< Previous50 GAULT&MILLAU CHAMPAGNE INDEX DUVAL-LEROY E stablished in 1859, Duval Leroy was founded when Edouard Leroy, a wine trader from the town of Villers- Franqueux, formed a partnership with Jules Duval, a grape-grower and winemaker. It is is situated in Vertus, a village in the Côte des Blancs region of France. This family- owned business has been producing exceptional quality champagnes for over 160 years, making it one of the oldest and most respected champagne houses in the world. Known for its dedication to sustainable farming and its commitment to environmental responsibility, the house was the first champagne producer to be awarded the "High Environmental Value" certification, a testament to its sustainable vineyard practices. The vineyards boast Premier Cru and Grand Cru grapes. BRUT Value RankingNameVintage Price as of November 2023 1FollyNVAED700 2Dinner by Heston Blumenthal NVAED1,075 3Il Ristorante - Niko RomitoNVAED1,100 GMUCI_02_31-57_G&M REPORT C-G_13075241.indd 50GMUCI_02_31-57_G&M REPORT C-G_13075241.indd 5022/11/2023 12:2622/11/2023 12:26GAULT&MILLAU CHAMPAGNE INDEX 51 EGLY-OURIET E gly-Ouriet is a highly regarded family-run enterprise, which has been crafting exceptional champagne for several generations. Established in the village of Ambonnay, Egly-Ouriet lays claim to approximately 10 hectares of vineyards, primarily located in the Grand Cru areas of Bouzy, Verzenay and Ambonnay. The vineyards are renowned for their Pinot Noir grapes, which form the principal component of their champagne. The house also cultivates a smaller quantity of Chardonnay grapes, sourced from the Grand Cru village of Le Mesnil-sur-Oger. Francis Egly, the current head of the house, is widely respected for his unwavering commitment to quality and his meticulous cultivation practices. His dedication to low-yield harvesting ensures intense concentration, resulting in full-bodied champagne. BRUT GRAND CRU Value RankingNameVintage Price as of November 2023 1Ossiano2008AED26,305 = 1Dinner by Heston Blumenthal 2013AED21,865 = 1Ossiano2013AED21,865 BRUT LES PREMICES Value RankingNameVintage Price as of November 2023 1OssianoNVAED1,625 BRUT GRAND CRU TRADITION Value RankingNameVintage Price as of November 2023 1OssianoNVAED2,160 GMUCI_02_31-57_G&M REPORT C-G_13075241.indd 51GMUCI_02_31-57_G&M REPORT C-G_13075241.indd 5122/11/2023 12:2622/11/2023 12:2652 GAULT&MILLAU CHAMPAGNE INDEX BRUT LES VIGNES DE VRIGNY Value RankingNameVintage Price as of November 2023 1OssianoNVAED2,160 ROSÉ BRUT GRAND CRU ROSÉ Value RankingNameVintage Price as of November 2023 1OssianoNVAED3,840 GMUCI_02_31-57_G&M REPORT C-G_13075241.indd 52GMUCI_02_31-57_G&M REPORT C-G_13075241.indd 5222/11/2023 12:2622/11/2023 12:26GAULT&MILLAU CHAMPAGNE INDEX 53 FLEUR DE MIRAVAL F leur de Miraval is probably best known for being the Champagne house of Brad Pitt, and is an extension of Château Miraval, which has been producing Provence rosé wines since 2012. Pitt co-owns the house with the Perrin family of Château de Beaucastel in Châteauneuf- du-Pape and the Péters family, of Le Mesnil-sur-Oger in the Champagne region. Fleur de Miraval is exclusively a rosé Champagne, composed of 75 per cent Chardonnay and 25 per cent Pinot Noir. It uses the rosé de saignée method of production, which lets juice remain in contact with the skin of the grapes for a short time during fermentation. Fleur de