Description
Champagne Petit & Bajan, “Promise” Brut Grand Cru
Today offers a rare “first look” opportunity into a shockingly limited and fortuitous creation from one of Champagne’s Grand Cru micro-estates. But before we take the deep dive, I must first re-emphasize just how limited of production it is: If allocations were equal nationwide, each state would receive just 30 bottles. Thirty. Now that you’re aware, here’s the spectacular story:
Back in 2014, Petit & Bajan, a relatively new name on the Champagne scene, was testing out various blends in their cellar. Thrilled with how a tiny parcel of 2013 Grand Cru Pinot Noir and Chardonnay was tasting, they married the two, bottled it, and stashed it in a dark corner of their cellar. A deep, Rip Van Winkle-esque sleep began. Years and years passed before they stumbled upon this old, forgotten parcel in 2021 and the chalk-written scrawl beside it jogged their memory. They disgorged a bottle, and upon tasting this vinous, remarkably fresh eight-year-old Grand Cru, eagerly created a new cuvée: “Promise.” Again, only 1,500 bottles were produced, so once the last one goes, you’ll never see this special 2013 release again. Up to six bottles per person.
Richard Petit’s family roots run deep in Champagne: they’ve grown Chardonnay in the storied Grand Cru village of Avize for centuries. As for Véronique Bajan, her lineage hails from Verzenay, one of the great sources for Grand Cru Pinot Noir, so when they went down the aisle in 1997, it wasn’t just a marriage between two people but two famed terroirs as well! Unfortunately, there just isn’t much real estate between them: They farm just three hectares, of which are split amongst a number of cuvées, so every Petit & Bajan label you see is always a limited creation. Today’s is a great example: It aged three to four times longer than most of Champagne’s non-vintage Grand Cru competition and still comes in far cheaper.
“Promise” is composed of 60% Chardonnay from their Côte des Blancs vines in Grand Cru Avize and 40% Pinot Noir from the family’s vines in Grand Crus Verzy and Verzenay. The base wine is from 2013 and the grapes were manually harvested, as is the law in Champagne. Following a stainless steel vinification, which included malo, the wine was blended (with some older reserves) and bottled in the summer of 2014. After nearly 86 months of undisturbed lees aging, the wine was disgorged on August 30th, 2021 with a four-gram dosage. Note: Petit & Bajan plans on making “Promise” their entry-level NV cuvée starting in 2023, but it will never again contain this staggering level of lees aging. Truly, today’s offer is a one-off special release.
At just $55, this is a powerful, deep, harmonious wine that sets a high bar for Grand Cru Champagne. With extended lees aging and ripe fruit (Richard is generally one of the last two producers to harvest his fruit in Avize; the other is Selosse!), there is no shortage of rich layers on the palate. The elegant equilibrium between the fierce Chardonnay minerality and the softened depths of ripe, vinous Pinot Noir is apparent from the first smell to the last sip. Poured into a flared tulip or all-purpose stem, this funnels out of the glass with heady aromas of cherry skin, citrus curd, redcurrant, Bosc pear, grilled yellow apple, fresh cream, brioche, toasted nuts, exotic spice, crushed chalk, and oyster shell. The palate is broad and inviting—in no way showing its eight years of age—and loaded with a bristling core of deep fruits and pulverized minerals. It’s to be enjoyed now, often, and is guaranteed to find an audience from bubble novice to Champagne maven. Cheers!
