If you were some of the lucky few to get their “Terre du Mesnil” 2013 bottling we offered a few months back, you can likely guess just how outstanding this wine is. Now in the hands of Bertrand Robert, the 4th generation, Andre Robert is a Champagne house to watch. Long-time farmers of revered Les Mesnil plots first made their own wines somewhat recently, starting their Champagne house in 1962. They’ve never made much, but in the past decade, the quality and reputation have simply skyrocketed. 

Just south of Epernay, in the limestone hills of the Côte des Blancs, lies the sloping mosaic of plots that make up the Robert family's very best parcels – including the revered Les Chétillons, alongside neighboring Les Vaucherots, Les Coullemets du Midi, and Les Finciarts. This 2012 vintage wine blends all four of these parcels, aged and fermented separately in small barrels, with selections of only the finest lots making the cut. The wine is aged on the lees for over seven years in bottle, before a dosage of three grams per liter – added in September 2020 – finishes things off. 94 points from William Kelley (during his stint at the Wine Advocate) is a remarkable score for Champagne – especially for such a small producer and such a rare cuvée as this.

The wine is richly layered and complex, with aromas of Korean pears, mandarin blossoms, star jasmine, and toasted brioche. The mouthfeel is luscious and penetrating, with bright, flinty minerality shouldering notes of lemongrass, honeyed orchard fruits, and dried floral notes. The flavors linger on the palate for up to a minute, finishing with a slight salinity and pleasing citric acidity. This is a pristine and focused Champagne that competes with more well-known offerings from houses many times the size, and at double or triple the price. Grab a couple, and you will not regret it!