A tasting of 48 top artisan Champagnes from Berry Bros & Rudd
This tasting brought together a brilliant selection of artisan Champagnes, all of which are being offered by UK wine merchant Berry Bros & Rudd. These are a mix of grower Champagnes and also smaller houses that look like growers (often growers have had to supplement their own vineyard sources with bought-in grapes, but still behave like growers). Many of these were new to me.
The offer goes live on 6 October.
Champagne Clandestin Boreal Brut Nature 2023 France
This is Pinot Noir from the Côte des Bar. Taut and herb-laced with bice depth of apple and pear fruit. Overtly fruity but very fine. Expressive with delicate structure. 93/100
Champagne Clandestin Austral Brut Nature 2025 France
This is Pinot Noir from Buxières. Very fine with cherry and citrus fruit. Delicate and refined with a twist of grapefruit and some sour cherry on the finish. Pure and sleek. 93/100
Champagne Clandestin Trilogie KM1 2022 France
A series of three Brut Naturel Pinot Noirs from the same vineyard in Côte des Bar, but three different plots. Toast, minerals and some strong reduction, giving struck flint notes. Lovely savoury twist here with complex mineral, smoky, flinty detail. Remarkable. 96/100
Champagne Clandestin Trilogie KM2 2022 France
Nice mineral, smoky, flinty reductuin with fine cherries and spice. So expressive, layered and complex, but also really refined. 95/100
Champagne Clandestin Trilogie KM3 2022 France
Sour cherry, lime and pear with nice lemony detail. Refined with cherry and herb notes and such elegance. 95/100
Champagne Crété Chamberlin T.D.N -3.111 Grand Cru 2014 France
From Oger, stainless steel, no malolactic. 10.5 yeas on lees. Dosage 1 g/l. Lovely citrus, pear and white peach. Nice layered complexity with lime, sour cherry and a hint of baby sick. Lovely. 94/100
Champagne Crété Les Mazaux Permier Cru Vertis 2020 Chamberlin France
Dosage 1 g/l. This shows a creamy edge to the lively citrus fruit. Sour cherry and nice lemony detail with very subtle toastiness. Real finesse here. 93/100
Champagne Crété Chamberlin CDB Premier Cru 2019 France
Chardonnay from Cuis and Villenueve-Renneville, dosage 1 g/l. Taut with nice acid line. Linear with lemony detail and a hint of pithiness. Slight sour twist on the finish. Elegant and refined. 94/100
Champagne Fleury Blanc de Noirs NV France
From the Côte des Bar, this is Pinot Noir, dosage 3.4 g/l. Base year is 2021. Fresh, linea r and bright with herb-tinged, juicy fruit. Fresh and focused and very expressive. 92/100
Champagne Fleury Boléro 2006 France
Pinot Noir from the Côte des Bar, dosage 2.6 g/l. 50% in oak. This has a distinctive apple and fibreglass nose, as well as some notes of old casks. Powerful palate with vanilla, old wood and honey, with some sherry cask character. Distinctive and savoury. 91/100
Champagne Fleury Sonate Brut Nature 2014 France
85% Pinot Noir, 15% Chardonnay. Savoury, mineral, spicy and woody with nice weight. Quite savoury in style. 91/100
Champagne Franck Bonville Pur Avize Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs 2019 France
Chardonnay, dosage 3.3 g/l. Herbs, toast and lime on the nose. Ripe, generous toasty palate with bold fruit. Rounded and expressive. 92/100
Champagne Franck Bonville Pur Oger Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs 2019 France
Chardonnay, 3.3 g/l dosage. Citrus, pear and apple fruit with nice depth. Refined with some toasty notes. 93/100
Champagne Franck Bonville Pur Mesnil Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs 2019 France
Chardonnay, 2.5 g/l dosage. Nice weight here. Ripe, sleek pear, cherry and citrus fruit with good depth of fruit. 93/100
Champagne Franck Bonville Avize Grand Cru Extra Brut ‘Franck Bonville’ Millésime 2019 France
Chardonnay, dosage 3.3 g/l. Nice definition here with herbs, toast and citrus as well as ripe pear fruit. Good acidity with great balance. 93/100
Champagne Frederic Savart L’Ouverture Blanc de Noirs 1er Cru NV France
