Robert Moncuit Blanc de Blancs Les Chétillons 2017

CRITICAL ACCLAIM**

(** 2016 VINTAGE; 2017 NOT YET REVIEWED)

“This pulls you in with aromas of lime and grapefruit peel and a hint of almond blossom, followed by some salted almond and light toffee. Toast, too. It builds on the palate with rich flavors, yet elegance and so much freshness. Tight bubbles. Very long and complex. 100% chardonnay. Unfiltered. No dosage.” - 97 PTS., #50 TOP 100 WINES OF FRANCE 2024, JAMES SUCKLING (07/2024)

"The 2016 Extra Brut Blanc de Blanc Les Chétillons Grand Cru picked in the eponymous site in Oger, spent 60 months on lees after the base wines fermented spontaneously in oak. Despite being labeled extra brut, it has zero dosage. The nose opens with wonderfully enticing smoky reduction that blends into creamy dried corn husk. The palate offers salty, buttery shortcrust pastry, smooth and melting yet somehow taut, bright and fresh. The oaky creaminess shines through but does not detract from the serene, elongating lemon brightness, all supported by the finest mousse. A gorgeous, smooth and stunning Blanc de Blancs. Zero dosage. Disgorged: February 2023." - 96 PTS., ANNE KREBIEHL, VINOUS MEDIA (12/2024)

IMPORTER NOTES:

VINEYARD: “Les Chétillons is sourced from five parcels totaling 2 hectares on the southeast slopes of Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, planted between 1951 and 1987 on an exceptional terroir where pure white chalk lies just beneath the surface. This emblematic Grand Cru site, renowned for producing long-lived Chardonnays, yields wines of striking purity and precision in youth, with notes of lemon, pear, and chalk, evolving over time toward bergamot, herbal infusions, candied citrus, and meringue, supported by a powerful yet dry, savory texture.”

WINEMAKING: “Vinified with indigenous yeasts in 350-liter oak barrels, the wine undergoes full malolactic fermentation, is bottled the summer following harvest without chaptalization or filtration, and aged for a minimum of five years before release. Produced annually since 2008 (except 2009–2011) and zero dosage since the 2019 base, Les Chétillons offers a pure, tension-driven expression of one of Champagne’s most revered terroirs.”

ABOUT THE PRODUCER: "The Moncuit family has a long history of farming some of the best vineyards in the Côte des Blancs. They began purchasing land in 1889 and by 1928 were bottling at the domaine. Pierre Amillet, is his family’s fourth generation to lead the winery, alongside his wife, Maud.  If you spend any time with him you quickly realize he is obsessed with Chardonnay grown in the chalky terroirs of Le Mesnil. (We’re not exaggerating, we’ve got the rocks he has suitcased over to us to prove it!) Under Pierre’s direction, Robert Moncuit has reinforced its focus on Grand Cru Chardonnay, sustainable vineyard practices, and a precise, mineral style that reflects the chalky soils of Le Mesnil and Oger."