In Champagne, the term tête de cuvee effectively translates to “top of the line,” which also translates to “expensive.” Well, usually anyway, and they’re usually worth it: think Taittinger’s “Comtes de Champagne,” Roederer’s “Cristal,” or Pol Roger’s “Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill.” Today’s wine from grower-producer J. Charpentier is a remarkably affordable but appropriately luxurious entry into this rarefied category—it's one of our most exciting direct-import hauls to date.
We purchased several J. Charpentier cuvées to share with our subscribers, and today’s “Comte de Chenizot” sits at the top of the estate’s diverse, hand-crafted range. Comprised of one-third each Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier sourced from four distinct Vallée de la Marne cru villages, this is a richly textured tête de cuvée for lovers of what I’ve come to call “gastronomic” Champagnes—namely, sparklers that belong on the table with food—even main courses—rather than on a cocktail tray. And it comes to you at a price typically reserved for middle-tier NV Bruts. If you’re in the market for some (very) affordable luxury, stock up on this delicious (and beautifully packaged) artisanal Champagne. It is a truly unbeatable value.
As I noted in our previous Charpentier offer, one of the things that struck me about their wines was their prominent placement of the word ‘vigneron’ (vine-grower) on their labels. The rise of small “grower-producers” like Charpentier has been one of the great wine stories of the last 20 years, with ‘new’ houses popping up all the time, but of course they’re not new to the region, or to wine—just to us!
The J. Charpentier estate, as currently constructed, represents the convergence of two Champagne wine families, Charpentier and Claisse, both with histories in the region going back generations. When Jacky Charpentier married Claudine Claisse in 1974, two family farms became one: Based in the village of Villers-sous-Châtillon, about 12 kilometers west of Epernay in the Vallée de la Marne subzone, the Charpentier holdings now span 15 hectares—and more precisely, 38 plots across nine Marne villages. Jacky and Claudine’s son, Jean-Marc, has been at the winemaking controls since 2004, and the family employs organic methods in the vineyards unless an emergency arises (the classic ‘lutte raisonnée,’ or ‘reasoned fight,’ approach).
The “Comte de Chenizot” cuvée is named for a prominent lord in the Marne Valley before the French Revolution, François Vincent Guyot de Chenizot, who bequeathed much of his estate to Charpentier’s home village of Villers-Sous-Chatillon—including what are now their vineyards. The wine was assembled from four different vintages (with reserve wines culled from oak foudre and barrique) and spent more than three years aging on its lees to develop its rich, creamy texture. The dosage (sugar addition) was a very low 4.5 grams per liter.
“Comte de Chenizot” is a deep yellow-gold in the glass, with assertive aromas of yellow apple, salted lemon, brioche dough, raw hazelnut, white mushroom, and crushed stones. What’s especially attractive about this wine is its nearly full-bodied, creamy texture; it’s a sparkler that unfolds in layers on the palate—a “meal Champagne” in the words of the Charpentiers, an assessment with which we agree. Serve this in all-purpose white or red Burgundy stems and allow it to climb past 50 degrees to bring out its full spectrum of aromas. It has the kind of ‘vinosity’ that makes it a candidate for main-course pairings with various seafood preparations, roast chicken and pork, maybe even leaner beef if you want to really experience the mineral side of the wine. Check out the attached (admittedly Italian) recipe, which should really bring out the best in this amazing value of a Champagne. As wines of this level go, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a better buy. Cheers!
