Champagne Warehouse

Rosé – a guilty pleasure?!

Last week I was chatting with a male friend about champagne; rosé champagne in particular. He claimed quite enthusiastically, to enjoying it – in the right situation- but admitted it wasn’t “something I’d be keen ordering with a group of male only friends”. When I asked why not, he told me he believed that pink wine and champagne still had some way to go, to throw off its historically feminine image.

I asked on Twitter- whether chaps would be happy ordering Rosé in all male company.

It seems that some men simply don’t rate rosé:

All male company isn’t the issue. If there’s good white/red (sparkling or not) why bother with rose? for me, it’s a poor cousin. Matt from Leeds.

Others are quite happy with rosé and their masculinity!

Yes, because I’m a real man and can cope with both rose tinted shirts and rose tinted bubbles! Douglas Blyde- Food, Wine and Travel Writer

It seems however that pink champagne might be a secret and guilty pleasure amongst men folk. Sales data on our website shows that two thirds of the chaps that place orders with us sneak some pink into the case! Of course they may be thinking of the ladies in their life……

Last month Olly Smith featured rosé in one of his articles and he certainly doesn’t think it’s just for the girls! Read his article here in which he praises a Rosé from Charles Ellner.

We’d love to know what you chaps out there think?

Cheers, Helen

Oh, I do like to be beside the sea! (Especially with a glass of champagne)!

Well, there are worse ways to spend your Saturday! Sun, Sea and Champagne.. It’s a tough job but someone’s got to do it! Along with hundreds of other people, I attended the Hove Champagne Festival last week. Champagne Warehouse was invited to showcase champagnes as part of The Champagne Bureau’s tasting sessions. Following our brief to select champagnes particularly suited to the summer, we featured our fabulous Ellner Brut Intégral, our gold medal winning Roger Legros Rosé and our ever popular Charmant Rosé. Within the tastings, our champagnes sat alongside a selection of other grower champagnes, as well as well known brands.

The audience consisted of discerning enthusiasts as well as infrequent champagne drinkers wanting to find out a little more! The sessions were well received and not just because it gave everyone an excuse to start drinking champagne at 11 o’clock in the morning! Honestly!!!  It was fun and informative too! Lots of nods and smiles from the audience. I think we can safely say the champagnes slipped down very nicely!

Our thanks go to the Champagne Bureau for hosting the tasting session and for the great pictures!

If you were there, leave a comment below, to let me know what you thought!

Cheers!

Teresa

Another taster tells all about Ellner Brut Intégral

A chance to win a bottle of Ellner Brut Intégral. Please go and look at the bottle of Ellner Brut Intégral in the shop, then read the post below and comment on the bottle presentation. We really value what you have to say- so all people making a comment will be entered into a draw for the chance to win a bottle of Ellner Brut Intégral champagne.

Will Broome another of our customer’s who has ordered cases from us was chosen to ‘be a taster’.

Here’s what he had to say:

Regarding the label and bottle presentation, Will said:

Old fashioned and a bit chintzy- wouldn’t look classy enough on the shelf in my humble opinion… in fact, the exact opposite.

So did the colour of the champagne fare any better? Will said:

Nice colour- not too sweet looking or insipid.

..and how about the bubbles? were there lots or a fine stream?

Lots of small bubbles… we used flutes, looked quite inviting to drink.

Will tells us about the aromas he detected:

Fruity- crisp- clean aroma

We asked Will what the initial taste of the champagne was and what was the intensity of bubbles in the mouth:

Very Bubbly (but not too bubbly) when in your mouth.

How about the flavour? Does the champagne fill your mouth with flavour?

Yes, in short.

We asked Will about the aftertaste:

Nice long after taste that intensified for a few minutes.. but not at all unpleasant- was quite dry too.

Could Will detect any flavours coming through after a few sips?

An oaky flavour..we think.

Please rate this champagne out of ten (with 1 the lowest and 10 the highest):

8-8.5

And finally when would you think it would be best to drink this champagne?

Celebration- a tad too heavy to drink just as an aperitif or because you feel like it.

Will also made this final comment below:

We would definitely buy this from you… a really nice champagne, but get that label looking more classy… the impressionist/ faux baroque thing really doesn’t work.

