Alfred Gratien Cuvee Paradis Brut 2013
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Robert
Parker
Product Details
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Somm Note
Winemaker Notes
The magnificent, deep robe is delicately effervescent, with rising vertical columns of tiny, elegant bubbles that are reminiscent of lace. The initial nose has discreet yet rich aromas of ladyfinger biscuit, grapefruit, orange peel and almond. These are followed by a more exotic note of passion fruit, pineapple, lime, silver ragwort and seaweed. Later still, the tantalizing fragrance of brioche emerges. This is a complex, highly original set of aromas. The attack on the palate is delicate and develops gently. The bubbles seem to melt within the body of the wine, which is robust, and supported by the sugar content attains a comfortingly creamy texture that is particularly enjoyable, almost reminiscent of umami. Throughout the tasting, the acidity heightens, culminating in the finish, which is very long (over 10 seconds) and delivers a burst of intense flavors: acidity, sweetness and salinity. It closes with a chalky minerality, with aromas of honey and brioche lingering on the palate.
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Disgorged in July 2019, Gratien's 2013 Brut Cuvée Paradis opens in the glass with youthfully reserved aromas of citrus oil, fresh bread and crisp green orchard fruit. Medium to full-bodied, elegant and seamless, with lively acids and a pillowy mousse, it's a bright, nicely balanced wine that should take on additional complexity with a bit of bottle age.
Other Vintages
2015-
Wine
Spectator
If exceptional had a name, it would be Champagne Alfred Gratien . Alfred Gratien champagnes are handcrafted for guaranteed quality and consistency. A few miles away from Epernay’s bustling town center, deep in the heart of a Champagne vineyard, are the Alfred Gratien champagne cellars. It was here, on Rue Maurice Cerveaux, that Alfred Gratien set up his business and created his first cuvées in 1864. For over a century and a half, Alfred Gratien champagnes have remained a family affair perpetuated by the expertise and know-how of their founder.
The house’s legacy relies on its cellar masters who were taught a trade that has been handed down from father to son for four generations now. Gaston Jaeger, the earliest first descendant, took on the role in 1905. In 1951, he passed the craft on to his son Charles, who in turn paved the way for his son Jean-Pierre to take over in 1966.
Nicolas joined his father in 1990, with the pair now having worked side-by-side for 17 years. This wonderful collaborative effort is a continuation of the inherited know-how that has been passed on for nearly a century. In 2007, Nicolas became the cellar master for Alfred Gratien Champagne in Epernay. He embodies the living memory of the Alfred Gratien house and its grand cru champagnes.
Representing the topmost expression of a Champagne house, a vintage Champagne is one made from the produce of a single, superior harvest year. Vintage Champagnes account for a mere 5% of total Champagne production and are produced about three times in a decade. Champagne is typically made as a blend of multiple years in order to preserve the house style; these will have non-vintage, or simply, NV on the label. The term, "vintage," as it applies to all wine, simply means a single harvest year.
Associated with luxury, celebration, and romance, the region, Champagne, is home to the world’s most prized sparkling wine. In order to bear the label, ‘Champagne’, a sparkling wine must originate from this northeastern region of France—called Champagne—and adhere to strict quality standards. Made up of the three towns Reims, Épernay, and Aÿ, it was here that the traditional method of sparkling wine production was both invented and perfected, birthing a winemaking technique as well as a flavor profile that is now emulated worldwide.
Well-drained, limestone and chalky soil defines much of the region, which lend a mineral component to its wines. Champagne’s cold, continental climate promotes ample acidity in its grapes but weather differences from year to year can create significant variation between vintages. While vintage Champagnes are produced in exceptional years, non-vintage cuvées are produced annually from a blend of several years in order to produce Champagnes that maintain a consistent house style.
With nearly negligible exceptions, . These can be blended together or bottled as individual varietal Champagnes, depending on the final style of wine desired. Chardonnay, the only white variety, contributes freshness, elegance, lively acidity and notes of citrus, orchard fruit and white flowers. Pinot Noir and its relative Pinot Meunier, provide the backbone to many blends, adding structure, body and supple red fruit flavors. Wines with a large proportion of Pinot Meunier will be ready to drink earlier, while Pinot Noir contributes to longevity. Whether it is white or rosé, most Champagne is made from a blend of red and white grapes—and uniquely, rosé is often produce by blending together red and white wine. A Champagne made exclusively from Chardonnay will be labeled as ‘blanc de blancs,’ while ones comprised of only red grapes are called ‘blanc de noirs.’