$280.00
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Region: Champagne
Grapes: Pinot Meunier, Chardonnay
First Glance: Complex, Fleshy, Elegant, Rare
The Wine:
This is the fourth (and we think best) release of Prévost’s négociant-manipulant cuvée, which was born during the frost-ravaged 2017 season when Prévost applied (hastily and successfully) for NM status, two letters that allowed him to purchase the fruit from 0.4 hectares of vines owned by his neighbour in Les Béguines. This not only allowed Prévost to release a Les Béguines from 2017, but the deal also gave him access to a handful of other parcels in Gueux, on the same Thanetian sands as Les Béguines, and a small plot in Janvry, on clay. Most of these vines are tended by Jérôme and his team, and the other parcels are worked under close consultation with the vigneron, with Prévost deciding harvest dates and selection).
Also referred to as “La Closerie &” (after the red ampersand motif that adorns the label), this release is a blend of 80% from 2022 and 20% reserve wine. The winemaking is exactly the same as the estate label, with spontaneous fermentation and maturation in a mix of used barrels of all sizes, from 225 to 600 litres. Prévost doesn’t rack, filter or stabilise the wine and uses 23 g/L for the secondary fermentation. After that, he gives the wine up to 18 months of bottle age before disgorging by hand, with a dosage of 2.5 g/L. This is a stunning rendition: bright yet fleshy, layered and full of personality (ripe apple, hot rocks, curry leaf, roasted nuts). It’s fully open, incredibly complex and incredibly delicious. It begs for food like quality charcuterie and hard cheeses.
