Your digital guidebook to the world of Champagne
My palate is one for purity, elegance and vivacity. Regarding champagne, I love what is in the glass but I also love what lies beyond. Champagne is an intriguingly complex and diverse region. A world of luxury and a truly fine wine. Still, where champagne is, fun begins. But knowing more makes it even greater fun. This is the Essence of Champagne.
Essi Avellan MW
Get access to the full site by becoming a member

Join

Explore Essence of Champagne with Essi Avellan MW. Renowned champagne specialist and Master of Wine, Essi Avellan’s personal champagne site offers you a brand new source of unbiased champagne opinions. Discover Essi’s vast library of recent tasting notes, Essi’s blog, essential champagne information, latest news, as well as the results of the champagne awards to which her palate has contributed.
What the others say
“Essi has a mind like a steel trap! And she is uniquely qualified. Of all the Champagne specialists I know, Essi is the best and most consistent taster I have encountered, and I have tasted thousands of Champagnes with her, so that is no throwaway statement.”
Tom Stevenson, wine writer and champagne specialist
”One senses a new voice – convincing, precise, analytical and mercifully free of dogmatic judgment masquerading as incontrovertible truth. Put another way, Avellan wears her knowledge and authority lightly, born of quiet self-confidence in the accuracy of her own palate, which is one of the best in the effervescence world.”
Michael Edwards, wine writer and champagne specialist
Christies World Encyclopedia of Champagne and Sparkling Wine 4th Edition

Latest blog

Tasted: Dom Pérignon 2010

A warm vintage troubled by rapidly proliferating botrytis in the vineyards. With cellars filled up to the rim with fine 2008 and 2009 champagnes and the global financial crisis slowing sales, few vintage releases were declared. But the ones ones that were have brought about great surprises, the finest of them to date being Dom […]

Featured house

La Borderie

There was a hundred years’ break in pressing at this family estate, a period when they only sold grapes to the cooperatives and négociants of the region. Simon Normand and his sister Marie started own production in 2013 and first wines were sold in 2017.

News

The Bubble Instagram Live

Many of us have a little more time on our hands in these difficult times , so Essi and Nick Baker of the English Champagne merchant thefinestbubble.com wanted to bring a little cheer and education when there isn’t much reason to celebrate. Since March 27th we have gathered with a great bunch of Champagnee lovers […]