An introduction to Champagne & Sparkling wines

Possibly the first ever designer product, the methode champenoise is accredited to the Benedictine monk Dom Pérignon who created the first Champagne circa 1740, by blending as many as 40 different wines together to create the wine we know today.

What is less well known is that the discovery of the second fermentation in the bottle, the element that gives the wine its sparkle, has been attributed to some of Dom Pérignon fellow monks in the South of France. Today many sparkling wine makers have been able to emulate the method, although few outside the Champagne area have managed to emulate the taste.

Our Champagnes are listed from lightest to richest in style. The light and ethereal Pol Roger made from equal parts of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier contrasts with Krug’s majestic barrel fermented and Pinot Noir dominated offering.

Champagne is one wine that is often seen in larger bottle sizes, usually the Magnum or the Jeroboam. The largest bottle size available is a Nebuchadnezzar, 20 times the size of a normal Champagne bottle. For many wines there are practical reasons, including the benefit of a longer maturation time, in using larger bottles, but in Champagne the reason is purely celebratory.

Champagne is not always considered as an accompaniment to food, however the Champagne we enjoy today was created especially for this purpose. In the late 18th century the French Champagne makers discovered we were enjoying their wines with food and as creative marketers began producing wines of lower dosage, the predecessor of the Brut we enjoy today.

Bruno Paillard

This is an unique story of a man in love with Champagne. Founded in 1981, Bruno started with nothing but his will – no vineyards, no money, so he sold his old Jaguar, a collector’s item, to provide his company with a starting capital of 50,000 francs (€15,000). He created Champagne Bruno Paillard a young, dynamic house that has quickly established a reputation for elegant wines with real style. Fresh, dry and vibrant, they are made with an uncompromising attitude to quality that shines through in the glass. For his services to Champagne Bruno was made a Chevalier of the Legion d'Honneur in 2006.

Our crisp, light & fresh white wine collection

*All prices are subject to change and correct at time of  publishing.