Champagne Extra Brut
Vinothèque Millésime 1998

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 1998, from a sunny and balanced year, is mainly based on Chardonnay grapes at 50%, completed by Meunier and Pinot Noir in a harmonious blend that combines finesse, roundness and structure. What makes it extraordinary is over 25 years on the lees in the Domaine’s cellars, a remarkably long time that has fostered the development of an uncommon aromatic complexity and an extremely fine mousse. The recent dégorgement keeps its freshness intact, while the final dosage, in Extra Brut style, underlines the precision of its profile and the integrity of its balance.

On tasting, Vinothèque 1998 shows an intense golden yellow colour crossed by a very fine and regular perlage, introducing an evolved and articulate bouquet where dried fruit, candied citrus, brioche and sweet spices emerge. On the palate it is deep and broad, perfectly balanced in a continuous interplay of tension and substance, with a harmonious structure that accompanies a long, elegant persistence of great aromatic coherence.