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Champagne Masters reflect value in vintage

The results from the Champagne Masters 2012 have been released, proving once more the quality available in the vintage category, as well as the impressive level of complexity on offer among brut NVs.

Like last year, the Champagne Masters was conducted in the smart surroundings of London’s Fitzroy Square, courtesy of the Institute of Masters of Wine.

As in previous competitions, Champagnes entered for the tasting are divided into categories according to price and style before being judged accordingly. So, more top awards among a lower-priced category may be seen because the Champagnes entered were considered extremely good for the price.

It should also be stressed that the highest accolade awarded is “Master”, which is given to a wine considered better than “Gold”, and therefore exceptional.

Analysing the results from 2012’s tasting, it is perhaps a surprise to see such a hoard of awards within the non-vintage categories. It’s also encouraging – this is Champagne’s most important area in terms of volume, while brut NV is the signature style of any self-respecting Champagne house. Hence, the number of silvers and golds, as well as masters in the non-vintage category this year reflects the focus from houses on this area.

Tasting at the Institute of Masters of Wine’s UK office

Looking at brut NV below £25, the only gold was earned by the little-known house Paul Laurent, for its Cuvée du Fondateur. It should be pointed out that this, the cheapest of the categories, actually amassed more silvers than the pricey prestige cuvées judged this year.

The £25 to £35 brut NV category saw some of the best performances in the competition. Two masters were awarded, one to Jacquart’s Brut Mosaïque, and the highly regarded Henriot Brut Souverain with its Chardonnay dominant blend.

Like last year’s tasting, the Besserat de Bellefon Cuvée des Moines Brut impressed the judges, and gained a gold, along with Perrier-Jouët.

An even stronger performance came when prices for NV pushed over the £35 mark, with Charles Heidsieck, Taittinger, Lanson White Label and its Extra Age all gaining golds. Meanwhile while two masters were awarded, one for the Besserat de Bellefon Cuvée des Moines Extra Brut, and the other for Phillipponat Royal Reserve.

Turning to the vintage category, Phillipponat was again among the top performers, with its Cuvée 1522 – a Champagne from the exceptional 2002 vintage. Mumm was another gold medal winner for its 2004, along with Henriot (2003), Taittinger (2005), Piper-Heidsieck (2004) and Charles Heidsieck (2000).

Among prestige cuvées, the medal tally dropped, as the judges felt that the quality of the Champagnes failed to justify the high price points. Gold exceptions were Charles Heidsieck’s Blanc des Millénaires 1995, Jacquart’s Brut de Nominée and Pannier’s Egerie Extra Brut 2002.

In the new blanc de blancs category – Gosset stood out for its Grand Blanc de Blanc – the only fizz to earn gold in the 100% Chardonnay sector.

And like last year, rosé was the least impressive category when it came to top medals. Just two labels were awarded silvers in the sub-£35 price band, one for Sainsbury’s Brut rosé and the other for Canard-Duchêne’s Charles VII Grand Cuvée de la Rosé. In rosés over £35, a golds was awarded to Charles-Heidsieck’s Rosé Réserve and another for Besserat de Bellefon Cuvée des Moines Brut Rosé.

Overall, the competition highlighted the quality and value available in the vintage Champagne category. It also drew attention to the superior winemaking capabilities of certain Houses, such as Phillipponat, Besserat de Bellefon and Charles Heidsieck. Finally, it’s worth noting that the grower Champagnes entered didn’t perform as well one might think, considering the excitement around this category at present. However, without the opportunity to blend from a broad area, perhaps the grower Champagnes lacked the same level of complexity as some of the houses and cooperatives which source grapes from across the region. After all, much of Champagne’s quality and character comes from blending.

Continue on to the following pages to see the results of the Champagne Masters 2012, while more information on the competition can be viewed below.

The Panel

Judges were selected for their general wine tasting experience, high regard in the trade, as well as expertise in the Champagne sector. We chose a range of personalities to reflect different sectors, be it the on-trade and off-trade, mainstream retail and specialist independent, as well as fine wine. We also invited Michael Edwards to join the panel, a respected and award-winning Champagne writer and contributor to the drinks business.

The judges

• Nicola Arcedeckne-Butler MW, buying director, Private Cellar (chair)

• Patrick Schmitt, editor, the drinks business

• Anthony Foster MW, director/buyer, Bonhote Foster

• Michael Edwards, journalist/author/Champagne expert

• Christine Parkinson, group wine buyer, Hakkasan

• Marcel Orford Williams, wine/ Champagne buyer, The Wine Society

• Jamie Hutchinson, owner, The Sampler

• Emma Dawson, wine buyer, Marks & Spencer

About the competition

The Champagne Masters is a competition created and run by the drinks business and an extension of its successful Masters series for spirits. The competition is exclusively for Champagne and almost 100 entries were judged by a selection of highly experienced tasters using Riedel Chianti/Riesling glasses supplied by Sensible Wine Services. The top Champagnes were awarded Gold, Silver or Bronze medals according to their result, and those Champagnes that stood out as being outstanding received the ultimate accolade – the title of Champagne Master. The Champagnes were tasted over the course of one day at the Institute of Masters of Wine.

