foxglove - Brown Derby International Wine Center

The Vineyard, Fall Edition, 2007Francois Peters, proprietorof Pierre PetersJean-Baptiste Geoffroy, proprietorof René GeoffroyGaston Chiquet, proprietorof Gaston Chiquetserge Billiot,proprietor of H. Billiot FilsJean LallementJean-Luc Lallement makes only three wines, one ofwhich-the rosé- he just inaugurated last year (hereleases only about 1,700 cases annually). Most of thisMontagne de Reims estate is in Verzenay, with therest in Verzy; 80 percent of the vines are Pinot Noir,20 percent Chardonnay. Lallement keeps the dosagelow, usually at extra brut levels; his wines are rich andminerally, combining strength and finesse.N/V Brut_ __________________________ 54.99Jean MilanThe first Champagne bottle to bear the Milan namewas produced in 1864 by Charles Milan. Today,Caroline and Jean-Charles Milan are the fifth generationto manage the family’s 15 acres in the grand cruOger. Milan’s wines are classic Oger in profile, with theflowery delicacy of Côte des Blancs Chardonnay butnot he austerity of Le Mesnil. At their best, the are ascharming as Chardonnay gets.2002 Selection Terres de Noël Brut_ ________ 99.99N/V Charles de la Milaniere Rosé___________ 62.99Marc HébrartMarc Hébrart founded this estate in 1962, and his son,Jean-Paul, took over in 1997. He farms 32 acres -inMareuil-sur-Aÿ and Aÿ in the Vallée de la Marne, andin Chouilly and Oiry in the Côte des Blancs. Most ofthe vineyards are Pinot Noir (70 percent); the balanceis Chardonnay. These are rich wines that emphasizeplace over fruit, showing their origins with precisedetail. Try them if you want to become familiar withthe terroir around Mareuil-sur Aÿ and Aÿ.N/V Cuvée Réserve Brut_______________ half 29.99N/V Selection Brut_ ___________________ 49.99A. MargaineGaston Margaine founded this 16-acre estate in Villers-Marmery early in the 20th century, today run by hisgreat-grandsons, Bernard and Arnaud Margaine.The premier cru commune of Villers-Marmery isunusual in the Montagne de Reims, as it is dominatedby Chardonnay rather than Pinot Noir. Margaine’svineyards are 90 percent Chardonnay and 10 percentPinot, all in Villers-Marmery. Chardonnay gives theirwines elegance and finesse, but the soil signature iscompletely different from the Côte des Blancs, with anearthier, fuller-bodied richness.N/V Cuvée Traditionelle_________________ 39.99N/V Cuvée Traditionelle_______________ half 24.99N/V Rosé_ __________________________ 49.99Pierre GimonnetThere have been Gimonnets growing vines in Cuissince 1750. Pierre Gimonnet began bottling estatewines in the 1930s, and today Olivier and DidierGimonnet, Pierre’s grandsons, carry on the familytradition. Their 64 acres of vines are all planted toChardonnay, in the communes of Cuis, Cramant andChouilly; 70 percent of the vines are older than 35years, with the oldest vines more than 80 years old.Gimmonet wines are refined, chalky and intense,balancing the rich complexity of the grands crusCramant and Chouilly with the racy austerity of thepremier cru Cuis. Old-vine depth and concentration isoften evident in these wines.2002 Cuvée Gastonome_ ________________ 54.99N/V 1er Cru Brut_ _____________________ 49.99N/V 1er Cru Brut_ ___________________ half 29.991999 Special Club_ ____________________ 69.99Pierre PetersThe Peters family had been growers in Champagne formore than a century when Pierre Peters founded thishouse in 1940. François Peters now heads this 43-acreestate, regarded as one of the best in Le Mesnil. Themost significant holdings-30 acres-are in the grandcru of Le Mesnil-sur-Oger. The rest are spread aroundOger, Avize, Cramant and Vertus.The wines are sleek and racy, emphasizing finesseover body. They always undergo malolactic but nevertaste like it. If you can find the Cuvée Spéciale, it’smade from a single plot of 70-year old vines in LeMesnil.N/V Cuvee de Reserve Brut_______________ 54.991999 Cuvee Speciale Brut________________ 84.99René GeoffroyN/V Expression_______________________ 44.99N/V Empreinte_ ______________________ 54.99Vilmart & Cie.“Vilmart’s wines have been called ‘poor man’s Krug’for their combination of power and style-at half thecost of real Krug.” Food & WineBased in Rilly-la-Montagne de Reims, ChampagneVilmart was founded by Désiré Vilmart in 1890. Hisgrandson, Renan Vilmart, took over the company in1930 and later handed it over to his son-in-law, RenéChamps, in 1962. Since 1990 René’s son, Laurent,has been in charge of the estate. He farms 27 acreswith organic methods; 60 percent of the vines areChardonnay, 40 percent Pinot Noir.Vilmart’s wines are rich and complex, with a depthand resonance unusual in Champagne. All are fermentedin wood, either in large oak casks or in smallbarrels; Champ’s careful attention to viticulture produceswines of concentration and vinosity. Note thatthe Grand Cellier is to their basic Brut NV, but rathera special selection falling between the Brut and thethree prestige cuvées.¡N/V Cuvee Grand Cellier_________________ 64.99N/V Cuvee Grand Cellier_____________ 3.0 liter 449.99N/V Cuvee Rubis_ _____________________ 69.991998 Cuvee Creation_ __________________ 109.99info@brownderby.com • www.brownderby.com PG. | 17