinlike finish. |
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Champagne | 1 | - | د.إ2,875.00 | |||||
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To celebrate the unbelievable milestone of half a millennium crafting some of the world’s most exceptional sparkling wines, the legendary Maison have released a highly exclusive collectors’ case of which a mere 500 were made. Containing two different vintages of the Cuvée 1522, itself commemorating the foundation of Philipponnat, this wine is always composed of strictly Grand Cru fruit with the majority fermented in oak casks with no malolactic fermentation to provide rounded richness with total weightlessness. The village of Aÿ, home to the Philipponnat family for 16 generations, is clearly visible in the stunning label of Cuvée 1522. A testament to both terroir and vintage, the particular examples in this collection are the even rarer L.V. or Long Vieillissement (Long Aging) expressions kept back at the winery for added time on lees and extra maturity in perfect conditions. A bottle each of the 2000 and 2002, both exceptional vintages, are included in this beautiful case and are sure to be incredible wines neither of which are available to purchase individually on the market. |
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Champagne | 1 | 93 (WA) | د.إ2,105.00 | |||||
Wine Advocate (93)Disgorged in September 2018 with 4.5 grams per liter dosage, the 2008 Extra Brut Grand Blanc is composed of vins clairs matured in barrel with blocked malolactic and vins clairs matured in tank that were allowed to complete malolactic. Exhibiting aromas of lemon oil, warm bread, hazelnut cream, wet stones and smoke, it's medium to full-bodied, ample and nicely concentrated, with a racy spine of acidity, a fine mousse and delicately chalky structure, concluding with a long and pure finish. |
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Champagne | 1 | 96 (VN) | د.إ4,600.00 | |||||
Vinous (96)The 2006 Clos des Goisses is stellar, but it is also going to need quite a bit of time to come into its own. Powerful and ample in the best of the Goisses style, the 2006 hits the palate with serious intensity. Orchard fruits, lemon oil, white flowers and almonds are some of the many notes that open up in the glass, but, as is often the case with young Goisses, it is the wine's gravitas that is front and center. Even with all of its overtness, though, the 2006 retains striking, crystalline purity. I imagine the 2006 will reward Champagne lovers with many decades of truly exceptional drinking. The only thing the 2006 needs is time. The question is: How much? |
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Champagne | 1 | 98 (VN) | د.إ5,055.00 | |||||
Vinous (98)The 2008 Clos des Goisses is just as impressive today as it has always been. Rich, dense and explosive, the 2008 exists in three dimensions, with remarkable textural depth and vertical intensity to burn. Clos des Goisses is notoriously slow to develop. Readers who can be patient will be treated to a spectacular Champagne. The blend is 55% Chardonnay and 45% Pinot Noir, which makes the 2008 a rare Clos des Goisses that favors Chardonnay. About 75% of the lots were fermented in oak. Disgorged April 2017. Dosage is 4.25 grams per liter. |
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Champagne | 1 | 98 (WE) | د.إ4,165.00 | |||||
Wine Enthusiast (98)This single vineyard, one of the steepest in Champagne, produces fabulous wines. Richness restrained by the minerality from the terroir is balanced by the structured Pinot Noir fruits that bring touches of toast, spice and white fruits. Drink through 2025 at least. |
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Champagne | 1 | 99 (WE) | د.إ2,145.00 | |||||
Wine Enthusiast (99)The new release of this Champagne is impressively stylish. It comes from a vertiginous vineyard facing north across the Marne river, the soil producing a wine with intense minerality and texture that demands time to soften. So, the blend of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay is set for further aging. Ideally, wait for this magnificent wine until 2025. |
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Champagne | 5 | 97+ (WI) | د.إ2,200.00 | |||||
