Description

Description

A good value Blanc de Blancs Champagne (made exclusively from Chardonnay grapes which are the most highly prized in Champagne) is rare indeed! It is fresh and elegant with notes of butter, citrus and brioche. Aged for 36 months on the lees this wine has great vinosity – no aggresive bubbles. Great with buttery fish dishes – especially lobster or a posh mac ‘n’ cheese.

Grape

In Champagne Blanc de Blancs wines are made exclusively from Chardonnay grapes usually grown in the Côte des Blancs vineyards near Epernay. These are the most prized grapes in all of Champagne so Blanc de Blancs wines are often the most expensive. They display butter, hazelnut, white flower and citrus characters with fine acidity.

Producer

A small house founded by Jean Diot in the 1960’s which is still owned and run by his  family. Uniquely the grapes come solely from vineyards that they work themselves (whilst most houses buy-in grapes from growers) of which 80% are owned by the family. Most Champagnes are aged for the legal minimum of 15 months whilst the Diot wines spend an average of 30 months on the lees.  Thanks to this the wines are well-balanced and vinous and offer excellent value versus the ‘Grandes Marques’.

Region

Champagne only comes from the Champagne region of France. It is the most famous and prestigious sparkling wine in the world and is produced from grapes grown only in the Champagne region, the most northerly wine region of France, north-east of Paris. There are three main areas, the Côte des Blancs, Vallée de la Marne and Montagne de Reims. Champagne is produced by a secondary fermentation in the bottle. Only three grape varieties are used: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier.

Food Pairing

The lightest of all Champagne styles but with high acidity and bubbles (helps to wash clean the palate) Blanc de Blancs Champagne styles work especially well with rich shellfish dishes like scallop or lobster in butter sauce, creamy cheeses like Brie and poultry in sauce.