James Suckling (98)

This is a very thick, dense DP with layers of ripe fruit. Dried apple, pineapple and pie crust with some nougat undertones. Dense and layered with chewy tannins and a juicy finish. Umami undertone. This has the highest percentage of pinot noir ever. 15 years on the lees in bottle. 62% pinot noir and 38% chardonnay. Drink or hold.

James Suckling (98)

This is a very thick, dense DP with layers of ripe fruit. Dried apple, pineapple and pie crust with some nougat undertones. Dense and layered with chewy tannins and a juicy finish. Umami undertone. This has the highest percentage of pinot noir ever. 15 years on the lees in bottle. 62% pinot noir and 38% chardonnay. Drink or hold.

James Suckling (98)

A firm and vivid Champagne with a precise, focused palate. Full-bodied and dry. It’s very layered and bright with light pineapple, peach, praline, cooked-apple and stone aromas and flavors. It’s very subtle and focused at the end. Integrated with richness and high acidity. Good depth. Reminds me of the 1995. Very clean. Solid. Lovely to drink already, but will age nicely.

James Suckling (99)

This shows incredible depth of fruit with strawberry, cherry and phenolics. Full-bodied and layered with an incredible, three-dimensional element to the wine. This is so transparent and dynamic with dark fruit, yet it remains vivid and bright. Refined and precise, it goes on and on. Really savory, fresh and incredibly pinot-noir-like. What a wine. 13 years of maturation in the bottle. So drinkable now, but it will age for many years ahead.

James Suckling (99)

This shows incredible depth of fruit with strawberry, cherry and phenolics. Full-bodied and layered with an incredible, three-dimensional element to the wine. This is so transparent and dynamic with dark fruit, yet it remains vivid and bright. Refined and precise, it goes on and on. Really savory, fresh and incredibly pinot-noir-like. What a wine. 13 years of maturation in the bottle. So drinkable now, but it will age for many years ahead.

Vinous - Antonio Galloni (90)

The NV Extra Brut L.P.M. is a pure Pinot Meunier from the Massif de St. Thierry. Base wines were fermented and then aged in oak for 11 months before tirage. The wine then spent 18 months on lees before disgorgement and still smells immensely youthful, like tart, fresh red-green apple with an overtone of moss. The palate, with its fine but youthful mousse, is beautifully aromatic, showing that same mouthwatering tart apple note on green plum. Gentle smokiness appears on the finish. Give this a little bottle age and drink from the second half of 2026. Dosage is 2.5 grams per liter. Disgorged: August 2025.

Introducing the superb Domaine Les Monts Fournois Montagne Verzenay Grand Cru 2014. A specialist in the production of premium Champagne, the acclaimed Monts Fournois vineyard sits in the legendary Grand Cru village of Montagne de Reims, noted for its illustrious Pinot Noir growth. This 2014 vintage is graced with exceptional balance and complexity. Prolonged aging in their traditional Champagne cellars enriches its depth of flavours.

Crafted by the passionate winemaker Jean-Pierre Craplet, Domaine Les Monts Fournois is recognised for his meticulous vinification process. The Grand Cru 2014 showcases his expertise, with striking notes of pear, toasted almond, citrus and a hint of minerality, transporting your palate straight to the renowned terroir. A bright, robust acidity prolongs the exquisite finish, making this a vintage of great stature.

Celebrate all of life’s significant moments with the distinguished Domaine Les Monts Fournois Montagne Verzenay Grand Cru 2014. A journey into the heart of Champagne's illustrious history awaits you.

Wine Advocate (90)

Based on the 2021 vintage, complemented with 50% reserve wines from 2018 and 2020, the third edition of Domaine Vincey’s NV Blanc de Blancs Interlude, disgorged in May 2024 without dosage, is the only non-vintage Champagne from the grower. Derived from three old-vine plots planted with massal selection Chardonnays, which Vincey also bottles separately as standalone cuvées, it is composed of Le Grand Jardin in Oger and Chemin de Châlons and Auge in Le Mesnil-sur-Oger. Soaring from the glass with aromas of dried white flowers, lemon zest and toasted bread, it combines the bright, incisive structure of the 2021 vintage with the more mature, round fruit of its predecessors, informed by long maturation on the lees in barrels.

Wine Advocate (95)

The 2012 Extra-Brut Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru, disgorged in May 2020 with two grams per liter of dosage, is aging gracefully, rising from the glass with aromas of pear, peach and mirabelle plum mingled with dried apricot and orange oil, overlaid by a subtle dried-fruit top note. On the palate, it is full-bodied, with a rich core of fruit and vibrant acidity, its generous and demonstrative profile flowing into a citrus-inflected finish heightened by the cuvée’s non-malolactic style. Predominantly derived from holdings in Avize, it is complemented by fruit from Oger, Cramant and Le Mesnil-sur-Oger.

Wine Advocate (91)

Doyard’s new NV Brut Blanc de Blancs Vendémiaire, disgorged in October 2025 with a dosage of four grams per liter, is based on the 2020 vintage and opens in the glass with aromas of nectarine, Granny Smith apple, carrot seed oil and freshly baked bread mingled with hints of orange. The palate is medium- to full-bodied and elegantly muscular, structured around a crisp core of fruit and bright acids, animated by a pinpoint mousse and concluding with a saline finish. As ever, the cuvée derives predominantly from Vertus, complemented by fruit from Avize, Oger, Le Mesnil-sur-Oger and Cramant, and is vinified in roughly equal parts in stainless steel and seasoned oak.

