Coutier Champagne Brut Cuvee Tradition Ambonnay Grand Cru
Regular price $45.98
70% Pinot Noir, 30% Chardonnay.  Produced entirely from Grand Cru grapes from the village of Ambonnay, this stunning Brut Tradition shows rich, leesy fruit obtained through extended bottle aging prior to disgorging. Quite vinous in texture, it is full and long with crisp apple fruit notes on the finish and showing some toasty notes in the nose. Very low dosage levels allow the great Ambonnay fruit to shine.
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The grand cru village of Ambonnay produces some of the greatest Champagnes in the heart of the region’s prestigious Montagne de Reims. René Coutier’s family has been rooted in the village since 1619, and he is the fourth generation to work the family estate. While Ambonnay is best-known for its Pinot Noir, René’s father was the first in the village to plant Chardonnay here in 1946—a decision far ahead of its time. This has come to define the Coutier family’s house style, which marries the traditional richness of Ambonnay’s Pinot Noir (70%) with the pure, racy crispness of its Chardonnay (30%). The vineyards on the Montagne de Reims shift exposure as one arrives in the village, facing south by southeast to provide a warmer microclimate than is typical in France’s most northerly growing region. A higher ratio of clay to the chalky limestone in the soil lends richness to the finished wines. The Coutiers farm nine hectares sustainably, but keep their production small and focused, selling off 80% of their fruit to the local cooperative and keeping the best fruit to bottle 2000 cases under their own label. This is real grower Champagne.
Grapes at R.H. Coutier are harvested by hand. The clusters are pressed with their stems to act as a natural filter, facilitate drainage, and to best obtain clear juice from the Pinot Noir. To best safeguard the freshness and natural acidity of the grapes, only about half of the Coutier wines go through malolactic fermentation, although it depends entirely on the vintage. Neither barrel fermentation nor aging are used on any of the wines, except the “Cuvée Henri III,†half of which sees time in barrel to take advantage of the controlled micro-oxygenation that they naturally allow. All bottles are hand-riddled. Low dosages allow the natural character of the fruit and terroir to come through. R. H. Coutier is one of the best domaines in Ambonnay and is a wonderful introduction to the magic of grand cru Champagne.
Shipping Policy
- Unless your delivery address is on the West Coast, we strongly discourage you from selecting “Ground Service” as your shipping method. During the winter and summer months, weather conditions (temperature) and longer delivery times can often result in the spoilage of your order. It doesn’t make sense to invest in fine wines and then take the chance of ruining them due environmental factors during transit (faster and safer delivery generally isn’t much more expensive). We don’t make an additional profit on accelerated delivery, but we frequently recommend faster shipping options to our customers outside the West Coast.
- You must be 21 years of age to order or receive alcoholic beverages. Any shipments containing alcoholic beverages are sent with an “Adult Signature Required” sticker, and the common carrier that delivers our merchandise is required to ask and check for identification upon delivery. This means that an adult will have to be present at the time of delivery. Please consider shipping to an office address.
- During periods of extreme weather, we attempt to ship wines at the beginning of each week in order to get shipments to you before the weekend. This is because we have no control over the temperature conditions at our freight carriers’ warehouses. The result may be that your shipment doesn’t go out the day that you place an order.
- We ship by Fedex or Fedex Ground. Our prices include packaging materials. Insurance may be available for an additional charge.
- Vintage Wine Merchants, Inc. will arrange for shipment on behalf of the buyer, to an address specified by the buyer, provided that Vintage Wine Merchants, Inc. in its sole judgment believes that such shipment will not subject Vintage Wine Merchants, Inc. to the risk of any sort of legal action or other harm. If a buyer lives in a state where the direct shipment of wine by Vintage Wine Merchants, Inc. violates the law, we suggest that the buyer provide an alternative address in another state or have their wine shipped to a third-party storage facility in a direct shipping-friendly state.
- Various states impose limitations on the quantity of alcoholic beverages that may be purchased and brought into their jurisdiction by a purchaser from another state without requiring the purchaser, a seller or shipper to possess certain licenses or permits. Vintage Wine Merchants, Inc. does not, as a condition of sale, assume any obligation nor bear any responsibility whatsoever for applying or obtaining any permits or licenses. Therefore, we recommend that you investigate the possibility of such limitations, and determine the manner in which alcoholic beverages shall be brought into your state from California, so as to comply with all of your state’s requirements.
- Wine shipping rules in the United States are controlled by the state you live in. We do not ship wine to the following states at this time:
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- Alaska
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Kansas - Kentucky
Louisiana - Maine
Maryland - Massachusetts
Michigan - Mississippi
Montana - Nevada
New York - North Dakota
Oklahoma - Pennsylvania
Rhode Island - South Dakota
- Tennessee
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List Updated 2/1/2023
Please inquire about international shipping.
Vintage Wine Merchants
377 Santana Row, Suite 1135
San Jose, CA 95128
408-260-1115
