Break-Out Vintage
2008 Marie-Courtin
Efflorescence Extra Brut
"The 2008 Efflorescence is one of the most distinctive Champagnes I tasted this year. This is another great showing from Dominique Morneau." -Antonio Galloni
Dominique Morneau bottled her first wine in 06. She was in the Aube, the backwoods of Champagne.
Still, all this hasn't prevented her name from ringing out. Her rise has been incredibly swift, shockingly so. Certainly, Galloni's review, which placed her wines among the very top growers and Grandes Marques, helped put her squarely into the spotlight.
In the end, Morneau's wines at Marie-Courtin are finely rendered and so beautifully expressive that it was only a matter of time before someone took notice and brought her wines center stage.
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Of course, the 08 vintage provided her with the perfect opportunity to show how good the wines can be. Along with 96 and 02, 08 will go down as one of the great vintages of recent times. Fans of Cédric Bouchard are strongly encouraged to check these out.
Marie-Courtin's story is simple: she is obsessive about organic farming and bringing in pristine grapes.
The results are singular, multi-dimensional Champagnes. In 2008, Efflorescence is tension-filled with an intense salty minerality and edgy precision. The 100% Pinot Noir peaks out with hints of red fruits and a palate saturating richness.
The signature here is the penetrating concentration married to a silky elegance and a perfectly articulated complexity of mineral and fruit.
As we mentioned earlier, 2008 is one of the great, great vintages of the past couple of decades. Compared with other recent greats, 08 stands out for the way it combines an incredible energy with a sense of completion. The 88 vintage in Champagne is one of our favorites and the 08s feel very similar.
This is a riveting, kinetic, and singular Champagne that's perfect for the table. 2008 is the year where everything really came together at Marie-Courtin and the results are stunning. Don't miss.
To order, reply to offers@crushwineco.com or call the store at (212) 980-9463.
Joe Salamone
Wine Buyer
Crush Wine & Spirits
Compare at up to $80
Antonio Galloni: "The 2008 Extra Brut Efflorescence captures the house style at its finest. Here the cooler vintage brings out considerable tension in the Pinot Noir. The 2008 boasts serious energy, precision and lift all the way through to the intensely taut, saline-infused finish. Today, minerality, acidity and structure are very much present, while the Pinot is felt mostly in the wine’s weight and texture rather than in the aromas and flavors. I imagine the 2008 will develop more complexity in bottle, even though it will always be distinguished for its razor-like focus. The 2008 Efflorescence is one of the most distinctive Champagnes I tasted this year. This is another great showing from Dominique Morneau."