"I bought this when it was "On Offer", as I'd always considered the normal price tag too high. I'm afraid I concur with those who have criticised the harsh acidity of this wine. I tried the first bottle and my son and I both grimaced. 6 months later it is still much too acidic, to the extent that my stomach complained. I will keep the remaining four bottles for another year or so and hope for improvement, as some others have found. However at £34 this is not competitive with several good supermarket bottles. Such a pity, as I am a big fan of other Society choices. "

"Initial view was of an ok mousse, slightly yeastiness, no obvious fruit and low acidity. My other half tried it, made a face and gave it back - totally unprecedented behaviour from her. I drank the rest throughout the rest of Christmas Day then remarked out loud "well that was a waste of money". Nothing actually wrong with it, just that it was totally inert and devoid of any interest. My local off licence sells a very good Alfred Gratien Champagne for around £20 and I had assumed that the Society version would outclass it. Maybe this was a dud bottle, but in future I'll buy the Society Cava and Antech Limoux both of which are outstanding VFM."

"I rarely comment. But the story is ....that I really admire the Wine Society and the skill employed in choosing and describing wine. So why is it that their house Champagne is so awful? You see, in the light of all that wisdom I feel it might be me that doesn't understand.....but frankly I find it thin, astringent, lacking in any depth and not anywhere near other Champagnes at the same price readily available in any supermarket.. Come on Wine Society. Your Champagne is not admired. ........... "

"Economically priced but enjoyment short lived, rather harsh at the finish."

"Lovely Champagne, In our opinion the best NV Champagne sold by the WS"

I would recommend this wine

"For it's price was a cracking wine. Can age well. But at it's current price, when I can buy the producers own label from a local merchant. It's an easy pass noe. "

"Wife's significant birthday, half a dozen bottles of TWS Champagne. And I have to say that the wine is every bit as good as I remember from the previous batch, thoroughly enjoyable and more-ish, totally worth the price. Only wish I had bought more when on offer pre-xmas @ approx £132 a case."

I would recommend this wine

"There is a marked difference to this wine that comes with keeping. I’ve been opening a batch I cellared for two years and the improvement in bottles I open now compared to the start of the case is remarkable. I do wish the Wine Society could drop some of the ‘you gotta buy this’ hype attendant in its current publicity material and be a bit more honest about its wines and how to enjoy them at their best. When loads of customers are making negative comments about acidity, someone at head office needs to look into that and give some constructive advice."

"Well, it didn't go down the sink, but the latest batch of Gratien champagne was not to the same standard that I have previously experienced. There is definitely a higher level of acidity that wasn't present in this champagne over recent years. Bought a case and served a purpose on New Year's Eve, but not to expected standards."

"We really didn’t like this. It was so acidic and with a foam reminiscent of warm Prosecco. Afraid it went down the sink on Christmas Day. "

"I'm afraid I have to agree about the over-high acidity levels in this wine. It's seems out of balance; it shouldn't need keeping for years to soften that searing lemon flavour. Is it because the base wine is too young/cool vintage? You can taste some richer, more biscuity flavours but they are dominated by the acidity. I'll sit on my other three for while and see what happens. "

"We always enjoy this champagne but as many others have pointed out, leave this in the cellar for 3-4 years, if you can, before you drink it. Our experience is that it is worth the wait. The acidity is toned down and the biscuity flavour is enhanced. Obviously it depends on your own taste."

I would recommend this wine

"Not a fan, although I can see why many members swear by this Wine Society institution. Not big or full enough for me. This is very well made Champagne, that I have tasted enough times including the 2000 iteration. Obviously my loss!!"

I would recommend this wine

"The current cuvee is far too sweet, which is a shame as the underlying quality of the wine is really excellent. The dosage is just far too high. I would have to say that the Wine Society's '1 out of 9 bone dry' guidance is currently very incorrect."

"Pleasantly surprised by this WS Brut Champagne - definitely more lemony and less biscuity than normal (as stated below) but well balanced all the same and very refreshing!"

