 On the latest disgorgement June 2012 | 12.5%
Rich and blousy come hither sort of champagne both true to the Vallée de la Marne and the Pinot Meunier that drives this blend at 45% with 35% Chardonnay and 25% Pinot Noir rounding this out into a fragrance of fresh apricots and red plums, talcum and apricot croissants. This is sensationally good champagne from the clay and limestone soils that top the belemnita quadrata chalk of their vineyards around the villages of Hautvillers, Dizy and Mareuil-surAÿ whose plantings average around 25 years old and show more depth and concentration for it. Orchards of fruit, crackling chalky minerality, and ethereal floral top notes –and yet plush! 1er Cru champagne par excellence! Wine review by Nicholas Livingston, September 2013 — This Champagne is 45% Meunier, 20% Pinot Noir, 35% Chardonnay and is a blend of the 2002, 2001 and 2000 vintages. The Chardonnay is planted in pure chalk in Aÿ, the Meunier in chalk covered with clay in Dizy, and the Pinot Noir in Mareuil-sur-Aÿ. The average age of the vines is 25 years and the dosage is 8.8 grams. Always allowing malolactic conversion, the Chiquet mark is its lovely complexity of floral aromas that work well in a softer, rounder, more approachable style. Pinot Meunier lends a bouncy quality that makes for an extremely chummy Champagne –at once both playful and calm. Look no further for the case of fizz to have on hand in your cellar should some unexpected cause arise that you really ought to celebrate properly -say a friend’s engagement, the arrival of a child, a house warming, a special meal or even staying in on a Wednesday night. One should always have some Champers on hand and it’s as though Gaston Chiquet is working on your behalf to make this happen -like he’s looking after you –and doing a better job than any fairy godmother. Wine review by Nicholas Livingston, February 2011 |
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| Expert Review
90 rating Wine Advocate “The NV Brut Premier Cru Tradition offers up sweet, perfumed fruit in a gorgeous, expressive style that is impossible not to admire. Clean and fragrant throughout, the wine reveals terrific balance and a long, refreshing finish with pretty notes of pineapple, pear and melon that add complexity on the close. The Tradition is 45% Pinot Meunier, 35% Chardonnay and 20% Pinot Noir from Premier and Grand Cru vineyards in Ay, Mareuil-sur-Ay, Dizy and Hautvillers. Dosage varies on the specific disgorgement, which is not unusual, as many producers lower dosage with later disgorgements on the belief that the wines gain richness through additional contact on the lees. The May 13, 2009 disgorgement has 8.8 grams of residual sugar. Anticipated maturity: 2009-2012. This is an impressive set of wines from Nicolas Chiquet, a grower based in Dizy, but with vineyards holdings spread across Ay, Mareuil-sur-Ay, Hautvillers and Dizy. The wines have a level of precision and crystalline beauty that is remarkable.” Wine review from Wine Advocate, December 2009 90 rating – Allen Meadow’s Burghound “(Disgorged November, 2008; 45% pinot meunier, 35% chardonnay, 20% pinot noir). This is very restrained, even discreet and it requires a good 15 minutes of aeration to coax reluctant aromas of dried white flowers, brioche and citrus nuances to come out and play. The delicious and strongly effervescent flavors offer a bit more depth and culminate in a linear and somewhat angular finish. This appears to have very good material and excellent intensity but it’s quite youthful and clearly in need of additional cellar age. 90/2012+” – Burghound, October 2009 The following accounts have purchased this wine in the previous twelve months. Be sure to call ahead to confirm availability. Blackbird - Has New Owners |
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