...it’s no wonder that Agrapart & Fil is a benchmark in grower-producer Champagne!
I tend to indulge in sparkling wines more often than most. Rather than reserving them for fairly rare annual celebrations, I enjoy them as a regular treat. However, I do make exceptions on occasion. This week, for example, I saved my Wine of the Week, the Champagne Agrapart et Fils “Terroirs” Blanc de Blancs, for my birthday celebration.
Champagne Agrapart & Fils was established in 1894 by Arthur Agrapart and is now managed by the fourth generation of the family. The domaine is currently owned by Pascal Agrapart and his brother Fabrice. Pascal, who is well-versed in viticulture and oenology, is the driving force behind the estate.
The Agrapart family has been estate bottling under their own labels since the inception of the domaine, which sets them apart from many smaller grower Champagne houses that have only begun to do so in recent decades.
Amboise Agrapart, Pascal’s oldest son, recently joined his father at the domaine. Together they manage nine and a half hectares of predominantly Chardonnay vineyards, the vast majority of which are Grand Cru, in the heart of the Côte de Blancs. Vine age is among the oldest in the Côte de Blancs, with many of the Agrapart’s vineyards in excess of seventy years of age, and the average overall age of the vines is a healthy forty years old.
Pascal’s aim is to produce wines that express the unique terroir of the Côte des Blancs region, which is famous for its dedication to Chardonnay grapes and chalky soil, resulting in elegant and age-worthy Blanc de Blancs champagnes. Pascal carries forward his father’s legacy of not using herbicides or chemical pesticides and he employs naturalist organic and biodynamic principles in his farming practices. Furthermore, he only uses indigenous yeasts in the cellar as he believes it is crucial for the expression of terroir. The wines are vinified in tank, then moved into barrel for six months’ of aging. All the wines go through full Malolactic conversion. Reserve wines are kept in a mix of cask and stainless (50/50).
Champagne Agrapart & Fils “Terroirs” Extra Brut Blanc de Blancs
100% chardonnay from four Grand Cru villages of Avize, Cramant, Oiry and Oger in the Côte des Blancs; Based on the 2018 vintage, with fully 80% reserve wines from 2017 (some 40% of which raised in barrel)| 5g/L dosage. Disgorged May 2022.
Tasting Note: Very pale straw color with enticing aromas of green and yellow apples, lemon oil, white flower, subtle spice, patisserie, hazelnut and chalk. On the palate it’s medium-full bodied and impeccably balanced with a delicate creamy mousse and vibrant acidity. Its layered flavors are just as impressive as its aromas with a long citrus tinged, chalky slightly saline finish. 12% abv| SRP – $79.99. 93 pts
Having tasted this wine, it’s no wonder that Agrapart & Filsis a benchmark in grower-producer Champagne!
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Like you, we enjoy sparkling wine regularly not just for special occasions, but almost always for special occasions! What a great choice to indulge for your birthday…cheers!