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Bibendum teams up with Champagne De Castellane - 19/01/2009

For all its glitz and glam the Champagne scene can seem a little bit staid sometimes. Smart suits, expensive marketing and bland brand promises. Well here's something to shake things up a bit...

Bibendum has signed an exclusive deal with Champagne De Castellane to distribute their wines in the UK. We sat down, listed all the questions we wanted answered and then found De Castellane. Job done...it shouldn't have been that easy should it?

The wines are extremely well known and widely sold in mainland Europe but are seriously underexposed on these shores. The range consists of Brut Croix Rouge NV, Brut Rose NV, Brut Vintage 2002 and Demi-Sec NV.

Branding to poke your eye out

Never one to be a shrinking violet, De Castellane has always worn its heart on its sleeve. All the way back in 1922 it started commissioning an exceptional collection of 150 original paintings featuring the iconic red cross. Like the ladies (and only very occasional man!) that adorn these paintings, the brand is sexy, seductive and daring.

De Castellane was established in Epernay in 1895 by the Vicompte Florens de Castellane. Bought by Fernand Merand in 1907, the 5th generation of the Merand family still manages the house today, even after Laurent-Perrier acquired it in full in 1999. It seems such a natural fit with Bibendum, which is also still run like a family company, with all the dynamism...and occasional eccentricity that this entails!

Wines to twist your tastebuds

The secret behind the success is the juice and the know-how that goes into the bottle. Backed by Laurent-Perrier, De Castellane can call on all the benefits that you would expect: massive investment in the winery, input from Michel Fauconnet and his team of expert oenologists and advantageous contracts with growers. And in the final analysis, yes, it tastes great. With some slightly worried looks around the room, we put the Brut NV through its paces in a blind tasting against large and small alike. You know how this story ends...

Michael Saunders, Managing Director of Bibendum, said "The posters fit. And so do the wines. A meeting of minds and culture - this will work. There is a determination on both sides to establish De Castellane's red cross as the sign of a great wine and a great time."

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