Gonet-Médeville, Brut Tradition, 1er Cru, $55
Gonet-Médeville is a relatively young estate that represents the union of two winemaking families. Xavier Gonet comes from a long-established family of Champagne growers based in Le Mesnil. In 1997 he married Julie Médeville, whose family had been producing Sauternes for generations at their Bordeaux estate, Château Gillette. When Julie’s parents retired, Xavier joined her to help carry on her family tradition. But the two also wanted to fulfill Xavier’s lifelong passion of producing Champagne, and in 2000 they founded their own Champagne house, Gonet-Médeville, in the village of Bisseuil in the Marne Valley. When Xavier’s family holdings were being divided, he opted to receive a small allotment of their top Premier and Grand Cru vineyard sites from which he could produce “exquisite, small-production Champagnes.” Today they farm all of those sites organically and vinify each parcel separately in order to capture the individual terroir of each plot before blending. Their Champagnes are known for their remarkable elegance and delicacy. This cuvée is typically about 70% Chardonnay, 25% Pinot Noir, and 5% Pinot Meunier, sourced from vineyards in Bisseuil, Trépail, Mareuil sur Äy, and Le Mesnil sur Oger. It gets about seven grams per liter dosage and is vinified partially in old casks and is clean and fresh, with a lovely golden color, and inviting complexity and texture. The flavors of citrus, almonds, and touch of exotic spice, linger long and pleasantly on the finish. Perfect to enjoy at the start of a meal, or to pair with light appetizers or scallops.