ChampagneMarguetLesCrayeresBlancdeNoirsGrandCruAmbonnayBrutNature2018

Champagne Marguet is located in the village of Ambonnay in the Montagne de Reims, a heartland of Grand Cru Pinot Noir. The family estate was founded in 1870 and is now led by fifth-generation winemaker Benoît Marguet-Bonnerave. Benoît converted the domaine to biodynamic viticulture in 2009, working in rhythm with natural and lunar cycles across all cuvées. Since 2010, the vineyards have been worked by horse, rather than heavy machinery. The average vine age is around 40 years, with biodynamic preparations including phytotherapy and essential oils.rrBenoît Marguet’s vineyard work is highly regarded within the winemaker community and Krug enlisted his expertise to cultivate some of their Ambonnay Pinot Noir. Marguet’s cuvées, including single-site bottlings, are focused on expressing terroir and the character of individual plots with a “gentle touchâ€?approach.rrIn the cellar, Benoît follows the same low-intervention philosophy, keeping processes simple and limiting modern interference. Water is de-ionised before use, and electronic devices are discouraged in the winery. He also incorporates the taille, the second, firmer-pressed fraction, typically more phenolic, back into the blend, believing it is an essential part of the wine and should not be kept separate from the free-run juice. In keeping with this holistic approach,Benoît is also known to play a handpan in the barrel room, believing its sound brings a positive energy to the wines.rrLes Crayères is a Grand Cru lieu-dit in Ambonnay, named after the chalk-rich soils that underpin the site. Farmed biodynamically by Benoît, the parcel is planted on clay-limestone over deep chalk, producing wines with notable tension, minerality and structure. Bottled separately, Les Crayères is Marguet’s terroir-led expression of Ambonnay at its most precise and mineral.rrWeather in 2018: Following a mild and very wet winter, spring temperatures were well above seasonal norms, allowing the vines to develop. Then, the warm, dry summer allowed the grapes to ripen quickly with extraordinary quality and quantity. The 2018 harvest came early, producing wines of remarkable fruitiness and elegance.rrTechnical Information:rVineyards: 100% Grand Cru | AmbonnayrGrape Varieties: 100% Pinot NoirrWinemaker: Benoît Marguet-BonneraverLees Ageing: 4 yearsrDosage: 0 g/lrBottling Date: 18th June 2019rDisgorged: March 2023rProduction: 1838 Bottles ProducedrProduction years: 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2019 & 2020rrTasting Note: Lovely rich fruit leaps out the glass, lemon, peaches and apricots get bolder on the palate, where the freshness and ripeness give a great texture. The zero dosage is rounded by the ripe fruit of the vintage, finishes long.