Mariette's Champagne Mission

In May, Mariette Abovici from our London on-trade sales team took some lucky clients out to Champagne, to meet all of our growers and taste their glorious wines! She kindly wrote this report for us:

The trip was very educational, for my customers and for myself. We received a very warm welcome from all our growers, we have seen Gratiot-Pillière vineyards and had a food and champagne matching organized at Christelle and Olivier beautiful house with a caterer. 

The second day, we went to Epernay in the morning, visited the Avenue de Champagne (most expensive avenue of the world with the billions of bottles in the cellars) which is always impressive, spent the afternoon visiting the cellars and tasting Moncuit champagne with Nicole and Yves. Before driving to Reims, we did a quick stop in Hautvillers, to see the abbaye of Dom Perignon (monk who created the champagne) and the beautiful view on the valley from the picnic area. If you open a bottle of champagne there that’s a bonus!

Just time to check in at the hotel in Reims and we headed to Le Petit Comptoir for having a very nice dinner with Jean-Claude who was a bit sick but still very enthusiastic.

The last morning, we drove to Paillard, visited the cellars, tasted the champagnes and had lunch back in Reims at the Boulingrin. Time to go back to London then! Everybody (except the driver obviously) was sleeping in the car.

The chardonnay vineyards have been touched by the frost (Moncuit and Gratiot Pillière). Not the Pinot Meunier because it was late so not out yet. Paillard has been very lucky.

My impressions: if you want to impress your customers, take them to Paillard (special room to receive and taste, big cellars, long history and tradition showcased). If you want to have a more bespoke experience, go to Gratiot-Pillière, where we have been received at their house and had a special champagne & food dinner with a caterer just for us. If you want a very French authentic experience, go to Moncuit (they do not really speak English) but their champagnes are lovely, low dosage.

We did not visit Joseph Perrier (only champagne house in Châlons-en-Champagne) but we had dinner with Jean-Claude Fourmon, the CEO.

Mariette Abovici, London On-Trade Sales

Bancroft Wines announces partnership with Grande Marque Champagne house Joseph Perrier

We're delighted to announce that from this month we will be working with esteemed Grand Marque Champagne house Joseph Perrier.

Jean-Claude Fourmon, owner and winemaker at Bancroft Wines HQ

Joseph Perrier is a small, family owned Champagne House based in Chalons-en-Champagne.  It has been owned and run by the same family since 1888. Current CEO, Jean-Claude Fourmon represents the 4th Generation. Champagne Joseph Perrier owns 22 hectares of vineyards, located in the heart of Champagne on the right bank of the river Marne, around Cumieres and Hautvillers, mostly planted with Pinot Noir and also including 2 hectares of Chardonnay.

Joseph Perrier has a reputation for producing wines with a fruity style, fine mousse and long refreshing finish. We will be representing the whole Joseph Perrier portfolio, initially focusing on six of the styles. All are available in stock with immediate effect, including:

·         Cuvée Royale Brut NV

·         Cuvée Royale Brut Rosé NV

·         Cuvée Royale Blanc de Blancs NV

·         Cuvée Royale Blanc de Noirs Vintage Brut Nature 2009

·         Cuvée Royale Brut Vintage 2008

·         Cuvée Josephine 2008

The Cuvée Royale range is a recognition of the history of cuvees once supplied to HRH Queen Victoria and King Edward VII.

This is an exciting new addition for us this year! Get in touch to request a sample or speak to your account manager directly. Cheers!

Find out more on the Joseph Perrier website and on our own website here.

Champagne Press for Moncuit and Paillard - in Imbibe and on Galloni

We're bubbling over with joy with some recent Champagne press for Pierre Paillard and Pierre Moncuit this month.

Giles Fallowfield recommends Champagne Pierre Paillard Millesime grand Cru Bouzy Brut 2004 as one of his top seven picks of the year in Imbibe's Champagne Special supplement.

Champagne #1: Pierre Paillard

Last week we shipped Bancroft's Jason and Sophie off to Champagne with a band of merry customers and Giles Fallowfield, top UK drinks journalist, otherwise dubbed The Champagne Guru.

After a short hop over to La France on the Eurostar we arrived chez Paillard in the sleepy town of Bouzy, welcomed in by Antoine, 8th generation of this Champagne producing grower, successfully leading the family into the next phase of business. After recently joining twitter, Antoine dubs himself as 'Vigneron 3.0' - overseeing harvest, production, sales and marketing, you can find him here: @Pierre_Paillard

Bancroft Bar at London Bridge Open Kitchen

Last night the Bancroft team caused a vinous storm at Team London Bridge's second annual Open Kitchen - an event set up to showcase the best of all things food and drink at the White Cube Gallery from our beloved Bermondsey Street - an area once known as 'London's Larder'.

