2012 Champagne Forest-Marie, Millésime Brut 1er Cru, is a distinguished vintage offering from a small family-run estate with deep roots in Champagne’s Montagne de Reims region. Forest-Marie is based in Trigny, a Premier Cru village on the northern slopes, and the estate is entirely run by the family as “Récoltants-Manipulants” (grower-producers), meaning they farm, harvest, and vinify everything in house. The soils in Trigny are a classic mosaic of chalk, clay, and sand over limestone, giving their wines tension and finesse. The Millésime Brut 1er Cru 2012 is composed primarily of Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay (with some Pinot Noir), sourced from Premier Cru plots and crafted with slow, traditional pressing and extended lees aging in bottle, emphasizing terroir expression, purity, and age-worthy structure.

Forest-Marie combines five generations of Champagne experience under the present stewardship of Jean-Marie (current winemaker) and his family, whose philosophy centers on careful, sustainable viticulture and minimal intervention. Each vintage is vinified separately and receives extended aging in the cellar—2012 was marked by a cool growing season followed by ideal ripening conditions, resulting in structured, mineral-driven wines with great aging potential. The estate’s small production allows precision focus and attention to detail at every step, offering a Champagne that stands out for artisanal quality and authentic character.

Why You’ll Love It

• Distinctive minerality and crispness from Premier Cru terroir, showing aged finesse and vibrant acidity.

• Complex aromatics, with orchard fruit, citrus, toasted brioche, and crushed stone notes interwoven through a creamy mousse.

• Excellent value for vintage Champagne from a dedicated grower; small production ensures hand-crafted quality.

How to Serve It

• Serve chilled (45–50°F) in a tulip-shaped Champagne glass to concentrate aromatics and mousse.

• Ideal as an aperitif or paired with oysters, shellfish, or delicate poultry and cheese dishes.

• Consider decanting a few minutes before serving to allow the aged, autolytic notes to open up fully.