Bubbling to the top - FT How to Spend it, by John Stimpfig
Artisanal champagnes from small owner-growers are proving to be the hidden gems in a brand-led market, says John Stimpfig in his article on Champagne in the December edition of the FT's How to Spend it magazine.
In an article highlighting the value and quality of grower champagnes, such as Champagne Chauvet, John points out that:
"More and more white-linen restaurants have been getting in on the act, including The Greenhouse, The Tate and The Fat Duck, to name but a few. Certainly sommeliers, such as Xavier Rousset, master sommelier of Texture, love them for their quality, variety and value.
Equally, merchants have also been quick off the mark to supply these champagnes to their more educated and adventurous customers. And so they should – not least because it allows them to steal a march on the supermarkets. “The growers are generally too small for the grocers. But a tiny, really talented producer such as Henri Chauvet is just right for us to hand-sell,” says Private Cellar’s Amanda Skinner."
