Champagne Rose Wines
At the
northerly limit of French Viticulture, Champagne is a cool region; the
vineyards face north, south and east across open plains. The key ingredient to
the regions’ success is the chalk soil that reflects itself in the firm,
crystalline constitution of the finished wine. Dom Perignon did not invent the
Champagne process; he did however develop the practice of blending both
vintages and vineyards, resulting in any ties with provenance within this roomy
appellation of 33 000 being weakened. The combination of blending and
production method means that the final wine shows little resemblance to the
pallid vin clair with which the cellarmaster began his work. Our range of
Champagne is small but carefully chosen, with excellent wines from Pannier and Gremillet
offering tremendous value. We particularly enjoy our relationship with
Billecart-Salmon. Billecart-Salmon is one of the few remaining Champagne
Houses to be owned by the founding family; the firm was actually established in
1818. Also without doubt, one of the finest, yet least known Grande Marque
Champagnes.


