In case you want to take your holiday celebrating to the next level, this is the pack for you. Each of these Champagnes are sourced from Grand Cru sites. These are 3 of our favorite bottles that we've tasted this fall, and we are excited to share them with you.
AR Lenoble Grand Cru Chouilly Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut 2012
AR Lenoble is one of the rare houses in Champagne that has remained 100% family-owned since its foundation. Anne and Antoine Malassagne, sister and brother, are the great-grandchildren of founder Armand-Raphaël Graser. Anne took over from her father in 1993 and was joined by her brother Antoine in 1996. Sourced from Grand Cru Chouilly in the Cote des Blancs where Chardonnay thrives best. This is a cellar release from the 2012 vintage, with a low dosage of just 2g/L.
Egly-Ouriet, Grand Cru Extra Brut Assemblage 2018
Domaine Egly-Ouriet Champagne is sensual, unforgettable and highly sought after, a “cult” wine for Champagne lovers who crave the power and finesse of Pinot Noir-based wines. What you’ll find at this small family “grower” house is truly vinous Champagne, wines striking in their concentration and complexity. A selection of older-vine fruit, 70% Pinot Noir and 30% Chardonnay, from the Grand Cru villages of Ambonnay, Verzenay and Bouzy, aged for at least three years in bottle. Red berries, blood orange, incense, blond toast. (This wine was previously called ‘Tradition,’ however, the wine’s blend or method of aging has not changed.) This is the latest release that was disgorged on 11/2023 with a low dosage of 1g/L.
Marc Hebrart, ‘Noces de Craie’ Blanc de Noirs Extra Brut 2018
Established in 1964, the Hébrart domaine has built a reputation as one of the finest producers in the Grand Vallée. Jean-Paul Hébrart has been the head winemaker since taking over for his father in the mid-1990’s. This blanc de noirs is 100% Pinot Noir from older vines in a few of the domaine’s best parcels. Fermented and aged in steel, and then the wine spends over 3 years on the lees prior to disgorgement. "Noces de Craie" means, lyrically "wedding of chalk.” There is colossal intensity and a chalky minerality on the nose here with Asian pear, quince paste, citrus cream, puff pastry and almond. It’s powerful and refined with minuscule bubbles and a rich, mouth-coating intensity that is laced with salty minerals and rich stone fruit and citrus flavors.