Champagne Paul Déthune Millésime Extra Brut Grand Cru 2012

This top cuvée clocks in at 60% Chardonnay and 40% Pinot Noir exclusively from the exceptional 2012 harvest (easily one of the best of the last decade) and selected from their favorite lots of their Grand Cru holdings throughout Ambonnay. Faithful to the house's traditional methods, the Millésime 2012 is aged and vinified in 34-hl oak tuns before bottling and aging on the lees for a minimum of 10 years! An Extra-Brut level dosage of 5 g/liter back in January of 2022 means this wine also boasts a full four-plus years on the cork – and the development has been simply astonishing. This bottling is truly something that must be experienced to be believed – just so incredibly rare, delicious, and transformative.

Ambonnay is arguably the center point of the grower Champagne movement and host to numerous small farmers following in the path laid forth by the Déthunes. Pierre Déthune is the latest in a long line of vintners overseeing this house, going all the way back to 1610. Like each of his forebears, Pierre has created his own style of Champagne – rooted in tradition, yet ever-evolving – the one constant being the grassy lands of Ambonnay. Over the past few years, the Déthune portfolio has gradually lowered the total dosage – moving below the 6 g/liter allotment and transitioning the wines to Extra Brut or below (even when labeled as Brut). This shift has produced an enhanced freshness and verve to the finished wines without sacrificing the purely ripe fruit orchard characteristics that are definitively Ambonnay. The vineyard also practices natural and organic techniques such as integrated pest management, solar power, and a complete lack of chemical use in the vineyard. 

With immediate aromas of black currants, toasted almonds, blackberries, cherries, and lemons, this is explosive and integrated now, but over time in the glass, aromas of licorice, hazelnuts, red apples, and iron develop as well – showcasing the myriad layers and potential life ahead. The mouth is piercing at first with chalky, crunchy mineral rocks and bright pomelo and lemon flavors. Things then turn supple and silky with peaches and saltwater taffy, rounded by a creamy effervescence. In terms of history, pedigree, location… this wine has the resume that would rival any producer in Champagne. So yes, in this rare case, a $120 bottle of Champagne is an absolute deal! Treat yourself… you deserve it! While it lasts!