Champagne Agrapart & Fils, Terroirs, Blanc de Blancs, Grand Cru, Extra Brut
Critics reviews
Dosage is 5 grams per litre. Disgorged: June, 2023.
The NV Extra Brut Blanc de Blancs Terroirs Grand Cru is another terrific wine in the lineup this year. Chalk, white pepper, sage and mint meld into a core of lemon peel and crushed rocks. All the elements are so well balanced. An equal blend of 2019 and 2018 juice from 100% Grand Cru sites in Avize, Oger, Cramant and Oiry, the Terroirs saw natural fermentation and 100% malolactic fermentation.
Drink 2023 - 2031
Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com (November 2023)
100% Chardonnay from four grands crus. 80% 2019, 20% 2018. Dosage 5 g/l.
Sour-cream and cooked-apple nose. Loose bead but it's by no means flabby. Like the 7 Crus, it has breadth but the fruit tastes riper and richer. Peaches and very intense citrus. Round finish.
Drink 2024 - 2030
Tamlyn Currin, JancisRobinson.com (May 2024)
Based on the 2019 vintage, but with a preponderance of reserve wines from 2018, Agrapart's NV Extra Brut Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Terroirs delivers notes of citrus oil, white flowers, freshly baked bread and hazelnuts, followed by a medium to full-bodied, creamy and satiny palate that's bright, lively and chalky. Wines from Oger dominate the blend.
Drink 2023 - 2032
William Kelley, Wine Advocate (December 2023)
100% Chardonnay from 4 Grand Cru villages.
Creamy and flavorful, yet it remains precise and vertical, with an array of lemons, green apples, pie crust, almonds, hazelnuts and chalk. Medium-bodied with creamy, fine bubbles. Lots of energy, with zesty citrus notes at the end.
Drink now or hold
James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com (July 2022)
About this WINE
Champagne Agrapart & Fils
Champagne Agrapart & Fils is a family-run Champagne house located in the village of Avize, in the heart of the Côte des Blancs. Established in 1894, the domaine has passed through four generations, with Pascal Agrapart currently at the helm. The estate is known for its focus on terroir-driven Champagnes, particularly those made from Chardonnay, which thrive in the chalky soils of the region. Agrapart produces its wines from its 12 hectares of vineyards, many of which are classified as Grand Cru, in villages such as Avize, Cramant, and Oger.
What sets Agrapart & Fils apart is its commitment to sustainable viticulture and minimal intervention in the winemaking process. Pascal Agrapart practices organic farming, and using indigenous yeasts and minimal sulphur ensures that each cuvée truly expresses the unique qualities of its terroir. The Champagnes are aged on lees for extended periods, resulting in wines with complexity, texture, and a distinctive minerality. The estate’s flagship cuvée, "Vénus," named after the family horse that tills the vineyard, is a particularly sought-after example of its artisanal approach.
Blanc de Blancs
In Champagne, the term Blanc de Blancs designates Champagnes made only from white grape varieties, either as blends or single-varietal wines. The vineyards located between Cramant and Mesnil-sur-Oger in Côte des Blancs yield the best examples of the style.
A classic Blanc de Blancs is restrained and elegant when young, yet with ageing it develops a mouth-coating brioche richness that overlays an intense expression of fruitiness. Blanc de Blancs are endowed with longer ageing potential than a typical Blanc de Noirs.
Recommended Producers: Salon, Billecart Salmon, Jacques Selosse, Dom Ruinart, Krug, Le Mesnil Grand Cru, Guy Larmandier
Chardonnay
Chardonnay is often seen as the king of white wine grapes and one of the most widely planted in the world It is suited to a wide variety of soils, though it excels in soils with a high limestone content as found in Champagne, Chablis, and the Côte D`Or.
Burgundy is Chardonnay's spiritual home and the best White Burgundies are dry, rich, honeyed wines with marvellous poise, elegance and balance. They are unquestionably the finest dry white wines in the world. Chardonnay plays a crucial role in the Champagne blend, providing structure and finesse, and is the sole grape in Blanc de Blancs.
It is quantitatively important in California and Australia, is widely planted in Chile and South Africa, and is the second most widely planted grape in New Zealand. In warm climates Chardonnay has a tendency to develop very high sugar levels during the final stages of ripening and this can occur at the expense of acidity. Late picking is a common problem and can result in blowsy and flabby wines that lack structure and definition.
Recently in the New World, we have seen a move towards more elegant, better- balanced and less oak-driven Chardonnays, and this is to be welcomed.
When is a wine ready to drink?
We provide drinking windows for all our wines. Alongside the drinking windows there is a bottle icon and a maturity stage. Bear in mind that the best time to drink a wine does also depend on your taste.
Not ready
These wines are very young. Whilst they're likely to have lots of intense flavours, their acidity or tannins may make them feel austere. Although it isn't "wrong" to drink these wines now, you are likely to miss out on a lot of complexity by not waiting for them to mature.
Ready - youthful
These wines are likely to have plenty of fruit flavours still and, for red wines, the tannins may well be quite noticeable. For those who prefer younger, fruitier wines, or if serving alongside a robust meal, these will be very enjoyable. If you choose to hold onto these wines, the fruit flavours will evolve into more savoury complexity.
Ready - at best
These wines are likely to have a beautiful balance of fruit, spice and savoury flavours. The acidity and tannins will have softened somewhat, and the wines will show plenty of complexity. For many, this is seen as the ideal time to drink and enjoy these wines. If you choose to hold onto these wines, they will become more savoury but not necessarily more complex.
Ready - mature
These wines are likely to have plenty of complexity, but the fruit flavours will have been almost completely replaced by savoury and spice notes. These wines may have a beautiful texture at this stage of maturity. There is lots to enjoy when drinking wines at this stage. Most of these wines will hold in this window for a few years, though at the very end of this drinking window, wines start to lose complexity and decline.
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Description
Dosage is 5 grams per litre. Disgorged: June, 2023.
The NV Extra Brut Blanc de Blancs Terroirs Grand Cru is another terrific wine in the lineup this year. Chalk, white pepper, sage and mint meld into a core of lemon peel and crushed rocks. All the elements are so well balanced. An equal blend of 2019 and 2018 juice from 100% Grand Cru sites in Avize, Oger, Cramant and Oiry, the Terroirs saw natural fermentation and 100% malolactic fermentation.
Drink 2023 - 2031
Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com (November 2023)
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