So it would seem that the label hasn’t been a great hit with either of our tasters. (see Diane Flynn’s comments) PLEASE!!! tell us what you think of the Ellner Brut Intégral label- we would love to get a discussion going!

( By the way, all the Ellner labels with pictures come from part of a single piece of art purchased by the Ellner family. The picture hangs in the hallway of their champagne ‘house’.)

Cheers,

Helen

PS: The draw will take place on Monday 5th July- so get commenting! Sorry but only open to UK mainland residents. Over 18’s only. Please note only sensible comments will be accepted and entered into the competition.

CONGRATULATIONS to Paul whose name was pulled out of the hat this morning. Your bottle is on its way Paul – and many thanks for entering!

Man bags and brands!

Tony and I spent a pleasant few hours ‘mooching’ round Harrogate last Saturday, what a great place to have on our doorstep. We didn’t undertake an entirely aimless wander however, and in Marks and Spencer, I finally persuaded Tony to accept and embrace the delights of the man bag. In the end it wasn’t my persuasive powers that swung it, more the fact that Tony was intending to purchase a netbook and needed something to carry it round in. After much discussion on design, styling and the merits of tan versus dark brown a decision was reached, as can be viewed above.

With that purchase under his belt and the minutes ticking away until the kick off of the FA cup it was on to netbooks. It was here it got interesting and has since given me pause for thought. We were drawn to the brands we are familiar with- Dell, Acer and Samsung, but then we got chatting to one of the guys from the store. He recommended a Zoostorm.

“A what?” was our reply.  Apparently Zoostorm is a UK based company and have won lots of awards for their computers.

This was when I began to consider what would make me move away from a familiar and /or trusted brand. Price would be factor; too low and I might be wary, too expensive would cause me to question the product’s worth. With a new brand you don’t know about it’s track record for reliability, what the manufacturer is like, or where they’re based, plus your friends are less likely to have heard of it also. I decided (while Tony was talking technical) that it would come down to these considerations plus how knowledgeable the sales guy was, had he test driven it, did he own one?

Here at Champagne Warehouse we realise it’s not always easy to stick your neck out and move to something new and out of your comfort zone. Last week before my netbook experience I developed a new customers’ comments page or ’spy before you buy’ so that you can read what other customers think about our champagnes. We also have our ‘Be a Taster’ experience where customers get the chance to taste for us and give their honest opinions. On our vineyard pages you can read all about each individual producer, then you can see what makes us tick and our aims on the ‘about us’ page.

Hope this helps! Cheers.

Helen

Charles Ellner Premier Cru

Hello, Helen here letting you know about another taster report.

Last month we sent Chris Lavender from Hampshire a bottle of Charles Ellner Premier Cru champagne which we’ll shortly be offering on the website. We always ask our tasters to comment on a variety of things, firstly presentation, this is what Christine said:

The bottle is beautifully presented, classic shape with a very attractive label. However the label doesn’t give much information for those who want a little more detail about the grape varieties and proportions, etc.

(When we dispatch bottles for sale we send them with detachable labels that contain information about the blend and other details- H)

We then asked Chris to comment on colour and bubbles:

The champagne itself is a lovely light straw colour, with large initial bubbles that soon disappear and just leave a fine bubble sensation on the tongue when drunk.

This is how Chris described the initial aromas and flavours:

The aroma is not very strong, just a hint of fruitiness. The initial taste is light with fine bubbles and a very pleasant vanilla flavour.

(Some champagnes have subtle aromas and deliver more on the palate. Swirling the champagne round the glass and warming the glass in your hands can sometimes help release more aromas. Also you need to sometimes have a few sips to get grips with champagne- H)

We asked for comments about after taste:

Our initial reaction was that it was a pleasant brut but not very full flavoured at all, however the flavour then develops and lingers in the mouth leaving a slightly sweet back taste and a long pleasant after taste. The taste seems to grow in your mouth so don’t make your mind up until you’ve taken a good sip and allowed it to develop on your taste buds.

In summary Chris commented:

This is an excellent champagne and would be ideal for any special occasion or as aperitif, it would be wonderful for a summer celebration. I would certainly have this champagne again and could easily have drunk a second bottle. We would rate it 9 out of 10.

Helen on behalf of Champagne Warehouse would like to thank Chris for her kind comments.