I would recommend this wine

"Glad to see this on sale. Bought a 6 pack 5 years or so ago and have enjoyed every bottle, the last being on Xmas day. It's evolution has been seemless. Was going to buy another pack but put off by the pricetag of £33 a bottle. Think I bought the original pack for £120. £22 a bottle is a decent enough price for it and glad to see it at this price so have just bought a pack. It's a good aperitf wine in it's youth, but will stand up to creamy dishes like Coquille St Jacques as it evolves. There is a depth that comes about through evolution and the fruit comes through to counter balance a dish like that."

I would recommend this wine

"Master Class!"

I would recommend this wine

"As my WS buying history shows I have drunk a lot of this wine. This is the first I've reviewed it however and unfortunately it's to complain. It has none of the biscuity nuances that balance acidy so well. At £33 a bottle I expect so much more and in future will look else where. A great shame and unfortunately an embarrassment too as I served it to my family for Christmas dinner."

"Love it! Especially at the Christmas offer prices. Real depth, lovely biscuity flavour balanced with just enough acidity and dryness."

I would recommend this wine

"I've enjoyed The Society's Champagne in the past but this is too much like drinking lemon juice for me. We prefer our fizz more biscuity. "

"This wine is one for holding for a minimum of 6 months. A bottle opened after 10 month's cellar rest, had lost much of its initial (unpleasant) acidity and is now a treat and good value."

I would recommend this wine

"This is a lovely Champagne and would rival some of the big houses, you get a touch of oak on the nose as well as the palate with racing acidity and a dry zesty full flavoured mouthfeel. It has a long finish holding on the apple flavours right til the end."

I would recommend this wine

"It has a full on mousse! as my wife says it tickles my nose. Quite complex and interesting, but at the end of the palate an over indulgent sweetness just lingers too long. If you buy it for drinking now at £21.50 its great value, but if you keep it 6mths i think it will mature to be a very fruity champagne."

I would recommend this wine

"the first of the christmas mixed box we've tried, quite fruity at first, not quite dry enough for me but my partner enjoyed it...very subtle oak at the end and but less fizz than other brands in this price bracket."

"This is really high quality champagne and excellent value for money for those who like their champagne on the dry side. It also ages superbly well, rounding out and softening into a complex savoury delight. I routinely keep it for 3-4 years and most of my wine drinking friends who taste it at that age are surprised to find they are not drinking a much pricier vintage or special cuvee champagne."

I would recommend this wine

"Am I the only member wishing that the odd batch would "slip" through quality control during winemaking at Gratien, and undergo malolactic fermentation? I realise that others value the "freshness" but I just can't make friends with the overt acidity - which incidentally persists with ageing..."

"Why buy any other champagne?"

I would recommend this wine

"A lemon drizzle cake of a Champagne. Nice complexity though the high level of acidity is an initial shock to the palate. I suspect this would be more popular with those who prefer their Champagne Extra Brut, although it's certainly a food friendly wine."

I would recommend this wine

"Wonderful nose of spring flowers and evening primrose, a richer yellow than your average champagne and with very fine bubbles. Perfect with salmon. As many other reviewers say, this is the equal (or better than) Veuve Cliquot etc, head and shoulders above anything for under £35. Worth buying a 6 case and reducing the bottle price to £19.66."

I would recommend this wine

I would recommend this wine

I would recommend this wine

"For a non vintage Champagne, this is a well structured and mature tasting Champagne. Although great as an aperitif, this is even better with snacks such as smoked salmon on blinis or canapés. For the quality which in my opinion is the equal or better of the likes of Veuve Cliquot and Bollinger, this is fabulous value for money. It isn't lightweight, so doesn't really lend itself to casual slurping."

"Superb champagne for the price, 10 out of 10."

"Delicious, well-rounded champagne. Comfortably the equal of most grande marque champagnes. Went down a storm with guests at a recent wedding reception and subsequent evenings. Very highly recommended. Top class fizz."

"We bought this to celebrate relaunching our yacht for the new sailing season but because of the terrible cold weather over Easter we have abandoned those plans and drunk it at home instead! Fantastic well rounded full flavour and a beautifully dry refreshing taste. Looks like we will have to buy more for the delayed relaunch. "

"I bought some (OK half a dozen) and we started on the case over Christmas. I'm very impressed - a bigger rounder taste than the ovbious competitors. I won't abandon Pol Roger NV but I have to say that the Society's offering is a definite addition to the order book. "

"This was one of the three wines that we chose for our daughter's wedding earlier this year. Simply the best combination of quality and price that you can buy. The guests thought this champagne was fantastic and many have bought it subsequently."