Continue on to the following pages to see the results of the Champagne Masters 2012

Champagne Masters 2012: Non-vintage £15 – £25

Company Product name  Award
Champagne Paul Laurent Champagne Paul Laurent NV Brut Cuvée du Fondateur Gold
Champagne Canard-Duchêne Canard-Duchêne Cuvée Léonie Silver
Champagnes Piper-Heidsieck & Charles Heidsieck Piper-Heidsieck Brut Silver
Direct Wines Laithwaite Brut Premier Cru NV Silver
Sainsbury’s Sainsbury’s Blanc de Noirs Champagne Brut Silver
Direct Wines The Sunday Times Wine Club Brut NV Bronze
Champagne Pierre Darcys Champagne Pierre Darcys NV Brut Bronze
Champagne Jean Moutardier Champagne Moutardier Carte d’Or Brut Bronze
Champagne Jean Moutardier Champagne Moutardier Pure Meunier Bronze
Champagne Philizot & Fils Champagne Philizot & Fils Brut Numéro 3 Bronze

Champagne Masters 2012: Non-vintage £25 – £35

Company  Product name  Award 
Champagne Jacquart Champagne Jacquart Brut Mosaïque Master
Champagne Henriot Champagne Henriot Brut Souverain NV Master
Lanson International UK Besserat de Bellefon Cuvée des Moines Brut Gold
Champagne Deutz Champagne Deutz Brut Classic Silver
Champagne GH Mumm GH Mumm Brut Cordon Rouge Silver
Champagne Pannier Champagne Pannier Brut Selection Silver
Lanson International UK Tsarine Cuvée Premium Brut Silver
Champagne de Castelnau Champagne de Castelnau Brut Réserve NV Silver
The Wine Society Champagne Wine Society Brut NV Silver
Louis Dubrince Champagne Louis Dubrince NV Brut Classique Bronze
Lanson International UK Lanson Black Label Brut Bronze

Champagne Masters 2012: Non-vintage £35+

Company Product name Award
Lanson International UK Besserat de Bellefon Cuvée des Moines Extra Brut Master
Champagne Perrier-Jouët Perrier-Jouët Grand Brut Gold
Champagne Philipponnat Philipponnat Royal Réserve Gold
Champagnes Piper-Heidsieck & Charles Heidsieck Charles Heidsieck Brut Réserve Gold
Champagne Taittinger Taittinger Brut Réserve NV Gold
Lanson International UK Lanson White Label Gold
Lanson International UK Lanson Extra Age Brut Gold
Champagne Fleury Père & Fils Champagne Fleury Fleur de L’Europe Commended

Champagne Masters 2012: Vintage £15 – £35

Company  Product name Award
Champagne GH Mumm GH Mumm Cordon Rouge Brut Millésimé 2004 Gold
Champagne Nicolas Feuillatte Nicolas Feuillatte Cuvée Grand Cru Pinot Noir Millésimé 2002 Silver
Champagne de Castelnau Champagne de Castelnau Vintage 2002 Silver

Champagne Masters 2012: Vintage £35+

Company Product name Award
Champagne Philipponnat Philipponnat Cuvée 1522 Master
Champagnes Piper-Heidsieck & Charles Heidsieck Piper-Heidsieck Brut Millésimé 2004 Gold
Champagnes Piper-Heidsieck & Charles Heidsieck Charles Heidsieck Millésimé 2000 Gold
Champagne Henriot Champagne Henriot Millésimé 2003 Gold
Champagne Taittinger Taittinger Brut 2005 Gold
Champagne Alfred Gratien Alfred Gratien Blanc de Blancs 2007 Silver
Champagne Deutz Champagne Deutz Rosé 2007 Silver
Champagne Deutz Champagne Deutz Brut 2006 Silver
Champagne Nicolas Feuillatte Nicolas Feuillatte Cuvée Speciale Millésimé 1996 Silver
Lanson International UK Lanson Gold Label Brut Vintage 2002 Silver
Lanson International UK Besserat de Bellefon Cuvée des Moines Vintage 2002 Silver
Champagne Alfred Gratien Alfred Gratien Brut Vintage 2000 Bronze
Champagne Fleury Père & Fils Champagne Robert Fleury Brut 2002 Bronze

