Christmas

Our Festive Champagne Set is packed with showstoppers that are guaranteed to delight your guests over the festive season. In this mixed case, you’ll find 3 bottles of our glorious Own Selection Grand Cru Champagne, 2 bottles of the beautifully crisp and elegant Pol Roger Réserve Brut along with a bottle of the lively and exuberant Bollinger Special Cuvée Brut.

The Berry Bros. & Rudd Own Selection range offers brilliant value for money, and this carefully selected Christmas gift box is no different. Inside, you will find a selection of quality wines, including our wonderfully ripe White Burgundy, our much-loved Good Ordinary Claret, and our elegant, impressive Grand Cru Champagne by Mailly.
 
This case contains one 75cl bottles of each of the following: 
 Berry Bros. & Rudd Champagne by Mailly, Grand Cru
2022 Berry Bros. & Rudd White Burgundy by Collovray & Terrier
2022 Berry Bros. & Rudd Bourgogne Côte d'Or Pinot Noir by Benjamin Leroux
2020 Berry Bros. & Rudd Good Ordinary Claret by Dourthe, Bordeaux
2019 Berry Bros. & Rudd Pauillac by Château Lynch-Bages, Bordeaux
2020 Berry Bros. & Rudd Santa Barbara County Pinot Noir by Au Bon Climat, California, USA

For those hosting dinner parties this festive season, our selection of classic Christmas wines is a must-buy. Including a powerful Cantenac Brown, a Beaune from Domaine Benjamin Leroux and the deliciously complex Pol Roger Réserve Brut, these are delicious bottles for a Christmas dinner party.

This case contains one 75cl bottle of each of the following: 
Champagne Pol Roger, Réserve, Brut
2019    Pouilly-Fuissé, Sur La Roche, Olivier Merlin, Burgundy
2009    Château Cantenac Brown, Margaux, Bordeaux
2017    Beaune, Cent Vignes, 1er Cru, Benjamin Leroux, Burgundy              

Sourced from the prestigious Grand Cru village of Mailly, located at the heart of the Montagne de Reims, and benefiting from over three years ageing, our UKC Cuvée is a classic blend of 75% Pinot Noir and 25% Chardonnay.

All the hallmarks of Grand Cru are here, with brioche and flowers on the nose and an elegant palate which marries notes of lemon grass, gingerbread and honeysuckle. The wine effortlessly combines structure and finesse and reverberates with a really authoritative Grand Cru crescendo on the finish.

{***}
{region}Champagne{region}
{color}White{color}
{maturity}drink-now{maturity}
{maturity-text}Drink now{maturity-text}
{ratings}
[]Jancis Robinson::16/20
{ratings}
{***}

A blend of 70% Chardonnay and 15% each of Chenin Blanc and Mauzac, this is a beautiful, balanced wine, with elegant aromas of orchard fruit and honeyed spice. Aged traditionally and generously on its lees, it shows more exotic fruits on the palate with a clean, pebbly backdrop and an impressive depth of flavour.

{***}{region}Languedoc-Roussillon{region}
{color}White{color}                                                               {maturity}drink-now{maturity} {maturity-text}Drink now{maturity-text}
{vintage}NV{vintage}{***}

This is made for us by the celebrated Hambledon Vineyard. Bright, pure and refreshing, a neatly woven mousse supports notes of stone-fruit, gooseberry crumble and English meadow. The palate is foaming and firmly mineral, showcasing the quality of the Chardonnay from Hampshire’s pure chalk soils. This is the perfect partner for any celebration.

Davy Żyw, Senior Buyer, Berry Bros. & Rudd

2007 Champagne Le Mesnil, Cuvée Prestige, Blanc de Blancs, Grand Cru Champagne is a spectacular 100% Chardonnay from their fabled vineyards. Drinking at its peak with so much drama and class in a glass, this is a heroic wine with an unmissable price tag.

Matthew Jukes, Money Week (October 2023)

2007 was a vintage which favoured Chardonnay and produced many top-level cuvées. The Les Mesnil Cuvée Prestige is made exclusively from the legendary chalky Grand Cru vineyards, close to the winery in the Cote des Blancs’s most famous postcode, Le Mesnil sur Oger. The Blanc de Blancs is fermented in cement and steel at low temperatures to retain the purity of fruit and vintage personality and spent nine years on lees gaining complexity and fine, tight bubbles. 

The texture is firmly Grand Cru, with mineral edges and notes of golden apple, roasted lemon and the salty chew of caramel shortbread. The Prestige 2007 is a work of art and offers brilliant value, considering it is made from some of the region’s finest terroirs. Drink with mixed canapés, cheesy biscuits or, for the ultimate experience, turbot and a white butter sauce.

