2015 Michel Turgy Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Champagne

WSI94+ Aromas of gardenia, light toast, lemon zest. Fresh, delicate and refined; flavors of yellow stone fruits, sea salt, white pepper. Hand-harvested. Pressed in an ancient wooden upright press. Fermented on indigenous yeasts in temperature-controlled, stainless steel tanks. Aged a minimum of five years in bottle. Zero dosage. A selection of older vines from estate vineyards, rated 100% Grand Cru, in and around the town of Le Mesnil sur Oger, in the Côte des Blancs. Soils are pure chalk (ancient fossilized marl and limestone). 30-60 year-old vines.

Zero dosage – purity of fruit and following the riper 2015 vintage, a very balanced wine, with roundness of fruit and mouth-filling texture – a vibrant, mineral finish.
Vintage wines are generally a selection of the estate’s oldest vines. Aged from five to six years on fine lees; no dosage. Creamy, full-bodied and sumptuous—the classic Mesnil style in full display.

Quietly in the shadows of the larger houses of the Côte de Blancs, vine-growing Champagne artisans such as Jean-Michel Turgy are crafting character-rich, memorable wines based on the traditions and passions of past winemaking generations.
Turgy sets himself apart with wines that do more than just reflect the Mesnil style—sumptuous, sensual and richly flavored—but faithfully capture the true character of the region’s unparalleled terroir, a personality often muted by mass-producing Champagne houses.For more than 130 years, the Turgy family has grown and harvested Chardonnay grapes on these chalky soils, and because of this, they can certainly claim to be more than acquainted with the true soul and substance of Mesnil.
Turgy’s library of vintages in the family’s cool cellar is vast; barrels full of nearly two decades of wine are stored here. This wealth of blending options makes for a non-vintage wine (North Berkeley Imports’ selection includes some 30% reserve wine) of extraordinary complexity and length. There are few non-vintage wines that age as well as does Turgy Champagne!

Domaine Michel Turgy crafts “grower” Champagne, a récoltant-manipulant house that grows its own grapes and makes its own wine, all on site. This qualitative difference is crucial for those seeking the ultimate in Champagne flavor and character.

Vines are cared for according to lutte raisonée principles, adhering to organic practices as much as possible and avoiding chemical treatments. Hillside vineyards, all rated 100% Grand Cru, are pure chalk; vines are on average 30 years old.

Grapes are harvested by hand and pressed gently in an old-fashioned, upright Champagne press. Juice is fermented on indigenous yeasts in temperature-controlled, stainless steel tanks, with full malolactic fermentation following. Wines undergo a secondary fermentation in bottle (méthode Champenoise) and are disgorged by hand. Vintage wines are aged from five to seven years, depending on the requirements of the vintage.