CHAMPAGNE

For the Chauvet, harmony in champagne is not just important, it is elemental. As such, they are regional champions of the art of blending Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, and they take an unabashedly classical approach in the vineyards and in the cellars. Farming their family’s 10 hectares sustainably in five of the Montagne de Reims’s 17 grand crus—Bouzy, Ambonnay, Verzy, Verzenay and Bisseuil— one feels a complex synergy to the final wines where the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Long fermentations and extended élevages on the lees help develop complexity and fine aromatics, while also radically reducing the need for sulfur and eschewing the need for malolactic fermentations. In the end, their harmony in both their partnership and practice yields elegant, earthy and aromatic champagnes with a fine, satiny mousse that dances across the palate. That they are also capable of long cellar aging is a fitting legacy for a family who has endured since 1848, and whose family home in Tours-sur-Marne features an immaculately preserved salon, dating to the early 1900's.

VINOUS WINE MEDIA 93 POINTS-"Agrapart's NV Brut 7 Crus is simply gorgeous. Rich, creamy and inviting, the 7 Crus hits all the right notes. The 7 Crus doesn't quite have the focus or energy of the top wines here, but it is incredibly delicious, approachable and relatively easy to find. This may very well be the finest release of the 7 Crus I have ever tasted since this cuvée debuted a few years ago. The 7 Crus is 90% Chardonnay and 10% Pinot Noir. This release is equal parts 2015 and 2014. Don't miss it! Dosage is 7 grams per liter. Disgorged: May 2018."

WINE ADVOCATE 90 POINTS-"Unfortunately I was only able to taste one new release from Andre Clouet this year. The NV Brut Grande Reserve emerges from the glass with layers of hazelnut, pear, spice and dried flower aromas. This rich, creamy wine impresses for its balance and sheer richness. I loved it. This is Lot L06. Anticipated maturity: 2011-2014."(11/11)

Fashioned from 100% Bouzy and Ambonnay Pinot Noir form the 2009 and 2008 vintages with 30% of the base wine fermented in used Sauterenes barrels. The bouquet is open airy with inviting sourdough, yellow plum, citrus and Macintosh apple notes. This is a concentrated, but not at all ponderous, Champagne with a palate that features appetizing summer and citrus fruits seamlessly wedded to oak derived notions of honey, toast and brown spices. The low (6g/l) dosage works well here to keep everything lively while also letting Champagnes chalk and soil character to come to the fore. This intricately crafted Brut beautifully marries power and poise in way that one seldom finds at this low price point.

In 1970 Guy Bouvet, Antoine’s grandfather launched his domaine in Mareuil sur Ay and ran it largely by himself, with most of the 5 hectares being sold to Bollinger. Guy worked with a small holding of vineyards spread across three villages (Mareuil sur Ay, Avenay val d’Or and Bisseuil). From an early age, Antoine took a budding interest in the family business. He learned from his grandfather the joy of hard work, caring for the land, and the precision of cellar work so very necessary to make great Champagne. Antoine’s love for his grandfather can be seen in the homage to him on the label of his Champagnes. Antoine attended the Viticampus in Avize and started working with his grandfather in 2011 and in 2013 he took over complete operations of the domaine, where he has worked solely with oak and began the use of biodynamic practices. With working with his grandfather in the first couple of years, it has been a transition to organic vineyard practices and in 2012 and 2014 both were planted on 40% organic vineyards, while 2020, and going forward all vineyards are farmed 100% organic and biodynamic throughout.

This is the hip ultra-luxury cuvee made by Cattier. It is packaged in a gold bottle with a pewter card-spade with an A on it instead of a label, giving rise to the nick-name ace of spades. It is a favorite of many musicians and has been popping up in celebrity circles and music videos. It is made exclusively from Premier and Grand Cru-rated villages in three different terroirs: Montagne de Reims, Vallée de la Marne and Côte des Blancs. The blend is 40% Chardonnay, 40%, Pinot Noir, and 20% Pinot Meunier.The original de Brignac name was registered by the Cattier family in the late 1940s or early 50s, according to Jean-Jacques Cattier. It was chosen at that time by his mother, who had been reading a novel featuring a character named de Brignac. In naming the new Champagne itself, Cattier states those involved came up with Armand, it sounded kind of noble.