Wine Advocate (96+)

Disgorged in January 2021 with two grams per liter dosage, the 2015 Extra-Brut Premier Cru Clos de l'Abbaye has turned out brilliantly. Wafting from the glass with aromas of citrus oil, warm bread and honeycomb that are still a little reserved after its recent disgorgement, this is a full-bodied, layered and concentrated Champagne that's vinous and textural, displaying notable depth and mid-palate amplitude that's framed by lively acids and an enlivening pinpoint mousse, concluding with a long resonant finish. As I've written before, this cuvée derives from a walled 0.4-hectare plot of 60-year-old cordon-pruned vines just behind the winery in Vertus, and only the first and second "serres" of the press are used.

Wine Advocate (96+)

Disgorged in January 2021 with two grams per liter dosage, the 2015 Extra-Brut Premier Cru Clos de l'Abbaye has turned out brilliantly. Wafting from the glass with aromas of citrus oil, warm bread and honeycomb that are still a little reserved after its recent disgorgement, this is a full-bodied, layered and concentrated Champagne that's vinous and textural, displaying notable depth and mid-palate amplitude that's framed by lively acids and an enlivening pinpoint mousse, concluding with a long resonant finish. As I've written before, this cuvée derives from a walled 0.4-hectare plot of 60-year-old cordon-pruned vines just behind the winery in Vertus, and only the first and second "serres" of the press are used.

Wine Advocate (98)

Disgorged over a year ago with 0.8 grams per liter dosage, the 2008 Extra-Brut Grand Cru Les Lumières is a striking Champagne, unwinding in the glass with scents of pear, citrus oil, freshly baked bread, mandarin orange, almonds and buttery pastry. Full-bodied, deep and multidimensional, it's layered and muscular, with an immensely concentrated core of fruit, racy acids and a long, resonant finish. As I've written before, this cuvée is a blend of first-press juice: two-thirds Chardonnay from Mesnil-sur-Oger and one-third Pinot Noir from prime holdings in Aÿ.

Wine Advocate (98)

Disgorged over a year ago with 0.8 grams per liter dosage, the 2008 Extra-Brut Grand Cru Les Lumières is a striking Champagne, unwinding in the glass with scents of pear, citrus oil, freshly baked bread, mandarin orange, almonds and buttery pastry. Full-bodied, deep and multidimensional, it's layered and muscular, with an immensely concentrated core of fruit, racy acids and a long, resonant finish. As I've written before, this cuvée is a blend of first-press juice: two-thirds Chardonnay from Mesnil-sur-Oger and one-third Pinot Noir from prime holdings in Aÿ.

Wine Advocate (95)

In 2012, severe weather conditions posed significant challenges for the Drappier family; hail impacted almost 70% of their village, and frost hit 20% of the La Grande Sendrée plot. This resulted in a limited yield of the 2012 Brut Grande Sendrée, which has a delicate, deep bouquet with aromas of pear, peach, orchard fruit, baked bread and spices. Medium to full-bodied, dense and concentrated, it’s a layered and structured, tension-filled but ethereal Champagne with racy acidity. Although already thoroughly enjoyable, it should age well over the next 10 years. This is a blend of 55% Pinot Noir and 45% Chardonnay, disgorged with 4.9 grams per liter dosage.

The Duval Leroy Femme de Champagne Grand Cru 2002 is an exceptional indulgence for the discerning wine connoisseur. Originating from the renowned French champagne house of Duval Leroy, this prestige cuvée is meticulously crafted from the finest Grand Cru vineyards. Developing over a decade, its assembly encompasses 95% Chardonnay and 5% Pinot Noir grapes, infusing exquisite complexity.

This vintage Champagne is revered for its impressive finesse and delicate effervescence. The palate vaunts ripe, sun-drenched fruits, subtle brioche nuances, and a refined minerality that exudes elegance. Aging in chalk cellars imparts an unrivalled depth of flavour and creamy, persistent finish.

As a testament to its superior quality, Duval Leroy Femme de Champagne Grand Cru 2002 has clinched prestigious global accolades, firmly establishing its place among the finest champagnes. Toast your special occasions with this hallmark of luxury, promising a taste of ultimate sophistication.

James Suckling (94)

Fresh flowers flow out of the glass with honeysuckle and jasmine as well as strawberries and spices. Medium- to full-bodied with lots of fruit and a long, long finish. So many lemons and green apples. 70% chardonnay, 15% pinot noir and 15% pinot meunier. Three years on the lees. Dosage 3 g/L. Drink now.

Wine Advocate (98)

Year after year, Egly’s NV Blanc de Noirs Grand Cru Les Crayères remains one of the most compelling and reliable wines from the Montagne de Reims. Sourced from a south-facing lieu-dit in Ambonnay that was planted between 1946 and 1947 on shallow chalk soils with just 30 centimeters of topsoil, it was disgorged in October 2024 with a dosage of one gram per liter. This release blends the richer 2017 vintage with the taut, incisive character of 2016. Notably, prior to 2000, Francis Egly produced this cuvée as a single-vintage expression, only later opting for a two-vintage blend to buffer against the variability of any given season. The wine ascends from the glass with a bouquet of remarkable complexity—aromas of acacia, ripe pear, orange zest, toasted nuts and patisserie elements unfurl. Full-bodied, concentrated and layered, with ample chalky structuring extract and mouthwatering acidity, it concludes with a long, saline finish. While I often vacillate between Les Crayères and the Millésime as to which I favor, this year, Les Crayères stands as the most captivating wine in the cellar. It offers immense youthful appeal yet promises to evolve beautifully with age. Readers would be wise not to hesitate—it fully lives up to its reputation, and I’d gladly secure bottles for my own cellar.