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PREMIUM

Independent Champagne: Top trends & key names to know in 2024

The Printemps de Champagne tasting provides an excellent glimpse into the world of independent growers, trends and vintages to watch and up-coming names to know. Tom Hewson gets the lowdown from this year's event.

Blue strobe lighting bounces off a blood-red Gibson guitar as a swish of shoulder-length silver hair motions towards the drum kit. The bassist, clad head-to-toe in black, stands wide-stanced, a low-slung bass hanging above steam-punk work boots. The crowd is cheering. Somewhere near the back, there’s a ‘pop’.

On stage is the Bulles Bio band – a group of organic Champagne producers, playing two sets of classic rock at Le Cirque in Reims. It’s the evening after a day of tasting at Le Printemps des Champagnes 2024, the four-day trade-only bonanza focused on independent and grower Champagne in Reims. The silver-haired guitarist? Pascal Doquet of the eponymous Côte des Blancs domaine, having swapped the day’s spittoons and samples for six strings.

Credit: Romuald Ducros, La Production Rémoise / Association des Champagne Biologiques


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