A. MargaineVillers-Marmery, Montagne de Reims

Producer profile
PL "The finest producer in Villers-Marmery" with 6.5 hectares and "his wines are archetypal examples of the village's terroir". Vintage-dated Special Club is the crown jewel of the cellar, made from the oldest vines in the best parcels. It is "always ripe and complex, needing several years in the cellar to reveal its full potential". In fact, A. Margaine is one of today's "superstars" of the Club Trésors de Champagne, having joined it back in the mid-1970s. Vinification methods are flexible and varied to suit the vintage: "nothing in the cellars is done according to formula". This smaller grower estate has exceptionally extensive stocks of reserve wines, "often going back 7 or 8 years". NV Le Brut is composed of up to 50% of reserve wines, creating a cuvée of "rare depth and detail". NV Rosé is "outstanding" and the vintage Blanc de Blancs is "aged on its lees for ten years or more, developing a rich texture and savory complexity". TyS no mention. ToS 89 "value", "90% of vineyards are planted with chardonnay despite being on the Montagne de Reims". This is because Villers-Marmery is renowned for its chardonnay with "powerful and muscular, yet refined, form", making for "interesting wines". "Arnod's recipe-free winemaking style further adds to the appeal." "He uses oak barrels very carefully" and his wines are "always very crisp and mouth-watering". "The entire range is recommended" but the Cuvée Extra Brut Blanc de Blancs, made of pure Villers-Marmery chardonnay and aged for six years on the lees, "offers especially stunning value". TT 2019 Champagne catalog page 226 (see also 2016 and 2013).

Tasting notes

Brut Rosé. Disgorged September 29 2015. Vigorous cork and a pretty plaque de muselet with a picture of a chateau. Attractive bottle with a cinnamon-colored label featuring a windmill and gilded letters in impressionist style congruous with the image on the plaque. Salmon pink color. Creamy scent bringing about associations with fresh brioche crumb and walnut. Sweet impression at first but turns out balanced and generous with a broad-shouldered base. Distinctive, engaging flavor profile. TT 2016 Champagne catalog page 36 (see also 2017 and 2018). Purchased at Federal Wine in spring 2020 for $54. ⭐⭐

NV Le Brut. Disgorged September 16 2018. Very different bottle styling from the Rosé. Modern aesthetic with textured paper and intaglio house monogram. Pale lemon in color. Pronounced toastiness with a fleeting whiff of barnyard or washed-rind cheese. Momentarily sweet on the first taste but quickly proving balanced, broad, full-bodied, and very well-aged. This is a confident, comfortable, and generous champagne. Continues to show beautifully as it warms, carrying associations with freshly roasted sunflower seeds. TT 2019 Champagne catalog page 227 (see also 2018 and 2017). Purchased at Molly's Spirits in summer 2020 for $47. ⭐⭐

Special Club 2012. Extensively detailed back label. Understated but superbly stylish special club aesthetics. Brown enameled label (compare with the black of José Michel). Lemony-green delicate hue. Buttery and lactic appetizing smell with pleasant lees-age aspects. Wonderfully balanced dosage. Delicious, fresh, and lasting flavor. Fine elegant bubbles, sustained and festive. Zalto Burgundy glass recreates the refreshing chalkiness of a cool cellar. Zalto Champagne glass highlights the floral aromatics and the strawberry tree honey bitterness of the lees. This wine loses none of its presence and charm on the second day and in Gabriel Glas reveals vinosity, almost oakiness, and a faint note of petrichor, the summertime thunderstorm smell of wet soil and ozone. TT 2019 Champagne catalog page 227 (see also 2018 and compare with 2008 Special Club write-up in 2013). Purchased at Molly's Spirits in summer 2020 for $82. ⭐⭐⭐

Rosé de Saignée 2012. Tight cork, frothy mousse, tiny bubbles, and vivid coloration not entirely in accord with the fuchsia label. Fragrant with nuances of plum, plum compote, and red currant. Dry, pretty, and fresh at first. A faint cosmetic note, maybe rose petals. Detectable grape skin presence. Turns spicy as it warms, bringing to mind Georgian plum sauce Tkemali. Satisfying and savory with a tremendous backbone. Spectacular with food. TT 2019 Champagne catalog page 227. Purchased at Applejack in autumn 2020 for $60.  ⭐⭐

Le Demi-Sec. Disgorged November 2019, dosage 32g. My first demi-sec! Nice detail on the back. Loud pop, intriguing scent, maybe dates, but also freshness and minerality. Fabulous lasting mousse. Light and sparkly clear yellow robe. The taste is notably sweet and honeyed but with good acidity so not cloying. There is some pleasant bitterness. Ultimately, this is a little too sweet for my taste. Purchased at Hazel's in summer 2021 for $47. ⭐