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Grower Champagne Pascal Ponson, Brut Prestige, Premier Cru

Champagne, France NV (750mL)
$36.00
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Grower Champagne Pascal Ponson, Brut Prestige, Premier Cru

We are always on a constant search for the great expressions of Champagne in the world. Our search brought us to a wine where the price-to-quality is unrivaled. From just outside of Reims, this Grower Champagne from the tiny producer, Pascal Ponson, represents one of the greatest Champagnes I have ever encountered for the price—at $36, it can’t be beat.


Offering a true farm-to-table experience, this sparkling beauty was hand-crafted by a small family estate that has been in operation for five generations. At this price, this is the Champagne to drink all year


There are two main types of Champagne houses: the Négociant-Manipulant, labeled as “NM,” and Récoltant-Manipulant, labeled as “RM.” Négociant-Manipulant describes a producer who purchased the majority of the grapes from growers, usually small families like the Ponsons, and then produce the Champagne; famous houses like Krug and Veuve Clicquot fall into this category. Récoltant-Manipulant, aka Grower-Champagnes, indicates that the grower owns 95% of the grapes and makes the wine under their own label; the 5% window allows for an ability to purchase a small amount of another varietal if needed for blending to make Rosé. A visit to any one of these grower-producers will likely deliver an intimate experience with the vigneron-winemaker and their family. Although a wine being a Grower Champagne does not guarantee quality, these wines most often are stunning as these vigneron-winemakers are true wine visionaries that dedicate themselves to every minuscule detail of viticulture and production. Pascal Ponson is an example of this bespoke collection of winemakers and represents an incredible expression for a tremendous value.

 

Champagne Pascal Ponson has been a culmination of five generations who have each handled every aspect of their production, from the soil to the bottle. The Premier Cru village of Coulommes-La-Montagne, less than ten miles outside of the famed city of Reims, is home to their family run estate. Their entire holdings spread over 13.5 hectares and five villages including Vrigny, Coulommes-La-Montagne, Pargny-les-Reims, Villedommange and Sacy. Current steward, Maxim Ponson, recently updated their pressing equipment and is passionate to continue crafting world-class champagne with an eye towards the future. The Pascal Ponson Prestige we are offering is a blend of 80% Pinot Meunier, 10% Pinot Noir and 10% Chardonnay. After aging a minimum of three years of its fine lees, it received 10 grams per liter of dosage and was disgorged on March 31st, 2015. The result is a rich, textured champagne that drinks far above its modest price point.

 

This wine displays a beautiful light golden core with light gold and green reflections on the rim. Rich and creamy aromas of yellow apple, lemon brioche, white mushroom, fresh cream, honeysuckle and white flowers are woven around a core of finely crushed stones. Medium plus in body, the palate delivers a creamy, beautiful texture that is traversed by fine bubbles. Layers of flavors confirm the nose and are woven together by fine minerality, which drives the long, dense finish. I would ideally serve this wine between 50-55 degrees in an open mouth champagne flute, Riesling stem or a white wine stem. As I have reiterated time and again, a tall, slender flute will make the most aromatic champagne completely neutral. So choose wisely with glassware. For a pairing that matches the richness and voluptuous texture of this wine, we recommend Thomas Keller’s recipe for Fried Chicken. This marriage of flavors will deliver a sensory experience you will never forget!

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Country
France
Region
Champagne
Sub-Region
FranceMontagne de Reims
Soil
Chalk
Farming
Sustainable
Alcohol
12.5

France

Bourgogne

Beaujolais

Enjoying the greatest wines of Beaujolais starts, as it usually does, with the lay of the land. In Beaujolais, 10 localities have been given their own AOC (Appellation of Controlled Origin) designation. They are: Saint Amour; Juliénas; Chénas; Moulin-à Vent; Fleurie; Chiroubles; Morgon; Régnié; Côte de Brouilly; and Brouilly.

Southwestern France

Bordeaux

Bordeaux surrounds two rivers, the Dordogne and Garonne, which intersect north of the city of Bordeaux to form the Gironde Estuary, which empties into the Atlantic Ocean. The region is at the 45th parallel (California’s Napa Valley is at the38th), with a mild, Atlantic-influenced climate enabling the maturation of late-ripening varieties.

Central France

Loire Valley

The Loire is France’s longest river (634 miles), originating in the southerly Cévennes Mountains, flowing north towards Paris, then curving westward and emptying into the Atlantic Ocean near Nantes. The Loire and its tributaries cover a huge swath of central France, with most of the wine appellations on an east-west stretch at47 degrees north (the same latitude as Burgundy).

Northeastern France

Alsace

Alsace, in Northeastern France, is one of the most geologically diverse wine regions in the world, with vineyards running from the foothills of theVosges Mountains down to the Rhine River Valley below.

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