Champagne Jeeper owes its name to a vehicle. In 1949, Armand Goutorbe came back from the war and needed a way to get around the steep slopes of his vineyards; the American army left him a Jeep. He put the name on the label, and it stuck — one of the few champagne houses not named after a family.

The house was bought in 2009 by Nicolas Dubois, joined in 2013 by Michel Reybier, owner of Château Cos d’Estournel. It now farms around 50 hectares from Faverolles-et-Coëmy, near Reims, across the Montagne de Reims, Côte des Blancs and Vallée de la Marne, and has held HVE level 3 certification since 2016.

Two things set the style: a Chardonnay-led approach unusual for a house of this size, and a cellar of 1,200 oak barrels — an exceptionally large barrel programme by Champagne standards, which is where the texture comes from.

The Grand Cru is the house pushed to its logical extreme: 98% Chardonnay and 2% Pinot Noir, drawn exclusively from grand cru villages, with a substantial share of the blend matured in oak.

Bright golden in the glass. Lemon zest and candied citrus on the palate, intense, fruity and floral, with the barrel work showing as roasted hazelnut and fresh brioche on the nose. Fine bubbles, creamy texture, and an acidity that carries the finish well past where it should stop.

Supplied as a case of three bottles, each in its own gift box.