Champagne Alfred Gratien - Blanc de Blancs 2012
93/100
Robert Parker
16,5/20
Bettane & Desseauve
16/20
RVF
This 2012 Blanc de Blancs reveals an open and particularly complex nose. The initial notes of pear and vanilla give way to richer aromas of brioche and buttered toast. With a creamy texture, the palate is vinous, highlighted by a delightful acidity. The finish is long and smooth, ending with a salty minerality. Complex and creamy, this cuvée is a standout of the vintage.
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Eye
Golden color. Fine bubbles.
Nose
Open and complex, with notes of pear and vanilla, followed by notes of brioche and buttered toast
Palate
Smooth and full-bodied. A rich, vinous texture. A long, very delicate, and salty finish.
Serve
At 10°C
Drink starting at
2019
Drink before
2025
Food and Wine Pairings
Pairs well with langoustines, lobsters, seafood, white meats, and grilled fish...
Bettane & Desseauve
Wine rated 16.5/20 (2009 vintage) (Benchmark wine)
Rated estate (2019 guide): 4*Stars (Producers of the very highest quality, the pride of French viticulture)
About the estate:
Small in vineyard area (less than 2 hectares) but great in quality, this unassuming producer—owned by the same owners as Gratien-Meyer (Crémant de Loire)—has the appealing character of a sure bet. Winemaking takes place exclusively in barrels, and malolactic fermentation is halted to preserve the wines’ extra liveliness. This is the quintessential connoisseur’s champagne. At Alfred Gratien, the vintage cuvée is always older than the year of the “Paradis” prestige cuvée: 2004 versus 2008. Both are magnificent, and the 2004—winey and intense—is actually still very young, but one must tip one’s hat to the 2008 “Paradis,” which will go down in history. The 2007 “Paradis” rosé also shines!
Guide Hachette des vins
Rated estate (2019 guide) Award-winning wines (This producer’s wines regularly receive awards from the guide)
About the estate:
A house founded in 1864 by Alfred Gratien, acquired in 2000 by the German group Henkell & Co, which has brought together numerous European sparkling wine brands. It has retained its cellar master, Nicolas Jaeger—the fourth of his name to work for the brand—who upholds its traditions (no malolactic fermentation; aging of the base wines in reused Champagne barrels).
Robert Parker - Wine Advocate
Wine rated 93/100 (2009 vintage) (A fantastic wine)
Estate rated "Recommended" (Wine producer recommended by Robert Parker—The Wine Advocate)
RVF - La Revue du Vin de France / Guide des Meilleurs Vins de France
Wine rated 16/20 + Favorite 2009 vintage) (Very good wine)
Rated Estate (2019 Guide) Selected (Please note that this guide is a ranking, and as such, all the estates listed here—even those without a star—represent, in our view, the excellence of French wine production.)
About the estate:
This low-key house, which continues to age its “vins clairs” in barrels—producing dynamic and complex, predominantly Chardonnay-based champagnes—has been owned since 2000, like its parent company Gratien-Meyer in Saumur, by a major sparkling wine group based in Wiesbaden, Germany. In historic buildings in the center of Épernay, cellar master Nicolas Jaeger—who took over from his father and grandfather—refines an artisanal method of champagne production that has been gradually streamlined but remains limited in volume. Almost all of its grapes are sourced from within a 40-kilometer radius of Épernay, producing champagnes that soften and add complexity to their naturally high acidity (since malolactic fermentation is blocked) through barrel aging. Vintage wines are aged in the cellar under cork. The proportion of Meunier has decreased in recent blends in favor of Pinot Noir.
Customer Rating
5/5
based on 2 reviews
Review and opinion by Mr. BOUTRY D. Published on February 17, 2023
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Review by Mr. PATRICK C. Posted on July 14, 2021
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