Folies de la Marquetterie, Taittinger N.V.

A Champagne that needs no introduction. Full flavoured and rounded with a wonderful mousse. Absolutely fabulous!

A Champagne that needs no introduction. Full flavoured and rounded with a wonderful mousse. Absolutely fabulous!

• To the eye: a golden colour, distinctive of black grape varieties ; very fine bubbles.
• To the nose: a beautiful aromatic complexity ; ripe fruit and spicy aromas ; hints of roasted apples, apple compote and peaches.
• To the palate: a subtle combination of structure, length and vivacity ; bubbles like velvet ; pear, brioche and spicy aromas, notes of fresh walnut.

Bollinger

Fiona and Niall Shiner had been living in Hong Kong for 18 years when they returned to Britain to take on Niall's parents' property at Amberley. Niall continued with his career, but mother-of-three Fiona decided to plant some vines at the property following a comment by her mother-in-law that the Romans could have grown vines there. The first acre was planted in 2007, with the acquisition of an old cattle farm on the (really quite steep) hill opposite and converting an old barn into a winery in 2016. A third vineyard side since been acquired taking the current area under vine (but not all producing grapes yet) to 58 acres (23ish hectares), still firmly in the ‘tiny’ bracket.

This non-vintage Reserve Cuvée has a minimum of 30 months lees ageing in bottle which is expressed by the toasted autolytic characters of this Pinot dominant blend. The wine shows great complexity both aromatically and on the palate, expressing ripe red fruit and subtle red apple with great balance, a fine mousse and an excellent lingering finish.

The Chenin, Cabernet Franc and Chardonnay are fermented separately. After blending refermentation takes place in the bottle and the wine is then aged on its lees for over a year.

Crisp and refreshing, vibrant and delicate, this sparkling wine is worth going out of your way to try. Light straw colour, minerally aromas with notes of apple and peach on the nose. Lemon, apple and pink grapefruit on the palate. The mousse is elegant and refined and there is plenty of crisp acidity. The finish is long and dry with attractive biscuity notes.