I’m starting to notice so many little details I never did about champagne. Like for instance, this angel symbol on the top of this what they call “champagne cage.” The cage keeps the cork safe and locked. Once you undo the “cage” you need to keep your hand on the top of the champagne cork at all times. This is a safety precaution, because of the CO2 that is inside of that bottle! Popping a champagne cork without caution has been known to blow someone’s eye out! True story we learned in Sommelier School. This champagne was incredible. I had a glass this evening while sitting out by the pool. It is 100% Chardonnay making it a Blanc de Blancs …
Champagne Philippe Glavier, “Genesis”, Blanc de Blancs, Grand Cru, Extra-Brut, Cramant, Champagne, France
This is an exceptional bottle of champagne! A Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs with a perpetual reserve wine from 2004? Yes, please! What does perpetual reserve mean?
(Large champagne houses reserve a portion of wine from each vintage, which they store in vast cellars. They tap these reserves during years that yield small harvests, and to achieve consistency for nonvintage blends. Krug is well-known for doing this, as is apparently Philippe Glavier 🙂 It’s an art akin to a painter who blends oil colors to achieve a uniform hue.)
A slightly different vineyard selection and longer time on the lees ramps up the weight and power!! This is definitely a rich champagne to pair with food!
I love this story! Philippe and Véronique Glavier manage this small (4.5Ha) estate (10 acres) in the village of Cramant. This is a family run domaine, literally started from scratch; Philippe who studied in Avize, works the vineyards and cellar, while Véronique manages the business. Véronique is the 12th generation of winegrowers in a village south of Épernay, and as she was growing up she was categorically certain of one thing: She would never marry a wine grower! HA… As fate (and life) would have it, she met Philippe, on a skiing trip in 1993 and he changed her mind. Champagne Glavier began in 1995. Phillipe used the cellars of Véronique’s family at first, until they were able to buy their own cuverie and build the press house and cellar. They were able to secure vineyards in Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, and Avize as well – in the last 20 years there has been a lot of work, and a lot of investment. Essentially this is a winery started from scratch! Today, they manage the estate in Cramant with holdings in Avize, Cramant and Le Mesnil-sur-Oger.
Tasting Notes~
A generous bouquet of yellow orchard fruit, peach, yeast and hazelnuts. Full-bodied, fleshy and vinous, with a frothy mousse, ripe balanced acids!
Want bottles like this and others? Join California’s Premier Champagne Club! Email me at krista@theparisexperiment.com
Leave a Reply