Notes:
Emmanuel Brochet’s NV Le Mont Benoit (2021 base), which includes 40% reserve wines from 2020 and 2019, was disgorged in May 2024 with a dosage of four grams per liter—slightly higher than usual. He notes that this modest adjustment was necessitated by the incisive profile of the base vintage. The wine unfurls from the glass with aromas of green apple, chamomile and peeled almond. On the palate, it’s medium-bodied, chiseled, bright and laden with electric acidity, culminating in a long, chalky finish marked by a distinctive bitterness. Stylistically, this bottling slightly diverges from recent iterations shaped by a string of warm vintages, but qualitatively speaking, it is unmistakably the same superb cuvée. While Brochet himself expresses a degree of dissatisfaction due to its higher malic acid, such critique speaks to the standards of a perfectionist. This rendition, in all likelihood, will age beautifully over the coming years. Wine Advocate 95
Producer: Emmanuel Brochet is one of Champagne's smallest and most sought-after grower-producers, farming just over two hectares in the Premier Cru village of Villers-aux-Nœuds, immediately southwest of Reims. After reclaiming his family's vineyards in 1997, Brochet transformed what had long been leased to a cooperative into one of Champagne's most respected micro-domaines. Production remains extremely limited, with every bottle crafted from estate fruit and produced using meticulous organic farming, native yeast fermentations, and minimal intervention. His Champagnes have earned an almost cult-like following among collectors for their remarkable precision, texture, and unmistakable sense of place.
Vineyard: Le Mont Benoit is the domaine's only vineyard, a historic Premier Cru lieu-dit in Villers-aux-Nœuds. The site is planted to approximately 37% Pinot Meunier, 33% Pinot Noir, and 30% Chardonnay, with vines ranging from 30 to more than 50 years of age. Clay-limestone soils over deep Campanian chalk provide the foundation for wines of exceptional concentration and mineral tension. Rather than blending vineyards from across Champagne, Brochet's entire production comes from this single hillside, allowing each release to reflect the nuances of one remarkable terroir. The result is a Champagne of extraordinary individuality, faithfully expressing both the vineyard and the character of each base vintage.
Winemaking: Every parcel is harvested by hand and fermented exclusively with indigenous yeasts in French oak barrels. The base wines mature in barrel for approximately one year before blending, with reserve wines incorporated to add additional depth and complexity. Malolactic fermentation occurs naturally, and the wine is bottled without fining or filtration whenever possible to preserve texture and purity. Extended lees aging and a restrained Extra Brut dosage of approximately 2–4 g/L, depending on the release, allow the chalky minerality and layered complexity of Le Mont Benoit to remain at the forefront. The finished wine is both remarkably vinous and incredibly precise, combining richness with freshness in a style that has become unmistakably Emmanuel Brochet.
Technical Details: Champagne Premier Cru AOC; vineyard Le Mont Benoit; approximately 37% Pinot Meunier, 33% Pinot Noir, and 30% Chardonnay; estate-grown fruit from Villers-aux-Nœuds Premier Cru; clay-limestone soils over Campanian chalk; organically farmed; native yeast fermentation; fermented and aged in French oak barrels; extended lees aging; Extra Brut dosage (approximately 2–4 g/L depending on disgorgement); unfined and minimally filtered.
Food Pairing: Butter-poached lobster, Dover sole, turbot, roasted chicken, veal, pork loin, mushroom risotto, truffle dishes, aged Comté, and Parmesan. Le Mont Benoit combines orchard fruit, citrus, chamomile, toasted brioche, and chalk-driven minerality with a broad, vinous palate that continues to gain complexity in the glass. Its combination of richness, freshness, and remarkable texture makes it equally compelling as a gastronomic Champagne or paired with refined seafood and classic French cuisine, while possessing the structure to reward extended cellaring.
Emmanuel Brochet Champagne 1er Cru "Le Mont Benoit" Extra Brut (R21)
Reviews:
Wine Advocate: 95
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