How David popped Goliath in the world of champagne

It’s been a static year for the fine wine secondary market, says the CEO of LiveTrade, Matthew O’Connell. But one little ray of light has been the performance of boutique, or “grower”, champagnes. “Ulysse Collin, Cédric Bouchard, Selosse and Egly-Ouriet are all up 10-20 per cent. This is in contrast to grandes marques such as Krug and Dom Pérignon, which have all been down eight-nine per cent, roughly in line with the broader market,” he says. 

Ulysse Collin, Selosse and their ilk represent the pinnacle of the “grower” movement – one characterised by small domaines that grow all (or almost all) of their own grapes and release champagnes under their own label. “These smaller producers are definitely bucking the trend.”

Champagne’s share of the secondary market has steadily increased over the past 10 years. Today, it stands at more than 13 per cent, making it the third most-traded wine category after bordeaux and burgundy, according to Liv-ex. It’s a realm still dominated by the big names: Taittinger Comtes de Champagne, Pol Roger Winston Churchill, Cristal, Krug, Bollinger La Grande Année and Dom Pérignon are among the most-traded cuvées. But small, grower-style houses are increasingly punching above their weight.

“In the past two or three years we’ve seen a real premium on genuinely exclusive products – ones that are high-quality, terroir-focused, limited production and genuinely hard to get hold of,” says O’Connell. “And that’s what you get with these growers. You could conceptualise them as burgundy with bubbles.”

You could conceptualise them as burgundy with bubbles

Scarcity is key – some of these releases are limited to thousands, or even hundreds, of bottles (a prestige cuvée from a grande marque, on the other hand, can run into the hundreds of thousands or even millions). And this has seen prices spiral – some Jacques Sélosse vintages now tip £2,000 a bottle in retail. 

The diversity of styles offered by grower champagnes is also part of their appeal, says Peter Crawford, founder of grower specialist Sip Champagnes. “They’re innovating in so many ways – reviving field blends [cuvées made from different varieties grown in the same vineyard] and championing neglected grape varieties including Pinot Gris and Arbanne; ageing in Jura wine casks and amphorae and bottling with zero dosage [no added sugar] to create flavour profiles that really push the boundaries.”

“People are increasingly confident with wine and champagne – they’re becoming more adventurous and less brand-orientated,” says Dawn Davies, master of wine and buyer for Decanter magazine’s Champagne Retailer of the Year, The Whisky Exchange. “I’m not so sure it’s cool to turn up to dinner with a bottle everyone’s already heard of any more.”

Fans of the new “quiet luxury” prefer micro-producer Jérôme Prevost, she says, or Vouette et Sorbée, a biodynamic winemaker in the increasingly fashionable Aube (some of its growers will be pouring their wines at The Whisky Exchange’s Champagne Show in London on 24 November).

New York, always thirsty for the next big thing, has been an early adopter of niche cuvées. At the city’s annual champagne gala, La Fête du Champagne, grower champagnes go head-to-head with Krug, Bollinger and Ruinart. Founder-sommelier Daniel Johnnes says there’s been such an influx of new names it can be “hard to keep up with this extremely dynamic sector”. But he singles out Bérêche et Fils, Chartogne-Taillet, Pierre Peters, Vilmart & Cie, Famille Moussé and brother-and-sister team Benoît and Mélanie Tarlant as particularly worthy of praise.

“They are small and family-owned, with traditions passed down over the years and a new, young generation committed to improvements of their family wine, the region overall – and the planet.”

Before we get too misty-eyed about the little guys, it’s important to note that not all producers who are “grower” in spirit, are tiny. Louis Roederer, for example, owns all the (organic and biodynamic) vineyards that go into its vintage and Cristal cuvées, and has an enquiring approach that’s arguably more grower in spirit than many smaller houses.

And more big houses are now releasing cuvées with a more grower-ish positioning. O’Connell highlights Bollinger PN, which riffs on Pinot Noir from a different vintage and village each year, as a good example of this. “It’s smaller production, really terroir-focused that’s proved really popular with our clients,” he says. “There’s also been a move to greater transparency about what’s in the bottle – something growers have historically been good at – with things like the introduction of the Krug iD [a six-digit code that unlocks information about each Grande Cuvée Édition] and Laurent-Perrier’s “iteration” approach with its prestige cuvée Grand Siècle, which is now doing much more to highlight the components in each edition.”

The growers bring something to the table, and that is personality. As someone who’s tasted from the barrel with a Sélosse, picnicked on a hillside with Jérome Prevost and cracked jokes with Mélanie Tarlant, I can attest to this. And that is something you can’t buy – even with the biggest marketing budget. 

@alicelascelles

Four David champagnes to stock up on… 

Ulysse Collin Les Pierrières Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut
A sleek and tangy blanc de blancs from the single-vineyard specialist – feather-light lemon mousse followed by a finish so crisp and mineral it’s almost rocky. £380, bordeauxindex.com

Bérêche & Fils Brut Reserve
Intense, yet elegant with a profusion of yellow and white fruits and delicate floral notes – skilled blending adds layers of brioche-y, slightly nutty complexity. £58.75, thewhiskyexchange.com

Tarlant Zero Brut Nature
Grape growers for 12 generations, the Tarlants have done everything from planting unusual grape types to ageing in Georgian qvevri. This scintillating organic, zero-dosage is its signature. £55, amathusdrinks.com

Jacques Sélosse Substance
As the name might suggest, this is a big, muscular single-vineyard champagne that splices vibrant tropical acidity with a rich, oak-barrel savouriness. One for food. £692, bordeauxindex.com

…and four indomitable Goliaths   

Louis Roederer Cristal 2015
Made from 100 per cent biodynamic, estate-grown grapes, this has a delicious wet chalkiness, and notes of almond, pollen and citrus. The finish is marked by a fine salinity and delicate sparky bubbles. £260, thefinestbubble.com

Bollinger PN AYC 18
A backbone of Aÿ Pinot Noir from the super 2018 vintage gives this wonderful power and generosity – mouthwatering notes of candied fruits and blood orange are edged with a fine bitterness. £87, bbr.com

Laurent-Perrier Grand Siècle Iteration No 26
This wine is based on three highly regarded vintages: 2012, 2008 and 2007. Aged for 10 years on the lees, it has great elegance and balance, marrying pretty citrus and honeysuckle notes with a subtle nuttiness. £210, thefinestbubble.com

Krug Grande Cuvée 171st Edition
The latest edition – which is a blend of 131 wines from 12 years – sees Krug in a sensual mood – luxuriously creamy, with notes of lemon shortbread, marzipan and a hint of flint-lock smokiness. £225, clos19.com