Champagne Agrapart & Fils
The Wines
Champagne Agrapart & Fils 7 Crus NV (Base 21 Disg. March 2024)
The Agrapart range begins with a non-vintage wine called 7 Crus. The name refers to the seven Côte des Blancs villages from which the wine derives. These include Avize (from younger vines aged 20 to 40 years), Cramant, Oger, Oiry, Avenay-Val-d’Or, Coligny and Vauciennes. Like all Agrapart wines, the fruit is from 100% estate-owned and farmed vineyards.
7 Crus is a blend of two harvests: in this case, 60% is 2021 from 1er Cru sites; and 40% is 2020 from Grand Cru sites. The reserve wine was raised in neutral, 600-litre oak casks from François Chidaine and Didier Dagueneau. The breakdown is 90% Chardonnay and 10% Pinot Noir. Even at this first level, the wine is aged for three years on lees. It was disgorged with 6 g/L dosage. This is the most immediately seductive cuvée in the Agrapart range, yet it is still extremely fine. It’s long, deep and saline with some gentle grip. Sadly, we do not get nearly enough. The reviews below refer to a previous disgorgement.
Champagne Agrapart & Fils Grand Cru Terroirs Blanc de Blancs NV (Base 20 Disg. 2024)
Agrapart’s scintillating Terroirs is 100% Grand Cru, with the fruit sourced only from great sites across four revered villages in the Côte des Blancs: Avize, Cramant, Oger and Oiry. Together with the terroir, vine age is a key quality factor, with the average age of the plantings at more than 50 years.
This release is based on two outstanding vintages: 2020 and 2019. The reserve wine (the earlier vintage) makes up a remarkable 80% of the cuvée—another telling factor in its quality. After natural fermentation, half the wine matured in large-format, neutral oak and spent over 36 months on lees. Dosage is limited to 5 g/L, and disgorgement was carried out by hand in March 2024.
This is another flat-out stunning disgorgement of this wine. Although the 7 Crus is terrific, this is, as always, another level altogether. The quality of the Grand Cru sites, the age of vines, the vintages involved, and the dominance of reserve wines in the blend all play their role in this difference. Regardless, it’s evidence of a stellar grower in perpetual movement. The wine is already wonderful but will, as always, benefit from another year under cork. No third-party notes as yet, but again, trust us: This is superb!
Champagne Agrapart & Fils Grand Cru Terroirs Blanc de Blancs NV (Base 20 Disg. March 2024) (1500ml)
Agrapart’s scintillating Terroirs is 100% Grand Cru, with the fruit sourced only from great sites across four revered villages in the Côte des Blancs: Avize, Cramant, Oger and Oiry. Together with the terroir, vine age is a key quality factor, with the average age of the plantings at more than 50 years.
This release is based on two outstanding vintages: 2020 and 2019. The reserve wine (the earlier vintage) makes up a remarkable 80% of the cuvée—another telling factor in its quality. After natural fermentation, half the wine matured in large-format, neutral oak and spent over 36 months on lees. Dosage is limited to 5 g/L, and disgorgement was carried out by hand in March 2024.
This is another flat-out stunning disgorgement of this wine. Although the 7 Crus is terrific, this is, as always, another level altogether. The quality of the Grand Cru sites, the age of vines, the vintages involved, and the dominance of reserve wines in the blend all play their role in this difference. Regardless, it’s evidence of a stellar grower in perpetual movement. The wine is already wonderful but will, as always, benefit from another year under cork. No third-party notes as yet, but again, trust us: This is superb!
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