Two times this past year, SommSelect’s shrewd customer base snatched up our two tiny allocations of Paul Déthune’s “Princesse des Thunes”—a thunderingly powerful Champagne that mimics Krug’s luxurious personality at half the price. Both times, I’ve said that if Déthune spent a fraction of what the grandes marques did on marketing, “Princesse des Thunes” would cost much more. Today, we’re looking to the very top of their Champagne lineup, where you’ll find “Cuvée à l’Ancienne”—yet even this is priced well within reach. I’m sure you’re wondering if it drinks way above its price tag as well—it most certainly does, and I’d have no reservations calling it one of the greatest bottles of Champagne on the market.
Like every bottle in Déthune’s range, “Cuvée à l’Ancienne” explodes off the value charts, but this
tête de cuvée keeps soaring, straight into the company of the elite luxury labels. You could’ve heard a pin drop after we tasted it earlier this month, and no matter how many years pass, the marriage of richness, complexity, and finesse in this oak-vinified, six-years-aged, Grand Cru vintage Champagne is snuggly secured in my tasting memory. This is a “taste once, never forget” wine. If you’re at all interested in Champagne (from beginner to casual drinker to connoisseur), this must be experienced. In the select years a vintage is declared for “Cuvée à l’Ancienne,” only 1,000 bottles are crafted and hand-fastened with hemp twine. Far fewer make their way out of France. After establishing a friendship during our intimate visit this past April, we wrangled enough to offer up to four bottles per customer today, and at this price it may well be one of the best pound-for-pound values we’ve ever offered.
Paul Déthune is a Récoltant-Manipulant (indicated by the tiny initials “RM” on the label), or grower-producer, which means they own, farm, and craft wines solely from their estate. 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; 95% of the fruit must be from their own vineyards (if a grower who only has Chardonnay vines wants to make a rosé, he can purchase some Pinot Noir/Meunier with that remaining 5%). The Déthunes have been farming and crafting Champagne in the Grand Cru village of Ambonnay since 1889, but their winemaking lineage can be traced to 1610. Today, Pierre Déthune and his wife, Sophie, tend to 17 organically-tended acres throughout Ambonnay. It is here that Pinot Noir reveals its most intense expression, delivering signature minerality and terroir that translates to opulent, perfectly balanced Champagnes.
They 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 “Cuvée à l’Ancienne,” equal parts Pinot Noir and Chardonnay are hand-picked from their vineyards in Grand Cru Ambonnay. In their impressively grandiose and squeaky-clean cellars, the grapes fermented (both alcoholic and malolactic) and briefly aged in 205-liter barrels before bottling without filtration. After six-plus years of aging on lees, the bottle was disgorged and hemp twine was fastened to secure the cork. This is a tribute to the Champagnes of old, a tradition that long precedes muselets (wire cages) and agrafes (metal staples). Another note of interest is that, instead of adding a standard dosage, typically of beet sugar, Pierre uses MCR, or moût concentré rectifié, which is super-concentrated grape must reduced down to its base sugars. It is rarely found in Champagne, but several growers are now using it with the mindset that it has less influence on the final product; i.e. a more neutral and natural method.
Paul Déthune’s 2011 “Cuvée à l’Ancienne” displays a brilliant yellow core with soft gold reflections moving out to a silver-tipped rim. The beads are compact and vigorous, ready to stretch their legs after nearly seven years of containment. Candied fruit, perfumed flowers, and high-toned citrus burst forth in waves, adding to the luxury and power that comes on the palate. This is a spirited and opulent Champagne that has taken the best qualities from the trying 2011 vintage—it’s easily the most finely balanced and delicious I’ve experienced. The nose explodes with a long list of rich textures: quince, white peach, pineapple, dried apples, brioche, grapefruit rind, Meyer lemon, fresh cream, citrus blossoms, beeswax, honeysuckle, acacia, white flowers, crushed chalk and stones, toasted almonds, and hints of baking spice—there’s a reason this wine won’t be vacating my mind anytime soon! Like “Princesse des Thunes,” the palate is full-bodied, yet even fresher, with more precision and brilliant tension. And, like the best releases of Krug, has a savory finish that extends for minutes. When enjoying, start by cutting the strings (while keeping your thumb on the cork) and then extract the cork as usual. Pour into large tulips or all-purpose white stems around 55 degrees, but know that it has the depth and structure to last at least 10-15 years more—making it the absolute standout of the 2011 vintage. Pair with something hedonistic—like
foie gras torchon—and save some for the main course: pan-fried yellowtail with a garlic-parsley butter sauce. Or, simply reveal a bottle at Thanksgiving dinner and I guarantee everyone will leave happy. Cheers!
