Agrapart & Fils - L'Avizoise Extra-Brut Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru 2004
Champagne
Effervescent
Sold individually
Drink or Keep
Notes : Robert Parker 93/100, RVF 16/20, Gault Millau 14,5/20, Bettane & Desseauve 14/20
"A surprising cuvée, with its bitterness articulated around citrus zest. The bubbles are ultra-fine and creamy, with the presence of fresh almonds. Beautiful mineral expression". (Les Meilleurs Vins de France 2011 - Gault Millau) " L'Avizoise 2004 gains in fleshiness, in intensity; it's an intense and frank ode to the Avisé terroir " (Les Meilleurs Vins de France 2011 - RVF)
Features
Estate
Champagne Agrapart et Fils
Cuvée
Grand Cru L'Avizoise Extra Brut Blanc de Blancs
Vintage
2004
Designation
Champagne Grand Cru
Region
Champagne
Grape varieties
100% Chardonnay
Terroirs
best slopes of Avize: Les Robarts, la Voie d'Epernay South and south-east facing, at the top of the slopes on clay-limestone soil
Viticulture
Vineyard work: ploughing, natural fertilisers
Harvest
Manual and selective, at optimum maturity
Winemaking
plot by plot in demi-muids and vats, full malolactic fermentation
Breeding
on lees for 4 years and stirred by hand
Alcohol content
12%
Tasting & pairing
Eye
pale yellow colour
Nose
expressive, fine and complex
Mouth
dense, powerful, rich and, above all, mineral.
Serve
at 10-12°C
Open
and serve!
Drink from
2011
Drink before
2015
Food and wine pairing
A déguster en apéritif, sur des crustacés, des viandes blanches, des poissons...<br/>
Champagne Agrapart et Fils
Champagne
Expert opinion
Bettane & Desseauve
Domaine rated (2020 guide) 4*Stars (Very high quality producers, the glories of French winegrowing)
About the domain :
Pascal Agrapart is the talented craftsman behind this family estate, one of the most sought-after in Champagne. The historic four-hectare vineyard, inherited from his great-grandfather, was seriously restored to working order by his father Pierre in the 1960s. Today, with his son Ambroise, Pascal carefully cultivates 12 hectares (made up of over 70 parcels), mainly classified as Grand Cru, in Avize, Oger, Oiry and Cramant. Agrapart champagnes flow with subtlety along the Côte des Blancs, so dear to the hearts of those who love lightness and elegance, unfolding a straightforwardness and precision on the palate that are out of the ordinary. The range includes three vintage cuvées each year, expressions of three different terroirs: mineral on the limestone of Avize and Cramant, avizoise on more clayey soils and vénus, a micro-cuvée from the limestone and clay of Avize. All these champagnes, without exception, are of the highest quality, with an undeniable personality and aromatic freshness of menthol and sweet spices that cancel out the sensation of acidity. Thanks to this balance, the palate is remarkably dense, both in texture and in the finish, with its punch of noble bitters. The mousse is always excellent, never excessive, and finely supports the ageing process, even in the youngest cuvées (the wines are partly aged in 300- and 600-liter barrels and in wide, shallow stainless-steel vats). While the cuvée terroirs is remarkable for an entry-level wine, it's the minéral that most grabs our attention for its excellent value for money and its perfect representation of the Agrapart style. As for the cuvées avizoise, vénus and complantée, they are currently unrivalled in style and breed on the Côte des Blancs. This is undoubtedly the next 5-star Champagne winemaker.
Guide des Vins Gault & Millau
Estate rated 3*Stars (very good production)
About the domain :
In a very short space of time, Pascal Agrapart and his family estate, founded in 1894, have risen to the pinnacle of Champagne production in terms of quality, singular character, meticulous viticulture and recognition. The 12 hectares are spread over some sixty parcels in the dreamy Côte des Blancs villages of Avize, Oger and Cramant. Here, practices are organic, even biodynamic, but not certified, both in the vineyard and in the cellar (indigenous yeasts, no enzyming, etc.). The vineyard is entirely ploughed and the wines all express, with precision, their terroir of origin. Pascal Agrapart, one of Champagne's greatest winemakers.
Robert Parker - Wine Advocate
Domaine noté (guide 2019) Recommended (Wine producer recommended by Robert Parker - The Wine Advocate)
RVF - La Revue du Vin de France / Guide des Meilleurs Vins de France
Domaine rated (2020 guide) 3*Stars (They represent the excellence of the French vineyard. The best terroirs cultivated by the greatest winemakers. Tasting their wine is always a magical moment)
About the domain :
The Agrapart family, in the region since the end of the 19th century, has a superb heritage of Grand Cru Chardonnay in Avize, Cramant, Oger and Oiry, enhanced by traditional methods of cultivation and vinification. Pascal Agrapart and his son Ambroise are proud to be part of the récoltants-manipulants family. The range highlights parcel-based cuvées (malolactic fermentation done). The champagnes fermented in old barrels are among the regional benchmarks, thanks to their strong expression of Champagne minerality. Finishes are clear (with little or no dosage), with sapid, persistent flavors and hints of gentle, saline oxidation. With cellar ageing, the finesse of the bubbles is remarkable. This estate shows the way for the Côte des Blancs region, which too often takes the easy way out.
Customer reviews
Customer rating
4/5
out of 2 reviews
Note and review by M. CAVALIERI D ORO M. Published on 07/01/2017
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Note and review by M. SPINOGLIO R. Published on 10/02/2015
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