Monmarthe 'Les Grimpants' Blanc de Noirs Extra Brut, Ludes, Champagne, France 2019
$100.00
Regular price $95.00Champagne Monmarthe is a family-owned récoltant-manipulant based in Ludes, a Premier Cru village on the northern slope of the Montagne de Reims. The family's viticultural roots in Ludes date to 1737; the house was formally established in 1930 by Ernest Monmarthe and is today led by Jean-Guy Monmarthe, the sixth generation, alongside his son Gauthier, who joined in 2022 after studies in viticulture, oenology, and commerce. The estate's 17 hectares are divided into 22 parcels, almost entirely within Ludes, planted in roughly equal thirds to Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Meunier. 'Les Grimpants' is a single lieu-dit, parcel-specific Blanc de Noirs vinified entirely in barrel — the house's most terroir-focused expression, produced in small quantities.
- WINEMAKER: Jean-Guy Monmarthe and Gauthier Monmarthe
- FARMING: HVE Level 3 (Haute Valeur Environnementale) certified since 2014; Viticulture Durable en Champagne (VDC) certified since 2021. Member of Vignerons Indépendants de Champagne. Practices encompass reduction of phytosanitary inputs, elimination of winery effluents, and nitrogen fertilizer management across more than 120 environmental checkpoints.
- VARIETY: 100% Pinot Noir
- TERROIR: Les Grimpants is a single parcel on the northeast slope of the Montagne de Reims in Ludes, a Premier Cru village classified at 96%. The plot faces west on clay-limestone soils. Ludes sits on the cooler northern flank of the Montagne de Reims — a location noted for delivering wines of finesse and tension even in warm years. The 2019 growing season was shaped by April frosts (affecting approximately 5,000 hectares across Champagne), two record-breaking summer heatwaves in June and July that caused some sunburn losses among Pinot Noir, and downy mildew pressure — offset by cool nights throughout the growing season that preserved acidity. Rigorous sorting at harvest was essential. Harvest began September 2. Average potential alcohol across the region reached 10.6%, matching the acclaimed 2012 vintage, with higher total acidity than 2018 providing structural backbone. 2019 is widely regarded as the standout vintage of the 2018–2020 warm-vintage trio, with Pinot Noir from the Montagne de Reims showing particular depth and aromatic precision.
- VINIFICATION: Whole-cluster pressing; only first-press juice (cuvée) used. Fermentation and vinification in demi-muids (600L barrels) for approximately 8 months. Malolactic fermentation status not confirmed.
- AGING: 36 months on the lees. Dosage: 4 g/L (Extra Brut).
- TASTING NOTES: Deep gold with fine, persistent mousse. The nose is complex and expressive with ripe red fruits and spice, the barrel aging adding texture and depth. The palate is ample and structured, with chalky minerality underpinning ripe fruit and a delicate spicy character. The finish is saline and persistent. Drink from 2026.
- FOOD PAIRINGS: Roasted pork, duck confit, mushroom dishes, aged semi-firm cheeses.
- SCORES: Wine Enthusiast: 93 pts (Tyler Balliet, December 2024)
Monmarthe 'Les Grimpants' Blanc de Noirs Extra Brut, Ludes, Champagne, France 2019
Regular price $95.00
Champagne Monmarthe is a family-owned récoltant-manipulant based in Ludes, a Premier Cru village on the northern slope of the Montagne de Reims. The family's viticultural roots in Ludes date to 1737; the house was formally established in 1930 by Ernest Monmarthe and is today led by Jean-Guy Monmarthe, the sixth generation, alongside his son Gauthier, who joined in 2022 after studies in viticulture, oenology, and commerce. The estate's 17 hectares are divided into 22 parcels, almost entirely within Ludes, planted in roughly equal thirds to Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Meunier. 'Les Grimpants' is a single lieu-dit, parcel-specific Blanc de Noirs vinified entirely in barrel — the house's most terroir-focused expression, produced in small quantities.
- WINEMAKER: Jean-Guy Monmarthe and Gauthier Monmarthe
- FARMING: HVE Level 3 (Haute Valeur Environnementale) certified since 2014; Viticulture Durable en Champagne (VDC) certified since 2021. Member of Vignerons Indépendants de Champagne. Practices encompass reduction of phytosanitary inputs, elimination of winery effluents, and nitrogen fertilizer management across more than 120 environmental checkpoints.
- VARIETY: 100% Pinot Noir
- TERROIR: Les Grimpants is a single parcel on the northeast slope of the Montagne de Reims in Ludes, a Premier Cru village classified at 96%. The plot faces west on clay-limestone soils. Ludes sits on the cooler northern flank of the Montagne de Reims — a location noted for delivering wines of finesse and tension even in warm years. The 2019 growing season was shaped by April frosts (affecting approximately 5,000 hectares across Champagne), two record-breaking summer heatwaves in June and July that caused some sunburn losses among Pinot Noir, and downy mildew pressure — offset by cool nights throughout the growing season that preserved acidity. Rigorous sorting at harvest was essential. Harvest began September 2. Average potential alcohol across the region reached 10.6%, matching the acclaimed 2012 vintage, with higher total acidity than 2018 providing structural backbone. 2019 is widely regarded as the standout vintage of the 2018–2020 warm-vintage trio, with Pinot Noir from the Montagne de Reims showing particular depth and aromatic precision.
- VINIFICATION: Whole-cluster pressing; only first-press juice (cuvée) used. Fermentation and vinification in demi-muids (600L barrels) for approximately 8 months. Malolactic fermentation status not confirmed.
- AGING: 36 months on the lees. Dosage: 4 g/L (Extra Brut).
- TASTING NOTES: Deep gold with fine, persistent mousse. The nose is complex and expressive with ripe red fruits and spice, the barrel aging adding texture and depth. The palate is ample and structured, with chalky minerality underpinning ripe fruit and a delicate spicy character. The finish is saline and persistent. Drink from 2026.
- FOOD PAIRINGS: Roasted pork, duck confit, mushroom dishes, aged semi-firm cheeses.
- SCORES: Wine Enthusiast: 93 pts (Tyler Balliet, December 2024)