Champagne Alfred Gratien - Cuvée Paradis 2006

Bettane & Desseauve

About the wine:

Full-bodied, refined, with a beautiful texture, citrus and mineral notes, and a racy depth.

About the estate:

Small in vineyard area (less than 2 hectares) but great in quality, this unassuming house—owned by the same proprietors as Gratien-Meyer (Crémant de Loire)—has the appealing character of a sure bet. Vinification takes place exclusively in barrels, and malolactic fermentation is halted to preserve the wine’s liveliness. This is the quintessential champagne for connoisseurs. At Alfred Gratien, the vintage cuvée is always older than the year of the prestige cuvée, Paradis: 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 a 2008 Paradis that will go down in history. The 2007 Paradis Rosé also shines!

Guide Hachette des vins

About the wine:

Awarded last year, this prestigious cuvée—a blend of two-thirds Chardonnay and one-third Pinot Noir that aged on racks for seven years—remains as impressive as ever. We love its buttery, compote-like aroma and its palate, which features lovely roasted notes and remains lively.

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 and uphold its traditions (no malolactic fermentation, aging of the base wines in reused Champagne barrels).

Guide des Vins Gault & Millau

About the wine:

The precision of this cuvée is remarkable. It boasts a radiant floral freshness from the first sip to the very last. This cuvée is light and airy, unfolding with great finesse.

Robert Parker - Wine Advocate

RVF - La Revue du Vin de France / Guide des Meilleurs Vins de France

About the estate:

This low-key house, which continues to age its base wines in barrels—producing dynamic, complex champagnes with a predominance of Chardonnay—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, perfects an artisanal method of champagne production, gradually streamlined but still limited in volume. Nearly all of his grapes are sourced within a 40-kilometer radius of Épernay, used to create 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.