Champagne Michel Turgy Blanc de Blancs Reserve Selection Brut Grand Cru NV Le Mesnil – our heart races every time we see the words!

For over 130 years, the Turgy family has faithfully expressed the soul and substance of the unparalleled terroir that is Le Mesnil. Lingering in the shadows of the larger houses in the Côte des Blancs – with plots near to both Salon and Krug’s iconic Clos du Mesnil – 3rd generation grower Champagne artisan Jean-Michel Turgy is crafting character rich chardonnay-based wines on Le Mesnil’s famous chalk and limestone soils. 30-60 year-old vine plots are his base, farmed with fanatical precision by Jean-Michel Turgy. Following careful hand harvesting and selection in the vineyard, the fruit is pressed in an ancient wooden upright Champagne press before fermenting on indigenous yeasts in temperature-controlled, stainless steel tanks. The wine ages on the lees for a minimum of three years, and is finished with a light dosage of just three grams per liter. (The label says Brut, though this could technically be labeled as Extra Brut). Adding still to the complexity of this Reserve Selection is the addition of 30% of the Turgy’s perpetual reserve wine – a base that has apparently become the envy of every winemaker in Le Mesnil that has been fortunate enough to taste it on its own.

The result is something spectacular – truly top-notch Grower Champagne at an exceptional price, all things considered. Lightly floral aromas, with sweet summer sensations of gardenia and honeysuckle, followed by bakery notes of croissant dough, baker’s yeast, and southern biscuits fresh from the oven. In the mouth, the wine takes on an almost steely, taut expression – where mineral notes of iodine and sea salt counterbalance the citrine fruit profile that includes lemon curd, pomelo, and white grapefruit. The reserve notes hint at a light, dry sherry, with a whisper of Japanese umeboshi. It’s intensely bright and classically Le Mesnil… simply not to be missed!