Almost every wine, regardless of region or brand name, has a year on the label – the vintage. This is the year the grapes were grown, and those four numbers contain a multitude of information: whether the spring was cold, with frost, leading to a small harvest; whether the summer had heat spikes, resulting in lower acidity than usual in the wine; or whether the autumn was fine and dry, resulting in ripe, soft tannins. The year has a huge impact on the style and quality of a wine, and its potential for ageing.   But occasionally, there is no year on the label. Such wines are non-vint ..read more

Illustration by Eleanor Crow This autumn, we’re turning our attention to our most treasured sparkling wine region. Champagne offers an enormous wealth and diversity of style. However, this is often at risk of being overlooked in favour of the ‘big name’ brands. But all is not lost, explains Davy Zyw, as is proved by our Artisan Champagne winemakers.     A few titanic Grandes Marques names and brands made the wines of Champagne famous. Their uniform cuvées trained consumers to expect consistency in Champagne styles.    There are many wines to celebrate amongst these. However, they hav ..read more

What makes a “great” vintage? Some are immediately obvious, thanks to perfect conditions in both the vineyard and the cellar. Others emerge – phoenix-like – to unsuspecting vignerons. We speak with Ruinart’s Chef de Caves Frédéric Panaïotis about the release of their latest vintages, and the surprises it offered. A cool, dry spring and a rainy August: the ’10 vintage conditions were challenging in Champagne. What were the first indications to you that this difficult year would result in a remarkable wine?  There were none until we started to assess the vins clairs (base wines ..read more

Illustrations: Stephen Collins The wine co-operative is often seen as an old-fashioned or low-quality way of making wine. But, in regions such as Champagne, co-ops are an essential way of life, discovers Hannah Crosbie. When you think of Champagne, the first thing that springs to mind is the luxurious Grandes Marques. The likes of Krug, Pol Roger, Dom Pérignon, Veuve Clicquot and Ruinart – brands whose sumptuous wines need little introduction. Then, beyond these big names, curious Champagne consumers will no doubt have encountered Growers’ wines: those cuvées made on an artisanal sca ..read more

Drinking Well is the podcast designed to help you enjoy and shape your wine collection. In our first series, you’ll hear from our expert Buyers and Account Managers as they discuss which vintages to withdraw from your cellar this year. We also explore the most exciting developments in key fine wine regions, as well as revealing our team’s favourite wines and producers.  For the final episode of season one, we discuss the pleasures of Champagne with Buyer Davy Żyw and Account Manager Tatiana Humphreys. From which vintages you should be opening to which producers to watch out for, you’ll h ..read more

Rodolphe Péters in the vineyard. Photograph courtesy of Champagne Pierre Péters The Péters family have a proud history in Le Mesnil-sur-Oger – though some of their greatest vintages are just around the corner. “In wine, the long-term point of view is more important than the individual,” says Rodolphe Péters, sixth-generation Champagne grower, and the third to run the family firm, Champagne Pierre Péters. Each of his forebears has shared Rodolphe’s long-term thinking. None more so than Camille Péters, his great-grandfather. Camille’s decision to invest in a wine press and bottle wine under ..read more

Every year presents a whole host of opportunities to enjoy – or expand – your cellar. We’ve asked our experts what wines we should be opening in 2022.  Is there a better way to toast life’s great moments than with a bottle of Champagne? The region’s timeless appeal extends beyond the Grandes Marques: it is home to some of the world’s most age-worthy sparkling wines. As such, a case of vintage Champagne is the keystone in any collector’s cellar. But which to open this year? We asked Katie Merry from our Buying team just ..read more

Photograph: Krystian Krzewinski English wine is not new news. But it is the most exciting story in the wine world right now. Here, our Buyer Davy Żyw tells us about the homegrown fine wine scene – from the true potential of our terroir, to the producers who are making the most impressive wines We are a nation of enduring thirst and appreciation of the world’s greatest wines. The UK has the most mature and diverse wine market in the world. Within these shores, we sell, cellar, and enjoy an extraordinary range of global wines. There are many historic, political and social reasons why we import t ..read more

A trio of Leclerc Briant’s elegant, fresh Champagnes, made with “nature in the centre” From Champagnes aged on the seabed to wines matured in a barrel made from a kilo of gold, Leclerc Briant’s more extreme ideas read like marketing stunts. But the wines are no gimmick. In fact, in the words of our Buyer Davy Żyw, these Champagnes are “imaginative, creative, terroir-driven and vinous”. Here, we speak with Pierre Bettinger, Sales Director, about the philosophy at the heart of the brand.   “The philosophy here is to place nature in the centre of everything we do,” says Pierre Bettinger ..read more

Illustration by Pugh Picture the scene: you’re in a restaurant and the wine waiter hands over the list. It’s the size of War and Peace: do you a) dance an inward jig of delight, and settle back to peruse what’s available, or b) after a cursory glance, turn to the sommelier for advice? Sometimes, too much choice is just – well – too much. And it’s why we’ve brought together a shortlist of our favourite wines in our Buyers’ highlights. Mark Pardoe MW tells us more. We know that the world of wine can be complicated. Our website has a huge amount of wines on offer, and the choice can be overwhelmi ..read more