Description
Alexandre Chartogne is one of Champagne’s brightest young talents – his pure, energetic wines are well on the way to setting a new regional standard. This producer is based in the northernmost outpost of the Champagne region, seven kilometres north of Reims in Merfy. This is one of a crescent of villages of the Massif de Saint-Thierry, an area that has been planted with vines at least since the time of the Roman Empire. The Benedictine monks of the neighbouring Abbey of Saint-Thierry expanded the vineyards in the 7th century and carefully mapped out the different terroirs.
The Domaine itself dates back to 1920 but it was only as recently as 2006 that things really started to change. Fresh from a stage with Anselme Selosse, Alexandre returned to Chartogne-Taillet with the ideal that the transmission of terroir would come only through careful work in the vineyard. To this end no chemicals, herbicides or insecticides are used, cultivation is only when required, sheep and chickens roam the vineyards and organic compost is used where necessary. All effort is on maximising life in the soil.
In the cellar each parcel is vinified separately. Primary fermentation is wild, and largely in second-hand barriques (although Chartogne has also used concrete eggs for some time). In most cases the base wines are aged for nine months (far longer than most Champagne) before assemblage and tasting. The second fermentation in the bottle is induced using yeasts selected from each specific parcel. Dosage is low and, as Chartogne hones his style, we find it’s in lower proportions each year.
Alexandre Chartogne’s reputation as one of Champagne’s most thoughtful and ambitious growers shows through in his wines. Notes from importer, Imbibo.
Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media, in his article on Champagne 2021- New Releases about the Winery “Alexandre Chartogne’s new releases are just magical. Tasting them made me feel like I was in the winery. There is a purity to the wines this year that hasn’t always been present in the past. Stellar wines abound in this range. Take your pick. I found the 2016 Les Barres, 100% Meunier to be transcendentally beautiful, but there are a number of offerings that are just as compelling, including the 2016 Hors Série, 100% Chardonnay from vineyards in Avize and Merfy. All of the top wines are done in neutral oak, with full malolactic fermentation. As has been the case now for some time, the Cuvée Ste.-Anne is one of the very best values in the world of wine, sparkling or not.”
Named for the patron saint of Merfy, this comes from mature parcels of vines in both Merfy and Saint-Thierry. These diverse, sand and limestone-rich terroirs contribute to the wine’s vibrancy and finesse. Each plot is vinified uniquely, and blended to create a balance where site expression is front and foremost. The wines (equal parts Pinot Noir and Chardonnay) are raised in old oak barrels of numerous sizes and in a small proportion in stainless steel tank. The reserve wine component is close to 50%, and the dosage is approximately 4.7 g/L
This is such beautifully bright and focused Champagne, with incredible purity balance and complexity.
92 points, Antonio Galloni, November 2021 “The NV Brut Cuvée Ste.-Anne is one of the great values in Champagne. Broad and creamy, with high-toned aromatics, the Cuvée Ste.-Anne is a total pleasure bomb. The intensity of the flavors is so beautifully dialed up. Orchard fruit, dried flowers and spice all flesh out effortlessly. More than anything, though, I admire the wine’s balance and raciness. This release is based on 2018. Dosage is 5 grams per liter. Disgorged: March, 2021.
Review of previous disgorgement .. 92 points Wine Spectator “Enticing aromas of spice and graphite draw you into the glass of this finely knit Champagne, winding like a fragrant thread through flavors of ripe and tangy yellow plum and black raspberry fruit, Marcona almond and salty mineral. Mouthwatering, with a satiny mousse and lasting finish.”
91 points, Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate “This iteration of Chartogne’s entry cuvée is especially charming, wafting from the glass with notes of waxy lemon rind, almond paste, elderflowers and spices. On the palate, it’s medium to full-bodied, broad and fleshy, with a generous core of tangy fruit, ripe acids, a refined mousse and a long, flavorful finish. Despite its charm, this is also among the more intense, concentrated renditions of Sainte Anne that I can remember tasting, and it comes warmly recommended.”
RRP $105 Our Price $84.99
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