Description
Pehu-Simonet, Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs “Fins Lieux N°6”
I’ve been hooked ever since discovering David Pehu’s extraordinary “Fins Lieux” lineup in Paris two years ago and have made it an ongoing mission to seek out any of his seven bottlings whenever possible. This tiny collection of single-vintage, single-site, single-variety Grand Cru Champagnes each have a terroir imprint so extreme and distinct, they should bear a “novices beware” label. I don’t say that to scare people away, but rather to inform everyone that these are serious Champagnes imbued with the intricacies of each distinct site, grape, and vintage.
That said, today’s painfully limited 2012 “Fins Lieux N°6” is the most profound Chardonnay of his I’ve tasted: As if crafting Grand Cru Vintage Champagne wasn’t already rare and privileged enough, David takes it multiple steps further by (1) sourcing it entirely from the small Verzenay lieu-dit of “Les Basses Correttes,” (2) aging it on lees for nearly 80 months, and (3) adding a judiciously light two-gram dosage. It also just so happens to be from the legendary 2012 vintage too…need we say more? Without a doubt, this bottle contains staggering levels of detail and “intelligence” that most Grand Cru producers could only dream of matching—and you can be the proud owners of it for the best price in the nation.
Fourth-generation David Pehu of Pehu-Simonet has given his estate a makeover in recent years that has rocketed it up the pecking order of elite, terroir-specific Champagne. The Pehu family, however, has been crafting Champagne since the early 1900s, proven by old ‘Veuve Pehu’ labels that are on proud display at the estate. When David’s parents formed Pehu-Simonet in the 1970s, it also came with a handful of premier vines from his mother’s side. This combination seemed to pave a clear path for him: Since 1988, David has been at the winemaking helm.
Today, David farms 7.5 hectares, six of which are located in Grand Cru villages. As for the other 1.5 hectares? The fruit is sold, as David only wishes to bottle wines containing the very best grapes. Today’s Blanc de Blancs is a special bottling of 100% Chardonnay from the Grand Cru village of Verzenay, and it hails from an organically farmed parcel known as “Les Basses Correttes.” A trained Burgundy enologist, David put his knowledge to work in the winery: Using a combination of steel vats and secondhand Burgundy barrels for vinification, he allows a slow alcoholic fermentation and blocks malolactic to preserve the fruit’s purity. Afterward, today’s specific wine was transferred into bottle where it aged on its lees for well over seven years until disgorgement in May of 2019. A mere two grams of sugar were added as a dosage, therefore qualifying it as an ‘extra-brut.’
Nearly two additional years of bottle aging post-disgorgement has further boosted the savory components of today’s 2012 “Fins Lieux N°6.” This is an intense, full-bodied Grand Cru Champagne that highlights the evolutionary changes of long-aged Chardonnay. In all-purpose stems, it slowly unravels with rich yet nuanced aromas of creamy yellow apple, bruised pear, pineapple core, Meyer lemon, caramelized peach, buttered toast, honeysuckle, lees, hazelnut, vanilla bean, crushed white stone, and oyster shell. It reveals a broad and expansive palate with opulent layers that amble along, making sure to properly envelop your taste buds. It’s a serious Champagne, full of intelligence and sublime textures that ooze Grand Cru nobility. I enjoyed my bottle around 55 degrees, as slow as humanly possible—the final few ounces on day three were sensational. Enjoy!
