This third slot is shared among five rotating champagne labels and the lineup includes growers champagnes – wines made and bottled by the same person who grew the grapes: Vilmart & Cie, Geoffroy, Henri Giraud, Charles Heidsieck and Egly-Ouriet.
Some of the labels retail at prices higher than the traditional maisons and are produced in microscopic batches of just a couple of thousand cases a year.
The Sybaritic Single isn’t much of a wine expert, though in recent times he has made a concerted effort to explore grower champagnes, which he finds to be much more interesting than the showy but sometimes monotonous maison champagnes. He also enjoys the idea of his money going towards the wine and not some overblown marketing budget.
Starting in the fabulous Private Room at Changi Airport with the 2012 Taittinger Comtes de Champagne (the only one available in the lounge), he switched to a grower label during the flight. Arriving at his destination a few hours later, he was pleased to confirm: the 2016 Geoffroy Cuvée Volupte Blanc de Blancs was as delightful as Krug, his usual in-flight choice.
