Agrapart et Fils is absolutely one of the top names uttered in any conversation about champagne’s best grower-producers, and they’ve been at it for 127 years and counting. Agrapart (and sons) was established in 1894 in Avize, in the belly of the Côte de Blancs, and the estate has bottled its own wine since the very beginning, making it one of the true OG GPs. Now in the hands of the fourth generation vigneron Pascal Agrapart and his oldest son Amboise (le fils), the estate ranges over 23 acres of predominantly Grand Cru Chardonnay, mostly in the villages of Avize, Oger, Cramant and Oiry. Their organic and meticulously farmed vines also rank among the oldest in the Côte de Blancs, with many sites at least seventy years old.
The family knows Avize soils to the core, Pascal describes a consistent subsoil of calcium carbonate limestone that is covered with varying amounts of clay, with more clay at the top of the hills and gradually less toward the bottom. He finds that higher clay content translates to bigger, broader wines and less clay leads to linear minerality. His blend of these grand cru sites he calls “terroirs,” which he compiles from the finest têtes de cuvées. The wines are fermented with natural yeast and full malolactic and aged in puncheons and stainless steel tanks. All bottles are hand-riddled and aged for a minimum 36-48 months on lees.
This wine buzzes with Avize energy and solidly makes the point for Grand Cru in champagne; it shows all the electricity of the limestone on clay interplay that Agrapart teases into this “terroirs” bottling. It’s deeply infused with crunchy, stony minerality and a zippy citrus zest like kaffir lime leaf and fresh lemongrass. It keeps unfolding in the glass with fluffy white pomelo pith, fresh wet clay and sourdough toast points… that are extra pointy. Agrapart leaves no unbelievers behind.
A 50/50 blend of 2016 and 2015, with about 25% of the wine done in neutral oak. Dosage is 5 grams per liter. Disgorged April 2020.