AR Lenoble is a rare breed in Champagne—both a highly respected house and independently owned since day one. This is a family resolute in keeping operations close-knit and crafting the greatest, purest expressions from an impressive collection of elite vineyards. The glitz and glamour of ‘Champagne Houses’ has enchanted consumers with its flashy marketing and premium pricing, but when stripped of that, many can be left exposed. While technically a négociant house, AR Lenoble is hardly just some “merchant”: Not only does this humble estate operate with a small grower mentality, they have staunchly remained 100% family-owned and independent since the beginning. Current proprietors Anne and Antoine Malassagne are ensuring it stays that way now and for generations to come. 

In 1915, Armand-Raphaël Graser made the fatherly decision to move his family from Alsace in order to protect them from the nasty vibrations of the First World War. It took five years to craft his first champagne and 20 more to actually establish the house, but with perseverance and a little help along the way (from Léon de Tassigny, who went on to take the helm at Champagne Jacquesson), AR Lenoble began making its way onto the world scene. Lenoble is now run by his great-grandchildren, the brother-sister team of Anne and Antoine Malassagne, who have brought on new practices while preserving the traditions that preceded them. The Malassagnes have made sustainable viticulture a priority, eschewing chemical fertilizers, and eliminating other non-organic vineyard treatments. Additionally, reserve wines are fermented in a mixture of unique vessels and dosage levels are kept low to let the fruit and terroir character shine. Theirs is the epitome of progressive thinking. 

As such, their vintage Chouilly bottlings are spectacles to behold. The Chardonnay is sustainably farmed entirely within this Grand Cru village and harvested after meticulous inspection and sorting. In the winery, the wine predominantly ferments in stainless steel vats with a small percentage seeing neutral oak in order to introduce an underlying presence of baking spice and nuttiness. After bottling today’s wine in the first quarter of 2009, it was sent into their cellars for over nine years of aging. It was disgorged in May of 2018 with a very light, very sensible dosage (less than six grams). 

Summarizing the 2008 vintage? Hard to do, but precision and lingering intensity comes to mind. In an almost haunting way, the deep mineral footprint in AR Lenoble’s village- and vineyard-specific Champagnes always leave a lasting impression, but 2008 takes it to the extreme. A high-toned chalkiness presides over this Chouilly with a fine bed of oyster shell, crushed stones, honeysuckle, brioche, and almonds before an outpouring of dense, generous fruit emerges. The nose reveals white-gloved elegance first and foremost, but as you study it, wonderful richness slips through, with a constantly evolving mosaic of ripe yellow and green apples, fresh Meyer lemon, Key lime, yellow plums, underripe pineapple, and Anjou pear. Creamy, taut, and sporting more layers than a Chicagoan in the wintertime, this is an absolute perfect bottle of Grand Cru Champagne. Pour into wide-mouthed tulips or all-purpose stems (I prefer the latter) while enjoying around 55 degrees. Honestly, this only gets better as the temperature creeps upward. Though beautiful right now, I expect it to keep improving over the next five years, with lasting beyond 2030 should you want to cellar a few. For pairing, I have to go with an assist from the Malassagne family on this one—if you’ve never made coquilles Saint-Jacques, this is the bottle to do it with!