Nine outstanding Champagnes over £50

8 Champagne Duval-Leroy, Femme de Champagne, Grand Cru 1996

If you thought that fizz from the famous 1996 vintage was now only available through the secondary market, then you will be amazed to see that this peak expression from Champagne Duval-Leroy hails from this historic harvest, making the Femme de Champagne’s current release over 20 years old.

As a result, this prestige cuvée provides a rare chance to pick up a taste of the 1996 vintage without resorting to the aftermarket, or paying a huge sum for a late-release fizz direct from a Champagne house. (While I love Dom Pérignon’s Oenotheque 1996, it retails for more than £360).

The decision to age this top blend from Duval-Leroy for such an extended period is connected to the unusually high acidity in the wines from the 1996 vintage, which ensures this wine has plenty of freshness.

However, having been disgorged almost 10 years ago, it also shows some appealing flavours from maturation, such as dried apricot and honey, giving this delicious Champagne a generosity not always seen in the fruits of this harvest.

Approximate retail price: £270

Leave your reply

Most Recent Stories

French Michelin Guide sees influx of new stars

Yesterday's launch of the 2024 Michelin Guide for France saw 62 restaurants gain stars, bringing the country's total number of starred establishments up to 639.

What to drink at Morchella

Coming from the team behind Perilla, newly-opened Exmouth Market wine bar promises a European-focused list.

Wine List Confidential: Stem and Stem

Douglas Blyde stops and smells the roses at restaurant and florist Stem and Stem in the City of London. Fittingly, he finds dishes "accented in chlorophyll hues", and a "bouquet menu" that "borrows the language of a wine list".

Sommelier training reshapes the brain, study reveals

It's official: sommeliers are smarter. A new study investigating brain response to tasting wine found that sommelier training doesn't just refine the palate, but reshapes the brain itself.

Fine wine collection gathering dust in abandoned Somerset hotel

Valuable bottles of fine wine have been left languishing in an abandoned hotel, shrouded in dust, since the venue ceased operating during the Covid pandemic.

Most Recent Stories

French Michelin Guide sees influx of new stars

Yesterday's launch of the 2024 Michelin Guide for France saw 62 restaurants gain stars, bringing the country's total number of starred establishments up to 639.

What to drink at Morchella

Coming from the team behind Perilla, newly-opened Exmouth Market wine bar promises a European-focused list.

Wine List Confidential: Stem and Stem

Douglas Blyde stops and smells the roses at restaurant and florist Stem and Stem in the City of London. Fittingly, he finds dishes "accented in chlorophyll hues", and a "bouquet menu" that "borrows the language of a wine list".

Sommelier training reshapes the brain, study reveals

It's official: sommeliers are smarter. A new study investigating brain response to tasting wine found that sommelier training doesn't just refine the palate, but reshapes the brain itself.

Fine wine collection gathering dust in abandoned Somerset hotel

Valuable bottles of fine wine have been left languishing in an abandoned hotel, shrouded in dust, since the venue ceased operating during the Covid pandemic.