R.H. Coutier - MAGNUM Champagne Grand Cru Brut Cuvee Tradition (Base 2019) 1.5L (12.5% abv)

80% Pinot Noir, 20% ChardonnayVineyard80% Pinot, 20% Chardonnay and all is estate-fruit from Ambonnay, one of the largest Grand Cru villages. The Coutier family was the first family to plant Chardonnay in this famed Pinot-centric village.OrientationVineyards in Ambonnay face due south and produce a warmer microclimate for the grapes.SoilAmbonnay soils have more clay, coupled with the strong influence of the chalky limestone subsoils.ViticultureThe Coutiers began organic conversation in 2019, after years of employing organic fertilizers and avoiding the use of herbicides.Vinification60% 2019 base vintage , with some reserve from previous vintages. Stainless steel; 100% malolactic. Disgorged 7/2022Agingsur lattes for 48-60 months; 8.0 grams dosage; 1NotesAn excellent and racy bottle with the signature red fruit characteristics of Ambonnay. Aromatically expressive, powerful on the palate, with a bright and fresh finish.

Champagne R. H. Coutier is located in the grand cru village of Ambonnay, one of the top wine-producing sectors of the Montagne de Reims. The Coutier family has been in the village of Ambonnay since 1619, with fifth gneration vigneron Antoine Coutier currently at the helm. While Ambonnay is generally regarded as Pinot country, the family's nine hectares of vineyards are planted with one-third Chardonnay and two-thirds Pinot Noir. In fact, in 1948 Antoine Coutier’s grandfather was the first vigneron in Ambonnay to plant Chardonnay in the village, a daring step at the time, which has flourished ever since and is now as highly regarded as the Pinot Noir from this grand cru village.

The family vineyards consist of 40 different plots located exclusively in Ambonnay, with an average vine age of 38 years. In 2019, the Coutiers began organic conversion, which felt like a logical step after years of working with great respect for nature, including never using herbicides and focusing only on organic fertilizers. After years of farming organically, the family will earn organic certification of the entire estate in 2023 and their first AgriBio (AB) certified wines will come from the 2023 harvest.

The vineyards on the Montagne de Reims shift exposure as one arrives in the village of Ambonnay, facing south and southeast, and producing a warmer microclimate for the grapes. There is also a bit more clay, coupled with the strong influence of the chalky limestone, which gives Coutier's sumptuous wines both richness and freshness. This is not a large domaine by any stretch of the imagination, only producing 60,000 bottles in any given year.

The Coutier house style is accentuated by vinification and cellar techniques that seek to marry the traditional richness of Ambonnay fruit with the racy and pure style that the family cherishes. To that end, two-thirds of the Coutier wines go through malolactic fermentation, as Antoine feels this balances opulence with tension in the finished wines. Barrel fermentation and/or aging is only used for the Cuvée Henri III and the single vineyard cuvée "La Pierre Aux Larrons". A second single vineyard wine, "Le Bout Du Clos," sees ageing in ceramic vessels.