On a clos in Boursault, France, which overlooks the Marne Valley, a stately castle comes into view. But not just any castle, this is Domain de Boursault, which was once owned by Madame Veuve Clicquot. Knowing this, you know that this wine has the pedigree to burn. The stately manor castle is accompanied by modern winemaking facilities a few meters away, and an expansive jardin d’hiver (winter garden) – adding to the ambience of this spectacular site. But the estate is just the icing on the proverbial cake. It is the wine itself that’s truly otherworldly.

Le Gallais was founded in 1927, just outside of Epernay, and is now run by the fifth generation of the Gallais family. It is one of the few clos in Champagne, and in this particular clos, seven distinct plots exist. Four hectares of pinot noir, pinot meunier, and chardonnay grow within these walls in a protected and unique microclimate that allows the grapes to flourish. This walled vineyard contains some 32,000 vines, whose resulting wines spend an average time of 48 months on the lees. Le Gallais has gradually moved to sustainable viticulture, beginning in 1991, and now bans the use of pesticides. They also limit sulfur additions to only what’s absolutely necessary. All fruit is harvested by hand, to be brought to the nearby castle for fermentation. In Champagne – a fruit’s proximity to the press (and the time in which it can be quickly pressed) is considered paramount to a Champagne’s overall quality…and even provides the base for the original Grand Cru/Premier Cru/Autre Cru classification system. There might not be Grand Crus in Aube (an absurd political relic from another time), but this pristine parcel would certainly merit consideration!

The Cuvée des Cèdres Brut Nature is a masterful exercise in contrasts: it shows both restraint and power. This being the Marne, pinot meunier dominates, alongside pinot noir, each making up 45% of the blend. Chardonnay rounds things out with the final 10%. The black grapes provide the elegant restraint as well as red fruit notes of raspberries and strawberries, while the acidic backbone of the chardonnay, even at only 10%, provides the power that amplifies the entire wine prolifically. Though this is a zero dosage Champagne, with detectable acidity and flinty minerality, there are impeccably inviting layers to this wonderfully rounded and near-flawless Champagne. Cherry blossoms and red apples lead the way, followed by first sip sensations of crumbly tea biscuits, spiced pears, preserved lemons, and cherries jubilee. There’s a smoky iron and slate that lingers in the background, with salty sea spray and myriad citrus becoming dominant on the long and pure finish. 

It’s a conversation all in itself, with a complexity and pedigree that competes with wines double this price…and I can’t recommend it highly enough. We have only about ten cases, and you most certainly want no less than two of these – while they last, of course, darlings!