For many years, Lilbert's Perle has stood as one of our absolute favorite expressions of the Côte des Blancs.
It's a wine that we immediately became obsessed with. The combination of old-vines, vinous depth and riveting sleek minerality is captivating.
In terms of obsessions, the Champagne fanatics who share the affliction and the quantities that Lilbert produces makes it a particularly troublesome one to have. Peter Liem sums up the situation well when he writes: "The only problem with these wines is finding them, as the tiny production is eagerly snapped up upon release by a near-cult following"
The Perle is especially problematic. Production is somewhere around 165 cases per release - a mere drop in Champagne terms.
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Lilbert's Perle is sourced from old vines in their Grand Cru vineyards (Cramant, Chouilly and Oiry) and bottled with lower pressure. The old vines reveal themselves in the wine's mineral depth and intensity.
With that said, Perle is one of the least "showy" Champagnes that I know. For all its gripping minerality and serious vinosity, this is a Champagne that thrives on understatement and finesse. Its quiet voice, its delicacy that belies its persistence, complexity and overall breeding is a big part of what makes Perle so compelling.
Lilbert's Perle delivers the energy and the precisely detailed chalky minerality that makes Côte des Blancs some of the most gorgeous expressions of Chardonnay around. Lilbert's Perle excels in terms of harmony, complexity and elegance.
The fact that Perle can be had for as low as $59.95 per bottle is crazy. I can't think of another Champagne at the price point that comes close to delivering this amount of fascination. We created special 4-pack pricing to encourage you to stock up. You'll be happy that you did.
To order, email offers@crushwineco.com or call the store at (212) 980-9463.
Joe Salamone
Wine Buyer
Crush Wine & Spirits
