Champagne GH Mumm has launched its second vintage of Cuvee R Lalou 1999, it has been revealed.

At a terroir-themed lunch hosted by the vineyard at The Ritz in London, the Champagne estate's cellarmaster Didier Mariotti told the Drinks Business that winemakers took grapes from 12 different old vine parcels and blended seven of them.

He added: "At the moment in Champagne we think in terms of villages, but we need to go further – to go inside the villages and start thinking about the individual terroir."

Guests at the exclusive dinner were served the Cuveee R Lalou 1999 at six different temperatures to emphasise its effect on the character of the wine - the warmer the champagne, the more dominant the Pinot Noir in the blend becomes.

Champagne estates such as GH Mumm can expect a profitable year in 2011.

Stephen Charters, Reims Management School's chair of Champagne management, believes that Champagne sales are directly linked to the overall health of the economy, with sales continuing to increase throughout the year.