Champagne Extra Brut
Vinothèque Millésime 1982

The Champagne Vinothèque by Guy Michel belongs to that rare family of cuvées able to tell the passing of time with a depth hard to find elsewhere, the result of a selection of the most significant harvests kept for a long time in the cellars of the Domaine from Moussy, at the gates of Épernay. The Vinothèque collection represents the family’s historical memory, a heritage of bottles produced in extremely limited quantities that convey the most authentic soul of artisanal viticulture and of a tradition bound for generations to the terroirs of the Vallée de la Marne.

This edition, Vintage 1982, shows a prevalence of Meunier grapes at 70% completed by 30% Chardonnay. What makes it exceptional is over 39 years on the lees in the Domaine’s cellars, a remarkably long time that has transformed the original fruit into a deep, layered substance, rich in tertiary nuances and with a very fine mousse. The recent dégorgement keeps its vitality intact, while the final dosage, in Extra Brut style, enhances the precision of the whole.

On tasting, Vinothèque 1982 shows a bright golden colour crossed by a very fine and persistent perlage, introducing a deep, layered bouquet where toasted hazelnut, candied fruit, sweet spices and delicate hints of undergrowth emerge. On the palate it is enveloping yet vibrant, supported by a freshness surprising for its age that keeps the structure in perfect balance and accompanies a long, mineral finish of great persistence and aromatic coherence.