2015 RUELLE-PERTOIS GRAND CRU BRUT BLANC DE BLANCS CHAMPAGNE

2015 RUELLE-PERTOIS GRAND CRU BRUT BLANC DE BLANCS CHAMPAGNE, FRANCE. 100% Chardonnay.

Grand Cru, vintage Blanc de Blancs under $45?? Ruelle-Pertois might be Champagne's best kept secret. Made from their estate holdings of Grand Cru Chardonnay vineyards, their vintage Blanc de Blancs consistently over-delivers for the price. The family’s Chardonnay is planted in the Grand Cru villages of Oiry, Chouilly and Cramant. The winery is located next to the family house at the top of Moussy, just in front of the slope of vineyards. The Ruelles age their wine on its lees for extended periods of time, much longer than the required minimums. The result is fragrant Champagne with aromas orchard fruits and lemon blossom leading to a creamy, lemony palate with pleasing toasty notes and mineral-driven finish. TOP VALUE!

About: Reulle-Pertois is located in Moussy (pronounced Moose-E), a charming village that straddles the Vallée de la Marne and the Côte des Blancs. Both Michel Ruelle and his wife Martine Pertois had parents that produced champagne. When they married in the early seventies, they formed their own house and set up camp in Moussy. Officially retired, their son Benoit and daughter Virginie have taken over the reigns of the domaine.

? The family owns six hectares of vines from which they make just under 4,000 cases. About a hectare of Pinot Meunier is in Moussy, while a hectare of Pinot Noir is in neighboring Premier Cru village Pierry. The family’s Chardonnay is planted in the Grand Cru villages of Oiry, Chouilly and Cramant. The winery is located next to the family house at the top of Moussy, just in front of the slope of vineyards. The Ruelles age their wine on its lees for extended periods of time, much longer than the required minimums. For the US market, their dosage is lower than for their French releases, somewhere in the neighborhood of 7 grams per liter. (Importer)