MARC HEBRART, CHAMPAGNE BLANC DE BLANCS BRUT 750ML

Hebrart’s NV Brut Blanc de Blancs Disg. 3/2013 showcases fruit from vintage 2009 with 20% of its volume split between 2008 and 2007. Iris and peony, almond and hazelnut dominate the nose, with intimations arising of the oyster liquor and soy that go on to lend mouthwateringly saline savor as well as the apple and winter pear that serve up luscious fruit on a buoyant and polished palate. Given my description thus far, it won’t surprise you to learn that this cuvee’s finish is superbly long and savory. I imagine that it will be worth following for at least several years. Not only does this bottling represent exceptional value by standards of its appellation, it is remarkable for costing so little more than Hebrart's corresponding (far from) “basic” Brut. (By my convention governing suggested retail price quotations, the difference simply gets rounded off!) Feel free either to take it from me or to contradict me, but ever since, a half dozen years ago, I began experiencing (albeit sporadically) the wines of Jean-Paul Hebrart – who has run his family’s domaine for 15 years, but whom I haven’t personally met – it has struck me that the praise generally accorded them is too faint to do justice to Champagnes exhibiting perhaps so much sheer deliciousness that commentators simply overlook their profundity or forget how hard it is to achieve, vintage after vintage, such consistent clarity not to mention excellence. (And most of wines here that aren’t labeled with vintages are still each dominated by a single one). Hebrart’s vines grow in Chouilly, neighboring Oiry, and Mareuil-sur-Ay. Malo-lactic transformation is routine at this address and selected cuvees see small barrel, neither of which practices here preclude wines of utmost transparency to nuance, or ones that ever forget their first duty to refresh. Terry Theise Estate Selections, imported by Michael Skurnik Wines, Inc., Syosset, NY; tel. (516) 677-9300