2017 Pierre Péters Brut Blanc de Blancs 'Les Montjolys,' Le Mesnil-sur-Oger Grand Cru

Perhaps the most globally recognized ‘grower champagne’ producer, the house is now run by the gregarious, eternally grinning Rodolphe Peters, but has been producing wine since 1919 out of Mesnil. The trademark here is pristine - but not sharp - examples of Chardonnay. Rodolphe has a masterful touch with the grape, and is open to experimentation, an example being his willingness to remove some of his very best barrels over the years to create a new project in which he blended a single vintage of Chetillons with a solera of the very same, a style which has only worked for very few, namely Anselme Selosse, but Rodolphe pulled it off without creating a wine of any noticeable oxidation, rather just perfect balance of maturity and youthful zest. The solera originated as a solution for a tough vintage, and became a backbone of the house’s success. Furthermore, the solera is stored in three different types of vessel - stainless, concrete egg, and a large cask. Peters owns vineyards in several small parcels throughout the Côte des Blancs villages of Mesnil, Oger, Avize and Cramant, with a small Pinot Noir vineyard in the Aube that he leases out - he admits he has more talent with Chardonnay than the black grapes.

Les Montjolys is a terroir inside of Mesnil-sur-Oger that has deeper, more clay-based soils than the rest of the village, resulting in a deeper flavor, fuller texture and more profound aromatics.