Billecart-Salmon 6 Bottles in Wood

I imagine that for most of us mere mortals, drinking champagne is still a special treat and not something we indulge in every day (unless your name is Lily Bollinger). For me, champagne is the epitome of all the enduring romantic ideas of wine drinking: the sense of occasion, of history and tradition, the pop of the cork, the bubbles, the aromas and the impossibility of drinking champagne without savouring every mouthful. Of all the champagnes, Billecart Salmon Rosé must surely be one of the most romantic. It’s as delicate in colour as it is in taste; the soft red fruit flavours, aromas and texture marry completely harmoniously and it’s my idea of pink perfection – light yet flavoursome, elegant and utterly delicious.

Elegance and finesse are some of the words that first spring to mind when thinking of Billecart Salmon champagnes. Founded in 1818 upon the marriage of Nicolas François Billecart and Elisabeth Salmon, this house has been making champagne for 7 generations. The wines are very classy indeed and there will be a bottle from their range to suit every taste and occasion. The Brut Reserve is a fantastic non-vintage champagne, light, lean, elegant and fresh. The vintage champagnes richer and more complex. The vintage extra brut is fairly new to the range and was designed to bridge the gap between the non-vintage Brut Réserve and the Cuvée François Billecart. The rare and powerful Grande Cuvée is made exclusively from grapes grown on grand cru vineyards and is aged for 10 years before being released. The demi-sec non vintage champagne is also delightful and if one felt like an afternoon of sheer decadence what could be better than a bottle of this and some fabulous French pâtisserie.

Billecart-Salmon Champagnes

Founded in Riems in 1776, the same year that saw the birth of the United States of America, Louis Roederer is still an independent family-owned business.

Although best known for the iconic Cristal, synonymous with indulgence and hype, courtesy of the likes of Jay Z, P Diddy and Posh and Becks, the big seller with James Nicholson Wine Merchant, Roederer’s NI supplier, is Roederer Brut Non Vintage (NV). This is a fabulous Champagne. In the words of Jancis Robinson: “I have yet to experience a bottle of Louis Roederer Brut Premier that did not taste deliciously superior and ready to drink.” Don’t just take her word for it – here’s Jane Macquitty of the Times:“ Brut Premier is a distinctive black grapes-dominated champagne with around one-third chardonnay and a noticeable proportion of oak-aged reserve wines in the blend. The end result is a rich, fruity, honeyed champagne with a fine waxy, biscuity finish”.

Louis Roederer policy is driven by a commitment to quality and the production of a consistent style that always takes precedence over quantity. Production volumes depend on expert vineyard management, a rigid set of qualitative criteria and nature’s willingness to play ball.

The Court Interior at Louis Roederer

Control of the quality of the grapes remains the key factor for Louis Roederer. Two thirds of the total always comes from the estate-owned vineyards and meticulous care is taken to conserve the character of the individual wines whose infinite distinctions will enrich the composition of the cuvée.

Yields from each individual parcel, village or cru are always vinified separately, partly in small tanks & partly in wooden vats. The period of maturation on lees is twice as long as traditionally applied in champagne.

Then there are the finishing touches: the addition of the superb reserve wines that only the House of Louis Roederer ages in oak vats; the meticulous selection of a remarkable range of dosage liqueurs and the ever-long ageing of the wines in the cellar after disgorgement.

Brut Premier is the embodiment of Louis Roederer style, combining all the fruitiness and freshness of youth with the vinosity of a fully mature wine. This is a structured and elegantly mature wine with as lively attack and a smooth palate.

Louis Roederer Champagne

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I don’t care what all you cynics say out there, I love a good wedding! It’s not because I relish in spending weeks searching for the perfect ensemble, or trying to match my partners tie to the lining of my handbag. It is because it’s the perfect opportunity to get to together with family and friends, and provides the ideal setting to reignite relationships with long lost acquaintances. Long gone are the days of bucks fizz, an annoying master of ceremonies, and shrivelled turkey and ham. Weddings are now much more bespoke affairs.

