Philipponnat "Cuvee 1522" Extra Brut 2018
(Champagne, France) - [JS 95] [WA 94] [JD 94] [DM 94] [VM 93] [WS 93]

About the Domaine:
For almost five hundred years, the Philipponnat family has left its mark on the soil of the Champagne region. Generations have cultivated the land at Ay, the family's home since the time of Apvril le Philipponnat who owned vines at Le Léon, between Ay and Dizy, in 1522. In the 16th century, the family’s ancestors were winegrowers and merchants, suppliers to the court of Louis XIV, magistrates and Royal Mayors of Ay - a town which was directly dependent on the Crown since the era of the Counts of Champagne.

Philipponnat was the first Champagne House to indicate the main year used in its non-vintage blends, the dosage and the date of disgorgement on back labels, informing consumers and wine experts of the characteristics of each cuvée.

1522:

Five Centuries of History

Apvril Le Philipponnat, the Swiss captain who settled in Ay in the 16th century, was the owner of Le Léon, where the company still cultivates its vines today. Official records mention this as early as 1522. This year was therefore chosen as the symbolic date of the Philipponnat family’s establishment in the Champagne region and the origin of the sixteen succeeding generations. The 1522 cuvées bear witness to this long tradition.

The blend of Grands Crus that make up these wines is composed of Pinot Noir from the historic parcels in Le Léon, enhanced by a Grand Cru from the northern Montagne de Reims, and another from the Côte des Blancs, generally Mailly and Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, vinified for the most part in wooden barrels without malolactic fermentation. 1522 is thus the result of Champagne’s three great chalk terroirs, with minerality, complexity and balance. Each bottle of 1522, dosed extra-brut (4 g/l), is aged in the cellar for six to eight years, until it reaches its peak.

VINTAGE
The summer of 2018 was the driest on record, with virtually no rain from midJune until the harvest, and then again until the end of October. The harvest began on 27th August, three days after the official starting date in Mareuilsur-Ay, and ended on 8th September. The quality of the harvest was generally satisfactory, with yields sometimes exceeding 12,000 kg/ha, which was not surprising given the very favourable weather conditions throughout the year.

CRAFTING VINIFICATION
A proportion of the wines were vinified in wooden barrels (26%). Another 72% of the wines did not undergo malolactic fermentation in order to preserve their freshness and enhance their complexity. Both full-bodied and acidic, this cuvée lends itself perfectly to an Extra-Brut dosage of just 4.25 g/l – a third of the usual Champagne dosage.

 AGEING
Six years’ ageing on lees elevates this cuvée, while preserving its original freshness.

TASTING 

TO THE EYE
Light gold in colour. 

TO THE NOSE
A rich and captivating nose that opens up with aromas of lightly toasted brioche, vanilla and crème brûlée. On being left to breathe, subtle hints of menthol delicately round off the bouquet.

TO THE MOUTH
The palate is generous and creamy, revealing notes of patisserie with a hint of candied citrus fruit. The finish is persistent and delicious, with a distinctive and delicate spicy note of white pepper that is the signature of this cuvée and of the Ay terroir.

Ratings & Reviews

95 Points – James Suckling:
"Sliced almonds, wild red berries, biscuits, apricots and hints of tobacco and walnuts on the nose. Some white chocolate, too. It’s complex and layered, with a sharp backbone of acidity giving plenty of structure, yet it’s generous. 72% pinot noir from Ay and 28%chardonnay from Oger. 4.5 g/L dosage. Drinkable now, but better in a few years." (Jul 2025)

94 Points – Wine Advocate:
"Philipponnat’s 2018 Extra-Brut 1522 Grand Cru is a great success—not just in the context of the vintage. Comprising 72% Pinot Noir from the Le Léon vineyard in Aÿ and 28% Chardonnay from Oger, it wafts from the glass with a deep bouquet of orange peel, crisp apple, peach and gooseberry mingling with bread. On the palate, it is full-bodied, elegantly muscular and impeccably balanced, with a deep core of crisp fruit, tangy acidity and a long, sapid finish. Disgorged in October 2023 with a dosage of 4.5 grams per liter, this is a wine of real character.” – Kristaps Karklins (Jul 2025)

94 Points - Jeb Dunnuck:
"A quarter of the wine for the 2018 Champagne Grand Cru 1522 Extra Brut was barrel fermented (72% of the wine was done without malo to retain tension in the wine). In the glass, it pours a straw/light copper-toned color, and the nose is very pretty and well-detailed, with wonderfully pure notes of beeswax, fresh peach, almond pastry, delicate spice, and raspberries. Medium to full-bodied, it’s elegant and graceful in this vintage, with a refined, pillowy mousse, a slowly tapering finish, and a chalky texture. It is a lovely wine now, but it will benefit from several years in the cellar. 9000 bottles were produced, and it was disgorged in October of 2023. Drink 2025-2040. (Drink between 2025-2040)."  - Audrey Frick (Dec 2024)