Mathieu and Blandine Crété grew up with grape growing as the family business. That’s been the family lot going all the way back to 1683, with a history of on again, off again winemaking from those plots as far back as 1887. In more recent history, the focus has been on the grape growing side of things, but in just the past decade, Mathieu and Blandine have been working to change all that.

This new release is 100% chardonnay, all from the 2017 vintage. The fruit is sourced from the twin threats of Oger and Mesnil-sur-Oger – and some of the family’s oldest vines and best plots therein. The approach here is clean and pure, with all stainless steel fermentation and a full blocking of malolactic secondary fermentation – keeping everything bright, mineral-driven and full of zip. 

The wine is aged in bottle on the lees for a full four years, before disgorgement and a small dosage of 2 grams per liter. As they’re just getting started (their website is still under construction as well), their production is extremely small… this batch comes in at just over 200 cases… total. As best we can tell, we’re the only ones in the country, or the hemisphere, or really anyone outside of the EU, that got access to this beauty. We scored with a whopping FIVE CASES… so don’t delay claiming yours.

The aromas and flavors are classic Cote de Blancs, with a perfect balance of the chalky, citrine, laser-focus of Mesnil, coupled with the slightly denser, ripe orchard fruit characteristics of Oger. Taste and smell the crumbled chalk, the piquant lemon and grapefruit, alongside crisp Granny Smith apples, and nearly ripe Bartlett pears. Lemongrass and chervil, too, in a taut and seamless package that is both linear and expansive simultaneously. What. A. Treat!