Decanter
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By Antonio Galloni
(NV Yann Alexandre Brut Grande Réserve Sparkling White) Login and sign up and see review text.
Champagne: 2023 New Releases (Nov 2023), 5/1/2023, (See more on Vinous...)
Garagiste
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By Jon Rimmerman
(NV ALEXANDRE Grande Cuvee (NV/1996)) Champagne Dear Friends, I don’t know about you but Champagne has become one of my most enjoyable imbibements as of late and it has much to do with the quality of new producers and artisans that make this region a hotbed of talent. Once labeled as heretics, this new generation has pushed the establishment to take action, but not for the reason you may believe. Where the big houses once had what seemed to be an endless source of Grand Cru and 1er fruit, the growers are now keeping many of the best lots back for their own use and it has started to put pressure on the best commercial houses of Champagne. Krug may be next. Yann Alexandre knows what he’s talking about - his wine made up a critical component of Krug’s Grande Cuvee and of their vintage Brut. Not anymore. While he still supplies grapes for Krug, he takes the best for his own label and when we say this is an exciting discovery in the masculine style of Krug, we’re not kidding. If you like the Bollinger or Grande Cuvee style, this will be like finding a bargain Calvin Klein jacket in the closeout rack - same jacket, just at a fraction of the price. Not that this is produced the same way as Krug but it’s a compelling story nonetheless - the material from around Courmas, where Alexandre has their vineyards, is exceptional and the winery has realized the maximum potential of the terroir. A conversion to full-scale organic viticulture has begun, complete with grass cover in the vineyards for natural fertilizer (curiously, Krug was not interested in promoting natural methods - weed killer was just fine). The wines are as minimally handled as possible and a very light dosage (if any) is used. We present two very interesting wines below, both are quite different and both are worth your attention. If you are a Champagne explorer, these are priced more than right for a new entrant that has actually been growing grapes since 1933. Please note: This is not Alexander von Essen NV Yann Alexandre Brut “Grand Reserve” Grand Vin (1996, 1998 blend) (Courmas) Alexandre’s first statement is “proud to be an independent wine grower” - the old-vines are tended with care and the fact that they offer this wine, what would be vintage material for most, at this price is testament to their consumer commitment. A true reserve blend of top material from over 20 different micro-parcels on their land (all vinified separately and blended at the end) - luck plays into our hands here as the current incarnation of the Grand Reserve has 1996 as its backbone (1996 is one of the best vintages in Champagne in the last twenty). This NV wine is quite unusual as it contains material that is at least a decade old and it drinks like a vintage wine from a great year but it is priced like a generic NV cuvee. From only old-vine 1er or better fruit, this is starting to evolve but still robust, piquant and biting. The winery states, like “old gold, intense, expressive, fresh and structured” - sounds like a 1996, doesn’t it? The wine is comprised of 30% Pinot Meunier, 35% Pinot Noir and 35% Chardonnay. This is a wine not to miss at this price. 2000 Yann Alexandre Brut “Blanc de Blanc” Grand Vin (Courmas) This is Alexandre’s 100% Chardonnay vintage wine and it will dazzle you. In complete contrast to the Grand Reserve, this 2000 wine is graceful and delicate but still full of presence and purpose. It has a strong, masculine bead with fresh whiffs of lime and light yeast but it retains an elegance and strong sense of place. From only grapes grown on a chalk/clay mixture, a parcel of the wine is raised in barrels (a la Vilmart) to give an added complexity in the final blend. If the above Grand Reserve is structured and intense, this vintage wine is delightful in its powerful tribute to delicate expression. Very long and cleansing on the palate. Thank you, Jon Rimmerman Garagiste Seattle, WA Champ9880 Champ9870
1/9/2008, (See more on Garagiste...)
By Tom Hewson
(NV Yann Alexandre, Grande Réserve, Pinot Noir / Pinot Nero, Champagne, France, White) Login and subscribe to see review text.Petite Montagne de Reims, 7/7/2025, (See more on Decanter...)