For those who have remained on the qui vive for my fleeting Friday Night Champagne Series, yes, this is yet another Paul Déthune offer. Despite featuring their 2013 “Cuvée à l’Ancienne” just last month, I couldn’t wait another minute to unveil tonight’s diamond because it’s the one cuvée in their lineup that has remained ever-elusive until now. It is not an oversight on my end: Their Grand Cru Millésime bottlings are rarely declared, aged longer than any of their wines, and are virtually impossible to obtain. To further complicate matters, Déthune’s only produced them a few times this century and, if any ever make it to America, they seemingly vanish into thin air. Go ahead, pull up Google and see for yourself—none are available, let alone from the stuff-of-legend 2012 vintage.
Here’s what you’re getting access to: All Grand Cru Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from Ambonnay; traditional vinification in oak casks; and 8+ years of lees aging. Although just a handful of cases appeared stateside, I’m still allowing up to six bottles per person, and I implore you to take a half dozen. This a “taste once, never forget” Grand Cru Vintage Champagne whose stock and enjoyability will continue rising in the coming years. Name your luxury label (Krug, Bollinger, Egly) and price ($150, $250, $300+)—it doesn’t matter, this stands up to them all!
NOTE: We also have access to the last few bottles of Déthune’s 2005 Grand Cru Millésime, available here. At this generous price, I don’t expect them to survive more than 30 minutes.
Champagne Paul Déthune is a récoltant-manipulant (indicated by the tiny initials “RM” on the label), or grower-producer, which means they farm their own vines and craft/sell their own wines. While major Champagne houses, or négociant-manipulants, typically make wines by purchasing grapes from myriad farmers, a “grower-producer” controls every aspect of farming and winemaking.
The Déthunes have been farming and crafting Champagne in the Grand Cru village of Ambonnay since 1889, but their winemaking lineage can be traced as far back as 1610. Today, Pierre Déthune and his wife, Sophie, tend to 17 organically farmed acres throughout Ambonnay (they will be officially certified in a couple of years). It is here that Pinot Noir reveals its most intense expression, delivering signature minerality, concentration, and terroir that translates to perfectly balanced Grand Cru Champagnes. The Déthunes are adamant about respecting nature, too—organic fertilizers are used, cover crops are planted, solar panels have been installed, and a rainwater collection system has been implemented, making them one of Champagne’s leading champions of sustainability.
For Déthune’s 2012 Grand Cru (they produce several vintage-dated bottlings but this is their “official” millésime cuvée), they relied on 60% Chardonnay and 40% Pinot Noir from their premium parcels in Grand Cru Ambonnay. Again, they only craft a Millésime in the absolute best years, and only the finest fruit from their declared vintage makes it into their impressive cellar. The grapes fermented (both alcoholic and malolactic) and briefly aged in massive oak tuns before bottling without filtration. After spending over eight years on lees, the wine was disgorged in January 2021 with a five-gram dosage and then rested six additional months before release.
As spectacular as this Grand Cru Champagne is now—full of creamy textures, lush yellow fruits, and supercharged with crushed minerality—I cannot wait for its future. I tasted this alongside Déthune’s luxurious and tantalizing 2005, which was disgorged over seven years ago, so one can only imagine how legendary tonight’s 2012 will become once it gains more post-disgorgement bottle age. It’s already revealing rich, delicious notes of toasted almond, brioche, lemon curd, yellow peach, pomelo, and oyster shell, all of which are bound to evolve and expand over the coming years. If you take my advice and purchase six bottles, I strongly suggest uncorking one every 12-18 months. Be patient and you’ll be handsomely rewarded. Cheers!
