Marguet Pére et Fils Shaman Rosé Grand Cru-2019

The House of Marguet is one of Champagne’s leading grower-producers. They are based in the Ambonnay region, one of the top Grand Cru sites in all of Champagne. The Marguet property was founded in 1870 by the Bonnerave brothers and it is now in the 5th generation of the family under the enthusiastic rule of Benoît Marguet-Bonnerave. What is interesting to note is that the vineyards on both the Grand Cru sites, Ambonnay and Bouzy, are farmed biodynamically and have been since 2009 – a rarity in the region.

77% Chardonnay, 23%Pinot Noir, the wine has an attractive salmon to onion skin colour, a delicate mousse and a palate which marries summer fruits, gentle spice, peach and hints of roasted nuts. Wonderful flowers, outstanding red fruits, savoury with baking spice. Orange citrus zest and oil. Seamless shape & flow. The harmony between the Chardonnay and Pinot is excellent. Red fruit powering through as it opens. Fine tannin of presence adds textural intrigue to a long palate that delights.

From Peter Liem’s Champagne: “One of the most rapidly rising stars in the Montagne de Reims, Benoît Marguet focuses exclusively on organic and biodynamic viticulture, farming a total of 8 hectares in Ambonnay and 2 hectares in Bouzy. He purchases a little fruit as well, but only from vineyards that are either organic or certified to be in conversion to organics. Since 2009, Marguet has been plowing his vineyards by horse, and he now owns two horses that work his entire 10 hectares of vines. Marguet has been increasingly refining his methods in both the vineyards and the cellar, working according to natural rhythms and sensibilities, and the effects of this have been palpable in the wines. There’s a texture and dimension of flavour in Marguet’s champagnes that are unlike any others, and a vitality about the fruit that makes them feel not just organic but truly alive. His nonvintage extra brut is a cuvée of two-thirds pinot noir and one-third chardonnay called Shaman—the base year is included on the label…the Shaman Rosé follows the same system and is also dosed as an extra brut but its made from a majority of chardonnay. Marguet vinifies all his parcels separately, introducing a Burgundian-like system of Cru Selections (single-village champagnes) made in good years and Lieux-Dits (single-vineyard champagnes), made in the best years.”