JAMES SUCKLING 92 POINTS-"A smooth, gently round and nicely balanced Champagne dominant in pinot meunier, pinot noir and chardonnay to boot. It has attractive lemon citrus flavors and is really punchy, refined and gently nutty. A smooth, pastry-like texture comes to the fore on the finish. Drink now."

WINE ADVOCATE 92 POINTS - "The NV Brut Premier Cru is a gorgeous wine, and a great introduction to the house style. Lemon, white flowers, mint, crushed rocks are some of the many notes that take shape in the glass as this refined Champagne shows off its impeccable class and total pedigree. The Premier Cru is 45% Pinot Meunier, 25% Pinot Noir, 25% Chardonnay and 5% Arbanne, Petit Meslier and Fromenteau. The high percentage of red grapes is felt in the wine’s breadth, while the aromas and flavors remain fresh, vibrant and beautifully nuanced throughout. This is a fabulous entry-level offering."

Rosé Majeur is the perfect embodiment of the originality and finesse of the House’s wines. Made predominantly from Chardonnay, it is crafted with the addition of a small proportion of still Pinot Noir from the best crus of the Montagne de Reims. A low dosage enables it to express the House style, both feminine and generous, with great elegance. The very high proportion of Chardonnay and the aging process result in a Champagne with remarkable finesse. Brut Rosé Majeur shines with freshness on the palate, offering immediate pleasure and well-balanced flavors.

IMPORTER'S NOTES-" Ages in barrel for 6 months and in bottle for 10 years before release • Current disgorgement: November 2016 (2005 Vintage) • Dosage 5 grams/liter • The Annonciade bottling is an hommage to an ancestor of the Bara family. In 1833, Annonciade, daughter of a winemaker from Bouzy, married Auguste François Bara, a young cooper from a neighboring village. Jules Bara, their son, constructed the first cellar at Champagne Paul Bara. This cuvée symbolizes the perfect marriage between vigneronne and cooper.

This exquisitely crafted champagne is derived from a mix of 50% Pinot Noir and 50% Chardonnay, perfectly balanced to create a Rose champagne that is one to be consumed when celebrating a special occasion. Light crisp taste, which is fresh and fruity, with the color of delicate rose petals.
The copper casing of both the Brut and the Rose were inspired by the suit of armor worn by the knights of the palace. They are crafted from 100% second generation scrap copper and each bottle is recycled after consumption. So why the copper in the first place? Believe it or not, it’s not just bling it actually helps save energy and keeps the temperature of the wine stabilized while it’s being consumed without the use of an ice bucket.

Champagne Bertrand Senecourt is an Epernay Champagne house that sometimes makes special cuvees, such as Beau Joie Special Cuvee Brut. The Champagne is 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay naturally derived from the finest grapes of Epernay, France. A unique, zero-dosage Champagne with none of the added sugars common in other Champagnes. Because of the lack of added sugars, "Beau" pairs well with all foods and desserts. It is bottled in a distinctive 100% copper wrapper that Bertrand Senecourt says is inspired by the suits of armor worn by medieval knights. The copper “suit of armor” keeps the Champagne colder for longer periods, and the copper wrapper is made from recycled copper. Bertrand Senecourt is also the maker of the prestigious Charles Ellner Champagnes.

JOHN GILMAN 92 POINTS - "The Brut Réserve bottling from Billecart-Salmon is identical in cépages to the Extra Brut, with the sole differences in the wines being that the Brut Réserve receives a judicious dosage of seven grams per liter. Not surprisingly, the current release is excellent, offering a complex nose of pear, warm biscuits, a fine base of complex soil tones, gentle notes of lime peel and a nice touch of white roses in the upper register. On the palate the wine is pure, full-bodied, complex and very refined in profile, with a lovely core, pinpoint bubbles, bright, well-integrated acids and a very long, tangy and elegant finish. I have had some previous renditions of Brut Réserve that seemed a bit bound up by their structural elements out of the blocks and in need of some bottle age to blossom, but the current release will drink beautifully right from the outset."

INTERNATIONAL WINE CELLAR 91 POINTS - "Light yellow-gold. Orange and pear aromas are complemented by notes of vanilla bean and honeysuckle. Silky in texture and nicely precise, with juicy orchard fruit flavors and a tangy note of Meyer lemon. Dry but in no way austere. Blends depth and energy smoothly and finishes with excellent clarity and nervy cut."