Champagne Masters 2012: Prestige cuvée £25-35

Company Product name Award
Champagne Fleury Père & Fils Champagne Fleury Blanc de Noirs Commended

Champagne Masters 2012: Presitge cuvée £35+

Company  Product name  Award
Champagne Pannier Champagne Pannier Egérie Extra Brut 2002 Gold
Champagnes Piper-Heidsieck & Charles Heidsieck Charles Heidsieck Blanc des Millénaires Millésimé 1995 Gold
Champagne Jacquart  Champagne Jacquart Brut de Nominée NV Gold
Champagne Deutz Champagne Deutz Amour de Deutz 2003 Silver
Champagne Nicolas Feuillatte Nicolas Feuillatte Palmes d’Or Brut Vintage 1999 Silver
Champagnes Piper-Heidsieck & Charles Heidsieck  Piper-Heidsieck Rare Millésimé 2002 Silver
Champagne Deutz Champagne Cuvée William Deutz 1999 Bronze
Champagne J. Dumangin Fils Champagne J Dumangin Cuvée Hippolyte Bronze
Champagne Henriot Champagne Henriot Cuvée des Enchanteleurs 1998 Bronze
Champagne Taittinger  Taittinger Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs Brut 2000 Bronze

Champagne Masters 2012: Rosé £15 – £25

Company  Product name  Award
Sainsbury’s Sainsbury’s Brut Rosé Champagne Silver
Champagne Jean Moutardier Champagne Moutardier Cuvée Rosé Commended

Champagne Masters 2012: Rosé £25 – £35

Company Product name Award
Champagne Canard-Duchêne Charles VII Grande Cuvée de la Rose Silver
Champagne Fleury Père & Fils Champagne Fleury Rosé de Saignée Bronze
Champagne GH Mumm GH Mumm Brut Rosé Bronze
Champagnes Piper-Heidsieck & Charles Heidsieck Piper-Heidsieck Rosé Sauvage Bronze
Champagne Jacquart Champagne Jacquart Rosé Mosaique Bronze
Champagne Jeeper Champagne Jeeper NV Brut Rosé Bronze
Direct Wines Laithwaite Rosé NV Commended

Champagne Masters 2012: Rosé £35+

Company Product name  Award
Champagnes Piper-Heidsieck & Charles Heidsieck Charles Heidsieck Rosé Réserve Gold
Lanson International UK Besserat de Bellefon Cuvée des Moines Brut Rosé Gold
Champagne Perrier-Jouët Perrier-Jouët Blason Rosé Silver
Champagne Philipponnat Philipponnat Cuvée 1522 Rosé Silver
Lanson International UK Lanson Extra Age Brut Rosé Silver
Lanson International UK Tsarine Rosé Brut NV Silver
Lanson International UK Lanson Rosé Label Brut NV Bronze
Champagne Henriot Champagne Henriot Brut Rosé NV Commended
Champagne Taittinger Taittinger Brut Prestige Rosé NV Commended

Champagne Masters 2012: Blanc de blancs £15 – £25

Company  Product name  Award 
Sainsbury’s Sainsbury’s Blanc de Blancs Champagne Brut Silver

Champagne Masters 2012: Blanc de blancs £35+

Company Product name  Award
Champagne Gosset Grand Blanc de Blancs Gold
Champagne GH Mumm GH Mumm Blanc de Blancs Mumm de Cramant Silver
Champagne Jacquart Champagne Jacquart Blanc de Blancs 2005 Silver
Champagne Henriot Champagne Henriot Blanc de Blancs NV Silver
Lanson International UK Lanson Extra Age Brut Blanc de Blancs Silver
Lanson International UK Besserat de Bellefon Cuvée des Moines Brut Blanc de Blancs Silver
Champagne Pannier Champagne Pannier Brut Blanc de Blancs 2005 Commended
Champagne Philipponnat Philipponnat Grand Blanc 2005 Commended
Champagne Ayala Champagne Ayala Blanc de Blancs 2005 Commended

Champagne Masters 2012: Demi-sec £35+

Company Product name  Award 
Champagne Henriot  Champagne Henriot Demi Sec NV Bronze

Champagne Masters 2012: Design & packaging

Company Product name Award
Champagne J Dumangin Fils Champagne J Dumangin Fils – Trio Des Ancêtres Gold

One response to “Champagne Masters reflect value in vintage”

  1. As Kingsley Amis said, “Champagne is only half a drink. The rest is a name on a label, an inflated price tag, a bit of tradition and a good deal of showing off.” (Quoted in our ebook,Wining & Dining – The Sediment guide to wine and the dinner-party)

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