Dhondt-Grellet Blanc de Blancs Cramant Grand Cru Extra Brut [JD94+][WA94]

Producer: Dhondt-Grellet  
Region: Champagne, France  
Blend: 100% Chardonnay   
Year: Non-Vintage 

Jeb Dunnuck, 94+ Points 

"Vinified in barrique the NV Champagne Cramant Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut is from 55-year-old vines and is 70% from the 2018 vintage with the remainder perpetual reserve wine. It has a lovely perfume with soft florality almond croissant ripe green apple and lemon curd. The palate is vibrant crystalline and pure and it is long on the palate but weightless with a fine chalky texture. This is pure elegance with a classic appeal that is hard to resist now although it will continue to improve over the next two decades. Disgorged May 2021. Drink 2024-2042." 

Wine Advocate, 94 Points

"Generous and dramatic Dhondt's NV Extra Brut Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Cramant (2018) bursts with aromas of citrus oil orchard fruit white flowers walnuts and fenugreek exhibiting only hints of the toasty nuances to come. On the palate it's full-bodied ample and layered with a fleshy enveloping core of fruit lively acids and a long chalky finish. Like all these 2018-base bottlings it's quite forward out of the gates yet there's the structure here to sustain bottle age too. In Issue 250 End of August 2020 I devoted an in-depth article to Adrien Dhondt's Champagnes so I'll refer readers looking for more information on his methods and different cuvées to that piece. On this most recent visit I tasted Dhondt's recently disgorged releases which will be arriving on the market as this report goes to press. His cuvées based on the 2018 vintage are especially fleshy and demonstrative and this stands out as the most gourmand immediate set of NV wines he has released to date. Their upfront appeal means that I'm tempted to suggest readers approach them before the 2017s which are showing more depth and structure than they did late last year as they settle down on cork. Both are terrific vintages for Dhondt even if they're cut from quite different stylistic cloth."

Alcohol: 12% 

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