Benoit Marguet is first in line to become the next globally recognized organic/biodynamic Champagne superstar. His wines have already infiltrated the collector market and are increasingly visible on trending restaurant wine lists across the globe. And, with ubiquitous nods of approval from critics, this formerly best-kept secret producer is well on the way to stardom. Whether or not Benoit Marguet wants or enjoys this “overnight” fame doesn’t matter—his cachet continues to rise, as do the prices of his coveted wines!
Having rewritten the rules at his five-generations-old family estate, Benoit is bottling some of the region’s most uniquely expressive and fascinating wines from his tiny collection of Grand Cru vineyards in Ambonnay and Bouzy. Meeting him in Reims last year only deepened my infatuation with these rarefied wines—powerful, layered, and mineral-etched with a swirling sense of mysticism, this is elite level Champagne of distinction that will keep you mesmerized long after the last sip disappears. Due to limited production and sky-high demand, today, not tomorrow, is the time to discover these powerfully enchanting Champagnes. And with availability limited to six bottles per person, our stock won’t last long!
In Peter Liem’s outstanding comprehensive Champagne publication, he declares that “few have explored Ambonnay’s terroir in as much detail as Benoit Marguet.” Born and raised in Ambonnay, Benoit cut his teeth by assisting a who’s who of local producers in the village’s enology lab and later lending his growing talents to Mumm. Next, Benoit traveled to the US where he served as assistant winemaker under the legendary Paul Hobbs. Wishing to strengthen his understanding of global wine tradition and restaurant service—and needing to fulfill his obligation to the French military—Benoit then oversaw an enormous cellar while serving as a sommelier in the main officers’ dining hall in Paris. After perfecting his touch with a variety of terroirs, styles, and life experiences, Benoit knew it was time to return home to his family’s small property in Ambonnay. Over the last decade, he has transformed it into one of the most passionately organic- and biodynamic-certified properties in all of Champagne.
Back home in the village of Ambonnay, Benoit immediately set to work revolutionizing the way his family’s property functioned. His goal was to create a farm where the vines and cellar functioned not as separate parts, but as one complete circuit. In 2004, he began transitioning his family’s vines to biodynamic farming. I cannot stress enough how challenging an undertaking this is in Champagne. The infamously cold and wet weather combined with a regional tendency toward monoculture creates an environment in which only the most focused vigneron can succeed with organic and biodynamic viticulture. Benoit attacked this challenge with great zeal.
By 2009 he had completely transitioned three hectares to biodynamics, and by 2011 his entire property was Certified Organic. What’s most impressive is the uncompromising totality with which Benoit approaches organic farming and biodynamics—seemingly everything is done the hard way. He uses horses in the place of tractors and he experiments relentlessly in an effort to find natural substitutes for sulfur in his vineyards and wine. Before harvesting a single cluster, Benoit is known to walk every row and individually “thank” each vine for its contribution to the vintage. In visiting Marguet, it’s clear that this unique combination of outside-the-box thinking, humility, and determination contributes to the stunning quality of the wines.
Benoit’s approach in the cellar is as unorthodox as it is fascinating. He conducts blending outside in the open air so he can taste his wines in the same environment as his vines. He also uses opaque, black glassware in the blending process so as to ensure his decisions are guided solely by aroma and texture, not appearance. A look into Benoit’s barrel room reveals a vast arsenal of ancient wooden vessels of all sizes. There are large fermenters, small Burgundy barrels, and even smaller, more obscure barrels like those used in Sauternes. There is no fancy machinery and no chemicals. Additionally, enormous stones and crystals are placed throughout the cellar. These illuminate the space and Benoit believes they also have a positive impact on the energy of his cellar and wines. While there is no conventional scientific evidence to explain this, I will say that there is something altogether unique and expressive about these wines. They have a vividness and detail that is truly distinct.
Marguet’s Grand Cru “Shaman 14” is a product of superior farming practices—Benoit is a viticulturist first and a gifted winemaker second. This wine is composed of some of the most meticulously farmed Pinot Noir and Chardonnay in all of Champagne. Specifically, fruit comes from several renowned lieux-dits in the Grand Cru villages of Ambonnay and Bouzy. This bottling is predominantly from 2014 vintage, but there is a significant amount of reserve wine from previous years to boost the wine’s already mind-bending complexities. Both alcoholic and malolactic fermentations occur in neutral oak, and when moving to and from barrel, the wine is always transferred by gravity, i.e. no applied force. “Shaman 14” saw extended aging in Marguet’s cellar before disgorgement, no sugar was added to the dosage, and sulfur additions were minimal.
In the glass, the wine reveals an exceptionally precise mousse with carbonated beads that seem to be energized by Mother Nature herself. This is broad and generous, with a backbone that is electrified by ultra-nervy minerals, brioche, and fruitcake. Rich aromas of crisp yellow and red apples roll out, followed by citrus blossoms, Rainier cherry, and pear. Benoit’s wines always show a perfect balance between vivacious youth and the depth and richness of older vintages that have been blended into the base wine. Still, this ‘14 continually draws me back to the raw structure, power and focus at play—it’s an extremely high-class bottle of Champagne that nails every detail. Serve between 50-55 degrees in all-purpose stems, and feel free to track its wild evolution as bubbles start to dissipate over the hours. That, alongside a selection of cheeses and the attached gougères recipe, will enchant any appreciator of fine wine and food. Cheers!
