Agrapart Venus 2017

This Venus cuvée is a Blanc de blancs parcel. The Chardonnay comes from an old 60-acre vineyard - la Fosse aux Pourceaux - planted in 1959 at Avize, Grand Cru from Côte des blancs. It is worked exclusively by man, with ploughing carried out by horse. The first of these, actually a mare, was named Venus.

Vinifications are complete and carried out in demi-muids, without new wood, and the wines bottled directly on cork, without prior filtration. The wines then spend 6 years on their lees, with manual riddling and disgorging 60 days before release to preserve all their natural freshness. No dosage is carried out, it's a Brut nature.

The Venus cuvée is the Rare pearl of the Domaine, on great vintages it fills just 10 barrels. It perfectly combines power and finesse, roundness and tension, and is no match for the great chardonnay vintages of Côte de Beaune.

The nose, at first discreet with notes of citrus and Secs fruits, then develops a complex and explosive bouquet of white fruits, fresh honey, lemon bergamot, jasmine, fresh hazelnuts, truffle and roasting, with a slight chalky edge. The palate is round and supple, saline and mineral; the juice is ample and racy with its aromas of ripe orchard fruits, white rose, fresh lemon, energetic spices and continues on to a long, fresh and iodized finish.

This Brut nature Blanc de blancs Venus 2017 cuvee from Maison Agrapart is a great wine, elegant, vertical and deep. It will offer a happy marriage to lobster ravioli with morels, or Iranian beluga caviar. For others, more daring, caramelized sweetbreads will ensure the perfect match.