Jiles's Blog

Who Am I?

17 years spent living and working in Champagne has allowed Jiles to build up a vast amount of knowledge about all things bubbly as well as a very extensive network of contacts, especially amongst the smaller and less well-known champagne makers whose champagnes will probably amaze you with their quality and diversity.

A job as area manager for Asia and Australia with Moët et Chandon was what first drew Jiles to Champagne after completing an MBA in Luxury Brand Management at ESSEC, a prestigious business school just outside Paris.

After nearly 9 years at Moët Jiles moved back to the UK where he started one of the first online businesses promoting and selling grower champagnes,

However the draw of ‘The King of Wines and the Wine of Kings’ once again proved irresistible and another 8 year stay in Champagne was the result. During this second stay in Champagne Jiles worked with the Syndicat Général des Vignerons de Champagne as an accedited consultant for small, independent champagne makers before setting up his own consultancy.

Jiles now spends his time between England and Champagne.and puts his knowledge and contacts to work helping wine lovers everywhere learn more about champagne and helping businesses and individuals to create their own private champagne brand.

He is the author of two books on champagne, several concise guides to champagne  and is the creator of an online champagne study course called My Champagne Expert

 

 

Champagne Christian Briard

Jiles Halling

If you like discovering tiny champagne makers of good quality that very few people know about , then you'll enjoy Champagne Christian Briard.

Cuvee-Ambre-Vigne-225Christian's Cuvée Ambre 2005 is featured in the latest edition of Luxurious magazine. Great exposure for Christian, but in some ways the article doesn’t do full justice to his story, so perhaps I can fill in a few gaps.

You could say that this is the story of the prodigal son. Christian’s father wasn’t a champagne maker or vigneron, and there was no obvious reason for Christian to enter the world of champagne. Instead he followed a quite different career path and spent the majority of his career - until a few years ago - in the high tech industry of smart cards; an industry that has nothing to do with wine, apart perhaps, from drinking it.

However Christian’s grandfather WAS a vigneron and it seems that the pull of the family terroir proved irresistible to Christian, lead him to turn his back on the world of chip and PIN and brought him back to his tiny home village of Jaulgonne, quite a way down the Marne River valley westwards from Epernay.

This is the heart of Pinot Meunier country and it’s only natural therefore that Meunier features strongly in all the Christian Briard blends. Consequently they're fruity and soft on the palate, but they nevertheless have an elegance that will come as a pleasant surprise to those who feel that Pinot Meunier can be a little 'rustic'.

Christian-tasting225So far there are only three champagnes in the range:

Cuvée Ambre Vintage 2005 – the one that was featured in Luxurious magazine

Cuvée Maurice Romelot named after Christian’s grandfather and

Cuvée Rubis, a rosé

Each champagne is beautifully presented in a bottle hand-decorated using a design created by a famous Vietnamese artist.

Why Vietnamese you might wonder.Oysters-and-Champagne-Christian-Briard225

Well, this is another interesting and unique feature of Champagne Christian Briard. Over the years Christian has spent many months in Vietnam where he not only acquired an appreciation for the country’s culture and cuisine, but where he also met his wife. So,a little oriental touch on the bottle seems only natural. 

You can find out more about Champagne Christian Briard here where you’ll also discover some fascinating food and champagne matching recipes that are refreshingly original compared what is on offer on many other sites. 

A small champagne producer that is well worth getting to know

Christmas Champagne Tips

Jiles Halling

Christmas and New Year wouldn’t be the same without a few bottles of champagne to share with your friends and family, but to add that little bit of extra sparkle and style to your celebrations here are a few tips taken from the famous Château de Saran, in the heart of Champagne, that are really simple and make you look and feel like a real connoisseur.

La Côte des Bars - Coming Into Its Own

Jiles Halling

LA COTE DES BARS – Coming into its own

Ville-sur-Arce225As we come up to the end of the year when more champagne is drunk than at other times of the year, some of you may reach for one of the well-known brands that are available almost all over the planet and some of you may be tempted to seek out something a bit different. If you’re in the second group don’t overlook champagnes from an all-too-often overlooked region of Champagne called la Côte des Bars.

Here are a few reasons why you would do well to widen your horizons beyond the more famous vineyards around Reims and Epernay.

Is This The End For Grower Champagnes?

Jiles Halling

There was a very interesting article that appeared in the local paper today here in Champagne.

From-Pannier-to-Caisse-for-web-siteIt is all about the price of grapes in Champagne and I think you’ll find it very thought provoking to say the least.

According to the article, there are some people who foresee a major shift in the balance of power in Champagne in the near future.

They fear the breakdown of the delicate balance between large brands and small family enterprises that has served Champagne so well for many years. Who knows what that might mean for the small grower champagne and for that matter, for you too, whether you are in the wine trade, or a champagne consumer?

Christmas Party Tips and A New E-Book

Jiles Halling

Yes, it’s almost the end of the year and Christmas and New Year wouldn’t be the same without a few bottles of champagne to share with your friends and family, but to add that little bit of extra sparkle and style to your celebrations here are a few tips taken from the famous Château de Saran, in the heart of Champagne, that are really simple and make you look and feel like a real connoisseur.

Plus, your chance to get your copy of the 2013 version of The Insider's Guide To Champagne e-book updated with video links and new illustrations.