JAMES SUCKLING 94 POINTS - "A gorgeous rosé Champagne with sliced strawberries, orange peel and hints of cream and pie crust. Medium body, tight and integrated tannins and a long and flavorful finish. Tangy acidity. The texture shows a fine bead and lightness. Long and intense. Drink now."

WINE ADVOCATE 98 POINTS-"Entirely vinified in oak and disgorged in May 2018, after 15 years on the lees in bottle, the 2002 Millésime Brut Le Clos Saint-Hilaire is a single-plot Blanc de Noirs from Pinot Noir vines planted in Mareuil-sur-Aÿ in 1964. Highly fine and pure on the deep, elegant and spicy nose, with intense mirabelle and apricot flavors, this is a pure, salty, very finessed yet tensioned, complex, mineral and refreshing Pinot with intense and well-concentrated fruit, a juicy texture and persistent structure. The finish is very long but pure, fresh, salty and, in any case, highly stimulating! Total production: 3,700 bottles. Tasted November 2018."

JAMES SUCKLING 94 POINTS - "A gorgeous rosé Champagne with sliced strawberries, orange peel and hints of cream and pie crust. Medium body, tight and integrated tannins and a long and flavorful finish. Tangy acidity. The texture shows a fine bead and lightness. Long and intense. Drink now."

WINE SPECTATOR 92 POINTS "Lacy in texture, with sleek acidity, this well-knit rosé Champagne offers delicate notes of blood orange glacé, pickled ginger and oyster shell, revealing a rich hint of grilled nut. The firm, almost crunchy finish is nicely spiced and lingering. Drink now through 2023."

375ml

JAMES SUCKLING 98 POINTS - " A very composed Champagne with plenty of still fresh lemon and white cherry fruits on offer. There's impressive clarity, power and richness here. The nose has candied peach, strawberry, white cherry and grilled nuts. Very flavorsome palate with pastry flavors adding savory notes to the stone fruits and citrus. Toasted almonds and chalky minerals define the long finish. Still so young and powerful!

WINE ADVOCATE 97 POINTS - " The 2002 Brut Cuvée Nicolas François was disgorged in January 2015 with four grams per liter dosage, and it's showing superbly, wafting from the glass with a complex bouquet that mingles confit citrus, peach and dried papaya with nuances of iodine, brioche and honeycomb. On the palate, it's full-bodied, broad and vinous, with a rich and layered core that's underpinned by serious structure and tension, concluding with a long and precise finish. This is one of the finest wines Billecart has released in the last decade, and it is well worth seeking out."

DECANTER MAGAZINE 96 POINTS - "5% of red wine has been added by assemblage from the legendary La Cote Aux Enfants vineyard in Aÿ. The resulting power is subtle, gastronomic and bewitching: as a corollary to a lighter, onion-skin colour, there's an intensity and length on the palate allied to perfect integration of the 8g/l of sugar and the legacy of both oak fermentation and long yeast maturation, the latter under cork. The vinous power is such that this will match rich, savoury dishes such as quail, venison, pigeon and guinea fowl. A triumph!" (AG) (2/2020)

WINE SPECTATOR 96 POINTS - "Enticing aromas and flavors of wild strawberry, apricot and Macadamia nut are woven with accents of saffron, ground ginger, honey and orange peel in this seamlessly knit rosé in a vinous style. Satiny in texure, with an overall grace that belies the powerful tension and focus throughout, driving the lasting finish." (AN)

JOHN GILMAN 92 POINTS-"The new [2016] release of Bollinger’s non-vintage Brut Rosé (at least I assume this is a new cuvée, but there is no date of disgorgement on the back label) has the same cépages as last year: sixty-two percent pinot noir, twenty-four percent chardonnay and fourteen percent pinot meunier with five percent of the reds still wines. The wine is a lovely salmon color and was finished with a dosage of seven grams per liter. The bouquet is deep and classy, delivering scents of white 70 cherries, rye bread, blood orange, a complex base of soil tones, gentle smokiness and a spicy topnote redolent of clove and cinnamon stick. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and impressively light on its feet, with a lovely core, elegant mousse, impeccable balance and a long, crisp and focused finish. This is really a classy non-vintage Brut Rosé. 2016-2030+."

WINE SPECTATOR 93 - "This refined rosé shows verve, offering finely meshed flavors of dried black cherry and pomegranate fruit, with notes of almond skin, gingerbread, honey and candied orange zest. A vein of smoky minerality gains momentum on the lasting finish. Drink now through 2020. 2,000 cases imported."