Davy Żyw, Senior Buyer, Berry Bros. & Rudd

Bottled July 2016, disgorged May 2019. Zero dosage.

This is the second release from Leclerc Briant’s new clos in Montagne de Reims; the panoramic site was chosen for the longevity it gives its wines, and for their lucid nature. The 2015 vintage was vinified in mixed oak barrels – including second fill from Haut-Brion Blanc – giving it added texture. The nose is pretty and tightly coiled, with white flowers, green apples, nectarines and wild honey. The palate is cleansing, with racy white-and-yellow fruits, sweet hay, camomile and much more; it’s got lip-puckering tension and salinity. This is finely woven, with beautifully integrated mousse and minerality.

Drink 2024 - 2035

Davy Żyw, Senior Buyer, Berry Bros. & Rudd

The Champagne Éphémère was created by blending only Chardonnay grapes from the Lieu-Dit "Les Brousses", classified as Premier Cru, of the Cote des Blancs.

The style of Pol Roger is always about opulence, sophistication and purity, and their flagship wine, Réserve Brut, is the epitome of their craft. This is a careful balance of the three noble varieties of Champagne: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir & Meunier, grown across 30 of the region’s most desired villages. Although this is a non-vintage Champagne, this Réserve Brut is made mainly from the harmonious 2020 vintage, with 25% reserve wine. The reserve wine is held in steel tank, a blend of older vintages adding weight and complexity to the palate.

Aged for four years, longer than many non-vintage Champagnes, this additional time on lees guarantees the toasted patisserie flavours but also gives the finest, foaming effervescence. White gold in the glass, with a nose of golden pear, tangerine and fresh almond croissant. The palate dances with white peach, clean lemon pith, golden crumb and crescendos with a saffron-infused, chalk stream finish. A Champagne which reminds you what Champagne should be.

Davy Żyw, Senior Buyer, Berry Bros. & Rudd (October 2024)

Hambledon Vineyard has a long and fascinating history. Not only does the village have the reputation as the cradle of cricket, long before Lord’s, it seems, but it is also the location of the first English commercial vineyard, courtesy of the Francophile Sir Guy Salisbury Jones, who developed the vineyards in the early 1950s.

After an uneventful hiatus, the vineyard was purchased by Ian Kellett in 1999, and his investments of both patience and capital are now yielding fruit, quite literally, in the form of some of the best-located Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier grapes in the country.

A beautiful vivid pink with a bright red berry hue, it displays an array of wild strawberry aromas on the nose that lead to a generous, complex palate of buttered toast, ripe lemon and juicy hedgerow fruit.

Berry Bros. & Rudd

Broad and sexy, with supple tannin, the 2001 offers beguiling notes of toast, black currant liqueur, violets, and licorice in a seductive, opulent, medium to full-bodied, accessible style. It may deserve another point or two for pure pleasure. Proprietor Eric Albada Jelgersma is doing a splendid job rebuilding this estate and producing higher and higher quality wines. The finest Du Tertre in many years was the 2000, and the 2001 is close behind it in quality. 
Robert M. Parker, Jr. - 30/06/2004

{***}
{region}Margaux{region}

{color}Red{color}                                                         

          {maturity}drink-now{maturity} {maturity-text}Ready, but will keep{maturity-text}

{vintage}2001{vintage}

{ratings}
[]Wine Advocate:: 90/100                    
[]Vinous:: 91/100           
[]Jancis Robinson :: 16/20                                                                                                   
{ratings}

{***}

Ch. Giscours is one of the largest Margaux properties and now producing wine worthy of its Troisième Cru Classé status. Giscours was in a dire state when it was acquired by Nicholas Tari in 1952. He invested heavily and the quality of the wine improved beyond recognition. In 1995 he sold the property to Dutch businessman Eric Albada Jelgersma. Giscours produces richly aromatic wines that are surprisingly powerful on the palate, displaying ripe, black fruit with hints of cedar and new oak.

Giscours typically produces one of the most masculine wines of the Margaux appellation and one which normally requires a little patience. Defined by its rich, dark fruit, complex structure and wonderful, classic perfume, this elegant 2001 is nonetheless drinking beautifully now, yet will last another five years.

