Assemblage 2009 released by Champagne Bruno Paillard

Paul HowardArticles, Blog, Champagne, France

Bruno Paillard Assemblage 2009

Assemblage 2009 Regular readers of these pages will know my liking for the Champagnes made by Maison Bruno Paillard.  This time it’s about vintage Champagne and the new release of Assemblage 2009. The Cuvée This Champagne is made exclusively from the first pressings of the grapes, ensuring the best quality. These came from ten of the best terroirs in the …

Dosage Zero, Champagne Paillard with Crofton Cheese

Paul HowardArticles, Blog, Champagne, France

Champagne Bruno Paillard Dosage Zero

Dosage Zero, Champagne Paillard with Crofton Cheese Dosage Zero is a specialist Champagne from Bruno Paillard. I’ve written about this Champagne House previously, so rather than repeat myself, see here for my piece on what Champagne Bruno Paillard is all about. In style, the wines from this Champagne House are usually Extra-Brut, with minimal residual sugar, designed to let the land …

The secrets of Champagne Billecart-Salmon

Paul HowardArticles, Blog, Champagne, France

© Billecart-Salmon

The Secrets of Champagne Billecart-Salmon Billecart-Salmon is in Mareuil-sur-Aÿ in the Montagne de Reims, in the heart of the Champagne region. They make excellent Champagnes down on the rue Carnot and are most famous in the UK for their Rosé. As their labels proudly state, the House dates back to 1818, created by Nicolas-François Billecart. It’s still family-owned, one of …

Cristal – is it a Diamond or just Zircon?

Paul HowardArticles, Blog, Champagne, France

Cristal - Diamond or Zircon?

Cristal – is it a Diamond or just Zircon? Cristal – in the rarified world of luxury, Cristal Champagne from Louis Roederer has no peer. No other equals its fame or reputation. Perhaps Dom Pérignon, Krug and Belle Epoque come closest. In any good Champagne vintage, Cristal will be up there with the best. It’s expensive, but there are far …

I’m forever making Bubbles

Paul HowardArticles, Blog, Champagne, Sparkling Wine

Dom Perignon

I’m forever making Bubbles. Making Bubbles is a popular Wine Alchemy event; how different ways to create sparkling wines. Each has advantages and disadvantages. Wine comes from the alcoholic fermentation of freshly picked grape juice. We regard this as straightforward chemistry nowadays. However, that understanding is relatively recent. We know now that yeast digests the sugar in the grapes, producing alcohol and …