Invitation Extra Brut Base 2019 NV

Champagne Huré Frères is a family business and was founded over 50 years ago. The company is run by Raoul Huré and his sons François and Pierre. In order to optimally bring the different terroirs of the large patchwork of Champagne to the bottle, each parcel is vinified individually. The estate covers 10 hectares, two of which are devoted to Chardonnay and the rest equally divided between Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier. A special feature of the Huré estate is the solera, which was created in 1982 and is added to the wines as a reserve, giving them additional complexity.

The Invitation Brut is Huré's ticket to the world. It consists of 40% Pinot Meunier, 40% Pinot Noir and 20% Chardonnay and thus reflects the varietal range of the house in the basic cuvée. The grapes come from the Montagne de Reims from the terroirs of Ludes, Villedommange and Vavray. The base for this wine is from the 2018 vintage and matured on its lees for 30-36 months before disgorgement. Depending on the vintage, the Invitation Brut contains between 25-40% reserve wines from the solera. The Invitation Brut was dosed with 4 grams of shipping dosage Brut.

Strong yellow with discreet rusty notes and small-grained perlage.

The oxidised apple is the leitmotif of the Invitation Brut from Champagne Huré Frères and returns again and again in elliptical form. Boskop with a light brown cut, a dollop of crème patissier and slightly yeasty notes that oscillate between fresh plait and sourdough bread. Best white pepper with its ethereal notes of cedar and citrus floats like a zeppelin above this arrangement of stewed and crumbly apple, grounded by chalky notes reminiscent of wet blackboard chalk. A little Granny Smith and candy floss form the cement of this distinctive melange. 

Creamy texture on the palate, supported by fine perlage. The ripe fruit notes of pome fruit, crisp apple and pear are fresher on the palate than on the nose, along with the perfectly ripened acidity and the downright cheeky oxi note. The reserve wine from the solera has a subtle spiciness that combines extract-rich apple notes with notes of salt-buttered, brown-roasted toast and accompanies it into the long finish.