David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

The Ariston Aspasie Cépages d'Antan is a blend of one grape that is nearly extinct in Champagne, Petit Meslier and two rare grapes that get blended into Champagne. It parses into 40% Petit Meslier, 40% Arbanne, and 20% Pinot Blanc. None of the three main grapes; Chardonnay, Pinot Noir & Pinot Meunier

Crazy good body and super soft mouthfeel. There is soft precision in the palate. Excellent micro oxygenation. Shades of the 2007 Taittinger Comte’s. Leads with the white citruses.- lime, lemon, grapefruit, kiwi, some pineapple juice, tropical green melon, what softer than soft powdery chalkiness, limestone, volcanics just as soft, spring flowers for days, perfect acidy and a purely beautifully balanced, knitted, length that has length and a singing finish that goes on and on. @ K&L Champagne tasting. — 5 months ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.2

Blend of 45% Pinot Meunier, 25% Chardonnay, 25% Pinot Noir, remaining 5% local varieties: Arbanne, Petit Meslier and Fromenteau, stainless vinification, pale lemon with aromas of stone fruit, citrus and floral notes. On the palate fresh fruit tastes of apple and peach with lemony tones. Great balance, good bubble bead flow, generous acidity, long ending with crisp citrus and mineral tones. — 2 years ago

Severn Goodwin

9.4

67% Arbanne / Petit Meslier / Fromenteau & 33% Chardonnay, Disgorged November 2017.

A mineral and nutty freak show! Wow this palate... Green apple, peach skin, lemon, leesy/yeasty aspects, insane limestone/saline notes on the very long finish, perfect.

24hr Update: Toasty brioche goodness with acidic mineral butter, best to open this one and drink the following day. Crazy? Yes probably, but amazingly enough the bubbles are still almost as good as day one! — 6 years ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.2

Medium lemon color, aromas of stone and citrus fruits with yeasty notes, blend of six varietals with Petit Arbanne and Petit Meslier included. On the palate flavors of ripe apple and pear with lemon citrus zest and bread notes. Fine bubbles, light mousse, medium finish ending with fruit, citrus and yeasty biscuit character. Pair this aged Champagne with a shrimp or lobster salad. — 10 months ago

John Tan

8.9

1st Jan 2023. Disgorged June 2021. Elegant, precise.

60% Chardonnay, 35% Pinot Blanc, 5% Arbanne. Fermented and aged in amphora using native yeasts. Zero dosage. Extremely limited production.
“The NV (2018) Blanc de Blancs Amphora is a blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc and Arbanne done in amphora. The aromatics alone are mesmerizing, but what I like most about the 2018 its energy and cut. Readers will find a Champagne of tremendous distinction. Or is it wine? The 2018 straddles this line beautifully, framed by bright acids that lend vibrancy to lemon peel, mint, white flower and grassy notes that build in the glass. This is one of the most interesting and compelling Champagnes I have tasted in some time. Bottled with no dosage.” AG 96 — a year ago

David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.2

For those of you who aren’t familiar with champagne made in the Saignee (sohn-yay) method. Here is Readers Digest version.

Saignée means “to bleed.” Saignée is one of the methods of making rosé wines, along with blending white and red wine (this is the method used to for rosé Champagne), along with a simply macerating (allowing contact with skins to leech out color and flavor) the wine with the skins for a short period of time. This can be as short as two hours and sometimes a little longer depending on the style of the Winemaker.

The nose reveals dark, ripe; black cherries, strawberries, cherries, summertime watermelon & raspberries, Cream, hints of bubble gum, saline, sea fossils, soft understated chalkiness, volcanic minerals, wafting vanillin, pink rose petals and spring flowers.

The palate is rich, lush, creamy with nice mousse. It’s very well balanced and has beautiful length. There is ripe; black cherries, strawberries, cherries, summertime watermelon, pink grapefruit, tangerine & raspberries, Cream, hints of bubble gum, saline, sea fossils, slivered almonds, brioche, chalkiness that starts soft but, penetrates the palate deeply & with some heat, dark medium spice, volcanic minerals, vanillin, lanolin characteristic, pink rose petals and spring flowers. The acidity is round and near perfection. The long, rich, elegant, well polished finish carries on for minutes. Quite nice and a steal at Costco for just under $40. Elsewhere, $50 plus.

