Vanessa

9.2

Cheers to this historic bubbly from Merfy!

Chartogne-Taillet is the only grower-producer located in this tiny village, nestled into the southern slopes of the Massif de Saint-Thierry—the northernmost region of Champagne, & one of its oldest winemaking zones, with roots stretching back to Roman times.

Despite its early popularity, and historical significance, Massif de Saint-Thierry is less widely known today—It’s a hidden gem offering diverse microclimates & subsoils ranging from clay to sand over chalk.

We’re grateful Alexandre Chartogne is giving this region, and Merfy, in particular, a sensory voice, by crafting a range of terroir-driven champagnes that honor centuries of family farming and his formative mentorship working under Anselme Selosse.

Featured here is the “Cuvée Saint Anne”— a broader regional expression which blends vintages, villages, and varieties—60% Chardonnay, 35% Pinot Noir, 5% Meunier—from parcels in both Merfy and the grand cru village of Avize (Côte des Blancs).

In appearance, this wine is radiant gold, revealing the delicate influence of oxygen over a period of aging in neutral oak. It has a fine & persistent perlage.

On the nose are harmonious notes of poached pear, fresh apricot, apple salt water taffy, white blossom, gardenia, crusty croissant, apple crisp, cider, brioche, cinnamon sugar lefse, graham cracker pie crust, wet stones, chalk, & toasted almond.

This wine shows vitality & energy on the palate that is bone dry with lively acidity, a creamy mousse, flavors consistent with the nose, & a lingering finish.

Here’s to Chartogne-Taillet’s elegant & expressive champagnes that are deeply rooted in place. — 6 days ago

with Deked1

Josh Morgenthau

9.3

Wow. Quite intense. Peppery, forest fruit spicy. Violet, fennel and black currant. Very sweet but also herbal, garrigue, and with pleasant bitterness; spicy, with a long finish. Really good stuff. Super concentrated. — 4 years ago

Lyle Fass

Founder Fass Selections

9.4

Just fantastic as always. Needed a glass with a late dinner. Just wow. So clean and juicy and unreal density and old vine sap. Unreal energy and freshness. Tannins ripe but substantial. Nose is granite and blackberry and flowers and meat and olives. Glorious. — a year ago

Lyle Fass

Founder Fass Selections

9.5

100 marsanne - gorgeous nose, very lifted and mineral and pulverized granite and earth, but dry earth, juicy and silky and so so refined and wonderful hierarchy of flavors. So so elegant and juicy. wonderful. @Delectable Wine this is St. Epine Blanc. — 2 years ago

Romain Fitoussi

9.3

Basket of fresh black and red fruits, smoky notes, roasted, charcoal, pepper, violet. The nose suggests a little residual sugar, except it will turn out to be very dry in the mouth. Supple and beautiful creaminess, the texture in the mouth is beautiful. Côte-Rôtie style. Superb for its price.

Panier de fruits frais noirs et rouges, notes fumées, rôties, charbon, poivre, violette. Le nez suggère un peu de sucre résiduel, hors il se révélera très sec en bouche. Souplesse et belle onctuosité, la texture en bouche est magnifique. De la puissance totalement enrobée. Une Cote Rôtie masquée, sous le nom Vin de France. Superbe pour son prix! — 3 years ago

Pooneet K

9.0

Beautiful inky dark Syrah. Ready to go after a couple hour decant. And a nice pairing with roast chicken thighs with lemon and green olives. Quite seamless on the palate with a bit of structure. Maybe one smidge less acid than I hoped for at the end to make it sing - but still very nice. — 4 years ago

Matt

9.4

Pure pleasure, vivacious, juicy, deeply textured and ripe. A completely different experience than LBT — 2 years ago

Lyle Fass

Founder Fass Selections

9.4

Big deep grapey nose. Tons of granite and blackberry but also red berries as well. A very evocative and encompassing nose. Some pepper, spice and herbs as well. Complex and inviting. Palate is soft and structured with an intense pepperiness. Supple and melty with gorgeous red fruits and also blackberry. Very pure and perfectly balanced with really nice tannins. Excellent wine. — 2 years ago

Lyle Fass

Founder Fass Selections

9.4

Killer nose. Plantain, mango, gras and granite. Floral as well and such nice penetrative aromas. Great aromatic depth. Classic 21 here with such zip, vim and vigor. Really fine acids and granitic freshness along with an airy palate with plantain and vanilla extract. Terrific thrust and energy and very complex finish. Air will fill this out. It is gaining tremendous elegance now with air. This really got so elegant with air and gained a granitic complexity. 9.2 to 9.3.

Wow this got insane overnight. Nose is just a granite bomb. some guava and pineapple but barely ripe. also lovely earth. Grippy, intense and so pure. Great complexity and concentration. Long and so so energetic. wow. 9.3 to 9.4. — 2 years ago

Steve Anderson

9.2

Young, but great upside potential. Old vine Marsanne from the lieu-dit Aubert, east of the Sainte Epine vineyard. One of the original St Joseph appellation parcels, tended by Trollat for decades according to the spec sheet. Delightful. — 5 years ago