Notes:
Producer: Antoine Bouvet is a small, family-owned grower based in Mareuil-sur-Aÿ, where his grandfather, Guy Bouvet, established the estate in 1970. Antoine assumed responsibility for the domaine in 2011 after gaining experience outside Champagne and has since developed a philosophy centered on low-intervention viticulture and parcel-specific vinification. The estate farms approximately 5 hectares spread across the Premier Cru villages of Mareuil-sur-Aÿ, Bisseuil, and Avenay-Val-d'Or. Vineyard management emphasizes living soils through mechanical cultivation, cover crops, and biodynamic-inspired farming practices while avoiding herbicides. Fermentations begin with indigenous yeasts, sulfur additions are kept to a minimum, and each parcel is vinified separately to preserve its individual character. Production remains exceptionally small, with many cuvées limited to only several hundred bottles, reflecting the domaine's focus on terroir rather than volume.
Vineyard: This Blanc de Blancs is sourced exclusively from the Premier Cru village of Avenay-Val-d'Or, specifically from the single parcel Les Plantels. Situated on the eastern slopes of the Montagne de Reims, Avenay-Val-d'Or is one of Champagne's historic villages for Chardonnay despite the surrounding area being dominated by Pinot Noir. The vineyard is planted entirely to 100% Chardonnay on classic Campanian chalk overlain by clay and limestone, providing excellent drainage while retaining sufficient moisture during dry growing seasons. The underlying chalk contributes the mineral precision and saline character associated with the village, while the clay component provides additional texture and breadth. Antoine Bouvet's approach is to isolate this parcel and bottle it independently, allowing the vineyard to speak without blending across villages or varieties. The result is a Blanc de Blancs that reflects both the identity of Avenay-Val-d'Or and the distinct growing conditions of the 2022 vintage.
Winemaking: Produced from 100% hand-harvested Chardonnay, the fruit is pressed gently as whole clusters before fermenting spontaneously with indigenous yeasts. Fermentation and élevage take place primarily in used French oak barrels, avoiding excessive oak influence while contributing texture and allowing slow oxygen exchange. The wine is bottled without fining or filtration, preserving both texture and aromatic detail. Following tirage, it remains on its lees for a minimum of 30 months before manual disgorgement. The 2022 release was disgorged on October 27, 2025 and bottled as Extra Brut, with a dosage of 9 g/L. Antoine Bouvet's cellar philosophy favors minimal intervention throughout élevage, allowing the vineyard and vintage to remain the principal expression of the finished wine.
Food Pairing: The wine's mineral structure and Chardonnay purity make it particularly well suited to oysters, scallops, langoustines, lobster, grilled Dover sole, turbot, and delicate white fish. It also pairs naturally with sashimi, ceviche, poultry in cream sauces, mushroom risotto, and fresh or lightly aged cheeses such as Chaource, Brillat-Savarin, and young Comté. Its combination of chalk-derived freshness and extended lees aging allows it to perform equally well as an aperitif or throughout a meal.
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