"This year this is the one."

midweekwines.co.uk 18th Feb 2021

"Best Champagne, People's Choice Drinks Awards: With noteworthy early exuberance, [this Champagne] impressed the judges with the excellent way its zesty grapefruit acidity combines with the red apple backbone and the gentle yeasty backdrop that also contains hints of almond biscuits. - Brian Elliott"

midweekwines.co.uk 11th Feb 2021

" OK, not the cheapest champagne but one offering a delightful balance and sophistication that fully justifies paying a little more. With early exuberance and long creamy texture, The Society’s Champagne  builds on those attributes with ripe lemon and apple flavours, zesty grapefruit acidity, and a gentle backdrop contain neat suggestions of almond biscuits. - Brian Elliott"

Portsmouth News 6th Feb 2021

" Very handily available in half-bottles. Made for The Wine Society by the highly regarded producer, Alfred Gratien, this is a blend of all three classic Champagne grapes. Relatively unusually, the fermentation is carried out in small oak barrels, it has a really inviting bouquet of citrus and hazelnuts along with some toasty notes followed by a nicely textured palate with lively acidity and a persistent finish. A lovely aperitif but would also work with fresh seafood, and oysters in particular. - Alistair Gibson"

Sussex Express 2nd Dec 2020

"The Wine Society has been buying Alfred Gratien Champagne for over 100 years. Made with great attention to detail in small oak barrels, it is aged for at least three years, giving extra depth, complexity and length of flavour. - Richard Esling"

champagneguru.co.uk 1st Dec 2019

"Best value wines for Christmas and the New Year: Fermented in oak casks this wine gets a good deal more time in bottle than many celebrated names and boasts a rich, spicy, savoury style that works both as a great pick me up and with the right sort of food: savoury fishy canapés. - Giles Fallowfield"

Sunday Express 5th May 2019

"Made for The Wine Society by Alfred Gratien, here's a lively, bright, appley fizz with toasty depth and keen acidity. Very stylish and full of interest. - Jamie Goode"

BBC Good Food Magazine 23rd Feb 2018

"This is all about big flavours: brown apples, nuts and spicy notes. If, like me, you love Bollinger Champagne but can’t afford it, this is the wine for you. The producer, Alfred Gratien, is one of the few houses along with Bollinger that still age their wines in oak. - Henry Jeffreys"

independent.co.uk 16th Nov 2017

"This is a fantastic own-label Champagne from the Wine Society, made by Alfred Gratien with his distinctive style: fermenting and aging his wines in oak barrels for added depth, concentration and nuttiness. There’s a lovely mix of light oak savouriness with a burst of honeyed fruit on the mid-palate, dissolving to a long, dry finish. There are well-rounded flavours with a steely, unflagging acidity. This tension is maintained throughout, making it a brilliant choice for a lengthy evening of entertaining. - Nuria Stylianou"

ft.com 12th Sep 2017

"I love The Wine Society and I love this rich, toasty, oak-fermented champagne, made especially for them by Alfred Gratien, with whom the Wine Society has been in cahoots since 1906. - Jonathan Ray"

Three Wine Men 14th Jun 2017

"Impeccable.  A steal for the quality and lashings of personality for the price. - Olly Smith"

The Guardian 17th Dec 2016

"Like other luxury goods, champagne is heavily promoted, and with the big brands, that’s what you’re paying for. Is Krug at £126 fourteen times better than Tesco’s Louis Delaunay, which was recently on offer at £9? Not for most of us, no, even if we could afford it. A case of the Wine Society’s own-label Champagne (12.5 abv) is a better deal than both: like Krug, it is aged in oak and you can order until midnight on Tuesday at the equivalent of £19.67 a bottle, saving yourself £59 in the process.- Fiona Beckett"

joannasimon.com 9th Dec 2016

"Impeccable oak-fermented Champagne made by the small house of Alfred Gratien. Full-flavoured (toast, honey, apricot, coffee bean, cream) and rounded but etched with steely acidity. Ages extremely well. - Joanna Simon"

