Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

Eric Rodez spent his formative years at Krug. This is an 9th generation family that has 9 hectares of Grand Cru vines in the village of Ambonnay that are Chardonnay & Pinot Noir.. Their vineyards are certified biodynamic and utilize highly sustainable practices. Eric, his wife Martine and their son Mickael operate the Domaine.

It is a spectacular cuvée from the moment you raise the glass to your nose. It is almost hypnotic. You feel the evanescence twirl into your nostrils. Lime with skin, kiwi, green & golden apple, lemon, underripe pineapple, green melon, white peach, sea foam, chalk powder, caramel, frothy cream, vanillin, delicate volcanics, dry limestone, lightly yeasty bread dough, some dry twig to barrel dust, white, yellow & spring flowers framed in blooming jasmine.

The mousse is soft, elegant and rich. Ripe; lime with skin, kiwi, green & golden apple, lemon, underripe pineapple, green melon, white peach, sea foam to spray, nice salinity, chalk powder, caramel, frothy cream, sea fossil dust, vanillin, hues of butterscotch candy, dry volcanics bits, white spice w/ a hint of palate heat, dry limestone, lightly yeasty bread dough to baguette crust, some dry twig to barrel dust, beautiful, delicate but zesty acidity, white, yellow & spring flowers framed in blooming jasmine with balance & length for days, perfect tension & structure-not too much or too little with elegance & beauty that lasts two-minutes and lands on delicate minerality.

Some additional cellaring, 94.

Bottled Spring 2021. Launch2024. 100% Chardonnay.
Vintages in the blend: 2020 - 28%, 2019 - 14%, 2018 - 24%, Previous vintages - 34%. Vinification: 15% in tanks and 85% in barrels. Partial malolactic fermentation. Blended with 90% reserve wine that did not undergo malolactic fermentation. 1.5g dosage. — 21 days ago

Maxwell Riesberg

9.4

Big blend! — 7 years ago

Maciej Kurka

9.3

Imported by Martine. Great — 8 years ago

Joe McGee

9.3

Love it. My first Martine Wine — 9 years ago

admiral von schnauzer

9.8

Look let's get something straight. This wine tastes great.

However it tastes 436% better if Martine hands it to you after screaming "BOO SAH KOH" like some samurai in a Murasaki film. #troof — 9 years ago

admiral von schnauzer

9.0

To quote martine "meh. It is not St. Chamant.". Still ok, i mean its not agent orange. A touch cheese rindy, but without a Ridgeback to eat cheese rind.. fine bubble and mousse. Unsure I'd pay for it, because St. chamant. But still — 9 years ago

Nagib Nasr

9.2

Amazing…. — 3 years ago

with Patti

Ian Hamel

9.2

Spring 2021. 10 years is a great age for the denser Maconnais wines - enough time to develop richness and complexity but not so much as to fade all the fruit. — 5 years ago

Ron Siegel

9.5

This was very pretty & finessed showing cherry, rose petal, orange peel & sweet spices. Martine said that Henri stated the 91 would always have charm & last forever. — 7 years ago

Lyle Fass

Founder Fass Selections

9.6

In 2012 they blended their two single vineyard sites, La Chave and Luc into this one wine. It’s a freak show. Huge olive, huge blackberry and huge granite. An intense earthy minerality. So so complex. Almost like a tapenade. Amazing aromas. So juicy and with incredible energy. Wow what soft but such fine tannins. This is incredible. Amazing texture and balance with just ridiculous length and freshness. Stunning purity. — 7 years ago

Andy Stabile

9.3

What a pleasant surprise !

... with Cole McNamara for his birthday. — 9 years ago

admiral von schnauzer

9.0

If you met this in a dark alley youd be afraid... Martine didn't like it, a touch flabby — 9 years ago

Steve Graf

9.1

Lunch with Martine 👍 — 10 years ago

Daniel Bloom

9.2

A smoky Grenache bomb. But mid weight. Lots of coffee, earth, fruit rinds,
A surprise for Xmas dinner.
Very nice.
Thanks @ Garagiste. — 4 years ago

with Sarah

MaJ CappS

8.9

Dusty cellar tannin nose, even after a few hours..

What I thought would be a fruit forward wine, turns out to have some structure to it, layers of prune, black olive, dark flowers, like violets, and lavender. Ends in a long finish of absorbic acidity, light peppery tannin.

A chilly night wine, for sure. — 6 years ago

Jeanne Brophy

9.1

With Amy. Angler. — 7 years ago

Justin Hansohn

9.1

Valuuuuuuuue! Lots of complexity hidden in pure friendly fruit. Madame that made this is making a strong case for herself. — 8 years ago

Margaret M

9.0

Had at Tate Britain restaurant with Queena — 9 years ago

admiral von schnauzer

9.4

"Meh. But it's not St. Chamant"

Martine Saunier, 2016 — 9 years ago

Susan E. Ulbrich

9.1

Love me some Martine!! — 10 years ago