Description
Champagne Renaudin, Premier Cru “L’Espiegle” MAGNUM
Do you remember when we offered this monstrous stunner two years ago? How could you not? These 1996 Premier Cru MAGNUMS became the fastest Champagne sellout in SommSelect history, and for good reason: Given the combination of legendary vintage, perfect provenance, and modest price, it was among the shrewdest and rarest wine purchases on earth. Today’s offer is even grander. This small parcel was freshly disgorged just five months ago—that’s 25+ years of lees aging for those keeping count—and each magnum guarantees to deliver incredible complexity, stupendous richness, and mind-blowing freshness.
Now, let’s talk more about the mythical, age-worthy vintage. Inscribed in the annals of all-time greats, 1996 was met with incendiary demand right out of the gate and its stock continues to soar with no ceiling in sight. Few bottles remain on the market today, and those that do (1) cost far more than this and (2) likely won’t taste as profound. I honestly can’t think of another producer releasing something of this magnitude. We’re now a quarter-century removed from the fabled ’96 vintage, and drinking a magnum of it has become impractical/impossible for most. That changes today. Grab up to six of these affordable, titanic masterpieces and get ready to captivate a room with each pull of the cork.
NOTE: These magnums are in stock and ready to ship for holiday enjoyment.
Curious about the peculiar writing that wraps around the neck of the bottle? Renaudin originally planned to disgorge these in 1999 to celebrate the new millennium. And, in a nod towards the colorful cultures around the globe, they etched “2000” in various iterations. Luckily for us, all did not go as planned, and a portion was left behind to continue aging on lees for decades.
Although it has passed through many hands and been rebuilt, Renaudin upholds the traditions of an ancient noble estate (Château de Conardins) that was first established in 1724, making it one of the oldest enterprises in all of Champagne. Today, they own 24 hectares—mostly Premier Cru Chardonnay—that are spread throughout villages in the Coteaux Sud d’Épernay and the Côte des Blancs. Most of their crop is sold off to the blue-chip houses, but a small portion does remain in-house for personal production.
Their 1996 comes from 100% Premier Cru Chardonnay vines and was fermented in a combination of stainless steel and neutral barrels for eight months. Malolactic was avoided, but they did continuously stir the lees to add more texture to the acid-driven ’96 vintage. Upon bottling in magnums in April of 1997, the wines remained unmoved. This specific parcel was disgorged in May of 2022 (the date is printed on the side of the cork) and given a six-gram dosage.
A couple of things to keep in mind: (1) magnums mature slower since the ratio of liquid to oxygen is doubled and (2) most other ’96 Champagnes will likely have oxidative qualities since they have long been disgorged and removed from their lees, which acts as a preservative. So, what you’re getting in today’s recently disgorged magnum are the inimitable qualities of this mega-blockbuster vintage in its most pristine form.
The wine reveals a dazzling yellow-gold core that shimmers with silver hues. Within moments, jaw-dropping notes of yellow apple, Bosc pear, caramelized peach, Mirabelle plum, lemon curd, acacia honey, honeysuckle, hazelnut, crushed chalk, and nuanced spices unfurl from the glass. It’s a richly layered Champagne that builds with the powerful acidity of ’96 and the seductive profile of world-class Chardonnay. Because it spent so long on its lees, I’d be shocked if someone correctly identified this as a 26-year-old wine. Furthermore, there’s no rush to consume this: I think it will evolve beautifully for another decade. If you do decide to splurge on this extraordinary magnum, keep it going with a visit to your local market for some fresh caviar. Cheers!
