Champagne: NV
2019 GOLD: 7 SILVER: 12 BRONZE: 7 COMMENDED: 23
2018 GOLD: 4 SILVER: 11 BRONZE: 9 COMMENDED: 12
Twelve months ago we were starting to pen obituaries for non-vintage champagne after two underwhelming years on the trot in the Sommelier Wine Awards. Did the Champenois still see the UK on-trade as important, we wondered? Was the quality still there?
Well, we doom-mongers were too hasty. This year Champagne came roaring back, with a fine performance across the board, but particularly in non-vintage. We found a string of high quality NVs throughout, allowing us to put together a beautifully laddered Gold List, backed up by a vast number of high quality Silvers sub-£25. There were a lot of really good wines here (not least Castelnau, which was our best-priced Gold for the second year running). On this evidence the core of the region’s offering is in great shape.
FROM THE TASTING TEAMS
‘They all showed really well. There’s a lot of opportunity within non-vintage champagne. There’s a clear difference between vintage and non-vintage champagnes – the level of brioche, depth and elegance.’ Jim Bass, Scarlet Hotel
‘A good spread cost-wise with a good variety of styles. What really came out was the skill of the blending.’ Martin Lam, team leader
‘NV has lost out to prosecco in the North-East. With us, the main seller is prosecco, then vintage champagne – then NV.’ Daniel Jonberger, Rockliffe Hall
‘It’s worth having ultra-dry on a list as a distinct category, as a point of difference, and it’s useful to be able to identify the dosage levels so that people can pair them with the right food.’ Antoin UaRuairc, UK Midland Sommelier
‘Some were doing funkier stuff – a bit oxidative, bruised apple, not totally clean, but it brings flavour, it brings texture and could be interesting with food.’ Laurent Richet, team leader
‘We saw two main styles: the crisper, and then the bolder style. The crisper style is the one people think they like – but actually they’d go for the bolder, more fruit and a tiny bit more RS.’ Tobias Gorn, Boisdale Restaurant