Berry Bros. & Rudd

The 2007 Barolo Le Vigne presented a beguiling combination of explosive, ripe fruit and finessed silky tannins, making it a thrilling wine to taste, even at this stage in its development. Small red berries, minerals, crushed flowers, vanillin and sweet spices are woven together in a fabric of indescribable elegance. The French oak has never been better balanced, while the vibrant, crystalline finish leaves a lasting impression. The 2007 Le Vigne has all the potential to develop into a spectacular wine; it already is. This is a stunning bottle of Barolo. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2027. Luciano Sandrone’s wines have never been more elegant than they are today. The French oak is increasingly well balanced, and the at-times excessive heaviness of some prior vintages is long gone.

Simply put, Luciano Sandrone is at the top of his game. Never one to be satisfied, this year Sandrone showed me several experimental wines, including a barrel sample of 2009 Barolo Le Vigne vinified with 100% stems, an approach that is virtually unheard of in Piedmont. Although this wine will ultimately be blended into the Barolo Le Vigne, the all-stems Barolo was huge, explosive, and compelling. Sandrone fans have much to look forward to, as the 2008s and 2009s appear quite promising at this early stage. As for the 2007s, they are off the charts. Drink 2015 - 2027. Antonio Galloni, Wine Advocate (February 2011)

{***}{region}Piedmont{region}
{color}Red{color}                 

{maturity}ready-improve{maturity} {maturity-text}Ready, but will keep{maturity-text}
{vintage}2007{vintage}

{ratings}   

[] The Wine Advocate:: 96/100    

{ratings}

{***}

It's been a while since we were impressed by Ch. Cantenac Brown. To be honest, I can't remember ever doing back flips over any vintage from this majestic looking château. However we were all stunned into silence when we tasted the 2009. With a 'surprisingly Margaux' perfume and delicious, juicy concentration on the palate, this is a pure and charming wine. Supple tannins melt on the smooth, polished palate which is completed by a lovely, fresh finish. Blind, I would definitely place it firmly in its 3rd Growth status this year. Very impressive indeed.
Simon Staples, Sales & Marketing Director

Of Vietti's new releases, this wine is most definitely the most shut down and less expressive at this young stage. The 2012 Barolo Rocche di Castiglione will require many years of bottle aging before it comes into its own. In general, many of the Barolo protagonists are sluggish in this vintage and this is a common theme. The bouquet moves slowly to release dark fruit, dried cherry, tobacco, grilled herb and pressed blue flowers. The mouth is powerful and determined, however, with solid structure and a tight build. Put this bottle at the back of your cellar.

{***}{region}Piedmont{region}
{color}Red{color}                 {maturity}ready-keep{maturity} {maturity-text}Ready, but will improve{maturity-text}
{vintage}2012{vintage}

{ratings} [] Wine Advocate:: 94/100

{ratings}

{***}

Benjamin Leroux is perhaps best known as a négociant, but he now owns a significant proportion of his own vineyards. He bought fruit from this 0.5-hectare parcel until eventually buying the land in 2021. The soil is light and sandy with brown gravel, giving a perfumed and pretty wine that has a light and delicate structure. Five barrels were made in 2017. The nose is spicy with open red-berry fruit, with floral aromas that follow through onto the palate. This is a pretty, pure and transparent expression of Beaune.

Drink now to 2027

Adam Bruntlett, Senior Buyer, Berry Bros. & Rudd

This is one-third whole-bunch this year, using the older vine fruit and de-stemming the younger portions where stems are typically less ripe. The high active limestone content in this vineyard gives an energetic and mineral expression of Pinot Noir, with succulent cherry fruit in the middle and a violet perfumed lift to accompany the chalky tannins. Drink 2021-2026.

{***}{region}Beaune{region}
{color} Red{color}              {maturity}ready-improve{maturity} {maturity-text}Ready, but will improve{maturity-text}
{vintage}2017{vintage}
{ratings}
 {ratings}        {***}

Pierre Précieuses is Alexandre’s flagship cuvée. It is aged 38 months before release, 18 months in barrel and 20 months in stainless steel and undergoes no battonnage during this whole time. The nose is delicate with white flowers, lovely lemon and grapefruit notes, and juicy, fresh quince.

The finesse and freshness are striking on the palate, whilst having a great consistency and body. Plenty of citrus peel and grapefruit bitterness is balanced with honey, buttery notes, and some sweet spices, and it is truly complex. These bursts of intense flavours are perfectly balanced through a very lifted palate and impressive fruit precision. Utterly delicious.

Yoan Bernard, Fine Wine Buyer, Berry Bros. & Rudd

The 2019 Art Series Chardonnay is rich and savory but pure and saline too. There is white peach, red apples, curry leaf and brine. The way the flavor moves across the palate is testament to the phenolics that course through the wine; it’s all at a perfect intersect of fruit power, tannin and perfectly judged acidity. The flavor stains the palate and lingers in an unravelling spool of thread in the mouth long after the wine has gone. A stupendously good wine.

