Gaston Chiquet Special Club Grand Cru Brut Millesime 2016
(Champagne, France) - [VM 94] [JD 93+]

About the Winery:

Nicolas Chiquet farms 23 hectares in the Valle de la Marne in the villages of Ay, Dizy, Hautvillers and Mareuil-sur-Ay. All of the fruit (including that which is used in the non-vintage cuvee) comes from Premier and Grand Cru grapes. Nicolas does not employ any oak aging at Gaston Chiquet; he believes that concentration, fruit maturity and malolactic fermentation impart enough body and texture to make aging in barrel unnecessary.

The vineyards are planted to equal (forty percent each) parts Chardonnay, Pinot Meunier and twenty percent are planted to Pinot Noir. Gaston-Chiquet also produces a vintage dated Chardonnay from 5 parcels on the western side of the Grand Cru village of Ay. Usually recognized as a grand cru village for Pinot Noir, these vines of Chardonnay were planted in Ay in the 1930s.

About this Wine:

Cépage: 68% Chardonnay, 32% Pinot Noir
Village/Vyd: Chardonnay: 53% Dizy 1er Cru (20% Haut de Souchienne, 20% Veilots, 13% Crohaut Guillemoinel), 15% Hautvillers 1er Cru (Lagrange, Croix Courcelles); Pinot Noir: 32% Dizy 1er Cru (Griboury); Clay and limestone over chalk
Malo: Yes
Élevage: Stainless steel
Sur Latte: 90+ Months

Ratings & Reviews

94 Points - Vinous Media:

The 2016 Special Club is a delight. Lemon oil, chalk, mint, white flowers, slate and dried herbs are all beautifully lifted. This energetic, vibrant Champagne has so much to offer. I find its complex, dynamic personality utterly beguiling. The 2016 growing season presented more than its fair share of challenges, all of which Chiquet handled with aplomb. Disgorged: October 2024.

93+ Points - Jeb Dunnuck:
The 2016 Champagne Premier Cru Special Club Brut pours a bright yellow color and offers notes of cherry blossom, fresh pastry cream, candied lemon, and white grapefruit citrus. Airy and elegant, with a supple mousse and a medium-bodied frame, it's very fresh and young, with a silky, stony texture and a graceful, long finish. A floral vintage of this cuvée, a second tasting revealed some greenness and possibly a hint of weediness on the palate, but it might just be more lime leaf, lime zest, and oils that emerge as its profile opens. I would not be surprised to see this show better with time.