Sparkling French Champagne Mailly Grand Cru Reserve Brut wine
No need to decant before drinking. Dating back to 1929, Champagne Mailly is one of the oldest cooperatives in the French region of Champagne. Following the First World War, 24 local Mailly grape growers came together to form the ‘Societe de Producteurs de Mailly Champagne’ with the goal of producing champagne from grapes exclusively grown in the village.
Due to the topography of the village, Mailly has long been recognized as one of the most extraordinary of the Champagne Villages, earning Grand Cru status in 1911 and 1920. Even today, only 17 of the 320 villages in the Champagne AOC are currently given Grand Cru status, with Mailly Grand Cru being the only Champagne producer to source all of its wines from Grand Cru vineyards. The Grand Cru Reserve Brut is made up of 75% Pinot Noir and 25% Chardonnay.
Fermentation took place in a mix of stainless steel tanks and oak barrels, then aged in bottle in traditional chalk cellars. Perfect for friendly celebrations or romantic dinners, this Champagne is bright on the nose with fresh pear and bursting citrus leading to a note of toasted almond and biscuit. The palate opens up with dense apricot and green apple.
Zippy acidity on the front palate is rounded out by plush brioche notes and a nutty finish. These bubbles can be enjoyed alone or with a variety of foods including oysters, tuna dishes, soft cheeses, or apple pie.
Sparkling French Champagne Mandois Brut Origine wine
Serve it chilled. Located in Pierry, near Epernay, Champagne Mandois is a 9-generation family-run winery. The history of this company began in 1735 with the purchase of some vineyards, but the foundation took place in 1862.
Initially based in Epernay, in 1905, Champagne Mandois moved to Pierry. Today, the company owns just under 40 hectares of vineyards spread across 12 different villages in the Cote des Blancs, Cote d’Epernay, Coteaux de Sezanne and Cote des Bars, planted mainly with Chardonnay grapes. The Brut Origine is a classic blend of a majority of Chardonnay with equal parts of the red grapes Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier, and a small addition of base wines.
The wine remains in the cellar for 3 years before being released on the market. This elegant Champagne has a golden color enhanced by a fine and persistent perlage. On the nose, it reveals a rich and broad aromatic profile with notes of ripe fruit and fresh hints of lime, followed by toasted nuances.
On the palate, it is lively, balanced and round. It has a velvety texture and a fine mousse. The long, and elegant finish recalls toasted and honeyed notes.
It makes an excellent aperitif for a special occasion, but it also pairs well with shellfish appetizers and white meat.
Sparkling French Champagne Mandois Cuvee Victor Vieilles Vignes 2013 wine
Maison Mandois is a 9-generation family-run Champagne house. Their history began with the purchase of vineyards in the Epernay area in 1735, and today the company, which has been based in Pierry since the early 1900s, cultivates approximately 40 hectares planted mainly with Chardonnay grapes and spread across 12 villages. The Chardonnay grapes are selected from low-yielding vineyards over fifty years old located in Chouilly and Vertus, and from an old vineyard on the Cote de Sezanne on soils of red clay, chalk, limestone and flint.
About a third of the grapes are treated in the traditional way in oak barrels as Victor Mandois used to do, to add roundness and structure to the wine, while the rest is worked in steel. The wine then rests for 9 years on the lees in the Maison’s underground cellars, dating back to the 18th century. The Cuvee Victor Vieilles Vignes is a structured and very elegant champagne with a straw color with golden reflections and a broad and fresh aromatic profile with notes of white fruit and citrus, followed by hints of hazelnut and brioche.
On the palate it has a creamy texture and a good acidity. It is concentrated and balanced, with a long and persistent finish that recalls mineral notes. It is delicious with risotto with scallops or stuffed guinea fowl.
Sparkling French Champagne Michel Gonet Brut Fravaux wine
This is a “blanc de noirs” champagne, crafted from 100% Pinot Noir from the “Le Varlan” plot in the chalky soils of Fravaux. It begins with a sparkling, detailed minerality and a bouquet of orchard fruits. Fravaux is famed for its light, fruity Pinot Noir grapes and this wine was made with minimal ageing on the lees, in order to preserve that unique character.
In the heart of the Cotes des Blancs, the Gonet family have been creating impeccable Champagne wines since 1802. The winery began as Gonet and Sons, but in the 1970s, Michel embarked on his own adventure, making room for his siblings at the family winery. He established his own champagne cellar in Avize, and gradually expanded to famous regions such as Bordeaux, cementing his place as one of the greatest current winemakers in France.
In the mouth, it shows a perfect balance of brightness and complexity. Green apple, raspberry, grapefruit and subtle hints of mushroom can be found, mingling with a crisp vein of acidity. It is an example of Michel Gonet’s commitment to making elegant, nuanced champagne, and is a perfect wine to bring to a celebration.
Serve it as an aperitif, or alongside delicate dishes like oysters, lobster, or a nutty cheese.