Wine Club: two astoundingly fine fizzes from Frerejean Frères

As you know, when it comes to champagne, Pol Roger is pretty much The Spectator’s house pour. Indeed, a dog-eared sign on the door of the office fridge demands that staff always ensure there are two bottles chilling within it for emergency celebrations and commiserations or simply for whenever the moment strikes.

It’s a rare occasion at 22 Old Queen Street when a bottle of Pol isn’t broached, then, and the fabled Spectator summer party is fuelled by little else. But one can’t live on Grande Marque Champagne alone and much as we adore PR, there are other effervescent treats out there that should not be ignored.

Away from the big names, Henri Chauvet and Brimoncourt always impress and remain two of my absolute favourite champagnes, neither of which I ever tire of recommending. To these two I would now like to add a third, a champagne hitherto unknown to me but one that I’ve fallen for in a big way and about which I’d love to tip you the wink.

Frerejean Frères was set up in Avize in the Côte des Blancs by brothers Guillaume, Richard and Rodolphe Frerejean-Taittinger, cousins to the champagne Taittingers and descendants of a long line of French cannon-makers, of all things. The boys started simply by making wine for family and friends until demand became so great that they set up in business officially in 2005.

Using the finest fruit sourced only from small parcels of Grand and Premier Cru vineyards, they have come a long way in a short time and have had critics and connoisseurs alike in a complete swoon.

You will find Frerejean Frères stocked and served in such swanky establishments as the Dorchester in London, Le Crillon in Paris, the Conrad in Tokyo and the Mercer in New York. Frerejean Frères is also the official champagne supplier to the 2022 Michelin Awards. We’re talking absolute blue-chip here.

Happily for those of us riff-raff unlikely to be allowed through the doors of such august hostelries at least for long enough to grab a passing glass of champers, our partners, Honest Grapes, have kindly agreed to make two of FJF’s fizzes available to Spectator readers at what HG’s Nick Daniell promises me are the keenest prices around.

The Frerejean Frères Premier Cru Brut NV (1) is an equal blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, with minimal dosage, aged for a minimum five years (far longer than the legal requirement of 15 months). With lively white stone fruit, fresh and baked apple, a hint of honey and touch of toasty brioche, it’s absolutely on song, full and satisfying. One sip and I was smitten. It is astoundingly fine and well worth the price which compares very favourably with what one pays for a Grande Marque. £36 down from £38.

And because we love you and want you to be happy as can be, I twisted Nick Daniell’s arm and he has agreed to make half bottles and magnums available too at £21.50 (down from £23.50) and £80 (down from £82) respectively.

The Frerejean Frères Blanc de Blancs Premier Cru (2) is as tasty a champagne as I’ve had in yonks. Made from 100 per cent Côte des Blancs Chardonnay – largely from the 2013 vintage but using a sizeable proportion of reserve wines from 2010, 2011 and 2012 too – it’s in peak condition. With intricate notes of toast, honey, butter, cream and mango, it’s wonderfully stylish and satisfying (and comes in a gorgeously presented and packaged clear-glass bottle too). It’s a serious alternative to such mighty wines as, say, Ruinart Blanc de Blancs, and considerably cheaper. Gosh it’s good! £63 down from £65.

The mixed box has 3 bottles each of both wines and delivery, as ever, is free.

Order today.