Alchemy at Work

In the magic of winemaking, grape juice is transformed into wine by the process of fermentation. The yeast eats the sugar in the grape juice and produces alcohol and CO2 as by-products. To make sparkling wine, a second fermentation is needed with an air-tight cork to prevent CO2 from dissipating, and instead, dissolving instead into the wine to create the oh-so loveable bubbles.

Refined over the centuries, as with so many French wines, it was the terroir that ultimately chose which grape varieties could be legally grown and thrive in the cold, wet climate of northern France. Chardonnay, which can adapt to a wide variety of climates, offers balance, finesse, creamy roundness and lifted stone-fruit aromas. When grown in a cooler climate, Pinot Noir contributes backbone, body and complexity. The two come together in equal parts to create the delightful Marc Chauvet Brut Selection.

Champagne Marc Chauvet Brut Selection
50% Chardonnay 50% Pinot Noir
$79.99 per bottle

A glass of champagne during the warmest months can refresh spirits with its brisk, crisp bite. The combination of cool climate, chalky soils, classic grapes, traditional-method bottle fermentation and long production history creates an untouchable synergy with worldwide prestige.

Marc Chauvet is a family-owned Champagne house in the Premier Cru village of Rilly-la-Montagne. The Selection is their signature wine and one-stop below vintage. 85% of the grapes are from 2014 and the rest are from previous years to maintain a very specific style focused on freshness and finesse.

This Champagne offers beautiful, refined aromas. And although it is amply fruity, there’s a crispness on the palate that makes it remarkably refreshing. A lovely wine made in a drier style, it offers apple, citrus fruit and pear with a faint note of dahlia on the finish.