Champagne Victor Charlot Les Terres de la Grève Brut NV
94 pt. Grower Champagne -- Charlot me the LOVE!
Retail
Why We Love It...
As the fifth generation of the Charlot family to pursue grape-growing in the land of Moussy, south of Epernay, Victor Charlot leads the way today at just 33 years old. The young vintner has spent the great majority of his life honing the skills passed down from father to son for the past century. He tends to lean on a mixture of styles – both honoring traditional winemaking processes of the past while strategically integrating more contemporary ideologies. Always, he remains humbly in awe of what his ancestors forged before him, striving to maintain their legacy in all that he does.
He has this inherent boldness – a natural charm that stems from organic confidence and contentment for life and his profession. When we visited the estate, Victor, alongside his wife and business partner, Charlotte, made us feel absolutely at home – despite language barriers amongst us – and even taught us how to disgorge a rare, extra-aged Blanc de Blancs! We spent the day drinking his fine portfolio of Champagnes (and most excellent ratafia) while sharing a few small bites prepared by Charlotte at their lovely new tasting room in the heart of Moussy.
This “Les Terres de la Greve” came from a plot that Victor’s grandparents planted in 1960 beneath the famous Church of Chavot, a 12th-century sanctuary on a hill that has remained a Champagne landmark for many centuries. Acting as somewhat of a pivot point between the Côte de Blancs and the Marne Valley, this tiny region maintains a combination of dominant soils from its neighbors. You’ll find chalky soils like that from the Côte de Blancs, as well as the hearty red clay similar to the Marne – meaning the 125 hectares of vineyards grow both chardonnay and pinot meunier perfectly, and divided equally across the land, with a small amount of pinot noir in the mix (some 6 hectares). This cuvee is predominantly pinot meunier (about 70%) blended with 30% of chardonnay, exclusively from the 2019 vintage. Victor prefers to work within a single vintage for this wine, as the co-fermentation makes this wine indisputably unique each season.
It experiences fermentation in stainless steel, followed by bottle-aging on the lees for 30 months. The final dosage is at the low end of the brut scale – 6 grams per liter – to keep the flavor profile fresh and demonstrably bright. Precisely mineral and richly intense flavors with a cherry profile that maintains accents of plums and citrus, it’s full-bodied across the palate with a long and zippy finish, while notes of raw hazelnuts and almond milk elements offer a creamy depth to the wine that carries into something chalky and saline. It’s all at once straightforward and extraordinary, and overall just a great effort that thrills us to no end. Plus, did we mention 94 points? Over 50% off? A mere 1,500 bottles were produced, or just 125 cases, meaning it is one of the smallest production wines we’ve ever featured at Last Bubbles! Rare, indeed! Listen, this is a bit of a no-brainer for those who appreciate off-the-radar, passionately produced grower Champagnes! Not much remains, so don’t wait around long to order yours!
Scores
1 / 1
Fizz Meter
Technical Details
Champagne Victor Charlot