Grower Champagnes: Pierre Peters, Bereche, Ledru, Savart & Vilmart

Posted by Joe Salamone

The simple story is that this is a list of top and rare bottlings from some of our favorite growers.

For most of these wines, we see such tiny quantities that we can only include them in a mixed offer.

We're looking at things like magnums of 2000 Ledru, a Vilmart Grand Cellier non-vintage that was disgorged in 1999, the super-rare Savart Expression and Bouchard's Bolorée.

I'll start with Bérêche, who has quickly become one of our favorite growers. The Reflet is his most monumental, hauntingly complex wine. It offers the beautifully, deeply nuanced character of old Champagne with the energy and nimbleness of youth. Reflet d'Antan is a perpetual cuvée.

There's also Bouchard's 2009 La Bolorée, a rarity in many ways. It's Pinot Blanc from a 0.27ha parcel that's a small oasis of chalk amidst a sea of limestone. Needless to say, it's one of Champagne's most individual and rare bottlings. There's also magnums of 2009 Ursules, a Blanc des Noirs from a single vineyard that's just under a hectare.

Few Champagne producers have been met with as much immediate excitement as Savart. The wines are just that pure, that resolutely mineral and that quietly finessed. He only has 4ha and the quick popularity of the wines has made them difficult to keep in stock. I'm happy to offer the 2009 L'Année, one of the most sleekly mineral examples of the vintage. Then there's the Expression, a 100% Pinot produced in ridiculously small quantities.

Before bringing this to a close I should highlight Vilmart's Grand Cellier that was disgorged in 1999. It flies in the face of conventional wisdom, but non-vintage Champagnes do age. The blend of vintages is highly complementary - 95, 96 and 97.

Assuming that Pierre Peters Chetillon, Ledru and Vilmart's Coeur de Cuvée speak for themselves, I'll wrap this up by re-stating that these are very limited. Please give us your ideal order and we'll do our best.

To order, reply to offers@crushwineco.com or call the store at (212) 980-9463.

Joe Salamone


Wine Buyer

Crush Wine & Spirits