Staff Pick Champagne
Jack Legras, Grand Cru, Blanc de Blancs – NV $54.96
Champagne – that’s about celebration! Champagne – that’s about emotions! And big producers use it. But, do you need to overpay for it? Not necessary. Jack Legras is not just Champagne. It’s Grand Cru. The highest level of the vineyards in the region. They are growers. So, every step is controlled. From the field to the cellar. This wine spent 3 years in the bottle with the lees and it’s 100% Chardonnay. Its best characteristic – liquid croissant! – Yurri Sachenko
Chavost, “Blanc d’Assemblage”, Brut Nature $56.96
Fabien Daviaux is the fourth generation of vignerons of Champagne Chavost. After graduating in wine studies, Fabien traveled 4 continents making wine. Both experiences gave him the passion for organic farming and non interventionist winemaking. He returned to Champagne and converted the family estate to organics and eliminated the additives. This is a rare natural Champagne with no added sulfur and no dosage. This is a wine full of energy and liveliness. Ripe apples, crème brûlée, and brown butter are a few flavors you’ll encounter on the nose and palate. If you do purchase a bottle, you may regret not having another. – Chung Park, Astor Wines & Spirits Consultant
Gaston-Chiquet, Tradition Brut – NV $56.96
One of the most respected grower Champagnes in the Grande Vallée de la Marne, Gaston-Chiquet creates memorable Champagne that over delivers in its character, texture, and purity. The estate is currently run by the great grandsons of Gaston Chiquet, Antoine and Nicolas Chiquet, who continue the tradition of letting the fruit speak for itself without the use of any oak. Nicolas believes that fruit maturity, concentration on the vine, and malolactic fermentation deliver enough body and texture to the wines without any wood influence. Only Premier and Grand Cru fruit are used & the average age of the vines are over 45 years old! Overall, this is a blend of all three main Champagne varietals delivering an assortment of orchard fruits, honey, brioche, and a stony mineral finish. Eight generations of the Chiquet family have worked these lands! – Alex Malecki, Sales Manager
Delamotte, Brut – NV $59.99
Champagne Delamotte Brut is a blend of 55% Chardonnay, 35% Pinot Noir and roughly 10% Pinot Meunier. A wine that personifies balance & elegance and lives up to it’s recognizable name as Champagnes 6th Oldest Estate. Founded in 1760, in Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, at the heart of the Cote du Blanc. ‘Maison Delamotte’ boasts over 260 years of history. Today, the story of Delamotte is not complete without noting it’s ‘sister estate’ of Salon, which produces only vintage Champagne. Delamotte reserves wines from these same vineyards to create exceptional non-vintage Champagne. The chalky soil, sloping vineyards and signature terroir of the Côte des Blancs give the cuvee character. Fresh and inviting, while expressing complex notes of baked yellow apple & pastry crust. In my humble opinion, in the sub-$100 category, there is not a finer Champagne! – Evan Cucciniello, Astor Wines & Spirits Consultant
Pierre Péters, Blanc de Blancs “Cuvée Réserve” Brut – NV $72.99
Blanc de Blancs at its finest. Pierre Peters demonstrates some of the best that Chardonnay can offer in the Champagne style. Notes of green tea, and Korean pear showcase heavily and play wonderfully with the balanced mousse that awaits you upon opening. Perfect on its own but even better paired up with a seafood dinner, or to complement a picnic in the park at sunset. If you need a champagne that fits any occasion this is the one for you. – Benjamin Wright-Hoyt, Astor Wines & Spirits Consultant