Chartogne-Taillet Sainte-Anne

Vintage: NV

Origin: Champagne, France

Grapes: 50% Chardonnay, 40% Pinot Noir, 10% Pinot Meunier

Alcohol: 12.5%

Sainte-Anne is Alexandre Chartogne's way of expressing the diverse terroirs of Merfy, with each plot in the village contributing something to this distinctive cuvée. It's a 50/50 blend of Chardonnay and red varieties (mostly Pinot Noir), aged and vinified in a mix of 228-, 350-, and 2000-litre barrels with some tanks for reserve wines. Alexandre vinifies each plot differently - some topped-up, some not, different barrel provenances - to pull out unique characteristics before blending them into something that really captures Merfy's identity. The wines need oxygen to show their best, and he's after that crystalline texture that comes from the village's sandy limestone terroirs. By blending different plots and vintages (older years soften the lively younger stuff), he creates balance before disgorging with an Extra Brut dosage of 2.5g using liqueur from the same wine. Often opulent at first, the salts from the sandy soils bring salivating bitterness with a tight finish. Lovely and delicate with pure citrus fruits, hints of quince and brioche, and saline mineral character – you can see the influence of his time with Anselme Selosse coming through.