2007 Agrapart Blanc de Blancs Experience Brut Nature
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Tasting notes
The NV Brut Nature Blanc de Blancs Experience (no. 19), the most unusual wine in Agrapart’s lineup, is crafted without the addition of external yeasts and sugar and without dosage. Ambroise adds indigenous yeasts and pressed grape juice (not fermented) from the following harvest (2020, in the case of Exp. 19) to the 2019 vintage base wine to provide the equivalent of 24 grams per liter of sugar for prise de mousse, to drive the secondary fermentation in bottle. Therefore, Exp. is not vintage-dated. With a lower-than-average level of alcohol (around 11.5%) but trenchant acidity, it’s a wine with incisive personality, offering up scents of ripe apple, pear, vanilla, and toasted nuts. Expressive and textural, complemented by pinpoint mousse, it does not have the same cut and completeness as the rest of the wines, making it harder to justify the choice when there are such superb wines as Minéral, Avizoise and Vénus in the range. It’s also a cuvée that, in my experience, ages less gracefully.
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Antonio Galloni, Vinous
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
More reviews and scores
The 2007 Brut Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Experience is one of the most interesting wines being made in Champagne today. Pascal Agrapart adds must from the following vintage, in this case 2008, for the prise de mousse, the secondary fermentation that takes place when Champagne is bottled, in this case, with no dosage. The 2007 is totally beguiling. Not surprisingly, it tastes like a cross between Champagne and a still white wine. Apricots, peaches, flowers and mint are some of the many aromas and flavors that come alive in this exotic, quirky yet highly compelling wine. Disgorged June 2012.
The 2007 Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Expérience is one of the most singular, unique Champagnes I have tasted in a very long time. Here the prise de mousse (the bubbles) is generated with the blending of the following year's unfermented juice, in this case 2008. The resulting wine is very, well, wine-like. The 2007 Experience wafts on the palate with the most exquisite, delicate expression of fruit. The mousse is incredibly fine, as is the rest of the wine's balance. This is a fabulous effort from Agrapart. The 2007 Experience was fermented in 600-liter barrels and bottled with no dosage. Disgorged July 2011.
About the producer
Undoubtedly one of the top growers in the Côte des Blancs, Agrapart has a unique traditional approach to producing Champagne, with the result being a loyal and fanatical following who adore this lean and precise style of wine.