I love that some of today’s trendiest winemaking accessories are the kinds of tools one might have used in the 1800s: an imposing draft horse for plowing vineyards; a cow’s horn for burying biodynamic mixtures in the soil; or maybe an old, wooden grape press. Just as there are still bespoke tailors and custom furniture-makers out there, there are still plenty of winemakers—a growing number, actually—who are determined to do as much as possible by hand. That has been Michel Chauvet’s unwavering mission at Lancelot-Royer for 23 years and counting. Perhaps his only allowances to modernity are his stainless steel fermentation vessels, which line the damp, chisel-marked walls of the old cave. The hand-harvested fruit is pressed by hand in an upright, wooden press, then fermented using only indigenous yeasts. The 2009 aged a total of seven years on lees, was riddled and disgorged by hand, and received less than 9 grams of dosage. The wine is, which you may have already guessed, unfined, unfiltered, and hand-labeled. Since the cork was inserted, it has rested two additional years in bottle.

 

Lancelot-Royer’s 2009—their current release—displays a compact network of fine bubbles that snake through a brilliantly concentrated golden yellow core with platinum reflections. The nose is crystalline and opulent, showing high-toned aromas of creamed yellow apples, pineapple, Meyer lemon, honeysuckle, toast, raw hazelnuts, lime blossoms, loads of crushed chalk, and bracing influences of oyster shell. Right now, it’s an intense wine—shedding its nervy edges as oxygen hits the glass—that flaunts a luxurious core of yellow/white fruit with just a touch of tropicality. The savory finish culminates with a tidal wave of minerality and earth, making this 2009 such a pleasure to consume now. However, it will only gain nuttier and more savory characteristics with each year of careful cellaring and should perfectly preserve itself until 2030. As always with champagnes of this magnitude, proper glassware is crucial: Avoid tall, thin flutes and reach for a flared tulip or an all-purpose white wine stem. When consuming, let this mineral-rich sparkler rise to about 55 degrees and pair it alongside the attached seafood linguine with a creamy white sauce. This is the epitome of Grand Cru Côte des Blancs Champagne—do not miss this incomparable value!