If you can’t wait for Charles Ellner Premier Cru to be available on the website give us a call- free- as we have some in stock now. Price £22.99 a bottle, discounts for cases…

Ellner Brut Intégral- current stocks run out!

Charles Ellner Brut Intégral current stocks run out! The Charles Ellner Brut Intégral was featured in the Mail on Sunday YOU magazine yesterday. Goodness Gracious we have been inundated with orders since then!  Zero dosage champagne has proved to be very very popular since we launched it but even with it’s track record to date we didn’t expect the interest that has been shown- and our website has been fizzing with orders. We are delighted for Champagne Charles Ellner that there has been so much enthusiasm for their champagnes.

The Ellner Brut Intégral has been so popular in fact – we have  run out! The good news is that new stocks are arriving shortly so if you do want to order some  please give us a call on 0800 313 4470 or email me Helen -  helen@champagnewarehouse.com and we’ll reserve you some.

Please accept our sincerest apologies.

Many thanks for your interest in Champagne Warehouse.

Helen

A visit to Champagne Roger Legros

Back in January Helen was looking at the travel forum on Jancis Robinson’s website and came across Darren’s plea for some names of growers he could visit during his trip to Champagne. A few emails later and Darren was all set to visit Gauthier Legros at Champagne Roger Legros. (The picture shows Gauthier in his cellar).

This is Darren’s story.

Ay, Bouzy, Ambonnay,Verzy, Verzenay, Mailly. The scenic route from our hotel in Epernay takes us through these familiar Grand Cru villages. Most of the vineyards are deserted except for a few hardy souls continuing with the seemingly endless task of winter pruning. Snow is still lying on the frozen ground and what few pruning teams we can see are wrapped in several layers of clothes and never venture far from their drums of burning pinot noir and chardonnay prunings trying to retain some warmth in such miserable weather.

Finally we reach Reims but continue straight past this centre of Champagne production heading for another village that is less familiar, Prouilly. A lowly cru normalle on the massif de St Thierry, our expectations are not high. We were about to be proved spectacularly wrong.

The house of Roger Legros, now run by Roger’s son Gauthier, works 9 hectares of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay vineyards on steep slopes that are not unlike those on the Montagne de Reims. The soil is made from chalk and calcareous deposits, again just like the montagne.

Gauthier is sensible enough to take the day off from pruning, which is lucky for me as he has the time to show me round the winery, from the modern Bucher pneumatic press, the large stainless steel fermenting vessels, the vats holding the reserve wines and also to the thousands of bottles of gently maturing champagne in the precisely – temperature and humidity – controlled warehouse. A gyropalette sits patiently in the corner, loaded with several hundred bottles, waiting for its next cycle in the automated riddling sequence.

At long last, we could wait no longer and had to test the results of all this labour, technology and years of ageing. (I’m always amazed at the patience required to be a Champagne producer – The 2002 Legros is the current vintage). Gauthier invited us into the warmth of his home and a couple of bottles were expertly popped open, the anticipation mounted, glasses were topped up and the first sips taken….

Not one for voluptuous tasting notes, I’m just going to say I came away with a boot full of Legros NV and 2002 Vintage. Need I say more?

A big thank you to Helen for being kind enough to put me in touch with Gauthier, and also to Gauthier for taking the time to show me around and being a charming host despite being kept up all the previous night by his 2 year old son!

Thanks to Darren for taking the time to write this for our website and good luck with your exams Darren…

Thierry Triolet and what makes him tick!

“A good grape in the hands of a good wine maker makes a good champagne!” Thierry Triolet

Thierry Triolet (TT) owns and runs a small vineyard in Bethon (pictured above) in the South of the Champagne Region. Here are the answers to the questions Champagne Warehouse (CW) posed.

CW: Thierry, can you tell us why you think people should drink Triolet champagnes?

TT: Time and time again our customers find a taste in our champagnes which they appreciate and enjoy. We also seek to have a good relationship with our customers, we want to build up a great rapport and trust with them. We encourage them to visit our ‘House’ if they can!

CW: What would you say makes your champagne special Thierry?

TT: The way in which I blend the wines that go into the champagne to show the distinctive terroir of the South of the Marne. The grapes I grow are a good grade and have heightened levels of acidity, which is crucial  for champagne making.

CW: What would you say to people who are tasting your champagnes for the first time.

