#20 Star Wine List Founder, Krister Bengtsson

I’ve long considered Pierre Gimonnet et Fils champagnes tothe be the reference point for high quality blanc de blancs in the Champagne region. Their racy, pure and mineral style reflects the highest levels of finesse and freshness that is emblematic of chardonnay grapes grown on thewhite chalky slopes of the Côte des Blancs. Didier Gimonnet and his brother Olivier, are at the helm ofthe family’s domaine. These days they are accompanied by the involvement of their respective children. Didier is one of Champagne’s great winegrowers and makerswho is also – and  uncommonly - a good communicator.I sat down with him recently to talk about his philosophy and passion for making some of the finest blanc de blancs in Champagne.

For champagne lovers, there are few Houses with the electriccharge and extraordinary finesse of Lanson, which performs best with age. Known for blocking malolactic fermentation and extended lees aging, Lanson creates wines of extreme longevity and possesses a huge cache of the region’s oldest champagnes.After a monumental program involving a quality check andstocktake of their museum wines, the Maison has launched a unique program called ‘Lanson Private Collection’ where investors will be allocated a private cellar with storage for up to 300 bottles and personally monitored by their chef de caves, Hervé Dantan. After experiencing the special launch dinner in Reims, whereI had the chance to taste some extraordinary champagnes going back to 1921, I sat down with Hervé Dantan for this interview.

The Pouillon family are privy to some fantastic terroir in Champagne’s Grande Vallée. Rich and textured, whilst paradoxically elegant and enthrallingly vibrant, R. Pouillon champagnes are stunning interpretations of terroir, especially through the eyes of pinot noir, and elaborated with a sensitive hand. Today we are going to meet the man behind their making.Fabrice Pouillon makes exceptional champagnes. He seemsto possess a superpower, managing to achieve a necessary balance between power and delicacy, which sometimes eludes others with a heavy hand, especially those who rely on barrels for vinification.It was my pleasure to interview Fabrice recently inChampagne.

The Geoffroy family name is historically connected to thevillage of Cumières, in the Vallée de la Marne, where the family has been winegrowing since the 17th century.Today, Jean-Baptiste Geoffroy represents the fifth generation, overseeing 14 hectares of vineyards. In the 1970s, Jean-Baptiste’s father, René, made the audacious decision to use most of their grapes for their own production, under the label Champagne René Geoffroy, instead of supplyingthe big Houses. They produce fruit-forward, flavoursome and intenselymineral champagnes that somehow produce the verve required for massive aging potential, instead of just immediate drinking appeal, which is often the casefor wines coming from Cumières.Today, Jean-Baptiste is joined by his daughter Sasha, who isworking hand-in-glove with her father to perpetuate the legacy of the family into the future.It was my privilege to interview both of them in Champagne,recently.

There are few people who have forged a unique life as aprominent voice for Champagne like my next guest, Tyson Stelzer.Tyson is a multi-award winning wine writer, television hostand producer, author of 18 wine books, an international keynote speaker and wine show chairman and judge. His accolades are too many to list, but despite being based in Australia, he has never allowed the tyranny of distance to hold him back from travelling to Champagne many times a year as well as orchestrating events and presentations across the world. Tyson started out as a science teacher, working as the headof science at an independent school on the Gold Coast in Queensland. So how did a teacher become one of the world’s top Champagne identities? In this episode, we go behind the scenes with Tyson and ask him questions never previously asked and learn how some key decisions, ambition, and a lot of hard work created a unique pathway into Champagne.

In this episode, we sit down with Krister Bengtsson, the founder of Star Wine List, to explore his journey as a media entrepreneur to a leading figure in the wine industry. Since launching in 2017, Star Wine List has grown to cover over 45 countries and 4,000 wine bars and restaurants, helping wine lovers to discover their next great experience. Join us as we discuss the evolution of wine lists, and the role that champagne is playing in their development.

It’s been 150 years since Madame Louise Pommery launched the Maison’s first ‘brut’ champagne. The matriarch, one of the pioneering ‘iron ladies’ famed for propelling the industry forward during difficult times, was a revolutionary. Her idea for a dryer style of champagne, forever changed champagne wines whilst opening-up a whole new opportunity abroad. Pommery is, today, one of Champagne’s leading brands. It was acquired by the Vranken family in 2002 who have taken a serious approach to preserving the Maison’s legacy. The Maison’s fabled fairy tale like castle on the outskirts of Reims is immediately identifiable, perched atop a labyrinth of Gallo-Roman chalk crayeres which is home to an annual program of art installations. The exhibitions are curated by the Maison’s co-owner, Madame Nathalie Vranken, who sees an emotional correlation between art and champagne. It was my pleasure to interview Madame Vranken during her recent visit to Australia.

The name Laurent-Perrier conjures up thoughts of freshness and elegance and classically structured champagnes. The Maison is steeped in impressive history that has served not only their own champagnes, but also champagne collectively, with a family at the helm as wonderful ambassadors. Today the Maisons’ prestige cuvée, Grand Siècle, is represented by fourth-generation, Lucie Pereyre de Nonancourt. In person, Lucie is one of the nicest and most approachable people that you will ever meet. She is not dissimilar to her mother, Alexandra, with light in her eyes and a deep passion for the House. Today, Lucie plays an important role continuing the family’s wonderful dynasty as an independent and family managed House. It was my pleasure to speak with Lucie recently, during harvest 2024 in Champagne.  

Champagne Ayala may not share the same level of fame as its sister-House, Bollinger, but since it was acquired by Bollinger in 2005, it has been revived, reinvented and put firmly back on the champagne map. Though founded and still based in Aÿ, an area that has been historically celebrated for its pinot noir, the Maison’s focus is on chardonnay. Ayala possesses a lightness and freshness but also creamy texture that makes their champagnes very easy to drink. After recent successive and talented cellar masters have been at the helm, the Maison has seen massive leaps forward in quality improvements and modernisations. For this interview, I was in Champagne for harvest, and spoke with Julian Gout, Ayala’s cellar master since 2022, as well as Laurence Alamanos, Export Director. It’s my first podcast primarily in French, with English translation care of Laurence.

What does it take to not only be the best, but to keep on being the best? Champagne Salon has earned a cult-like status amongst those who appreciate the Maison’s ability to make some of the finest and most exclusive blanc de blancs in all of Champagne. Limited to just 50,000 bottles per year for the entire world, Salon commands some of the highest prices for a single bottle each release and often tops-out the secondary market for champagnes from much older vintages. It leaves many champagne lovers waiting patiently just to get a sip. Since 1997, Didier Depond has been President but also managing the day-to-day operations of Champagne Salon and Champagne Delamotte, which fall underneath the stewardship of Laurent-Perrier. Under his leadership Salon has seen elevated and phenomenal demand for its champagnes by maintaining quality but also through restrained accessibility. It was my pleasure to interview Didier during his time recently in Melbourne, Australia.