Aberdeen Press & Journal 1st Dec 2016

"Dry, full-flavoured, very long and well rounded. - Donna Ewen"

Good Housekeeping 27th Oct 2016

"Buttery with a taste of baked apple and a flavour that lasts well. A smooth fizz, with fine bubbles and an excellently balanced acidity."

joannasimon.com 27th Jun 2016

" Oak-fermented polish, precision and complexity from Alfred Gratien. Punches way above it's weight. - Joanna Simon "

Square Meal 4th Jul 2016

" With the richness of roast chicken and its crispy skin, not to mention the gravy, a house that is known for richer styles is a brilliant choice for this dish. Step forward Champagne houses that use oak barrels when making their wine, because even though there might not be oaky flavour (there usually isn't) it still gives the wine extra oomph and concentration in the mouth. Even better, whether its potato dauphinoise or good old-fashioned roasties accompanying, the classic freshness of Champagne will also be great at cutting through the extra flavour of pimped up potatoes. - Jane Parkinson "

The Guardian 16th Jul 2016

" Brilliant own-label Champagne ... which is made by Alfred Gratien, which, like Krug, is one of the few houses that ferments and ages its wines in oak.  - Fiona Beckett "

Country Life 16th Dec 2015

"The house of Alfred Gratien uses barrel fermentation to make wine almost Krug-like in its richness and complexity; this is the source of The Wine Society's Champagne NV. - Harry Eyres"

The Times 20th Jun 2015

"…delicious, smoky-steely…- Jane MacQuitty"

The Oldie 29th May 2015

"Superbly toasty. - Bill Knott"

The Mail on Sunday 27th Apr 2015

"…has a beautiful rich depth thanks to barrel fermentation. - Olly Smith"

The Times 21st Feb 2015

"Dreamy, mature, nutty and smoky, and mostly chardonnay with around a quarter-dollop each of pinots noir and meunier. - Jane MacQuitty"

Decanter 26th Nov 2014

"Pleasing lemon and mint fruitiness with a touch of biscuit. Soft and round with fine bubbles and sustained concentration. - Panel Tasting"

Champagne&Sparkling Wine World Championships 2014 1st Sep 2014

"Silver medal: Deep lemon colour. Soft and mellow red apple aromas, with fresh, overt, ripe, fleshy fruit on the palate and rich, beautifully clean, yeast-complexed fruit on the finish. Very long with a firm acid line leading to true brut finish. Smart winemaking. - Tom Stevenson"

Wiltshire View/Hampshire View 1st Aug 2014

"Complexing savoury flavours from long lees ageing, combined with floral notes, aromatic spices and baked summer fruits. - Sally Easton"

France Magazine 4th Jun 2014

"The Wine Society has been buying sparkling wine from Epernay champagne house Alfred Gratien for more than 100 years. Its own-label champagne is considerably more serious than one might imagine, with a fine, delicate, butter-biscuity nose blending with white spring blossoms and strawberry syllabub. The crisp and fresh palate is infused with star anise and the essence of baked lemon. The Champagne has a remarkably rich and dense intensity of flavour. - Sally Easton"

The Daily Mail 15th May 2014

"What makes this different (in a good way) is that it's partly fermented in oak barrels, to give more nuttiness, weight and flavour. Seriously good. - Helen McGinn"

Birmingham Post 18th Mar 2014

"Superb with a nose of sweet brioche, citrus and apples with a touch of fennel. The taste is similar with doughy brioche flavours and a long dry citrus finish. - Andrew Cambell"

matchingfoodandwine.com 10th Mar 2014

"I hadn’t tasted the champagne for a while and had forgotten just how good it is: incredibly rich and toasty, just like vintage fizz. (It’s aged for 4 years before release). Delicious with Tesco Orkney Crab pâté. - Fiona Beckett"

Newcastle Journal 28th Jan 2014

"…richly satisfying, brilliant own-label Champagne. - Helen Savage"

Belfast Morning Telegraph 21st Dec 2013

"Everything you could ask for in an easy drinking style … blessed with a generous bouquet of toasty nuts and yeast, a full and fruity palate with good acidity, and enough power and finesse to stand up to the occasion, the toasts and the ubiquitous rendition of Auld Lang Syne. - Sam Wylie Harris"

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