Miraval rosé is the culmination of five years of work, research and tastings, creating a style based on Chardonnay from the terroirs of the Côte des Blancs and a saignée of Pinot Noir from Vertus. It is aged on lees for three years in the dark cellars in Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, and packaged in lacquered bottles to prevent light exposure. Only 20,000 bottles were released from its first edition, and only 22,000 bottles were produced for its second edition: ER2. Fleur de Miraval’s first release is available at LPM Restaurant & Bar in Dubai’s DIFC. BRUT CUVÉE Value RankingNameVintage Price as of November 2023 1City Social NVAED6,000 2LPM Restaurant & Bar DubaiNVAED7,200 EXCLUSIVEMENT ROSÉ Value RankingNameVintage Price as of November 2023 1COYA DubaiNVAED4,200 ROSÉ GMUCI_02_31-57_G&M REPORT C-G_13075241.indd 53GMUCI_02_31-57_G&M REPORT C-G_13075241.indd 5329/11/2023 19:1229/11/2023 19:1254 GAULT&MILLAU CHAMPAGNE INDEX FREREJEAN FRERES Frerejean Frères is a contemporary champagne house established by the Frerejean-Taittinger brothers, who bring in a modern flair to the time- honoured craft of champagne- making. Their boutique operation in the celebrated Côte des Blancs region focuses on producing Chardonnay- led champagnes that stand out for their freshness and elegance. The house emphasises slow fermentation and extended ageing on lees to enhance the complexity and texture of the champagne. This methodical approach ensures that each cuvée they release is not only rich in flavour but also embodies the finesse and depth characteristic of the region's terroir. Their range, which includes both non-vintage and vintage champagnes reflects a philosophy of combining innovative techniques with the art of traditional production. The result is a collection that is vibrant and refined, offering an experience true to the spirit of the region. BRUT PREMIER CRU Value RankingNameVintage Price as of November 2023 1FollyNVAED950 GMUCI_02_31-57_G&M REPORT C-G_13075241.indd 54GMUCI_02_31-57_G&M REPORT C-G_13075241.indd 5422/11/2023 12:2622/11/2023 12:26GAULT&MILLAU CHAMPAGNE INDEX 55 G.H. MUMM F ounded in 1827 in Reims, G.H. Mumm is owned by Pernod Ricard. Maison Mumm’s vineyards cover nearly 218 hectares, growing mainly Pinot Noir grapes in the Grand Cru vineyards of Cramant and Avize, while Chardonnay grows in the Côte des Blancs and in the Vallée de la Marne, Pinot Meunier is grown. This champagne is a light golden yellow with fine bubbles. BRUT CUVÉE Value RankingNameVintage Price as of November 2023 1BB Social Dining DubaiNVAED445 2HutongNVAED790 3Martabaan by Hemant OberoiNVAED950 4CinqueNVAED1,100 ROSÉ ROSÉ Value RankingNameVintage Price as of November 2023 1HutongNVAED898 2CinqueNVAED1,650 LARGE FORMATS MAGNUM SELECTION, 1.5L BRUT CUVÉE Value RankingNameVintage Price as of November 2023 1CinqueNVAED2,500 GMUCI_02_31-57_G&M REPORT C-G_13075241.indd 55GMUCI_02_31-57_G&M REPORT C-G_13075241.indd 5522/11/2023 12:2622/11/2023 12:2656 GAULT&MILLAU CHAMPAGNE INDEX GOSSET G osset is the oldest wine house in Champagne, founded in 1584. Pierre Gosset, the alderman of Aÿ and a wine-grower, made mostly red wines from the grapes harvested from his own vines. In the 18th century when sparkling wine came to the fore, the Gosset family turned to Champagne production. In 1994, the house was sold to the Renaud-Cointreau group, which increased