The Wine Independent (97+)The Philipponnat Clos des Goisses 14 is a classic, somewhat yesteryear style of Clos des Goisses that is a blend of 71% Pinot Noir and 29% Chardonnay coming from 14 different small parcels each vinified separately with only the best, ripest elements included in the final blend. None of the wines underwent malolactic to retain freshness and it was finished Extra Brut with a 4.5 gram per liter dosage. Ethereal, floral notes of white viburnum waft over layers of ripe red apple, lemon butter biscuits, almond nougat, clover honey and toast then flow into a medium to full-bodied palate infused with a high-gloss, vibrant acidity shining a Klieg light of freshness on pure red berry fruit and citrus intensity. There is an ease of elegance throughout, and incredible length on the creamy finish. 20,000 bottles. Disgorged in March 2023 and finished with a 4.5 grams per liter dosage. 19984 Bottles produced. |
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Champagne | 1 | 98+ (WA) | د.إ6,795.00 | |||||
Wine Advocate (98+)Disgorged in March 2019, the 2008 Extra Brut Clos des Goisses Juste Rosé is a fabulous forthcoming release from Philipponnat, opening in the glass with aromas of rose petals, warm bread, red berries, papaya and spices. On the palate, it's full-bodied, ample and layered, with an incisive spine of acidity, excellent concentration and a tight-knit core, concluding with a long, intense and chalky finish. This is still a very youthful, tensile rosé and patience will be required of anyone hoping to drink it at its peak of maturity. |
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Champagne | 1 | 96 (WE) | د.إ1,990.00 | |||||
Wine Enthusiast (96)This grand cru wine is named in celebration of the date of the Philipponnat family's arrival in the village of Aÿ. It is a mature blend of 70% Pinot Noir with Chardonnay, proportions that are typical of this producer on the Montagne de Reims. Rich, lightly toasty with green-apple and pear flavors, the wine is ready to drink. |
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Champagne | 1 | 96 (WE) | د.إ1,855.00 | |||||
Wine Enthusiast (96)This grand cru wine is named in celebration of the date of the Philipponnat family's arrival in the village of Aÿ. It is a mature blend of 70% Pinot Noir with Chardonnay, proportions that are typical of this producer on the Montagne de Reims. Rich, lightly toasty with green-apple and pear flavors, the wine is ready to drink. |
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Champagne | 1 | 18 (JR) | د.إ2,160.00 | |||||
Jancis Robinson (18)Full bottle 1,697 g. From vineyards including the historic plots at Le Léon in Aÿ, complemented by Chardonnay from Le Mesnil-sur-Oger and Oger. Red wines from Mareuil. 72% Pinot Noir and 28% Chardonnay. Dosage 4.5 g/l, eight years sur latte, disgorged March 2019. 5,212 bottles. Long and racy. Bitter orange oils and raspberry-leaf tea, more than a little minty but with the cool-hit lift and bite of wasabi powder, fine-ground chalk and river pebbles, cumin powder, white pepper. Enormously complex but clenched as tight as a fist. White raspberries, grapefruit, redcurrants. Precision, finger-nail-pressed origami folds, so sharp the fruit has paper cuts. Exciting. Exacting. Tense yet creamy. Spice defines the finish and brings it to a close that feels like an unfinished poem. So you take another sip. |
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Champagne | 8 | 98 (JS) | د.إ2,565.00 | |||||
James Suckling (98)Orange rind and spices, such as cardamom on the nose, together with sourdough and fresh fig . Some salted butter, too. It's creamy, supple and silky, with a salty freshness. Soft bubbles. Long and chalky finish. 100% chardonnay from 90-year-old vines. Base wine fermented in stainless steel. Only made in exceptional vintages. Disgorged after 15 years on lees with 5g/L dosage. Drink or hold. |
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Champagne | 1 | 96 (WA) | د.إ9,565.00 | |||||
Wine Advocate (96)"Why has the non-vintage concept largely been reserved to entry-level wines?" pondered Péters, and he decided to produce a new cuvée to change that. Based on the 2012 Les Chétillons and supplemented by wine from the family's long-established perpetual reserve, the NV L’Étonnant Monsieur Victor Edition MK 12 is the latest rendition, and it's showing very well, opening in the glass with aromas of lemon oil, warm bread, white flowers, crushed chalk, oyster shells and wheat toast. On the palate, the wine is medium to full-bodied, rich and layered, with superb concentration, racy acids and a precise, intensely saline finish. |
