Champagne still holds its ground
by Joe Hyam
There have been times when a few poor-quality, thin and sharply acidic wines made by irresponsible houses have let down the reputation of Champagne. But several good harvests and new regulations governing methods of production have recently meant higher quality all round.
This means that despite competition from other parts of the world and internal price pressures, Champagne still remains supreme. It is not just the widely copied method of production that makes Champagne unique, but the relatively cool climate of northern France and the many variations of terrain and micro-climate across the vineyards of the Marne, the Aube and the Montagne de Reims. No other region has got anywhere near Champagne in the art of blending different wines from a vast choice of vineyards into cuvées, each distinctive and individual, or in possessing the resources to do so.
It is not surprising, therefore, that the reputation of Champagne persists despite its price, and that there are few restaurateurs who can afford not to list at least one marque. The problem is, which one?
If you just take brut Champagnes and avoid special cuvées and vintages, you can pick from a vast spectrum of styles ranging between the toasty, austere and almost ethereal to the complex, concentrated and fruity. Unless your mark-ups are especially high, you will find yourself paying £12-£15 ex-vat for a good-quality bottle of wine. Most customers will expect to be charged at least £30 for a good marque. Many pay a lot more in expensive restaurants.
Bars and restaurants often look for a distinctive Champagne to adopt as a signature if not a house Champagne. It should be light with a good toasty flavour so that it can be drunk easily as an aperitif. It needs to have a good reputation, but if it is presented with sufficient confidence by a restaurateur, it does not have to be one of the famous names. The trick is to get regular customers to like it and to identify it with you.
Hence this week's recommendation - Bruno Paillard. This relatively new house was created by the eponymous scion of an established family of vignerons and brokers in 1975.
Paillard makes four Champagnes - a blanc de blancs (all Chardonnay), a brut described as premiäre cuvée, a rosé and a vintage - the current one is 1989. The Brut premiäre cuvée, which represents 60% of sales and bears all the hallmarks of the house, has a delicious maturity, a soft mousse and an overriding elegance. It is significant that each bottle carries the date of dégorgement - when the lees are removed and the space vacated replaced by the dosage.
Bruno Paillard is distributed in the UK by Berkmann Wine Cellars (0171-609 4716). The premiäre cuvée is listed at an ex-VAT trade price of £12.13 a bottle.
