Lanchester Wines has partnered with Champagne Moutard to bring its range of premium Champagnes to the UK trade.
CLH spoke with James Dainty from Lanchester Wines:
“Recent figures from Le Comité Interprofessionnel du vin de Champagne (CIVC) shows UK Champagne sales as steady with 28million bottles of Champagne exported to UK in 2022.
Non Vintage Brut Champagne the big success of 2022, accounting for 78% of all UK sales and, importantly, British 18-34 years old buying more Champagne than a year ago. This is great news for the sector as we expect they will continue drinking Champagne as they mature with their wine choices increasing in value inline with their income.
Sales to supermarkets are on the decline but remain the go-to outlet for the big brands or value Champagne. However, we’re increasingly seeing consumers trading up to more expensive Champagnes which are most often sourced from the high quality on trade venues or independent off trade outlets who are able to offer advice and information. This trend isn’t specific to the UK.
The Champagne region had two weeks of rains at the end of July/early August which can bring disease (Mildiou/Mildew), but sun and warmer temperature are expected which will help the healthy growing of the grapes. We do not yet know how harvest will go, but there is already quite a lot of grapes this year. Vintage wines are ‘a photograph of the year’, a snapshot of unique climate conditions creating exclusive expressions. The blending of these vintages to create something utterly new and bespoke is a skilled craft and what makes Champagne brilliantly unique.
“Lanchester Wines has partnered with Champagne Moutard which, alongside is excellent Grande Cuvée Brut NV, creates the only Champagne made with old vine Arbane – only two hectares of this extremely rare grape can be found in the whole of Champagne! This grape is also blended into its Cuvée Six Cépages Brut Nature Vintage 2011 which is created using six of the permissible Champagne grapes (Arbane, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier, Petite Meslier and Pinot Blanc – the seventh grape being Fromenteau) which is barrel fermented followed by 10 years on the lees. This is real craftsmanship and love for the wine, which the customer understands and translates to quality – this stands out for consumers who are seeking an exciting, unique Champagne.”