{"id":35364,"date":"2023-05-25T14:18:54","date_gmt":"2023-05-25T13:18:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.leaandsandeman.co.uk\/blog\/?p=35364"},"modified":"2023-06-21T11:57:56","modified_gmt":"2023-06-21T10:57:56","slug":"celebration-of-spring-our-tastings-highlights","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.leaandsandeman.co.uk\/blog\/2023\/05\/celebration-of-spring-our-tastings-highlights\/","title":{"rendered":"Celebration of Spring: highlights of our tasting"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"celebrationLast week Lea & Sandeman took over the 6th floor of the flagship Foyles bookshop, to host our \u2018Celebration of Spring\u2019 tasting. Alongside a selection of standout spring wines, the event also presented the first opportunity to taste through our recently-bolstered range of \u2018grower\u2019 Champagnes, with 15 different Champagne growers on show and over 70 different cuv\u00e9es being poured.<\/p>\n

This focus reflected the ever-increasing importance that L&S places on this fascinating source of Champagne, a small but important part of the Champagne market that aligns perfectly with the values of a good independent merchant.<\/p>\n

As Charles Lea himself put it: \u2018Grower’ Champagnes are a tiny part of the market \u2013 maybe 4% in value. Given the barriers to success, it\u2019s not a huge surprise, but just as supermarkets don\u2019t fulfil every need for shoppers, leaving room for specialist retailers and products, so it is for Champagne. And, surprise surprise, it\u2019s among these niche producers that you find the less ordinary, the more original, the downright arresting.\u2019<\/em><\/p>\n

We were thrilled to be joined by several such producers on the day: M & G Heucq<\/a>, Franck Bonville<\/a>, Lancelot Pienne<\/a>, Barnaut<\/a> and Christophe Mignon<\/a> all poured their wines at the tasting, providing insight into their wines.<\/p>\n

\"celebration<\/p>\n

\"\"We also welcomed Domaine des Diables<\/a> (the producer behind our best-selling ros\u00e9s: MiP*<\/a>, Hydropahe<\/a> and Ros\u00e9 BonBon<\/a>). It\u2019s a genuine domaine, rather than wine n\u00e9gociant or co-op wine in a fancy package and big marketing spend. The vineyards are enviably placed at the foot of Mont Saint Victoire, near Puyloubier. Ros\u00e9 is a very technical wine to make, and Guillaume is an undoubted master; a cross between technician and magician. As usual with wines you buy from L&S, these come directly from the family that grows the grapes, much like the \u2018Grower\u2019 Champagnes selection that was on show alongside.<\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

Our staff’s highlights<\/h1>\n

To give an overview to those who couldn\u2019t join us, we gave the team the near-impossible task of picking out the wines that stood out for them on the day.<\/em><\/p>\n

\"MDavid Porter
\nM & G Heucq’s FOSSILE Brut NV<\/em><\/h3>\n

The first wine of the day really stuck with me for its incredibly joyful feel. The Fossile Brut NV (\u00a332.50 per bottle and \u00a329.95 case price<\/a>)<\/strong> is named in honour of the hundreds of fossils and ancient (45 million years old) seashells they find in their soils. Using all 3 varieties they\u2019ve crafted a strikingly charming, and perfectly poised Champagne here. A fresh crunch of orchard fruit and lovely gentle autolytic notes build to add some sophistication to what is a wine meant for pure pleasure. With dosage at 7 g\/l they are not aiming for shrill purity \u2013 just a joyful texture and lovable depth of flavour. Hard to resist.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

\"FranckDerek Robertson
\nFranck Bonville’s Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru NV<\/em><\/h3>\n

In a complicated world it is sometimes the simple things that give most pleasure, there is nothing fancy or overly-worked with the wines of Franck Bonville.\u00a0‘Fresh’, ‘bright’, ‘elegant’ and ‘pure’ were the words that sprang to mind whilst tasting this delicious\u00a0Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru NV (\u00a340.95 per bottle, \u00a337.75 case price<\/a>).\u00a0<\/strong>The label is superbly understated and the price is very keen too, a great example of the quality and value ‘grower’ Champagne can offer.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

\"HERIOphelia Hirst
\nRoger Coulon’s HERI HODIE Brut 1er Cru NV<\/em><\/h3>\n

Since I was pouring it, I had the pleasure of re-visiting Roger Coulon\u2019s Heri Hodie 1er Cru Brut (\u00a353.50 per bottle, \u00a349.95 case price<\/a>)<\/strong> throughout the day. 100% Pinot Meunier, most of which comes from a solera-system perpetual reserve, this was looking extremely elegant and refined, walking the tightrope carefully between fruit-forward generosity and rich, autolytic complexity from the reserve wine base. A star.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

\"CUV\u00c9EAlex Beaumont
\nLancelot Pienne’s 2015 Cuv\u00e9e Marie Lancelot Blanc de Blancs <\/em><\/h3>\n

Julien Lancelot jokes that this cuv\u00e9e is named after his parents\u2019 favourite child; his sister. The Cuv\u00e9e Marie Lancelot Grand Cru Cramant 2015 (\u00a369.50 per bottle and \u00a363.95 case price<\/a>)<\/strong> is a typically creamy Cramant that shows a lot of elegance from a warm vintage. Expertly seasoned with just 2.8g\/L dosage which really lets the quality of the fruit (from 50 year old vines) sing!<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

\"BlancPhil Week
\nLarmandier Bernier’s Blanc de Noirs 2015 Brut Nature 1er Cru<\/em><\/h3>\n

The first ever Blanc de Noirs from Larmandier (\u00a3134.95 per bottle, \u00a3123.50 case price<\/a>)<\/strong>, made from Pinot Noir from Vertus, that in this vintage proved exceptional and therefore had to be made rather than being blended into the Ros\u00e9. There is definite weight and concentration on the nose, cherry skin, wild strawberry, mocha and some floral back notes. In the mouth the wine is pure, layered red fruits, mocha and definite umami touches. An engaging and complex wine that evolves in the glass but made very much in the Larmandier style, completely delicious.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

\"CTA<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Last week Lea & Sandeman took over the 6th floor of the flagship Foyles bookshop, to host our \u2018Celebration of Spring\u2019 tasting. Alongside a selection of standout spring wines, the event also presented the first opportunity to taste through our recently-bolstered range of \u2018grower\u2019 Champagnes, with 15 different Champagne growers on show and over 70 […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":44,"featured_media":35372,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[788,1494,331,209,806,290,774,4],"class_list":["post-35364","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-ls-post","tag-champagne","tag-grower-champagne","tag-mip-rose","tag-mip-made-in-provence","tag-provence","tag-rose","tag-spring-tasting","tag-wine-tasting"],"contentshake_article_id":"","yoast_head":"\nCelebration of Spring: highlights of our tasting<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Last week Lea & Sandeman took over the 6th floor of the flagship Foyles bookshop, to host our \u2018Celebration of Spring\u2019 tasting. 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