Le Chetillons N°16 Mesnil sur Oger Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut 2016

Wine Description for Le Chetillons N°16 Mesnil sur Oger Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut 2016 by Pertois-Lebrun

Colour & Appearance

Radiant golden yellow with an exceptionally fine, elegantly rising perlage – a visual promise of maturity and precision.

Nose

Impressively purist and profound. The cool minerality dominates initially with hints of oyster shells, salted almonds and chalk dust. Behind this, notes of crispy white bread with salted butter unfold. With air contact, delicate citrus fruits, green apple and quince develop – a textbook example of the cool elegance of Mesnil-sur-Oger.

Palate

Striking and demanding in the best sense. The invigorating carbonation carries precise lemon zest and delicately bitter grapefruit notes. The Extra Brut dosage with just 2.5 g residual sugar underscores the straightforward, uncompromising structure. Here the tension between the freshness of the vintage and the complexity from seven years on the lees is evident.

Finish

Long, saline and refreshing with persistent minerality and fine citrus bitterness.

Terroir & Origin

The grapes come exclusively from the Grand Cru vineyard sites Chétillon and Chétillon de Haut in Mesnil-sur-Oger, one of Champagne’s most renowned Chardonnay communes. Vines over 40 years old provide the depth and concentration.

Grape Variety & Vinification

100% Chardonnay. The base wine of the 2016 vintage matured for ten months partly in stainless steel (53%), partly in wooden cask (47%) – unrefined and unfiltered. After at least seven years on the lees, the Champagne was disgorged in July 2017. This combination of traditional ageing and extended maturation gives the wine its remarkable complexity.

Food Pairing Suggestions

The perfect aperitif Champagne, which also shines with classic French starters: oysters, scallops, monkfish, ceviche or goat’s cheese. The saline minerality harmonises beautifully with raw or pan-fried fish.

Special Characteristics

An uncompromising Blanc de Blancs for purists that combines the cool elegance of Mesnil-sur-Oger with the depth of old vines and extended lees ageing. The Extra Brut dosage allows the terroir to take centre stage.