Suenen, Champagne, Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru, Oiry Extra Brut (Base 2021)

Despite his relatively young career, Aurélien Suenen has quickly become a star in Champagne. When he suddenly found himself in charge of his family’s Domaine after his father’s tragic passing, Aurélien decided to make significant changes. First, he downsized their holdings to concentrate on intense vineyard work on fewer vines. He felt strongly that the best champagnes he’d ever tasted were made with organic viticulture. So, he immediately began converting all his vineyards to organic farming in 2009 and reached full certification in 2019. Suenen’s terroir-driven wines are some of the most precise, emotional, and intensely mineral Grower Champagnes you’ll encounter. The Oiry cuvée is 100% Chardonnay from Grand Cru vineyards in Oiry, right on the chalk in the heart of the Côte des Blancs. Sourced from multiple plots, many with a cooler, north-facing exposition, it yields a finer and more elegant expression of Chardonnay. This is a wonderfully refreshing, aperitif-style Champagne you could enjoy any time of day. While typically more ethereal, the ‘21 base vintage shows a bit more creaminess and evolution, which can be attributed to the fact that this wine has much more reserve wine than usual.