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Champagne Monmarthe Le Nid d'Agace Extra Brut Premier Cru 2016 Wine - Last Bottle

Champagne Monmarthe Le Nid d'Agace Extra Brut Premier Cru 2016

Ever heard of the Champagne village of Ludes? No? Well, now's your chance!

$52
$100

Retail

48
Flavor Profile: Rose petals, red currants, red cherries, Galaxy peaches, baked apples, red D’Anjou pears, toasted hazelnuts
Time on Lees: 72 months
Disgorgement Date: October 2023
Dosage: 4 g/L
Farming Method: Sustainable Practices and Certified HVE
Score: TP95

Why We Love It...

In the Montagne de Reims, a seventh-generation grower produces excellent Champagne with complex flavors, named after the birds that hang out in the vineyard. At just about half off, and boasting a fantastic 95 point score, it’s a perfect introduction to a grower you may not have heard about but is definitely worth your time.

The Monmarthe family has been living in Ludes since 1737 and has owned agricultural lands and vineyards throughout the family’s recorded history. The Champagne house was founded in 1930 by Ernest Monmarthe, and the family has farmed this plot in Ludes ever since, fine-tuning their production and quality over the past seven generations. Currently, seventh-gen vigneron Gauthier Monmarthe leads the winemaking. 

This 95-point cuvee is named “Le Nid d'Agace” or “The Magpies” in old French, for the crafty birds that reside in the trees surrounding the vineyards. This is a single vineyard cuvee, made from fruit that grows on a gentle slope a few hundred yards from the winery itself. It is a blend of 60% pinot noir and 40% chardonnay, with the chardonnay grown where the soil is predominantly clay at the top part of the vineyard, while the pinot noir grows below, where the soils have shifted to mostly chalk-based. The vineyard produced enough for a scant 419 cases in 2016, and after six years on the lees and a final dosage of a mere 4 grams per liter, only 20 cases made it here to the USA. This most recent disgorgement is from October 2023, extending the six years’ aging to nearly seven full years! We snagged every last bottle we could...and now, it’s your turn!

The resulting wine is nicely layered and complex, with a vibrant and full mousse that boasts aromas of red currants and rose petals, with flavors that ebb and flow like the ocean. Then, red cherries, ripe Galaxy peaches, baked apples and Anjou pears coexist together nicely. The whole thing is then framed with bright acidity that carries everything to a long and electric finish. The wine’s medium weight is all from its few months in barrel as a vin clair and the six years on the lees in bottle that followed, so no malolactic conversion here, making this exceptionally age-worthy for those who have the patience of saints. I grabbed a handful for myself in hopes that at least one bottle will survive until my New Year’s Eve festivities – but perhaps you have more discipline than me in that regard! Whatever your plans for the wine, you simply can’t go wrong...this absolutely delivers, especially at such an insanely reasonable price! 

Scores

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Technical Details

Country: France
Region: Champagne
Appellation: Champagne Premier Cru
Vineyard: Ludes
Varietal: Champagne Blends
Blend: 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay
Winemaker: Jean-Guy and Gauthier Monmarthe
Farming Method: Sustainable Practices and Certified HVE
Oak: 6 months in oak
Alcohol: 12.5%
Production: 419
Pair it with: Roasted game hens (guinea, pheasant, quail) in a game jus

About the Producer

Champagne Monmarthe boasts a storied history that dates back several generations. Founded in the heart of the Champagne region in France, the estate's origins can be traced to the late 19th century when the Monmarthe family first established their vineyards. Over the years, their passion for winemaking and dedication to tradition propelled the winery's growth, earning them a reputation for producing exceptional champagnes. Throughout the tumultuous times of war and economic challenges, the Monmarthe family persevered, passing down their knowledge and expertise from one generation to the next. This lineage of winemakers has meticulously preserved their heritage, combining age-old techniques with innovative approaches to crafting their signature sparkling wines. As Monmarthe champagne winery continues to thrive in the modern era, it remains a symbol of resilience, craftsmanship, and the enduring spirit of the Champagne region's winemaking tradition.

Champagne Monmarthe Le Nid d'Agace Extra Brut Premier Cru 2016

$52
$100

Retail

48

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