Guy Charlemagne 2013 Les Coulmets Brut Champagne
Guy Charlemagne is a highly regarded estate located in the Grand Cru village of Le Mesnil sur Oger in the Côte de Blancs. This family estate was established in 1892.
This cuvée comes from the Côte des Blancs villages of Le Mesnil-sur-Oger and Oger and is only made in exceptional vintages. Harvested from some of the property’s top plots, this pure Chardonnay is vinified in thermo-regulated stainless-steel. The wines go through 100% malolactic fermentation. Matured 4 years in underground chalk cellars, this vintage shows extreme finesse and is bottled with a 6-gram dosage. From its straw yellow color come fine and steady bubbles. It exhibits a complex nose where dried fruit (raisins and figs) mixed with candied fruit (oranges, pineapple) lead into a finish that is not only long but also reminiscent of slightly spicy blond tobacco.
With RM status, he only harvests and vinifies grapes grown on his 37 acres of vines. The majority of his vines are in the Cote des Blancs, more specifically Oger and Le Mesnil along with some plots in Cuis. But Charlemagne also has vines in Mancy, Glannes and in the Sezannais that he uses for specific cuvées. 87% of his vines produce Chardonnay, with the remaining 13% produce Pinot Noir. About 130,000 bottles of champagne are produced a year, with 70% being exported abroad.
94 points, Wine Enthusiast: The Charlemagne vines in Le Mesnil-sur-Oger are the base of this single-vineyard Chardonnay wine. It is still a little young, but its potential is considerable. Textured, mineral and with a steely edge, this structured wine will take time. It will be ready from 2022.