'...a stellar set of 2018s.' ANTONIO GALLONI

Alexandre Chartogne turned out a stellar set of 2018s…What I admire most in these new releases is the vivid expression of place and variety, especially in this very warm year. The Champagnes are fermented and aged in barrel, so there is some wood influence, but oak lends texture and dimension without dominating the wines’ balance… ANTONIO GALLONI 

This was already a terrific house before young Alexandre Chartogne took over from his parents, and now he’s turned the family domaine into one of the iconic wines of the modern Champagne movement. A disciple of Selosse, Chartogne follows the same non-interventionist ways to produce exceedingly vinous Chamagnes from his home village of Merfy. RAJ PARR, The Sommeliers Atlas of Taste

Since taking over his family’s Merfy estate in 2006 when he was only 23 years old, Alexandre Chartogne has been making some of the most expressive wines to be found anywhere in Champagne. …the village of Merfy lies on the same bedrock as the rest of the Montage de Reims, but here the chalk is buried under a thick layer of sandy topsoils, which contribute a bright, lively fruitiness and a supple texture to the village’s wines. Chartogne worked briefly with Anselme Selosse of Jacques Selosse, who has heavily influenced his ideas on viticulture. Above all, he is focused on reserving and expressing the distinct characters of Merfy’s various terroirs…PETER LIEM, Champagne

This sort of thoughtful and willfully terroir-focussed approach has made Chartogne one of the reigning stars in Champagne. It has certainly helped that he apprenticed with the Anselme Selosse, and carried the Selossian araoch back to Merfy when he took over in 2006. JON BONNE, The New French Wine    
 

--------------------

The Champagnes of Chartogne -Taillet are original and vivid. As you can see from above there is a heap of praise for these wines the world over. The only grower and producer in Merfy in the Montagne des Reims, these wines offer a viewpoint into a historical village that could easily have disappeared without the efforts of Alexandre Chartogne-Taillet.

His hardworking approach borders on maniacal, the sheer amount of historical records he has unearthed (and the records he keeps for those to follow in his footsteps) are overwhelming. Not wanting to blend away his sites, he makes a few single vineyard cuvees and today we’re offering three from 2018; Heurtebise, Les Courarres and Chemin de Reims.

Heutebise is the source of Chartogne’s potent and minerally blanc de blancs, Les Courarres, a blend of pinot and chardonnay offers poise, power and precision. Lastly, Chemin de Reims is a blanc de blancs (made from chardonnay and arbane) from iron-rich soils. All spend approx 60 months on lees, creating sleek yet rich profiles.

For transparency and eloquence, no chemical sprays are used in the vineyard. Biodynamic farming is employed and horses are the hired help.  A disciple of Selosse, Chartogne-Taillet shares the fanatical detail and hard work with the great man. Low dosages keep the wines honest while wooden barrel or demi-muids are used for fermentation, building layers of texture into the wines.

What makes Merfy different is the soil. Based close to Reims, and on the same bedrock as the Montagne de Reims, ‘chalk is buried under a thick layer of sandy topsoils, which contribute a bright, lively fruitiness and a supple texture to the village’s wines,’ explains Champagne nut Peter Liem. Alexandre is obsessed for these vines to tap into the minerally bottom layers – some of his vines’ roots have been measured up to 20 metres!

These are rare, evocative and original expressions of Champagne. Galloni raves about the 18s below. We have just two to three dozen of each. Buy 6 bottles or more and I’ll take an extra 5% on the prices below, buy 12 and I’ll make it 10% - email [email protected]

Gabrielle Poy