Description & elaboration
The Coteaux Champenois Avize 2022 by Benoit Munier is a still white wine from the Grand Cru village of Avize, on the Côte des Blancs. It offers notes of ripe pear and hazelnut — a pure Chardonnay, without effervescence. On the palate, the texture is smooth and generous, with a saline finish.
This still wine falls under the Coteaux Champenois AOC, the appellation governing still wines produced in Champagne. The absence of bubbles directly exposes the character of the chalky soils. This bottle (75 cl) reflects the concentration of a warm and sunny growing season. Benoit Munier delivers here a singular expression of Champagne Chardonnay.
The Terroir
The grapes come exclusively from the village of Avize, classified as a Grand Cru of Champagne. The subsoil rests on a belemnite chalk bedrock, a Cretaceous marine sedimentary deposit that gives the wine its characteristic mineral tension.
The roots reach deep into this friable matrix to draw moisture from depth. The east-facing slopes ensure full ripeness of the grapes. The Benoit Munier estate covers 1.6 hectares of vines, farmed without synthetic herbicides or insecticides.
The winemaking
The Coteaux Champenois Avize 2022 is crafted exclusively from the first-press juice, the finest and most expressive.
Alcoholic fermentation starts spontaneously with indigenous wild yeasts (naturally present on the grape skins, with no commercial inoculation). The wine ferments and matures in a 600-litre oak demi-muid — a format that brings roundness without overwhelming the primary aromas. This approach adds complexity and depth while preserving the minerality of the Avize terroir.
The ageing lasts exactly 12 months on fine lees. Benoit Munier rules out chaptalization, fining, filtration and cold tartaric stabilisation. Malolactic fermentation (the conversion of sharp acidity into a softer form) takes place in full, rounding out the mid-palate. Bottling took place on 5 September 2023.
The 2022 vintage
The 2022 growing season was defined by a sunny and dry vegetative cycle. High summer temperatures and low rainfall brought the Avize Chardonnay to full ripeness. The berries accumulated sufficient sugar richness for a structured still wine.
The chalk subsoil preserved the innate acidity of the variety, balancing the concentration of the must. The absence of summer humidity ensured the healthy integrity of the bunches all the way to the press.
The warmth of the year generated a fleshy, tactile quality on the palate, counterbalanced by the minerality of the Avize terroir. The vintage thus yields a well-structured white wine.
Tasting notes
Appearance
This still wine displays a luminous pale gold hue. Delicate green highlights reflect the typical visual identity of Champagne Chardonnay.
Nose
The nose reveals fresh aromas of ripe pear and almond. With aeration, subtle hazelnut notes emerge from the oak ageing.
Palate
On the palate, the attack opens with a smooth, generous texture. This richness gives way to a saline finish that lingers and extends the aromatic persistence.
Food pairing suggestions
- Cheese gougères
- Foie gras toasts
- Seared scallops
- Poultry in cream sauce
- Porcini mushroom risotto
- Roasted line-caught sea bass
- Comté aged 24 months
- Farmhouse Chaource
- Thin pear tart
The Plus de Bulles expert's opinion
Why I love it
What moves me about this still white wine is its saline precision, so typical of Avize. I was captivated by its finely chiselled texture, where chalk, white flowers and a finish of remarkable aromatic purity all come together.
My advice
Serve it at 9–10 °C in a wine glass to release its full bouquet. Its mineral tension will be a revelation alongside a scallop carpaccio.
Practical advice
How to store this wine?
Plus de Bulles ships this bottle (75 cl) in reinforced packaging specially designed for wine transport. After receipt, we recommend storing the bottle on its side, away from light — ideally in a cellar, or at the very least in a cool, not too dry place with a relatively stable temperature.
Ageing potential
The Coteaux Champenois Avize 2022 by Benoit Munier will develop beautifully over the years. This still white wine has an ageing potential of approximately 5 to 8 years.
- Until 2027: the bottle retains its white fruit notes and its initial acidity and tension.
- From 2028: the profile shifts towards aromas of fresh butter and sweet almond.
- Around 2030: the Chardonnay reaches full maturity with tertiary notes of honey.
Serving suggestions
Serve this still white wine at 10°C in a wide-bowled Burgundy-style glass, which encourages oxygenation. Contact with air will dissipate any reductive notes that may have developed during lees ageing.
Opening the bottle 30 minutes before the meal will amplify its aromatic expression. The wine is ready to drink now and pairs well throughout an entire meal, from starter to cheese course.
A note about this cuvée
Benoit Munier dedicates this production to the seasonal harvest workers at his estate. Their role is essential in crafting great wines. By sorting the bunches directly on the vine and removing any damaged berries before pressing, they make a vital contribution to the exceptional quality of Benoît's wines.
