Volcanic Wine Awards | The Jancis Robinson Story

Champagne Week 2019 – part 2

Tuesday 28 May 2019
Image

Tim Hall of Scala Wine reports on a polarisation of the producers of grower champagne, and singles out his favourites of the week. See also Champagne Week 2019 – part 1 and Champagne – a thirsty insider's view

Growing pains? 

On the evening of Monday 15 April, while I was queueing in Reims to buy bread, my phone buzzed and there was Paris’s Notre-Dame, burning. I showed it to the shop assistant over the counter and she put hands to cheeks, as the French often do when astonished; her tears welled up. 

Champagne of course is another French icon...

Become a member to continue reading
Member
$135
/year
Save over 15% annually
Ideal for wine enthusiasts
  • Access 288,039 wine reviews & 15,863 articles
  • Access The Oxford Companion to Wine & The World Atlas of Wine
Inner Circle
$249
/year
 
Ideal for collectors
  • Access 288,039 wine reviews & 15,863 articles
  • Access The Oxford Companion to Wine & The World Atlas of Wine
  • Early access to the latest wine reviews & articles, 48 hours in advance
Professional
$299
/year
For individual wine professionals
  • Access 288,039 wine reviews & 15,863 articles
  • Access The Oxford Companion to Wine & The World Atlas of Wine
  • Early access to the latest wine reviews & articles, 48 hours in advance
  • Commercial use of up to 25 wine reviews & scores for marketing
Business
$399
/year
For companies in the wine trade
  • Access 288,039 wine reviews & 15,863 articles
  • Access The Oxford Companion to Wine & The World Atlas of Wine
  • Early access to the latest wine reviews & articles, 48 hours in advance
  • Commercial use of up to 250 wine reviews & scores for marketing
Pay with
Visa logo Mastercard logo American Express logo Logo for more payment options
Join our newsletter

Get the latest from Jancis and her team of leading wine experts.

By subscribing you agree with our Privacy Policy and provide consent to receive updates from our company.

More Don't quote me

Sunny garden at Blue Farm
Don't quote me Jet lag, a bad cold, but somehow an awful lot of good wine was enjoyed. This diary is a double...
Tuscan Sunday lunch
Don't quote me Two fabulous weekends, and a lot of tasting. The Tuscan weekend is exemplified by the outdoor Sunday lunch pictured above...
WineGB tasting 8 September 2025 photo by Tom Gold
Don't quote me Multiple tastings and one visit to a vineyard this month. I still have a physical diary. In August I had...
Sylt beach
Don't quote me Hot, hot, hot – and much quieter than usual. Above, one of Sylt’s many (delightfully cool) beaches. This month’s diary...

More from JancisRobinson.com

the dawn of wine in Normandy
Inside information Turning tides have brought wine back to the edges of north-west France, says Paris-based journalist Chris Howard. This is part...
Nino Barraco
Tasting articles Part 2 of Walter’s in-depth look at the new generation of producers reviving Marsala’s reputation. Above, Nino Barraco, one of...
Francesco Intorcia
Inside information Perpetuo, Ambrato, Altogrado – these ancient styles offer Marsala a way to reclaim its identity as one of Sicily’s vinous...
Meursault in the snow - Jon Wyand
Free for all Everything we’ve published on this challenging vintage. Find all our published wine reviews here. Above, the town of Meursault in...
La Campana in Seville
Nick on restaurants Three more reasons to head to this charming city in southern Spain. As we left Confitería La Campana, which first...
Ch Telmont vineyards and Wine news in 5 logo
Wine news in 5 Plus, Telmont becomes Champagne’s first Regenerative Organic Certified producer, Argentina repeals wine regulations and the EU rules on de-alcoholised wine...
View over vineyards of Madeira sea in background
Free for all But how long will Madeira, one of the great fortified wines, survive tourist development on this extraordinary Atlantic island? A...
São Vicente Madeira vineyards
Tasting articles Wines from this extraordinary Portuguese island in the middle of the Atlantic, varying from five to 155 years old. The...
Wine inspiration delivered directly to your inbox, weekly
Our weekly newsletter is free for all
By subscribing you're confirming that you agree with our Terms and Conditions.