Pinot Noir, dosage 3.5 g/l. Nice weight here. Layered citrus and green apple fruit with some pear richness and a hint of toast. Lively citrus fruit dominates with a touch of cherry and slight saltiness on the finish. 93/100
Champagne Frederic Savart Bulle de Rosé 1er Cru Brut NV France
65% Pinot Noir, 30% Chardonnay, 5% Rouge d’Écueil. Dosage 4 g/l. Pale pink. Lovely bright cherry and toast with fine spicy hints. This is juicy, but there’s a mineral twist. 94/100
Champagne Lafalisse-Froissart Cuvée 045 Verzenay Grand Cru Extra Brut NV France
Base is 2023. 100% Pinot Noir, 16% reserve wines, small oak, dosage 4 g/l. Bright and linear with lovely refinement to the pure lemony fruit. Expressive and bright and quite mineral. 94/100
Champagne Lafalisse-Froissart Cuvée 276 Blanc de Boirs Verzenay Grand Cru Brut Nature NV France
100% Pinot Noir (base 2023, 10% reserve wines), small oak. Taut with complex aromatics. Precise, pure, lemony and focused with real precision. Very fine with stony minerality. 95/100
Champagne Lafalisse-Froissart Cuvée 791 Dizy Permier Cru Extra Brut NV France
From a plot called Les Terres Rouges, 100% Chardonnay (base 2023, 10% reserve wines), amphora and demi muids, dosage 3 g/l. Nice focus here with some depth to the crystalline citrus fruit. Such precision, and lovely intensity. 94/100
Champagne Madeleine Brochet 2020 France
From Taissy, 50% Pinot Noir, 50% Chardonnay, base wines in barrique with MLF, dosage 3 g/l. Rich and herby with toast and spice, and appealing apple notes. Broad and textured with real depth. Richer style. 94/100
Champagne Marguet Shaman Rosé 23 Grand Cru Zero Dosage NV France
Ambonnay/Bouzy. 76% Chardonnay, 24% Pinot Noir. Pale pink in colour. Nice pear and cherry with good depth and weight, finishing bright. Stylish and well defined. 93/100
Champagne Marguet Shaman 23 Grand Cru Zero Dosage NV France
Ambonnay. 92% Pinot Noir, 8% Chardonnay. Very open and expressive with sweet pear and cherry fruit. Nice texture, but a slight warning of impending mousiness on the palate? NR
Champagne Marguet Ambonnay Grand Cru Zero Dosage 2021 France
8% Pinot Noir, 92% Chardonnay. Lovely sour cherry and lemon and pear, with good acidity and lovely concentration. Nice sour twist on the palate. 94/100
Champagne Marguet Sapience Premier Cru Zero Dosage 2018 France
48% Pinot Meunier, 52% Pinot Noir. Layered, fruity and complex with mandarin, herbs and lime, as well as fresh cherries. Such elegance and focus here. 95/100
Champagne Marguet Les Crayères Grand Cru 2021 France
66% Chardonnay, 34% Pinot Noir. Complex and intense and layered with sour cherry and lime notes. Stony and mineral with nice tension and a savoury twist on the finish. 951/00
Champagne Marguet Le Parc Grand Cru Ambonnay 2021 France
100% Chardonnay. Taut with high acidity under the lime fruit. Vivid and alert with nice focus. Intense and mouthfilling. 94/100
Champagne Mathieu Godme2-Guillaume Terre de Verzy Grand Cru NV France
Base year 2020, 56% Pinot Noir, 44% Chardonnay, 3 g/l dosage. Sour cherries and lime. Nice intensity with crystalline citrus fruit, beautiful focus and some deopth. 94/100
Champagne Mathieu Godmé-Guillaume Terre de Verzenay Grand Cru NV France
Based on 2021, 100% Pinot Noir. 2 g/l dosage. Complex and layered with nice lime and lemon, as well as a sour acid line. Bright and vivid; fresh and complex. Real focus. 94/100
Champagne Mathieu Godmé-Guillaume VVV NV France
From Villers-Marmery, base is 2023, 33% reserves (2016, 2022), dosage 3 g/l. 100% Chardonnay. Lovely weight with lemons, pears and cherries. Textural with nice depth and elegance, but also a strong acid line. 94/100
Champagne Odysse 319 Avize Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs Brut NV France
Chardonnay, base year 2023, dosage 4.2 g/l. Fresh, textural and elegant, with lovely depth and weight. Harmonious with some generosity to the fruit, but it always stays elegant. So refined. 95/100
Champagne Odysse 319 Avize Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs 2021 France
