Champagne Jerome Prévost La Closerie "Les Béguines" Extra Brut LC22

Alcohol: 12.5%

Grape: Pinot Meunier, Chardonnay

Localization: Gueux, Champagne, France

Food pairing: Shellfish, crab, and lobster

Notes: Les Béguines" is the name of a two-hectare individual vineyard in the municipality of Gueux. The old Pinot Meunier vines, from whose grapes Jérôme Prevost produces his legendary champagne, were planted here in 1960 with a plant density of 8,333 to 10,000 vines per hectare. After the manual harvest, which is set as late as possible, the alcoholic fermentation takes place in old 228, 400, 500, and 600-liter barriques, which come from Burgundy. Of course, there is no added yeast or sugar. The wines are bottled in July and stay on the lees for 18 to 24 months. In order to preserve the authenticity of the terroir and the vintage, Jérôme only produces vintage champagnes of the highest quality.

The Domain: Two hectare vineyard of Les Béguines in Gueux, inherited from Jérômes grandmother. Planted in the 1950s with massale selection cuttings. Harvested by hand and at a high degree of ripeness. Ferments with indigenous yeasts using a mix of used barriques and 600L demi-muids. Disgorged 18 months after bottling, finished with no dosage as to preserve the sanctity and purity of wine underneath. Very low SO2 levels. Aged 18 months on the lees, zero-dosage. Only 800-850 cs per year.

Jerome Prévost is part of a small but growing group of tiny producers making intense, vinous-styled Champagnes. Rather than follow the traditional Champagne model of blending grapes, vintages, and vineyards to produce a "standardized" product, Prevost and his fellow "Champagne Renegades" produce single vineyard, single vintage and single-variety wines. Quantities are extremely limited and Prévost wines have reached cult status in recent years.