D'Armanville Brut Champagne [D90]

Producer: D'Armanville 
Region: Côte des Bar, Champagne, France  
Blend: Pinot Noir 
Year: Non-Vintage 

Retail Price: $50.00 
Our Price: $25.99* 

Cote des Bar is Champagne's hottest region right now.  Over the last decade, its popularity has exploded.  It has long been a Champagne value stronghold, but this former hidden gem is being discovered more and move.  Cote des Bar is the underdog of Champagne with a tendency to rebel against the system.  A once overlooked region, the Aube was long perceived as inferior to its northern counterparts, with the Marne's elites pushing for its exclusion from the Champagne region in 1908. This sparked protests from the Cote des Bar growers who, until 1927, were relegated to the classification of "second zone" Champagne. This 125-year-old chip on the shoulder gives the Cote des Bar producers an unrelenting drive to prove themselves.  Their culture of artisanal, experimental, terroir-driven winemaking produces Champagne at confoundingly low prices.  They've cultivated techniques of experimentation and innovation and become a hotbed for top quality growers.  Top producers of Cote des Bar include Cedric Bouchard, Drappier, Olivier Horiot, Jacques Lassaigne and Marie-Courtin.  D'Armanville has been in the region for 150 years and is a stellar expression of the region.  It's an outstanding Champagne that has all the exuberance that makes the region so trendy.  The D'Armanville Brut Champagne is robust and generous and surprisingly supple and fruity.  It's fresh and complex with aromas of flowers and yellow fruits.  This Champagne is elegant, expressive with fine balance and a long finish with hints of peach.  It has flavors of chamomile, spice, pear, apples, toasted biscuit, beeswax and almond cream.  Enjoy! 

Decanter, 90 Points 

"Plenty of chamomile and spice followed by ripe pear and sweet hay aromas mark this value-priced Champagne from the Arce Valley's D'Armanville, which has been making wine in the region for 150 years. Flavours of bruised apples and toasted biscuit, along with notes of beeswax and a touch of almond cream." 

Winemaker Notes: 

"Robust and generous, surprisingly supple and fruity.  D’Armanville Champagne expresses all that the Côte des Bar terroir has to offer.  Pale golden yellow colour with plenty of effervescence. The nose is uninhibited, elegant, fresh and complex with notes of blossom and yellow fruits. A fresh and generous mouth, fine balance and a long finish with hints of peach. An elegant and expressive champagne." 

Alcohol: 12% 

*Price and availability in store may vary. Discounts do not apply to wines like this one currently on sale.