Long-time Champagne collectors love nothing more than to tell the story of how they used to get XXX Champagne back when it was only XXX price and nobody knew what it was. For me, that was Egly-Ouriet, but I’ve another friend who tells that story with Jaquesson, another with Selosse, and on (and on…). Point being – Paul Launois is a good bet to be that next house to enjoy its own meteoric rise. This wine, and indeed, every wine we’ve ever had from them (they don’t make many, and have only made wine for so long, but still…) just absolutely soars! This is Composition #5, based off of the 2019 vintage, 100% chardonnay, all from the amazingly chalky, limestone soils of our favorite chardonnay spot in all of Champagne, Le Mesnil.

These pristine 6.5 hectares in the heart of Le Mesnil have been tended by the Launois family for generations. For just the past seven years, Julien and Sarah Launois have kept fruit from the family’s parcels to make their own delicately hand-crafted and supremely luxurious Champagne under the name of their infant son, Paul. 

Traditionally offering their grapes to the village cooperative, as prior generations had done, Julien and Sarah Launois decided a few years back to become producers as well as growers. Their first vintage was 2015, and they’ve never looked back. Now with a wine-making facility (and bustling agro-tourism business) in the village of Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, the Launois family crafts three compelling cuvées, all hand-crafted, riddled, and disgorged traditionally. The portfolio perfectly encapsulates Champagne’s joie-de-vivre style – and no celebration is complete without a glass or two! An oyster bar too? I couldn’t possibly say no…

The bubbly is spectacularly bright – floral and minerally – with crushed oyster shells, honeysuckle, and lemon-lime notes on the entry. Full of verve and intensity, with racy acidity polished and softened by light toasty notes of brioche and croissant dough, and spice notes of green cardamom. A panoply of citrus flavors parade onward, with tangerine, Meyer lemon, key lime, and pink grapefruit in the mix – all framed by a stony minerality that spirals into a concentrated and focused finish. A barely-there dosage of 1 gram per liter ensures a taut and poised tension throughout, delivering a classic Le Mesnil and a simply tremendous wine that insanely over-delivers at our price. Under $50 for something as compelling as this… simply fantastic stuff. One of those wines that no matter how much you get… one day you’ll realize you should have gotten more.