Our wedding season is in full swing.  Friends who recently tied the knot enjoy the finer things in life, wine, food and music being three of them. Champagne magnums on the lawn, shellfish platters with Sancerre, Roast beef and fist sized Yorkies all brought together with a yummy Aussie Pinot. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed the wine and food experience.

For most it is an afterthought. But even you only remotely enjoy a glass of wine; it is something to take into serious consideration when planning a wedding. It is a real opportunity to make your day really memorable.
The first tip when booking a venue is to ask to see the wine list. Some licensed venues can charge extortionate amounts for their basic house /sparkling wines. For most couples it is a real shock when this added cost is put onto their final bill!
Reasonable wedding venues will not charge an arm and a leg, or even better, will allow you to bring in your own wine. More often than not licensed venues will charge corkage. As will outside caterers. This is basically a service charge per bottle for chilling, opening etc. Through our many wedding customers the lowest we have heard is £1.00 per bottle, and the most, well, I will leave that to your imagination. But it never fails to astound me the corkage some venues can get away with. So please, please please ask your venue/caterers about the wine they have available and their corkage charges. Not only will you benefit from having the wine you want on your special day, you will also have better quality wine and more often than not you will be making a significant saving.

So what wine do you go for? When talking to prospective brides and grooms I always start by asking their personal tastes, secondly the menu (as aforementioned wine and food are one of life’s great partnerships), and thirdly budget.
Sparkling Wine/Champagne is a must on your special day. There is something about a glass full of bubbles that just makes people smile. A wedding day is ultimately a celebration, there is no better way to start your new life together. People are often under the impression that champagne is the only choice.

But with great quality Prosecco, Cava, Loire Sparkling, and new world offerings from New Zealand, Chile etc there is a vast quantity of alternatives to choose from, that won’t eat up half of your budget!
Where do we start with the still wines? Firstly in the run to picking your wines make notes on wines that you have recently tried and enjoyed. Nothing too detailed. Maybe just the country of origin and grape types. If you take these to reputable wine merchants they would then guide you through their portfolio pulling out potential bottles that will tick all the boxes in regard to taste, menu and budget.

Then the fun starts. Great ways to find your perfect wines is to maybe a cosy night in just the two of you, or get the wedding party together and make an evening of it.
Either way you are taking the time to find the perfect bottles to complement your perfect day. And it will make your guests remember the day with a smile.

Once again love is the air again this week at Nicholson’s. And this time it’s not the JN Taste Team’s latest infatuation with Olivier Zind Humbrect’s offerings. In the last few months we have noticed more and more couples coming into the shop to plan their wedding wines. The wine is usually one of the last parts of a wedding to plan but this shouldn’t mean it doesn’t deserve careful consideration. From helping you choose from a vast selection to delivering to your wine to the venue free of charge, we actually enjoy taking some of burden! Every wedding and couple is unique and once we get an idea of your tastes we can suggest various different options. Couples enjoy browsing in the shop and with the help of knowledgeable, friendly staff can pick a few wines to try then and there in our state of the art tasting room. Alternatively, the wines can be purchased and taken away to try in the comfort of your own home. Some couples like to invite round the wedding party and make an evening of it!

Picking the wine for your wedding should be fun! It doesn’t matter if you are not a wine connoisseur, as long as you know what you like. Red, White or Rosé there is no set rule on what type of wine you should serve at your wedding but you should take into the consideration the time of year and the menu. If the sun is shining and spring/summer is in the air, crisp, refreshing whites will go quicker. Sometimes you can plan for a sunny day and order lots of white and it ends up raining with everyone fancying a comforting glass of red, or vice versa. These things aren’t always predictable. That is why we offer sale or return on all of our wedding purchases.

3 Wine Tips for Summer Weddings

Sparkling wine/Champagne always goes down a treat in the summer months. Some people insist on only serving champagne at their wedding but it is an acquired taste and not everyone appreciates it. That is why our excellent range of sparkling wine always proves so popular.

White wine can easily be overpowered by certain foods. Fresh and lively styles will instantly revive your guests after a long day.

During the summer months full bodied wine can be a little heavy and hard going. Light/Medium styles can still deliver and are a must with red meat dishes.