VINE and BUBBLE Podcast

Before we dive into today’s conversation, I’d like tointroduce my next guest, Maud Rabin. Maud is Director of Rare Champagne, one of Champagne’s most distinctive and exclusive maisons. The story of Rare begins in 1785, when a special cuvée wascreated for Marie Antoinette and the French royal court. That spirit of rarity and refinement continues to shape the maison today. Produced only in exceptional vintages, Rare Champagne isunapologetically different. While it shares its historical roots with Piper-Heidsieck, Rare has forged an identity entirely its own, defined by an uncompromising vintage philosophy and a signature style that is immediately recognisable. There’s remarkable freshness and longevity, but also layersof texture and a fascinating aromatic profile that can reveal exotic and tropical fruits alongside delicate florals, salinity and chalky minerality. These are Champagnes made not simply to impress on release, but to evolve beautifully over decades. In her role, Maud takes the story of Rare Champagne aroundthe world, sharing a philosophy built around patience, precision and, above all, the extraordinary.

Few people have changed the way we experience champagne as profoundly as Philippe Jamesse. A world-renowned sommelier and one of the foremost authorities on champagne service, Philippe has spent decades challenging convention, proving that the right glass doesn't simply hold champagne—it transforms it. His collaboration with Lehmann has produced some of the most iconic Champagne glasses in the world, including the Grand Champagne and Synergie ranges. These glasses have become the choice of leading Champagne Houses, sommeliers and collectors who believe every detail matters. In this episode, we take a deep dive into the philosophy behind these remarkable designs. We explore why shape, balance and craftsmanship influence the aromas, texture and expression of Champagne, the differences between handmade and machine-made glassware, and how Philippe has redefined what it means to experience one of the world's greatest wines. Whether you're a seasoned collector or simply love Champagne, this conversation will forever change the way you look at the glass in your hand. I hope you enjoy my conversation with Philippe Jamesse.

In this special episode of the VINE & BUBBLE Podcast, Sara Underdown sits down with Frédéric Rouzaud, President and CEO of Maison Louis Roederer, during the house’s extraordinary 250th anniversary celebrations. Together, they explore family ownership, the creation and evolution of Cristal, the importance of vineyard ownership, and why time remains one of Champagne’s greatest luxuries.

Today I'm delighted to be joined by one of Champagne's most progressive and thought-provoking growers, Cédric Moussé of Champagne Moussé. Based in the Vallée de la Marne village of Cuisles, Cédric represents the twelfth generation of his family's estate, but he has become known for doing things very differently. While many producers have spent decades trying to elevate Meunier from a supporting grape status to a serious contender, Cédric has quietly demonstrated just how profound it can be when matched with exceptional terroir and meticulous viticulture. His philosophy extends well beyond the grape variety itself. Cédric believes that great champagne begins with living soils and healthy ecosystems. His vineyards are managed organically, he has introduced geothermal energy, solar power, autonomous vineyard robots and even grazing animals to regenerate biodiversity, always with one goal in mind: producing wines that express their place with greater purity and precision. In the cellar, intervention is kept to a minimum. Every decision is designed to preserve energy, freshness and transparency, allowing the vineyard—not the winemaker—to take centre stage. Today we'll explore why Meunier deserves far greater recognition, how innovation and sustainability can actually improve wine quality, and why Cédric believes the future of Champagne lies in working more closely with nature rather than trying to control it.

There’s a quiet shift unfolding in Champagne - and it’s beingled by a new generation willing to question the very foundations of the category. EPC Champagne is a new voice in that movement. Founded in 2019, EPC is reimagining what non-vintage Champagne can be - placing transparency,traceability, and the people behind the wine at the centre of the conversation. Every bottle tells a story: where the fruit comes from, whofarmed it, how it was blended, and why it tastes the way it does. It’s a philosophy that challenges the long-held mystique of ‘house style’ and instead invites drinkers into a deeper, more informed relationship with champagne. But beyond the detail, there’s something more radical atplay - a desire to strip away the formality and return champagne to something instinctive and joyful. Today, we explore what happens when tradition meets a newkind of honesty with EPC’s co-founder, Jérôme Queige.

