Today I had my first taste of the upcoming, much anticipated 2012 vintage of Dom Pérignon. This vintage, according to chef de cave Vincent Chaperon, celebrates Dom Pérignon’s freedom of creativity. In a near-perfect year following a truly challenging growing season, Dom Pérignon ended up being equipped with an amazing choice of exciting and versatile […]

COTEAUX CHAMPENOIS: STILL LIFE Still winemaking (red, white, and rosé) is on the up in Champagne. But how good are the results? Essi Avellan MW introduces a promising, varied, if variable tasting shared with Simon Field MW and Jancis Robinson MW. Read the article from The World of Fine Wine magazine’s issue 71 here: WFW71 […]

Pommery Cuvée Louise (1979–2006): Marina’s Louisiana extravaganza Essi Avellan MW reports from an unprecedented vertical tasting of the prestige cuvée in Malmö organized by the Swedish collector, Marina Olsson. Read the artcle here: WFW71_Review Avellan: Pommery Louise  

In the Issue 71 of the World of Fine Wine magazine Essi Avellan MW welcomes the first Chardonnay and Pinot Noir releases from Champagne Louis Roederer’s promising project that raises the bar for quality in the rapidly growing Coteaux de Champagne still-wine scene. WFW71_Preview_Wine_Avellan_Roederer_Coteaux Champenois

2007 is a rather scarcely declared vintage and not one recognized for its Pinot Noir, yet Bollinger have managed to create something so fresh and delicious from it. Its secrets are in rigorous selection and in unusually high proportion of crunchy Verzenay fruit (29%). Glossy evolving lemon colour. The coolly fruity nose comes with golden […]

Champagne’s ‘Mis en Cave’ cuvée www.cluboenologique.com Club O Collection 20 January 2021 It has gained a reputation as the best value non-vintage Champagne, but Charles Heidsieck’s Brut Réserve has a complex backstory. As a special edition of the wines is released, Essi Avellan MW delves into its past and present, and reviews the latest bottlings […]

Corks have been popping all over the world this week as the Champagne & Sparkling Wine World Championships hosted its Virtual Awards Week announcing a total of 37 trophies to the greatest sparkling wine producers from around the globe. The week kicked off announcing the Best in Class winners followed by the virtual audience being […]

  Congratulations to all our Best In Class Winners of 2020! “𝘍𝘰𝘳 𝘮𝘦, 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘉𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘪𝘯 𝘊𝘭𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘴𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘦𝘹𝘤𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘞𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥 𝘊𝘩𝘢𝘮𝘱𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘛𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘩𝘪𝘦𝘴. 𝘐 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘭𝘺 𝘦𝘯𝘫𝘰𝘺𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘉𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘪𝘯 𝘊𝘭𝘢𝘴𝘴 𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘤𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘺𝘦𝘢𝘳, 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘸𝘦 𝘱𝘶𝘵 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘱𝘢𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘰𝘨𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘤𝘵 ‘𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘯𝘦’ 𝘢𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘨𝘴𝘵 […]