Champagne Philipponnat - Blanc de Noirs Extra Brut 2018

Bettane & Desseauve

About the estate:

Philipponnat continues its family history in Champagne. Located in Mareuil Sur Ay, the house is famous for its Clos-des-Goisses, the largest vineyard in Champagne (5.5 hectares) overlooking the Marne River, which it has owned since 1935. Since 1997, it has continued to grow under the leadership of Charles Philipponnat. The vineyard is managed with respect for the essential practices required to preserve it. In the cellar, the barrels and casks set the tone and signature of the complex, rich, and precise style of all the cuvées. One detail sums up the attention paid to the wines here: the back label specifies the dates of tirage and disgorging (which show that the aging process is much longer than usual), as well as the dosage and the origin of the blend. From the elegant, understated packaging to the pedigree of all the cuvées, everything here converges towards perfection.

Guide Hachette des vins

About the estate:

The Philipponnats have owned vineyards in Aÿ since the early 16th century. As wine merchants and producers, they have a coat of arms dating from the late 17th century and a château in Mareuil-sur-Aÿ, acquired in 1910. The jewel in the crown of their 22-hectare vineyard (comprising premier cru and grand cru plots) is the Clos des Goisses, purchased in 1935, which produces the house's most famous prestige vintage cuvée. It is one of the few walled vineyards in Champagne and also the largest (5.5 hectares), located on a steep hillside overlooking the Marne Canal and the river itself. The non-vintage cuvées derive their style from the addition of reserve wines aged in wood according to the solera principle, or perpetual reserve. Thierry Garnier has been cellar master since 2005.

Robert Parker - Wine Advocate

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

About wine:

The 2016 Blanc de Noirs Extra Brut has a velvety mouthfeel, depth, and power.

About the estate:

Joining the Lanson-BCC group in 1997, this medium-sized house is self-sufficient in terms of both sourcing and production. It has made a name for itself in the high-end champagne market thanks to the renewed personality of its Clos des Goisses. The brand's rise is also a reward for the choices made across the entire range by its president Charles Philipponnat, who has been in post since 2000. He introduced cold vinification, shifted the blends towards more Pinot Noir, and increased the capacity for vinification in wood on lees without bâtonnage and without malolactic fermentation. His goal? To integrate the spirit of vintage wines into non-vintage wines. The wines tasted confirm the excellence and precision observed recently, starting with the Brut Royale Réserve. A house at the top of its game.

Wine Enthusiast

Vinous

James Suckling

Jeb Dunnuck