2013 Andre Chemin Premier Cru Brut Millesime

About the Wine

When a harvest is exceptionally good in Champagne, the wine is made with only the grapes from that vintage, this is what we call a “Millésime”. In short words, this Champagne from André Chemin is extraordinarily good.

Founded in 1948 by André Chemin in his home village of Sacy. Their very first customers were spectators of the "12 Hours of Reims" an endurance motor racing test. Today André Chemin is in the care of the third generation, Eva and Sebastian Chemin. Sacy is located in the heart of the mountain terroir of Reims and is one of the few villages with a Premier Cru classification. This means the vines ideally planted on the hillsides with the best sun exposure in the terroir of Champagne famous for the quality of their Pinot Noirs. Since 2015 the vines have been cultivated according to the High Environmental Value (HEV) and Sustainable Viticulture certifications to protect the land and better showcase the terroir of the vineyards.

Champagne had quite a rocky start before becoming the second most famous French word in the world and being associated with royalty, celebrations, and luxury. The first sparkling wines in France were only created by accident. Earning the name "the devil's wine" or le vin du diable. Imagine the shock of French winemakers when suddenly bottles of wine would start exploding due to the pressure built up in the wine bottles, sometimes causing a chain reaction in the cellars leading to losses of anywhere from 20-90%. Today champagne bottles have the same amount of pressure in them as a standard car tire. Wine bottles back then were not up to the challenge of withstanding the pressure which often led to surprise showers of glass and wine. Initially considered a fault, Champagne has the ultimate rags to riches story and is considered by many to be the pinnacle of fine wine. 

Not only does the wine need to come from Champagne in order to earn the name secondary fermentation must occur in the bottle in order to give the wine its classic, tiny mousse-like bubbles. There are other strict rules that must be followed regarding pruning practices, yield allowances, and sur less aging requirements. Thanks to the high levels of acidity, champagnes can be aged for many decades and can be paired with a wide variety of dishes as well as being absolutely spectacular all on its own.

Tasting Notes

 Sparkling Wine. 66% Pinot Noir and 33% Chardonnay. Elegant gold color and a beautiful effervescence with lively and very fine bubbles. Excellent floral nose in attack such as acacia, aromas of citrus fruits and hazelnut flavors, chocolate hint. A beautiful complexity that exalts with a lemony delicacy. The palate is generous and of great freshness. Great time to drink! Pair this wine with desserts, seafood shellfish, fish soup, spaghetti with clams.

Critical Reviews

Opulent and exotic, with notes of toasted almond, pear, and apple, bright, precise, and pure with a lean minerality on the palate. ~92 Decanter WWA