The Jewel in the Crown

In this excerpt from On Champagne: A tapestry of tales to celebrate the greatest sparkling wine of all…, Fiona Morrison MW falls in love with the Vieilles Vignes Françaises, Champagne’s most mysterious wine, which hails from a tiny walled plot of Pinot Noir vines in the Grand Cru village of Aÿ. Treasured possession of the house of Bollinger, this is a site that’s been admired for its wines since m...
Read More

Champagne vs. ‘Champagne’

Markus Hungerbühler reports from Switzerland on the Swiss Federal Supreme Court’s rejection of the Protected Designation of Origin ‘AOC Commune de Champagne’. In March 2022, another case concerning the use of the designation ‘Champagne’ for wine from the municipality of Champagne in the Canton Vaud in Switzerland ended. The Federal Supreme Court, the highest court of the country, terminated the d...
Read More

Champagne Castelnau launches new prestige cuvée, Hors Catégorie

To access this post, you must purchase Friend of the Circle (inc one-off joining fee), Corporate Friend of the Circle (inc one-off joining fee), Friend of the Circle (renewals) or Corporate Friend of the Circle (renewals), or log in.
Read More

A fine Anglo-French affair: the creation of Champagne

To access this post, you must purchase Friend of the Circle (inc one-off joining fee), Corporate Friend of the Circle (inc one-off joining fee), Friend of the Circle (renewals) or Corporate Friend of the Circle (renewals), or log in.
Read More

Champagne, 49 million bubbles in every bottle

Although it is doubtful Fredrik Schelin has actually counted the bubbles in a bottle of Champagne, he seems to have done everything else surrounding the topic – including tasting over 4,000 Champagnes – in his new book being released next month. This handsomely-presented guide to Champagne not only covers the history, sub-regions and method of Champagne but also looks into the other main styles o...
Read More

Caroline Henry wins Terres et Vins de Champagne Award

To access this post, you must purchase Friend of the Circle (inc one-off joining fee), Corporate Friend of the Circle (inc one-off joining fee), Friend of the Circle (renewals) or Corporate Friend of the Circle (renewals), or log in.
Read More

Jonathan Ray bubbles over with ‘Drink More Fizz’

To access this post, you must purchase Friend of the Circle (inc one-off joining fee), Corporate Friend of the Circle (inc one-off joining fee), Friend of the Circle (renewals) or Corporate Friend of the Circle (renewals), or log in.
Read More

World’s Finest Glass of Bubbly 2017 announced

To access this post, you must purchase Friend of the Circle (inc one-off joining fee), Corporate Friend of the Circle (inc one-off joining fee), Friend of the Circle (renewals) or Corporate Friend of the Circle (renewals), or log in.
Read More