BARNAUT

Here's a champagne for those who want to buy something that will give pleasure to the most discerning drinker (I liked it so much I ignored the bottle of Roederer in the fridge and served it to two professionals who walloped it down) but does not involve crossing the Channel and doing battle with H M Customs. Jancis Robinson OBE MW - www.JancisRobinson.com

Barnaut's Grand Cru Grande Reserve reveals generous notes of apricots, honey, roasted nuts and smoke, showing outstanding persistence and a long, refined finish. This is a fairly full-bodied style of champagne that already shows nice tertiary complexity. Rating: 90 Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate, www.RobertParker.com

Like Bollinger, this is made with around two thirds pinot noir, which gives it a firm structure and undertones of spice, toast and cherry compote. A serious champagne with a sappy uplift – at a bargain price.Victoria Moore, The Daily Telegraph (Dec 2019)

The NV Brut Grand Réserve (67% Pinot Noir, 33% Chardonnay) is absolutely gorgeous. Rich, creamy and enveloping, the Grande Réserve is so delicious. Baked apple tart, pastry, dried flowers, mint and chamomile are some of the many aromas and flavors that caress the palate. Floral and spice notes lift the effortless finish in style in this mid-weight Champagne from Barnaut. Dosage is 6 grams per liter. Disgorged: July 12, 2021. Drinking range: 2023 - 2031 Rating: 90 Antonio Galloni, The Wine Advocate (Nov 2023)

The NV Brut Grand Réserve (67% Pinot Noir, 33% Chardonnay) is absolutely gorgeous. Rich, creamy and enveloping, the Grande Réserve is so delicious. Baked apple tart, pastry, dried flowers, mint and chamomile are some of the many aromas and flavors that caress the palate. Floral and spice notes lift the effortless finish in style in this mid-weight Champagne from Barnaut. Dosage is 6 grams per liter. Disgorged: July 12, 2021. Drinking range: 2023 - 2031 Rating: 90 Antonio Galloni, www.vinous.com (May 2023)

All from the grand cru vineyards of Bouzy, two-thirds Pinot and one-third Chardonnay. Interesting development on the nose for the price. Some quite intriguing flavours here even if it’s not the tensest champagne on the planet. GV 16Jancis Robinson OBE MW - www.JancisRobinson.com (Nov 2022)

The NV Brut Grande Réserve Héritage Familial is an absolutely gorgeous Champagne that captures the natural resonance and breadth of Bouzy, all in a vinous, creamy style that is so appealing. Orchard fruit, spice, tangerine oil and warm, toasty notes all build effortlessly in the glass. The Grande Réserve Héritage Familial is two-thirds Pinot Noir and one-third Chardonnay. Disgorged: September 23, 2019. Drinking range: 2020 - 2028 Rating: 92 Antonio Galloni, www.vinous.com (Nov 2020)

This bottle of the NV Brut Grand Cru Grande Réserve was disgorged in November 2017 with six grams per liter dosage. It's showing well, exhibiting scents of waxy red apples, pastry cream, tangerine and a subtle touch of smoke. On the palate, the wine is medium to full-bodied and fleshy but incisive, with brisk acids, good mid-palate depth, a good mousse and a precise finish. This is a classy, Pinot Noir-dominant non-vintage cuvée that will reward aging on cork. Drinking range: 2018 - 2028 Rating: 91 William Kelley, The Wine Advocate (May 2019)

As the name would suggest, it’s clear from the nose that there is a relatively high proportion of reserve stocks in the blend as the nose is clearly mature, offering notes of baked apple, citrus and plenty of aged yeast-inflected nuances. I like the complexity of the rich, muscular and full-bodied flavors that possess the same fine complexity as the nose before terminating in a moderately dry, clean and lightly citrus-inflected finish. This is lovely and while it’s not a particularly elegant example, it’s hard to beat the complexity for the price point. Rating: 92 Allen Meadows, www.Burghound.com (Oct 2018)

The NV Brut Grande Réserve Héritage Familial Grand Cru is soft, open-knit and inviting, all qualities that make it hugely rewarding to drink now. Pear, baked apple, brioche and spice overtones give the wine its racy, inviting personality. Rich and vinous on the palate, yet refreshing, this mid-weight Champagne has a lot to offer. Rating: 92 Antonio Galloni, www.vinous.com (Jul 2017)

(roughly two-thirds Pinot Noir and a one-third Chardonnay; made from fruit grown in Bouzy; 6 g/l dosage): Light yellow-gold. Intense, mineral-laced aromas of blood orange, dried pear and anise, with a suave floral quality gaining power with air. Chewy and precise on the palate, offering bitter pear skin, redcurrant and honeysuckle flavors plus a suggestion of buttery brioche. Finishes sappy and long, leaving notes of toasty lees and orange pith behind. Rating: 90 Josh Raynolds, www.vinousmedia.com (Jan 2015)

Power and complexity – great value. October 2012.Bob Tyrer, The Sunday Times

Creamy, lemony, gently nutty - this outshines more expensive grande marque champagnes.Bob Tyrer, The Sunday Times

Made by a grower from the village of Bouzy, this pinot noir-dominant, multi-layered Champagne is broad and creamy, with a super slick mousse. It knocks spots off many better-known houses at this price.David Williams, The Observer

Lea & Sandeman have always had some good growers' Champagnes. This one, from the Grand Cru of Bouzy, is their cheapest (although not their cheapest Champagne) and it's a great deal better than some of the famous names. It's pure and fresh, but rich, with lovely Pinot Noir peach and redcurrant fruit and a creamy brioche taste and texture.The Wine Gang - www.thewinegang.com