Chassenay d'Arce

Chassenay d'Arce is a co-operative in the Cote des Bar, the southern end of Champagne that sits closer to Chablis than to Reims. The common mistake is reading co-operative as a lower grade. It is an ownership structure, not a quality tier: around a hundred and fifty grower families pool their fruit and share one winery and one cellar master, which is the same arrangement behind a good deal of the region's most consistent wine.

The range splits on lees ageing and on how much Pinot Noir is in the blend. Cuvee Premiere is the Pinot-dominant house Brut, with the rose alongside it. Above them come the single-vintage wines: a Pinot Blanc bottling, which is unusual anywhere in Champagne, and the Confidences pair in white and rose, both given several more years in the cellar before disgorging.

Extra spend here buys age and scarcity rather than a bigger wine. The vintage bottlings are quieter and more savoury, not louder. Anyone who wants this producer's fruit at full volume should stay at the entry Brut and spend the difference on a second bottle.

The list below is sorted by price, lowest first.