Bancroft's James W, Sophie, intern Rachael and Rob Allen setting up shop

The wines we had on show

Alongside the Bancroft Bar, the venue played host to restaurants including Hutong, Aqua Shard, Constancia, Village East, The Garrison, Antico and Pizarro.

Decanter Panel Tasting: Vintage Champagne - Pierre Paillard, Bouzy Grand Cru 2004

This month our Pierre Paillard Bouzy Grand Cru 2004 is mentioned as 'recommended' in the Decanter Vintage Champagne Panel Tasting - January 2014 Edition, p.70...

The panel of tasters - Michael Edwards, Nancy Gilchrist MW and Ronan Sayburn MS, give the Paillard Bouzy Grand Cru '04 the following tasting notes:

"Very fruit forward with notes of lemon curd and zest. The palate has melon flavours and is clean and youthful."

Points awarded: 16 (86)

Drink: 2016-2020

The 2013 Harvest at Champagne Medot

Another curious year for Champagne. After a cold, damp winter and a gloomy spring, very chilly and particularly wet, the vines began to grow two weeks later than average over the last decade, remaining two weeks behind throughout their development. 

Pierre Paillard Brut NV Grand Cru listed in the Top 100 Wine Spectator wines of the year!

Pierre Paillard's Brut Grand Cru NV has been selected as one of the top 100 most exciting wines of 2013.

Victoria Moore reviews Rene Geoffroy's Expression Brut NV Champagne

Champagne Rene Geoffroy's Brut Expression NV has been recommended by wine critic Victoria Moore.

Champagne Louis Roederer Brut NV voted best NV Champagne by Decanter

Louis Roederer's Brut Premier has been awarded a Gold Medal and the non-vintage Champagne Trophy at the Decanter World Wine Awards.

Christmas Tasting 2012

We had a great night last night at our Christmas Tasting. We were joined by over 100 clients and all 70 wines were showing extremely well. We were also really pleased to welcome Francois Villard (Condrieu), Mark Bingley (Louis Roederer) and Shane Fazackerley (Bodegas Altanza, Rioja). A huge success!

Holland Cooper Launch, by Alex Robertson

Bancroft Wines were proud sponsors of the Holland Cooper Gold Label Launch last week.

Champagne Ruinart Masterclass with winemaker Amélie Chatin, by Alex Robertson

Champagne’s oldest Champagne House, Ruinart, hosted a fantastic evening for 16 very lucky Bancroft guests on Wednesday evening last week. The winemaker Amélie Chatin guided us through five cuvees in an extremely fun and educational masterclass.

My Christmas wine choice, by Martin Wheatley

One of my favourite combinations at Christmas time is smoked fish and Champagne.  Every Christmas Eve it is becoming customary in my house to enjoy a simple meal, with a centrepiece of Gleneagles Paté. A combination of Smoked Salmon, Smoked Trout and Smoked Mackerel needs nothing more than savoury biscuits and good bread to really set the Christmas scene. Nothing showy, but very much in keeping with tradition for this day and certainly served with one eye firmly focused on the excesses of the gluttonous day to come! 

Keep the Cristal Popping!

There are few things in the vinous world which excite as much as a chilled glass of Champagne and when the chilled champagne in question harks from the house of Louis Roederer, one’s smile is noticeably broader. Last night we were treated to an evening in the presence of Mark Bingley MW of Maison Marques et Domaines Ltd, the UK agent for this prestigious house, together with five cuvees of Roederer Champagne to enjoy. Sometimes working in the wine trade can be a real slog.....  Honest!

Madame Bollinger

I have always loved Lily Bollinger's quote on drinking Champagne (or "not drinking") and last month marked the 50 year anniversary of when she was first quoted :

"I drink it when I’m happy and when I’m sad. Sometimes I drink it when I’m alone. When I have company I consider it obligatory. I trifle with it if I’m not hungry and drink it when I am. Otherwise, I never touch it—unless I’m thirsty."

40th Wedding Anniversary

On Sunday my husband’s parents celebrated their 40^th Wedding Anniversary. A giant marquee, hog roast, 100 friends and family and good wine are all you need for a good party. Even the rain didn’t dampen the spirits.

Ian and Katie have always been very generous to Will and I on the wine front but this weekend was extra special and on the Saturday night the cellar was raided.