Grower Champagne

Aurélien Suenen might be young, but making Champagne is already a second career for him. His first had been as a professional basketball player. He is a disciple of both Pascal Agrapart and Anselme Selosse, whose advice has much bearing on this promising young grower in Cramant. He farms just 3 hectares across the Côte des Blancs grand cru villages of Chouilly, Oiry and Cramant. This is based on 2016 vintage (50%), and has the incisive, delicate but steely preicison of limestone-driven blanc de blancs. Aurélien's wines have already made a major impression on grower champagne followers, and are already incredibly hard to get hold of. He is one to watch.

Almost unbelievably, the vines in this lieu dit were planted in 1925. It is vinified in a combination of concrete egg and demi-muids, and 2013 is the inaugural vintage release from this site. A low 2g/l dosage enhances the seering quality of this wine, so pure, chalky, and citrus-inflected. Aurélien Suenen might be young, but making Champagne is a second career for him. His first had been as a professional basketball player. He is a disciple of both Pascal Agrapart and Anselme Selosse, whose advice has much bearing on this promising young grower in Cramant. He farms just 3 hectares across the Côte des Blancs grand cru villages of Chouilly, Oiry and Cramant. Aurélien's wines have already made a major impression on grower champagne followers, and are already incredibly hard to get hold of. He is one to watch.

2013 was Aurélien's first release of this outstanding Cramant Grand Cru. It was vinified all in one large oak foudre before being bottled in 2014. It then spent 5 years ageing sur lattes before disgorgement (just 2g/l). This wine shows the accomplished confidence of a vigneron many years more experienced than this raw young talent. Aurélien Suenen might be young, but making Champagne is a second career for him. His first had been as a professional basketball player. He is a disciple of both Pascal Agrapart and Anselme Selosse, whose advice has much bearing on this promising young grower in Cramant. He farms just 3 hectares across the Côte des Blancs grand cru villages of Chouilly, Oiry and Cramant. Aurélien's wines have already made a major impression on grower champagne followers, and are already incredibly hard to get hold of. He is one to watch.