2012 A.R. Lenoble Blanc de Blancs Chouilly Grand Cru Millesime Champagne, France

From: Côte des Blancs, Champagne, France

Varietal: Chardonnay

Pairing: This toasty, floral expression of the Grand Cru village of Chouilly is excellent on its own, but it would also make an elegant accompaniment to seafood, fresh pasta topped with Parmesan, or fresh goat cheese.

About: AR Lenoble is one of the rare houses in Champagne that has remained 100% family-owned since its foundation. Armand-Raphaël Graser, a native of Alsace, arrived in Champagne in 1915 in the middle of the first world war. He purchased a house that was built in 1772 in the village of Damery, located between Epernay and Hautvillers, and started making champagne there in 1920. Anne and Antoine Malassagne, sister and brother, are the great-grandchildren of founder Armand-Raphaël Graser. Anne took over from her father in 1993 and was joined by her brother Antoine in 1996.

Antoine Malassagne, whose first vintage was 1996, represents the fourth generation to own and manage AR Lenoble. He made the decision to start conserving their reserve wines in 225-liter barrels using the principle of the “perpetual reserve”. A few years later, AR Lenoble invested in 5,000-liter casks to allow for an even slower aging process. In these containers, reserve wines are able to obtain additional brightness and freshness.