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Champagne | 1 | 95 (VN) | د.إ8,340.00 | |||||
Vinous (95)The 2015 L'Etonnant Monsieur Victor Edition TB.15 is impressive. In fact, it is the best of the 2015-base wines at Péters, and also shows how important blending can be in Champagne. For this bottling, Rodolphe Péters blends one tank of his Chétillons and a tank of Réserve Oubliée. The result is a Champagne of uncommon complexity and pedigree. Bright, floral and effusive, the 2015 base Monsieur Victor is just gorgeous. There is a feeling of translucence that is beguiling. Hints of dried flowers, marzipan, brioche and hazelnut linger on the delicate, super-refined finish. I would prefer to drink this on the earlier side, as the first signs of aromatic nuance are starting to settle in. Disgorged: December 2021. Dosage is 4 grams per liter. |
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Champagne | 1 | 97 (VN) | د.إ4,600.00 | |||||
Vinous (97)The 2014 Cuvée Spéciale Les Chétillons is fabulous. The 2014 is not as obvious as years like 2012 or 2013, but it presents a youthfully austere, classic personality that is absolutely beguiling. Readers will have to be patient here. There is certainly a lot to look forward to. The 2014 Les Chétillons is a Blanc de Blancs that sizzles with Mesnil tension and energy. Dosage is 3.5-4.5 grams per liter. Disgorged: May, 2021. |
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Champagne | 1 | 97 (VN) | د.إ7,115.00 | |||||
Vinous (97)The 2014 Cuvée Spéciale Les Chétillons is fabulous. The 2014 is not as obvious as years like 2012 or 2013, but it presents a youthfully austere, classic personality that is absolutely beguiling. Readers will have to be patient here. There is certainly a lot to look forward to. The 2014 Les Chétillons is a Blanc de Blancs that sizzles with Mesnil tension and energy. Dosage is 3.5-4.5 grams per liter. Disgorged: May, 2021. |
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Champagne | 1 | - | د.إ6,380.00 | |||||
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Revered as a paramount exemplar of fine Champagne, the Pierre Peters Les Montjolys Blanc de Blancs 2015 distinguishes itself with its refined character. Harvested in the esteemed Montjolys vineyard, known for its classic chalk and limestone soils, this splendid blanc de blancs exudes its unique terroir's distinctive fingerprint, showcasing Pierre Peters' savoir-faire in viticulture since 1919. It's an exclusive Grand Cru, crafted meticulously using 100% Chardonnay grapes. Marvel at its captivating golden hue with a fine effervescence that dances on the palate. Striking citrus notes intertwine harmoniously with a bouquet of baked apple, honeycomb and creamy nougat, capturing the essence of the 2015 vintage. This vintage offers an enlivening freshness, underscored by a well-structured minerality. Round and enveloping in the mouth, the Pierre Peters Les Montjolys Blanc de Blancs 2015 confirms the house's reputation for fusing tradition with innovation elegantly. Savour this exceptional Champagne's complexity and finesse, encapsulating the luxury of time. |
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Champagne | 2 | 93+ (WA) | د.إ1,075.00 | |||||
Wine Advocate (93+)Unfurling in the glass with incipiently complex aromas of citrus oil, wheat toast, fresh peach and crisp orchard fruit, the newly released 2012 Vintage Brut is full-bodied, deep and tightly wound, with excellent concentration, racy acids and a fine mousse, concluding with a long and penetrating finish. Even though it's still a little reserved after its recent disgorgement |
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Champagne | 1 | 98 (TRR) | د.إ2,095.00 | |||||
The Real Review (HH) (98)Full golden-yellow colour; very toasty old-wine bouquet which gradually opened up and revealed more with time in the glass. Aromas of toasted bread, toffee, vanilla, apricot, blood orange, quince paste; the palate full, rich and very dry, the penetrating acidity powering a very long finish. A very mature Champagne, not for everyone, but for those who enjoy aged Champagne, it's a joy. The rating is purely about pleasure. (60/40 pinot noir / chardonnay. 4 grams/litre dosage; disgorged in January 2022) |
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