Today it’s my privilege to welcome Émilien Érard, Chef deCaves of Charles Heidsieck. Émilien was appointed to the role in 2025, marking a quiet but significant evolution for the House. He succeeds Élise Losfelt, who departed to return to her family estate, but he also worked under Élise’s predecessor, the legendary Cyril Brun. Since joining in 2018, Emilien has embedded himself deeplywithin the fabric of Charles Heidsieck. His work has not been defined by visibility, but by precision—overseeing the rhythms of the winery, building trusted relationshipswith growers, and contributing, year after year, to the tasting committee that shapes the House’s signature. Émilien understands not only the technical architecture ofthe wines, but the deeper identity of Charles Heidsieck—its language of texture, patience and quiet power. In this episode, we move beyond the surface, exploring thephilosophy behind Charles Heidsieck’s rosé winemaking, the quiet power of lees ageing and reserve wines, and the nuanced decisions that preserve identity across challenging vintages. We also take a look at the newly released Blancdes Millenaries from the less talked about 2017 vintage.

Today it’s my great pleasure to introduce a true pioneer inthe world of sparkling wine—Ed Carr, the Chief Winemaker behind the House of Arras, Tasmania’s most acclaimed traditional-method sparkling wine brand. Ed’s journey into winemaking was anything but conventional.With a background in food chemistry and microbiology, he launched his life into the world of wine after solving a fermentation issue in McLaren Vale. In 1995, while working with Hardy’s, Ed founded House ofArras with a bold vision: to prove that Tasmania could craft world class sparkling wines. His philosophy is rooted in patience, precision, and purity—championing long lees aging, meticulous blending by hand, and sourcing fruit from cool-climate vineyards across Tasmania’s diverse subregions. Ed Carr became the second winemaker outside of Champagne to be named Winemaker of the Year at the International Sparkling Wine Competition in 2024. Over three decades, his wines have collected more than 370 gold medals, alongside lifetime achievement honours. And under his guidance, Handpicked Wines acquired the label in 2023—ensuring Ed’s legacy continues to inspire and flourish. It's my pleasure to interview him on the occasion of Arras’ 30 year anniversary.

Domaine Vincey is one of Champagne’s most exciting andprogressive grower-producers, known for its bold vision, meticulous craftsmanship, and deep respect for terroir. In Champagne, where generational legacies are sometimescenturies old, setting down one’s own path can mean writing not only a chapter, but a whole new book. Today we’re going to learn more about the impressive husband and wife team doing exactly this in the grand cru village of Oger in Champagne’s Cote des Blancs Quentin Vincey and Marine Zabarino are the impressive, ifnot radical, growers making incredibly good champagnes, which get better with every release. They are fearless pioneers in a village where most of the producers are attached to just two local cooperatives. Quentin is the domaine’s eighth-generation winegrower. Inthe 12 years following wine school, he took the rein of the family’s vineyards, grew their holdings, commenced organic and biodynamic conversion and shifted the business model to make wines under their own label. Quentin and Marine released their first champagne from the2014 harvest - a 100 percent Oger blanc de blancs made from old vines dating back to 1954. Just 11 years later, they have become one of the most interesting and acclaimed winegrowers championing the uniqueness of Oger’s terroir within a delicious, generous and Burgundian style. Today I am going to talk to Marine Zabarino about theirDomaine and have my first taste of the new release Oger 2020.

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.

When you think of Champagne Pol Roger it’s likely to conjure up thoughts of the royal family or Sir Winston Churchill. These are important historical but also contemporary connections to what they humorously consider to be the ‘most British’ of champagne brands. But you’re also likely to consider Pol as producing some of the most classical and elegant champagnes. Very few other Maisons apply such exacting precision to the management of their production facilities, pressing and vinification processes as Pol Roger. The recent opening of a state-of-the-art production site is just the latest innovation in a long-documented series of quality improvements that go to the heart of the Maison’s mandate for producing some of the most pure and precise champagnes with huge ageing potential. It was my pleasure to sit down with Pol Roger’s Managing Director, Laurent d’Harcourt for this interview on the occasion of the Maison’s 175th anniversary.

The name ‘Perrier’ in Champagne conjures up thoughts around history and prestige. In the case of Joseph Perrier, the spirit of the House is evoked by tradition, quality and particularly family. Since 1825 it has been managed, largely, by a succession of fathers and sons. Six generations on, Joseph Perrier remains an independent and authentic family managed Maison under the stewardship of Chairman and CEO (and family member) Benjamin Fourmon. With Benjamin at the helm, the Maison has gained an elevated vision around quality and refinement - but also modernisation - with gusto and energy. Recently, the House revealed itself in a new light with a re-brand to highlight their aspirations for luminosity and positivity. It was my pleasure to sit down with Benjamin Fourmon to discuss the Maison’s evolution during this interview.