![]() House or Cooperative (NM or CM) Champagne Montaudon Brut, NV, Reims Charles de Cazanove “Traditions Père et Fils” Brut Rosé, NV, Jacquesson “Cuvée 786” Brut, NV, Dizy Grower-Producer (RM) Champagne: R. Dumont et Fils Brut, NV, Aube (Available in Magnum (1.5L) and Jeroboam (3L) sizes!) R. Dumont et Fils, Brut Nature, NV, Aube Pierre Gimonnet “Blanc de Blanc” Brut NV, Cotes des Blanc, Cuis Gaston Chiquet “Cuvée Tradition” Brut NV, Vallee de la Marne, Dizy R. Geoffroy “Cuvée Expression” Brut NV, Vallee de la Marve, Cumieres L. Aubry Fils Brut NV, Montagne de Reims, Reims Chartogne-Taillet “Cuvée St-Anne” Brut NV, Merfy A. Margaine “Cuvée Traditionelle” Brut NV, Villers-Marmery José Michel et Fils Brut, NV, Côtes d’Epernay (Available in Demi (half) size) Ruelle-Pertois Blanc de Blancs Brut, NV, Moussy, Marne Vilmart & Cie “Grand Cellier” NV, Rilly-la-Montagne R. Geoffroy "Cuvee Empreinte” 2006, Cumieres Club de Viticulteurs “Special Club” Grower Champagne: José Michel et Fils, “Special Club”, 2004, Côtes d’Epernay Pierre Gimonnet “Special Club” Brut 2005, Côte des Blancs, Cuis Pierre Gimonnet “Special Club” Brut 2006, Côte des Blancs, Cuis Goutorbe “Special Club” Brut 2004, Vallee de la Marne, Aÿ Hebrart “Special Club” Brut 2009, Mareuil-Sur-Ay Grand Houses and the Grower Movement Champagne is unusual in that it generally strives for consistency year to year. The big houses (NM) buy grapes from across the region and hold onto many vintages. They then blend across styles and vintages to try to replicate a “house style” in every bottle. While a house may stick to one general region in Champagne, they rarely express the style of the land as much as their own style. Recently however, there has been a movement to discover “grower-producer” Champagnes (RM). There are hundreds of small growers across the region. Sometimes just a half hectare family garden. Most of these grapes go into the large house NM, or sometimes into co-op (CM) wines. There are many however, who make their own Champagnes. Think of grower Champagne as like craft beer. While it’s maybe not fair to compare the bigger houses to Budweiser, these are small producers making really incredible stuff that really show the characteristics of their land (and, to be fair, just like in craft beer they are not equally skilled). This year we have a unusually good selection of Grower Champagne, it’s a perfect chance to explore the more unique qualities of this unique region.
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