Drink 2022 - 2037

{***}{region}Margaret River, Australia{region}
{color}White{color}                                                                                                {maturity}ready-keep{maturity} {maturity-text}Ready, but will keep{maturity-text}
{vintage}2013{vintage}
{ratings}      
[]James Halliday:: 98/100    
[]Wine Spectatorl:: 96/100 
[]James Suckling:: 94/100 
[]The Wine Advocate:: 93/100
{ratings}        {***}

When the classification arrives in 2020, this will be the highest-altitude Premier Cru in Pouilly-Fuissé: it’s over 300 metres above sea level. There’s a little more ripeness to the nose here, but the palate retains the signature freshness of the vineyard. A star performer this year, this has wonderful salinity and minerality. Drink 2024-2030. 

{***}{region} Pouilly-Fuissé {region}
{color} White {color}                                                              

{maturity}laying-down{maturity} {maturity-text}For Laying Down{maturity-text}
{vintage}2019{vintage}

{ratings} [] Jasper Morris MW:: 90-92/100

[] Vinous:: 92/100

{ratings}

{***}

Crushed black cherries and hints of wild strawberry waft up from the 2019 Rosso di Montalcino, with smoky minerals and savory herbs evolving in the glass. Its textures are fleshy and soft, caressing the senses with ripe red fruits, as brisk acids create a juicy expression. Nothing is out of place in this high-energy, fun and fruit-forward Rosso, which finishes wonderfully fresh, framed by a hint of tart berries clinging to the palate.

Drink 2022 - 2025

Eric Guido, Vinous.com (November 2020)

This is Berthenet’s most full-bodied style, with ample fresh stone fruit, a hint of golden apple and a touch of hazelnut. The vineyard sits right at the top of the Côte Chalonnaise, giving the wine a vibrantly charged acidity and a round, plush texture. As with his other cuvées, the élevage is carefully curated. Here, the wine is aged entirely in (30% new) demi-muids before being moved to stainless steel tanks – ensuring the wine remains vivacious and reflects its terroir. The finish is resplendent with a rich spiciness and a piquancy of flint.

Drink now - 2032

Henrietta Gullifer, Account Manager, Berry Bros. & Rudd (September 2024)

A chiselled and focussed expression of Chenin Blanc. Pure lemon, white blossom, stony minerality, a chalky dry finished with a concentrated acid backbone.

{***}
{region}Sancerre{region}
{color}White{color}
{vintage}2020{vintage}
{maturity}drink-now{maturity}
{maturity-text}Ready, but will keep{maturity-text}

{ratings}{ratings}

{***}

It comes from 9 plots in seven lieux-dits so Joseph may choose Les 7 Terroirs. Pale lemon colour, a light reduction to the nose. Lime notes on the palate, very much a classically crisp St-Aubin, with modest flesh but fine persistence. - Jasper Morris

The 2021 Riesling Reserve is sourced entirely from estate owned old vines in Ribeauville and Bergheim. Green apple and lychee make way to stone fruits and oyster shell. It is bone dry with mouth-watering acidity, creating a real sense of freshness and energy. This is already drinking remarkably well now but will keep for decades. A cellar staple that offers unrivalled value.

Drink 2023 - 2043 

Alex Weller, Account Manager, Berry Bros. & Rudd

Bottled at the end of June. 13% stated alcohol. Natural cork.

The 2021 Kiedrich Turmberg Riesling Trocken is pure and coolish on the intense and concentrated nose. From phyllite slate soils, this is a full-bodied, intense and, salty-piquant, highly stimulating Riesling with lots of energy, phenolic grip and mineral tension. With a fine tannin structure, the massive and concentrated body and fruit lead to a long and intense, aromatic finish. Long but still shy and still somewhat coated.

Drink 2025 - 2040

Stephan Reinhardt, Wine Advocate (August 2022)

What struck us about this wine was the freshness and exuberance of black fruits. The wine sang of Black Forest Gateaux and had a fantastic crunchy finish. Indeed, it is a wine to enjoy immediately or approach in a couple of years. Beautiful!

Berry Bros. & Rudd

The 2022 Pofadder displays delicate red fruit of great purity and linear qualities; there are soft oriental spices and earthy aromas on the outer edges suggesting greater complexity in the future. The same fruit and deeper earthy aspects carry through to the mouthfeel and taste, which is a more serious style of Cinsaut. As with many 2022 wines, the tannins are also remarkably smooth with softer acidity.