Description & elaboration
The Avize 2019 cuvée by Benoit Munier is a Blanc de blancs made from 100% Chardonnay sourced from the Grand Cru-classified village of Avize. This champagne displays notes of fresh citrus, wild hawthorn blossom and delicate brioche touches. On the palate, the texture is vibrant and saline, with a taut, intensely mouth-watering finish. It is an ultra-confidential cuvée, crafted by Benoît Munier in a production of just 1,550 bottles for this vintage.
The Terroir
To craft this cuvée, Benoit Munier draws on 2 lieux-dits located in the Avize terroir, in the Côte des Blancs. A Grand Cru-classified village, Avize sits on soils of outcropping belemnite chalk, a legacy of the Upper Cretaceous period. This porous rock naturally regulates water supply to the vines, whose roots reach deep into the subsoil.
The advanced age of the vineyard naturally concentrates the juice and balances the forthright mineral tension characteristic of these chalky terroirs.
Vinification
The cuvée is strictly separated by pressing grade from the outset. The musts ferment naturally in wood using indigenous yeasts (yeasts naturally present on the grapes), with no external additions. Malolactic fermentation (the conversion of sharp acidity into roundness) is carried out fully in the cellar.
The still wine is aged in oak barrels on full lees for 9 months. This extended lees contact softens the structure and adds depth. No chaptalization, fining or sterile filtration is used. The tirage (bottling for second fermentation) took place on 1 July 2020, followed by a long ageing on laths.
The 2019 vintage
The 2019 growing season was marked by intense heat and an unprecedented spring powdery mildew pressure. Standard sulphur treatments struggled to contain the fungus. The estate turned to natural preparations based on garlic and milk to stop its spread. The intense solar radiation of August also caused sunburn on the grape clusters.
This heat damage led to a significant reduction in yields. A rigorous manual sorting, vine by vine, was carried out before harvest. Only perfectly healthy berries were harvested on 15 September 2019, transported in perforated crates to prevent any maceration. The low volumes naturally concentrated the acidity, favouring a long ageing in the cellar.
Tasting Notes
Appearance
The wine shows a luminous, pale gold hue. The glass is animated by a fine, regular bead of bubbles. The effervescence forms a delicate, creamy mousse on the surface.
Nose
The nose opens on notes of fresh citrus. Aeration reveals springlike scents of hawthorn blossom. The oak ageing contributes subtle brioche touches.
Palate
The attack unfolds with a vibrant, precise texture. A saline quality caresses the palate with great elegance. The finish lingers on a chalky, intensely mouth-watering tension.
Serving Suggestions
- Comté gougères
- Parmesan shortbreads
- Tarama toast
- Sea bass ceviche with lemon
- Oyster platter
- Shellfish carpaccio
- Comté aged 24 months
- Farmhouse Chaource
- Thin apple tart
The Plus de Bulles Expert's Opinion
Why I love it
This cuvée won me over with its crystalline purity. I love its citrus-driven aromatics and saline finish, underpinned by a vibrant chalkiness and a beautiful length.
My recommendation
Serve at 9–10 °C in a wine glass to release its minerality. This champagne will pair beautifully with sea bass carpaccio or langoustines.
Advice
How to store this champagne?
Plus de Bulles ships this bottle (75 cl) in reinforced packaging specially designed for champagne transport. Once received, we recommend storing the bottle on its side, away from light — ideally in a cellar, or at least in a cool, not too dry place with a relatively stable temperature.
Ageing potential
The Avize 2019 cuvée by Benoit Munier will evolve favourably for close to two decades. Its acidic backbone and chalky terroir ensure a cellaring potential of approximately 15 to 20 years.
- Until 2029: the wine offers fresh notes of green apple and bright citrus.
- From 2030: the wine evolves towards toasted almond and toasty nuances.
- Around 2039: the vintage will reach its peak, with complex tertiary aromas and a silky texture.
Serving advice
The winemaker recommends flared tulip-style glasses, whose shape concentrates the aromas towards the nose. A serving temperature of 10 to 12°C is ideal — twenty minutes in an ice bucket is sufficient. Allowing the wine to breathe in the glass releases the aromatic bouquet. A light decanting before the meal can also awaken this long-ageing Chardonnay.
A note about this cuvée
The bottle's label was designed by artist Lucie Massart. The main illustration depicts a view of the village from the park overlooking the estate's historic plots. This tree-lined park is a distinctive landmark within the village. The estate also cultivates vines in the neighbouring villages of Cuis and Cramant. This visual identity firmly roots the cru in its native landscape.
