Champagne R. Renaudin is an artisanal estate with a rich history dating back to 1724, located in the premier cru village of Moussy, just south of Épernay. For generations, the family has maintained an uncompromisingly traditional approach to crafting Champagne, distinguishing themselves by their extreme patience. While many houses release their wines as quickly as possible, Renaudin is famous for holding their vintage cuvées in their cold, chalk cellars for over a decade before disgorgement. This remarkable commitment to extended lees aging allows their wines to develop an extraordinary level of textural depth and savory complexity that is rarely found in contemporary sparkling wines.

The 2013 Brut Premier Cru "L'Espiègle" is a magnificent showcase of a vintage celebrated for its classical structure and laser-like acidity. Sourced entirely from premier cru vineyards in Moussy and Épernay, this cuvée is driven predominantly by Chardonnay, with a small addition of Pinot Noir to provide weight and structural frame. The wine undergoes traditional fermentation and rests on its fine lees for over ten years before receiving a very low dosage. The result is a highly sophisticated, fully mature vintage Champagne that masterfully balances the natural, structural tension of the 2013 growing season with a rich, tertiary complexity.

Why You’ll Love it

• This is a rare opportunity to experience a perfectly cellared, decade-plus-aged vintage Champagne directly from the producer's library.

• The 2013 vintage provides a striking backbone of crisp acidity, ensuring the wine feels incredibly fresh and energetic despite its long aging.

• It features a deeply complex and evolving bouquet of bruised yellow apples, preserved lemon, toasted hazelnuts, crystallized ginger, and dynamic notes of puff pastry.

• The palate is incredibly expansive and vinous, showing a fine, creamy mousse that melts into a savory wave of chalky minerality.

• It offers the profound maturity and depth of a prestige cuvée, making it an absolute must-try for serious collectors and Champagne enthusiasts.

How To Serve It

• Serve this mature Champagne slightly warmer than a standard non-vintage bottle, ideally between 48°F and 52°F, to let the complex layers fully unfold.

• No decanting is necessary, though allowing the wine to sit in the glass for a few minutes will reveal an incredible evolution of nutty and pastry aromas.

• Use generous glassware to give the expansive, vinous architecture of this vintage bottle plenty of breathing room.

• This savory, rich sparkling wine demands food, pairing exquisitely with roasted turbot in white butter sauce, seared veal chops, or aged Comté cheese.