17 years spent living and working in Champagne has allowed Jiles to build up a vast amount of knowledge about all things bubbly as well as a very extensive network of contacts, especially amongst the smaller and less well-known champagne makers whose champagnes will probably amaze you with their quality and diversity.
A job as area manager for Asia and Australia with Moët et Chandon was what first drew Jiles to Champagne after completing an MBA in Luxury Brand Management at ESSEC, a prestigious business school just outside Paris.
After nearly 9 years at Moët Jiles moved back to the UK where he started one of the first online businesses promoting and selling grower champagnes,
However the draw of ‘The King of Wines and the Wine of Kings’ once again proved irresistible and another 8 year stay in Champagne was the result. During this second stay in Champagne Jiles worked with the Syndicat Général des Vignerons de Champagne as an accedited consultant for small, independent champagne makers before setting up his own consultancy.
Jiles now spends his time between England and Champagne.and puts his knowledge and contacts to work helping wine lovers everywhere learn more about champagne and helping businesses and individuals to create their own private champagne brand.
He is the author of two books on champagne, several concise guides to champagne and is the creator of an online champagne study course called My Champagne Expert
I'm not entirely sure that what happens in the champagne market in France necessarily reflects what is happening, or is going to happen, elsewhere, but it's intriguing to watch the way sales are developing here in France and fortunately the statisticians at the good old CIVC can be relied upon to generate mountains of data to look at.
We're now officially into La Veraison : the final ripening period before the harvest. Now's the time when the black grapes start turning black - up until now all the grape varieties, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier have been the same green colour