Photos of, the House of Drappier, shot of their caves, Owner Michel Drappier & one of their vineyards.

Producer notes and history...Drappier’s story begins in 1803, Francois Drappier, descendant of a Reims family of cloth merchants and lawyers, settled in Urville next to an annex to the abbey of Clairvaux, and began working a vineyard in the area which today extends over 55 hectares.

The Drappier family sold the grapes to the great champagne houses of Reims and Epernay for more than a century.

In 1930, Georges Collot, the maternal grandfather of Michel, the current owner, decided to pull up the traditional Aube Gamay, and replant the vineyards with Pinot Noir, focusing on quality instead of quantity. Known has “Father Pinot”, Collot was essentially the driving force behind Drappier’s Pinot Noir heavy style.

After the Second World War, the Drappiers started to expand the business and had acquired the cellars that were located in the annex to the abbey of Clairvaux that remained intact through the years. The former abbey’s cellar was far enough from the front lines to go through both world wars unscathed, preserving the history of winemaking on the distinct limestone soils of the Aube.

In 1952, Andre and Micheline Drappier, Michel’s parents, launch the Carte d’Or cuvee, with its distinctive yellow label. The Drappier house is now run by seventh generation Michel Drappier, and consists of 55 of their own hectares, 50 rented hectares, and 30% of the grapes brought in. The vineyard holdings are dominant in Pinot Noir.

Drappier owns a total of 55 hectares in Aube. Overall, the proportions of vineyards planted are dominant with Pinot Noir 80%, with 12% Chardonnay, a small 7% Pinot Meunier, and an even smaller 1% of ancient varieties such as Pinot Blanc, Petit Meslier and Arbanne.

Currently, 15 hectares are accredited organic since the harvest of 2014. Michel Drappier and his team have been cultivating the estate sustainably for years, and worked on the accreditation for 7 years. It’s one of the largest accredited organic estates in Champagne.

The rest of the Drappier’s estate, composed of 42 hectares, is cultivated with sustainable methods. No preventive treatments, soil management (grass, compost), use horses for plowing. — 5 years ago

with James and Christina

Carrie Bowden

9.2

Crisp and bright. Disgorged Feb 1st 2021
32% PNoir 32% Chard 32% Meunier
4% blend of Petit Meslier +Arbanne +Pinot Blanc — a year ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.1

Blend of 45% Pinot Meunier, 25% Chardonnay, 25% Pinot Noir, remaining 5% local varieties: Arbanne, Petit Meslier and Fromenteau, stainless vinification, pale lemon with aromas of stone fruit, citrus and floral notes. On the palate fresh fruit tastes of apple and peach with lemony tones. Great balance, good bubble bead flow, generous acidity, long ending with crisp citrus and mineral tones. — a year ago

Jelle Lars Heijmans

9.2

From 6 grapes made in champagne;

Arbanne
Petit Meslier
Pinot Blanc
Chardonnay
Pinot Noir
Pinot Meunier — 2 years ago

Samvel Simonyants

9.4

21/I/2018
Вялый перляж. Цедра лимона и апельсина, персики, садовые яблоки, грильяж, сверхтонкие нюансы дыма и творога. Красивый цельный аромат. Тело средней плотности, вкус стартует с нот взбитого с сахаром желтка, продолжается крепкими цитрусами, свежеиспечённым белым хлебом, маринованным виноградным листом. Бодрая кислотность, чуть оксидировано, глубоко и долго. 18/20

(DD: Oct 2014)
(60% of 2012 wines are added to 40% of reserve wines since 2005 | 10% Pinot Gris, 8% Arbanne, 18% Chardonnay, 14% Pinot Noir, 18% Pinot Meunier, 17% Pinot Blanc, 15% Petit Meslier) — 6 years ago