**Grower Champagne**

Variety: 89% Chardonnay 11% Pinot Noir
Region: Villers-Marmery - Montagne de Reims - Champagne - France
Farming: Pragmatic
Soil: Clay & Limestone
Winemaking: 

• 68% of this blend is from 2018 and 32% of this blend is from reserve wines from the following years: '09, '13, '16, '17.
• 88% of the wine did not go through malolactic fermentation, 12% did!
• 80% of the wine was aged in stainless steel

This is a beautiful Champagne that is bright and delicious with hints of richness and toasty goodness. On the nose and palate I get perfectly in season gala apples, freshly spritzed lemon zest, a little hint of spice and a lovely minerality that makes me come back for more. The wine is layered, complex and well integrated. It has a gorgeous mousse and is overall just a delight to drink. 

About the Producer
This is a small, family owned estate in the Premier Cru village of Villers-Mamery. This is a unique village; though it is in the Montagne, exposition and very chalky soil make it ideal for growing Chardonnay. Over ninety percent of the village is planted to that variety. Arnaud Margaine, the current proprietor, took over in 1989 and is the fourth generation grower-producer in his family. His daughter, Mathilde has recently come back to the domaine to help with operations and is very involved. She is in training to take the reins from her father. Today, the family farms 6.5 hectares, all in Villers-Marmery. Margaine has been a member of the Spécial Club since 1977and his Club wine is always a Blanc de Blancs from his oldest parcels in the village. The average age of the vines are over 35 years, with Champs d’Enfer over 60. Vineyard work here is meticulous, and precludes any herbicides and pesticides with a focus on balance. Cover crops are used extensively and Arnaud has thought about certifying organic, though he has not yet made this decision. Margaine continues to experiment, introducing a Solera Cuvée last year as well as an excellent Rosé de Saignée from a small amount of Pinot Noir co-macerated with Chardonnay. Vinification is in both barrel and stainless steel, depending on the parcel and the wine. “A maximum of 20 to 30 percent [of barrel-fermented wine] is a good complement for my blends,” says Arnaud. “I don’t want to go any higher.” Arnaud keeps a large proportion of reserve wine, some of which is held in tank, with a percentage held in magnum with a slight mousse a la Bollinger. “They are rich in flavor without being heavy, and over the last decade and a half that I have been drinking them I feel that they have progressively gained in finesse and complexity. Capable of an intensely pronounced expression of terroir, Margaine’s champagnes represent for me the reference point for the village of Villers-Marmery.”