Bollinger Special Cuvée Champagne Gift with Artisan Chocolate

Bollinger is the serious drinker's Champagne, and Special Cuvée is the wine that built that reputation. Where most houses lean on freshness, Bollinger leans on depth: the blend is led by Pinot Noir - at least 60% - and a large share is fermented in old oak barrels rather than steel, which is what gives the wine its richness, structure and unmistakable house character.

The name goes back to 1911, when Bollinger's British agent suggested "Special Cuvée" - "special" spelled the English way, without an accent - feeling that "non-vintage brut" didn't do the wine justice. More than a century on, it's still the wine the house is known for, made largely from estate vineyards Bollinger has farmed since its founding in Aÿ in 1829.

Here it's paired with a bar of artisan British chocolate, chosen by you from our selection of Love Cocoa and Chococo - two of Britain's best small-batch chocolatiers, between them holding a wall of Great Taste Awards. It turns a benchmark Champagne into a fuller, more considered gift, with both halves worth giving on their own.