production to one million bottles by 2005. Gosset Champagnes are made from a blend of the finest Pinot noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier grapes. The house is known for its slightly sweet Brut Excellence and its vintage prestige Célebris and Grand Millésime. BRUT GRAND MILLÉSIME Value RankingNameVintage Price as of November 2023 1The Artisan Il Ristorante2012AED1,600 1Chic Nonna2015AED990 =2Mott322015AED1,500 =2City Social2015AED1,500 4Avatara2015AED1,750 BRUT GRAND RÉSERVE Value RankingNameVintage Price as of November 2023 1FollyNVAED850 2Pierre's TTNVAED990 3COYA Dubai DubaiNVAED1,000 5OssianoNVAED1,230 6City SocialNVAED1,530 7L’Olivo at Al Mahara NVAED1,590 GMUCI_02_31-57_G&M REPORT C-G_13075241.indd 56GMUCI_02_31-57_G&M REPORT C-G_13075241.indd 5622/11/2023 12:2622/11/2023 12:26GAULT&MILLAU CHAMPAGNE INDEX 57 'CELEBRIS' EXTRA BRUT Value RankingNameVintage Price as of November 2023 =1Al Muntaha2004AED2,930 =1L’Olivo at Al Mahara 2004AED2,930 EXTRA BRUT Value RankingNameVintage Price as of November 2023 1Mott 32NVAED1,000 2Dinner by Heston BlumenthalNVAED1,230 GRAND ROSÉ Value RankingNameVintage Price as of November 2023 1Pierre's TTNVAED1,200 2Mott 32NVAED1,200 399 Sushi Bar & Restaurant Abu Dhabi NVAED1,300 4HutongNVAED1,450 5MayabayNVAED1,500 6LPM Restaurant & Bar DubaiNVAED1,610 ROSÉ GMUCI_02_31-57_G&M REPORT C-G_13075241.indd 57GMUCI_02_31-57_G&M REPORT C-G_13075241.indd 5722/11/2023 12:2622/11/2023 12:2658 GAULT&MILLAU CHAMPAGNE INDEX HATT ET SÖNER LA GRAND-PÉRE DIGNITAS BLANC DE BLANCS Value RankingNameVintage Price as of November 2023 1CLAP2007AED3,500 C reating private vintages for special clients and not widely available, Hatt et Söner is a Champagne house that flies under the radar. Founded in 1954 by François Vallois, one of the vineyard’s biggest clients was Joseph Ruscon, a former beer-maker who, while hiding in a wine cellar in the French town of Annecy during the Nazi occupation of France, made the vow that if he was to survive, he would drink a bottle of Champagne every day for the rest of his life. Following the end of WW2 he travelled to France looking for the perfect wine, and on discovering Hatt et Söner, ordered 1,000 bottles a year to share with his family. In 2011, the Vallois family sold the vineyard to Ruscon’s grandson, Kristofer, who was aged only 21 at the time.In recent years, Ruscon has created a limited number of bottles that are available more freely. GMUCI_02_58-76_G&M REPORT H-L1_13075242.indd 58GMUCI_02_58-76_G&M REPORT H-L1_13075242.indd 5822/11/2023 12:2722/11/2023 12:27GAULT&MILLAU CHAMPAGNE INDEX 59 HENRI GIRAUD Henri Giraud’s history in Champagne began with the Hémart family, descendants of Henri IV, who settled in Aÿ at the beginning of the 17th century. In the generations since, the Giraud-Hémart family have built one of the finest areas of Champagne, tending 35 parcels of Grand Cru land with Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes. Today, the house remains independent and is managed by Claude Giraud, the 12th generation of the Giraud-Hémart family to oversee the firm. CUVÉE ‘COLLECTION’ FUT DE CHENE Value RankingNameVintage Price as of November 2023 1LPM Restaurant & Bar DubaiMVAED4,200 LARGE FORMATS MAGNUM SELECTION, 1.5L GMUCI_02_58-76_G&M REPORT H-L1_13075242.indd 59GMUCI_02_58-76_G&M REPORT H-L1_13075242.indd 5922/11/2023 12:2722/11/2023 12:27Next >