Dehours Grande Réserve Brut Champagne

Dehours Grande Réserve Brut Champagne

Drawn from the entirety of the estate’s holdings, the idea behind this wine is to exemplify the expression of champagne in the vicinity of the domaine, with an emphasis on the prevalent Meunier grape.

Based on 2022, with the balance coming from a solera of reserve wines dating back to 1998, the wine more than meets its remit. There is a tenderness to the fruit that belies the low dosage and testifies to the fastidiousness of the viticulture and wine-making.

We don’t use the word “perfect” lightly, but it is appropriate to a champagne like this that so effortlessly evokes the uniqueness of the genre and delivers it in such a seductive fashion.

Country
France

Region
Champagne

Color/Style
Sparkling

Fermentation Vessel
Stainless Steel

Aging Vessel
70% Stainless Steel, 30% Used Barrique

Aging Duration (months)
18 months in bottle, on lees

Yeast Protocol
Native

Additonal Maturation Details:
8 months in barrel / stainless steel tanks & 18 months in bottles.

Varieties
65% Pinot Meunier, 20% Chardonnay, 15% Pinot Noir

Vintages in Blend
68% 2022, 32% perpetual reserve (1998 to 2021)

Dosage
1.1

ABV
12.5

Bottling Date
06/15/2023

Disgorgement Date
11/28/2024

Annual Production
52,911 bottles

Soil Types
Clay, Calcareous

Vine Age
35

Farming Practices
Sustainable

Notes from the Producer: This is our historical and main cuvée. We use 30% of our Reserve wine, started in 1998, and refreshed every year with the new vintage by 1/3.nThis is a way to maintain a consistent style, quality and volume year after year.

This Cuvée reveals the Pinot Meunier character, main grape-variety in the Marne Valley area and iconic identity of our vineyards. This is a way to maintain a consistent style, quality and volume year after year.

Reviews

Wine Spectator – “A creamy, softly effervescent Champagne, with pretty notes of apple blossoms and elderflower wafting through flavors of baked white cherry, dried raspberry, salted almond and candied blood orange peel. Shows peach skin texture, with a lightly plump, pleasing juiciness throughout that carries the flavors on the lingering finish. Pinot Meunier, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Disgorged September 2022. Drink now through 2028. 450 cases imported.” (93 Pts)

Wine Advocate – “Disgorged in December 2024 with a dosage of one gram per liter, Dehours Grande Réserve Brut is built on the 2022 vintage and bolstered by 40% to 50% reserve wines from a perpetual cuvee initiated in 1998, it opens with expressive aromas of pear, peach, orange zest and honeysuckle. The palate is medium- to full-bodied, fleshy and ample, underpinned by vibrant acidity. Demonstrative and approachable, this wine promises immediate pleasure.” (92 Pts)