Description & elaboration
The Les Avats du Levant 2017 cuvée crafted by Benoit Munier is a champagne made from 100% Chardonnay sourced from a single plot on the Côte des Blancs. This Blanc de Blancs champagne displays delicate floral notes — fresh citrus — and a sharp chalky imprint. On the palate, the texture is silky and taut, with a lingering iodine finish. A rare bottle, produced in a confidential run of just 1,746 bottles.
This limited release offers a precise reading of an exceptional growing year. The natural acidity of the 2017 harvest is preserved without intervention, thanks to a resolutely hands-off winemaking approach.
The Terroir
This wine takes its name from its precise cadastral origin. The lieu-dit is located in the village of Avize, a Grand Cru-classified village. Facing due east, the vines capture the morning sun while avoiding the excessive heat of the afternoon. The subsoil is predominantly composed of Campanian chalk, which forces the roots to dig deep in search of water reserves.
This geology gives the wine a solid backbone. The chalky matrix produces a resolutely saline and mineral finish.
Winemaking
The winemaking approach here is deliberately non-interventionist. Alcoholic fermentation begins spontaneously through indigenous yeasts (yeasts naturally present on the grape skins), with no commercial enzymes used whatsoever. The wine is aged in oak barrels, which lend it roundness and depth.
Benoit Munier vinifies this Blanc de blancs without chaptalization, fining, or filtration. The wine was bottled in July 2018, before undergoing a long period of ageing on the lees. It is this extended evolution that has gradually built the aromatic profile of the cuvée.
The 2017 vintage
In Champagne, the 2017 growing season demanded constant vigilance. On the chalky hillsides, a mild March triggered early bud break. Then, on 21 April, temperatures plummeted below freezing. Faced with this spring frost, Benoit Munier and his wife Séverine organised a large-scale overnight frost-fighting operation: dozens of heating candles lit between the rows to protect the fruit-bearing buds.
At the end of August, fifty millimetres of rain fell across the region. The high humidity encouraged the development of botrytis cinerea. Faced with this fungal threat, Benoît Munier stepped in and, alone, he sorted through the twenty thousand grape clusters of the plot — three times over. This rigorous sorting ensured a perfectly healthy harvest.
Tasting notes
Appearance
The pale gold colour is adorned with subtle green highlights. The effervescence forms fine, regular streams of bubbles that rise slowly to the surface, creating a delicate mousse.
Nose
The first nose opens on a bouquet of fresh citrus and green apple. With aeration, warmer aromas of brioche and toasted almond emerge, underpinned by a persistent chalky signature.
Palate
The attack is lively and mouth-watering. The mid-palate offers a silky texture, leading into an extended finish that unfolds elegant iodine notes over many seconds.
Food pairing suggestions
- Gougères with aged Comté
- Flat oysters, plain
- Sea bream tartare
- Roasted sea bass with lemon zest
- St-Jacques, beurre blanc
- Squid ink risotto
- Aged Chaource
- Comté aged 18 months
- Thin apple tart
The Plus de Bulles expert's opinion
Why I love it
I was captivated by the brilliant precision of this Grand Cru. Its finely chiselled palate, balancing white flowers and lemon zest, is underpinned by a very precise chalky minerality that delivers a saline finish of great distinction.
My recommendation
Serve at 10–11 °C in a wine glass to fully appreciate its finesse. Its tension makes it an ideal match for a Saint-Jacques carpaccio or freshly caught oysters.
Advice
How to store this champagne?
Plus de Bulles ships this bottle (75cl) 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 the very least in a cool, not too dry place with a relatively stable temperature.
Ageing potential
The natural acidity of the Les Avats du Levant 2017 cuvée by Benoit Munier ensures excellent ageing potential, with a cellaring horizon of around 10 to 15 years.
- Until 2027: the tasting will highlight the primary freshness. Citrus fruit notes will dominate the aromatic spectrum.
- From 2028: tertiary aromas will develop. Autolysis of the yeasts (the transformation of lees into rich, complex aromas) will add texture and pastry-like nuances.
- Around 2032: the wine will reach its peak. Gentle touches of sweet spice will layer over the cuvée's initial freshness.
Serving suggestions
The choice of glassware influences the tasting experience. A wider, more open glass will encourage oxygenation and allow the smoky, toasty notes to expand. The aromatic profile will then express itself fully, without overwhelming the palate.
A note about this cuvée
The family estate is based in the village of Cuis. In August 2017, fungal pressure seriously threatened the harvest. Cluster by cluster, Benoît's tireless work saved the crop — an exceptional act of dedication that made this cuvée possible.
