Don’t miss the delicious Origin.al Champagne from artisan grower Henri Dosnon, one of Tom Stevenson’s Top 12 Growers: 100% Pinot Noir: case of six bottles delivered

This delicious Champagne, made by a rising star artisan grower, may well become a Club favourite. It is full-bodied, ripe, elegant and dry, with particularly mild perlage—simply a wow Champagne to serve at any time, as an aperitif and with food. At less than £30 a bottle through the Club, including delivery, it’s a real El Snippo!

It comes from Champagne Dosnon, considered one of the serious up-and-comers by top Champagne expert Tom Stevenson MW (Dosnon is one of his Top 12 Grower Champagnes), Antonio Galloni MW, Decanter and the Financial Times—as well as the Club Wine Tasting Panel.

Members already enjoy the Dosnon Brut Séléction NV, and this is their pure Blanc de Noir expression. It offers notes of red fruits as well as citrus and it is slightly mineral, with a beautiful, racy acidity and a brilliant dry, long, soft finish. Aged on its lees for 60 months, this long ageing gives this top-class Pinot Noir Champagne its complexity and elegance.

La Maison Dosnon lies in Avirey-Lingy, in the heart of the unique terroir of La Côte des Bars, which is a hugely exciting region of Champagne where innovative growers are producing exceptionally fine Champagnes without the high overheads—and consequent high price tags—of the brand Champagnes. Côte des Bar has become a hotspot, particularly for Pinot Noir.

Dosnon released their first wine from the 2007 vintage and immediately attracted attention from savvy wine buyers looking for the next star of the grower movement. Davy Dosnon had trained as a winemaker in Beaune and made Burgundy for years before returning to his native Champagne to work for Moutard and Serge Mathieu. When his old friend Simon-Charles Lepage returned from a legal career to get involved in wine, it made sense to go into business together—Davy handling production and Simon-Charles dealing with the commercial aspects.

Davy had inherited two hectares of vines and they leased a further five hectares, all of which is farmed organically (incredibly rare in Champagne), with the wines made at their tiny winery in the village. Arriving at Dosnon feels like a visit to a Burgundy domaine, and not just because it’s a tiny farmhouse in a village surrounded by forests and vineyards. The well stocked barrel room is reminiscent of a Puligny-Montrachet producer, as that is the origin of all of the barrels Davy uses to ferment and mature his wines.

Their total production is around 50,000 bottles a year. This is some really masterful work from a truly exciting Champagne house and region of Champagne.

Notes Adrian van Velsen, awarding 90/100 points: ‘100% Pinot Noir from Avirey-Lingey, Kimmeridgium limestone soil, base wine from the 2013 harvest with reserve wines from 2012, processed in steel tanks, stored on the yeast for 60 months, dosage 0g (Brut Nature). Medium yellow, fine perlage. On the nose, the wine shows linseed, sunflower seeds, brioche, floral notes. Rich, ripe, well-structured, opulent on the palate, but not heavy, with lively acidity and captivating dryness and plenty of elegance in the long finish. That is fun!’

Why Origin.al? It’s a pure Blanc de Noir, made with grapes exclusively from the village of Avirey-Lingey.

This delightful Champagne is ready to be enjoyed on release. It is perfect as an aperitif, and delicious with food.

Case of six bottles. Code HD02RW04. RRP £250. CCUK Members £179. Free UK mainland delivery (supplement for Highlands and Islands).