Wine House Style

Why spaff £35 on a ho-hum big Grande Marque Champagne when there is so much good stuff available from the smaller growers,or – within even easier reach – one of the supermarket own labels? The answer: there is no need…at all. Falling for the sucker punch of the nefarious whizz of Champagne branding is something we have all done, but once you dig beneath the surface, drinking Champagne suddenly becomes tantalisingly affordable. Heck, it becomes a possibility to drink it every week. Champagne house Duval-Leroy (still family owned) make Sainsbury’s range of own label offerings, created by winemaker Sandrine Logette-Jardin, with the supermarket having been the first in the UK to introduce its own Champagne. 100% Chardonnay, this lithe and lemony little number is one I’ve bought many times, has won many awards, and is yours for the princely sum of….£16. Goosed down with merry abandon on New Year’s Day with smoked salmon blinis. ​

Available: www.sainsburys.co.uk
Producer: www.duval-leroy.com