Champagne André Robert Blanc de Blancs Terre du Mesnil Brut Grand Cru 2018

The village of Le Mesnil sur Oger sits entirely upon east-facing slopes, thickly sheltered by forestland on the hills above – allowing chardonnay to slowly ripen, never sacrificing the elegant, high-toned aromatics or the piercing acidity for which these wines are so prized. Aptly named “Terre du Mesnil” or “land of Mesnil,” this 100% chardonnay showcases the spectacularity of this land with nuance, grace, and finesse.

The fourth generation of the Robert’s family, Bertrand, still assists alongside his wife, Colette – but it is his daughter, Clare, and her husband, Jean-Baptiste Denizart, who are taking this great estate to unimaginable new heights. Clare came on in 2013, with Jean-Baptiste following soon after. Together, they have struck an admirable balance – between carrying on the traditions of her great-great-grandfather Henri (who began farming the land just after World War I), and the modern farming, and winemaking, advances available today. Though far removed from the wine's first home in the hand-carved chalk cellars forged by Robert's forebears, there is something in these wines that almost magically connects each sip to the family’s history – as if you can taste a piece of their home even from thousands of miles away.

The estate’s holdings are spread among 14 hectares in mostly Grand and Premier Cru plots – mostly centered around Le Mesnil’s historic village. Though they grow all three noble varieties of chardonnay, meunier, and pinot noir, it’s chardonnay where they hang their hat. Terre du Mesnil is 100% chardonnay – all fermented in separate lots, and meticulously aged in 228-liter oak barrels for the vin clair. After several months, the wine is bottled and aged on the lees for a further 60 months, before a finishing dosage of just 2 grams per liter – just enough to accentuate the bright mineral tones and fresh, exotic fruit flavors. The end result is something incredibly textured and creamy, perfumed and zippy, with golden apples, brioche toast with honey butter, and nutty, toasted almond slivers. An exotic air of caramelized pineapple lingers on the finish, with some subdued vanilla, and an onrush of salty ocean air brings this all to a pleasing close. It is simply brilliant and elegant, with the power, depth, and incomparable freshness. Without question, this is one of the most fantastically penetrating, intensely pleasing, and vinously beguiling Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs anywhere! Worthy of collection, undoubtedly, and a singular bottle that I’ll put against anything in this price range.