TT: Firstly, I would want to know what they are looking for in their champagne, then I would choose the most appropriate blend. The Cuvée Réserve and Grand Réserve are bold and fine. The Brut is  more rounded and the Rosé is perfect in the summer as an aperitif or with a red fruit dessert.

CW: What are your feelings and predictions about the 2009 harvest?

TT: In terms of the climate 2009 was very difficult, however the harvest was superb with a good crop and acidity levels in the grapes higher than normal.

CW: What do you try to express in your champagnes?

TT: I try and express what I love and my way of working.

CW: What inspires you Thierry?

TT: The vines, working them and their development during the year.

CW: What’s the best moment in your champagne making career so far?

TT: My first cuvée Vieilles Vignes in 1989.

CW: Have you had any bad moments?

TT: The frost in April 2003 which practically destroyed all our harvest.

CW: And finally Thierry can you tell us what your favourite champagne is at the moment?

TT: Le Rosé and La Grande Réserve.

CW: Thanks to Thierry for his time, visit our shop to have a look at his champagnes.

Charity Tasting

You don’t often get the opportunity to taste several Grandes Marques in one evening plus Jean-Paul Morel Carte Noir! This was the treat for some generous people from Birmingham who attended a charity evening to raise funds for Brain Tumour  UK.  We (Tony and Helen) popped along to see how the Jean-Paul Morel fared as the only grower champagne among several famous Grandes Marques. Find out below! (Jean- Paul you can hold your head up high!)

The tasting was run by Richard Bampfield (Master of Wine and European Champagne Ambassador 2009) and Laura Clay (pictured above). Richard got the evening off to a spectacular start by opening a bottle of champagne with a sabre (sabrage). Daring guests were then invited to try their hand (or Richard’s sabre) at this ancient ritual- with success all round!

The tasting  aimed to show how diverse champagne is and by sampling specially designed canapés the audience came to appreciate  how well champagne accompanies food. So you don’t just have to drink it as an aperitif!

The evening started with a comparison between Ruinart’s Blanc de Blancs and Jean-Paul Morel Carte Noir. The Carte Noir is 70% Pinot Noir and is aged for 4 years so it’s rich with red fruit and bready components; it was a great contrast to the lightness and citrus and apricot notes of the Ruinart. The Carte Noir easily cut through the roast beef and Yorkshire pudding canapé it was served with while the Ruinart was complimented well by a smoked salmon blini. We are delighted to say a show of hands voted  Jean-Paul as the favourite for that round.

The second comparison of the evening was Taittinger Prélude Grands Crus versus Gosset Grande Réserve. The evening was made even more entertaining by the banter between Richard and Laura who extolled the virtues of the opposing champagnes. On this occasion Laura spoke for the lightness and delicacy of the Taittinger which demonstrates its chardonnay elements in the strength of the citrus flavours on the palate. Richard appealed to the audience to appreciate the richness of the Gosset Grande Réserve with its delicious cherry, almond and biscuit complexity. The Gosset had the edge in this round.

The final pair of champagnes was a Pol Roger Pure and a Louis Roederer Carte Blanche. The contrast between these champagnes was stark as the Pol Roger has no sugar added to it (known as Extra Brut or zero dosage) while the Louis Roederer which is a demi-sec has 42g/litre of added sugar! The demi-sec was wonderful with the little frangipani tarts.

To finish the evening with sophistication and flourish a 10 year old vintage Dom Pérignon (2000) was served. There was almost unanimous agreement that it was wonderful. Its freshness belied the 10 years it has spent in the bottle.

Thanks to Richard and Laura for showcasing one of Champagne Warehouse’s Champagnes.

Read more about Richard Bampfield and Laura Clay and their work at the Association of Wine Educators

Richard and Tony enjoying a glass of Jean-Paul Morel.

Oscar champagne winners

Oscars night is over for another year with no prizes for the British nominees for Best Actor and Actress this year. However the two lucky winners of our competition can celebrate this week as their champagne is on the way to them!

From all the entries who correctly guessed Sandra Bullock as Best Actress, Kate Gunn from Scotland was our lucky winner. Congratulations Kate!

All the entrants who guessed Jeff Bridges would win Best Actor went into the champagne bucket and Alan Dadswell from Buckingham had is name pulled out. Well done Alan!

Thanks to all of you who took part!