Chardonnay, dosage 4.2 g/l. Complex with subtle toast and honey as well as ripe citrus and white peach fruit. Lovely depth and refinement to this textured wine. 95/100
Champagne Odysse 319 Jour 5 Chamery NV France
Base year 2022, equal parts Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and Champagne. Dosage 4.2 g/l. Nice texture to this thrillingly balanced, nicely weighted Champagne, with pear, peach and cherry fruit as well as subtle toast. 95/100
Champagne Roger Coulon Heri Hodie NV France
Montagne de Reims, 100% Pinot Meunier, base 2022. Dosage 3 g/l. Aromatic nose of toast, herbs, cherries and mandarins. The palate shows appealing delicate cherry fruit with a touch of green apple. Lovely. 93/100
Champagne Roger Coulon Continuum NV France
Single plot Les Champs Chevalier, zero dosage. Amazing sour cherry and lime twist to the bold citrus fruit. Lovely acidity here. Expressive, mineral and taut. 94/100
Champagne Roger Coulon Blanc de Noirs 2015 France
Vrigny and Gueux. 50% Pinot Noir from Les Limons and 50% Pinot Meunier from Les Linguets, dosage 2.5 g/l. Complex, layered, rich and toasty with some herby notes. Cherry and lemon fruit with nice intensity. Powerful and weighty, finishing long. 95/100
Champagne Roger Coulon Les Hauts Partas 2019 France
Chouilly, Chardonnay. Zero dosage. Powerful and expressive with a nice savoury twist. Limey and intense, vivid and edgy. Real power. Focused and delicious. 95/100
Champagne Siret Reserve Perpetuelle NV France
From Côte des Bar and Côte des Blancs, 60% Pinot Noir, 40% Chardonnay. Dosage 3 g/l. This is complex, layered and precise with lemon and toast, as well as lovely depth. Intense, mineral and bold with some savoury complexity. 96/100
Champagne Siret Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs 2014 France
From Mesnil-sur-Oger and Oger, dosage 3 g/l. Such layered intensity here. Compact, salty and spicy with firm citrus fruit, some green apple and good acidity. Powerful and linear. 96/100
Champagne Siret Rosé de Saignée 2020 France
Pinot Noir, 3g/l dosage. Pale pink. Juicy with bright cherry and pear fruit as well a some strawberry. Lovely fruit, showing nice depth and refinement. 94/100
Champagne Siret Blanc de Noirs Côte des Bar Extra Brut 2018 France
Pinot Noir, dosage 3 g/l. Juicy, bright and powerful. Linear with nice fruitiness. Cherry and pear with good purity, and layers of flavour. So expressive. 95/100
Champagne Waris Hubert Sophos Blanc de Blancs Avize Grand Cru Extra Brut 2018 France
Dosage 3 g/l. Powerful and weighty with some toast, some woody savouriness, and good structure. Structured and intense in a gastronomic style. 94/100
Champagne Waris Hubert Blanche Blanc de Blancs Avize Grand Cru Extra Brut 2019 France
Dosage 3.3 g/l. Lively, multidimensional and precise, showing crystalline citrus fruit and some toasty depth. This has nice ripe peach fruit as well. So inviting. 94/100
Champagne Waris Hubert Albescent Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru NV France
Base wine 2022, dosage 3.8 g/l. Fruity, rich and expansive with ripe pear and peach fruit as well as some toast. Open and inviting, showing nice depth. 93/100
Champagne Waris Hubert Blanc de Blancs San Sulfites Ajoutés NV France
Base year 2023, dosage 3.4 g/l. Toast, honey and lemons. Open with some herby hints. Bright and expressive. 93/100
Champagne Aurore Casanova Puisieulx Chardonnay Les Peites Vignes NV France
Base 2022, 34% reserve wines. Dosage 3 g/l. Spicy with some woody hints as well as crystalline citrus fruit, with some herby detail. Very refined and complex, and quite gastronomic. 94/100
Champagne Aurore Casanova Puisieulx Pinot Noir Les Peites Vignes NV France
Base 2023 with 34% reserve wines. Fruity and vivid with bright citrus focus. Has cherry, pear and grapefruit with good definition and acidity. 94/100
Champagne Aurore Casanova Chardonnay Grand Cru NV France
Base 2023. Toast, vanilla, honey and lemons with some pear and a touch of rich peachy character. Very expressive. 93/100
