{"product_id":"rh-coutier-champagne-grand-cru-cuvee-blanc-de-blancs-extra-brut","title":"R.H. Coutier Champagne Grand Cru Cuvee Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut","description":"\u003cp\u003eR.H. Coutier Champagne Grand Cru Cuvée Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut is a finely etched, mineral-driven Champagne crafted entirely from Chardonnay in the famed Grand Cru village of Ambonnay. Sourced from vineyards once tended by the revered grower Marie-Noëlle Ledru, this cuvée marries classic grower-Champagne character with a new generation’s precision and energy. Rare as a Blanc de Blancs from a village better known for Pinot Noir, it offers a distinctive, tension-filled expression of Chardonnay on chalk and limestone-rich soils.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTasting Notes\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIn the glass, this Champagne shows a luminous pale gold color with fine, persistent mousse and a delicate, silvery rim. The visual impression is one of elegance and purity, underlining its Extra Brut style.\n\nOn the nose, expect lifted aromas of lemon zest, green apple, white flowers, and chalk, layered with notes of brioche, hazelnut, and a hint of saline sea spray. The palate is taut, linear, and very precise: crunchy orchard fruit, citrus peel, and a touch of stone fruit ride on a spine of chalky minerality and racy acidity. The Extra Brut dosage keeps it brisk and dry, highlighting texture and length rather than sweetness. A subtle creaminess from lees aging balances the tension, leading to a long, mouthwatering finish with echoes of citrus, crushed stone, and a faint almond savoriness. This cuvée drinks beautifully on release for those who enjoy energy and cut, but it also has solid aging potential: over 5–8 years in a good cellar, expect more brioche, honeyed notes, and nutty complexity to emerge while the core of minerality remains intact.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eProduction\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThis Blanc de Blancs is sourced from Grand Cru vineyards in Ambonnay, one of Champagne’s most prestigious villages, situated on the Montagne de Reims. Here, chalk and limestone-rich soils with ideal sun exposure foster grapes of intensity, precision, and depth. Chardonnay, less common in Ambonnay than Pinot Noir, yields a particularly distinctive expression of the terroir: simultaneously mineral, structured, and vibrant. Grapes are harvested by hand at optimal ripeness to preserve acidity and aromatic purity. In the cellar, the wine is vinified with careful temperature control to retain freshness, then aged on its lees to build complexity, texture, and fine mousse. The Extra Brut dosage is kept very low, allowing the Grand Cru fruit and underlying chalky minerality to take center stage, with minimal intervention to let the character of place speak clearly.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFood \u0026amp; Serving\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThis Champagne is an excellent match for refined, delicate dishes where its precision and minerality can shine. Think oysters, scallop crudo, shrimp tartare, and caviar, as well as sushi, sashimi, and lightly grilled white fish. It also pairs beautifully with soft, creamy cheeses (such as Brie or Brillat-Savarin), goat cheese, or simple dishes featuring fresh seasonal vegetables and herbs. Serve well chilled, ideally around 8–10°C (46–50°F). A brief, gentle opening in the glass is usually sufficient; decanting is generally not necessary, though pouring into a slightly larger white wine glass rather than a narrow flute will allow the aromatics to fully open.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eProducer\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eR.H. Coutier is a family-run grower estate based in Ambonnay, one of Champagne’s most celebrated Grand Cru villages on the Montagne de Reims. With deep roots in the region, the domaine has long championed an artisanal approach, farming and bottling its own fruit to express the nuances of its esteemed terroirs. The acquisition of Grand Cru vineyards from the legendary Marie-Noëlle Ledru—a benchmark name among grower Champagnes—marked an important new chapter for this younger generation of Coutier, combining classic know-how with renewed ambition. Today, R.H. Coutier is recognized among Champagne enthusiasts for offering characterful, terroir-driven wines that punch above their weight, especially in a village best known for powerful Pinot Noir, where their focused, mineral Chardonnays stand out as uniquely distinctive.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"R.H. Coutier","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":54255218393425,"sku":"XW-34077","price":43.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0874\/0614\/9969\/files\/rh-coutier-champagne-grand-cru-cuvee-blanc-de-blancs-extra-brut_34077_1.jpg?v=1783457486","url":"https:\/\/bottlehero.com\/products\/rh-coutier-champagne-grand-cru-cuvee-blanc-de-blancs-extra-brut","provider":"Bottle Hero","version":"1.0","type":"link"}