Champagne Marteaux Guillaume Blanc de Blancs Le Météque Extra Brut NV

We’ve made it no secret that we are enormous fans of Champagne Marteaux Guillaume, and it’s thrilling to see his efforts rewarded with an incredible 97 point score. Guillaume works all of his vineyards using the strictest organic and biodynamic methods, following the lead of the seasons and the moon, and speaking of his vines as though they are people… his friends, really. If they’re stressed or overworked, he offers them hand-crafted natural elixirs to heal. He listens to and observes them with painstaking precision to understand the best time for harvest.

His home village of Bonneil is virtually flat and runs along the right bank of the Marne River, while the vineyards hug its edges on a steep slope that horseshoes around the village to the other side of the river. The vines thrive atop clay-silt, clay-limestone, marl, and clay soils with a vein of sand crossing the top, a diverse foundation that helps the grapes develop rich complexity. And those complexities abound in this extra brut Blanc de Blancs, mostly harvested in 2018, with an additional 20% perpetual reserve wine blended in to layer the flavors even further. A scant 1 g/liter dosage brings balance and freshness after 5 years of aging on the lees in both stainless steel tanks and 43% oak barrels. Only 1,500 bottles were produced, and we feel like lottery winners to have secured enough to share with Champagne lovers looking for something entirely new and off the beaten path.

Mineral, almost chalky elements mix with bright citrine characteristics, like Moroccan salt-cured lemons, softened by creamy notes of poached apples. Subtler flavors of sliced button mushrooms, terracotta, quince flower, and sous bois arrive with a structured, lengthy finish that primes the mouth for another sip. This is a unique, refreshing, and magnificently fine Champagne, crafted by someone we might call a wine magician. I heartily suggest grabbing at least a couple bottles for the betterment of all your upcoming occasions! 97 points for Chardonnay from this part of Champagne is virtually unheard of, and this is one not to be missed!