The Alfred Gratien Brut Champagne from a Magnum, was 12.5% alcohol (perfect) and cost under $80 while it scored 18 points on the Dionysian scale of a possible 20! I got this six-bottle case just over six years ago and by letting it rest a few years, it rounded out with crisp citrus, pear, bigger toast, and a long creamy finish.
This Champagne comes from Epernay in the French Champagne region. It was the perfect opening to a holiday meal with the family. Even the less experienced drinkers noticed how creamy it was.
It’s a blend of different vintages and shows the “house style” perfectly. Champagne ages better in Magnums, as most wines do, and it always taste better. This house in now an “NM” because it has grown into a larger producer and needs more wine than it can grow itself. I’ll get more. In vino veritas.
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