Drappier Grande Sendree Brut 2010
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Robert -
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James -
Dunnuck
Jeb
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The Grande Sendrée Cuvée takes its name from a parcel of land covered by cinders after the fire which ravaged Urville in 1838. A spelling error having slipped through in a new version of the land register, it is with an “s” that this cuvée is designated today. A reproduction of an 18th century bottle found in the Urville cellars is used and the Grande Sendrée undergoes remuage entirely by hand.
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2010 Brut Grande Sendrée has turned out very well indeed, unwinding in the glass with youthful aromas of citrus oil, white flowers, white peach and fresh bread. Medium to full-bodied, bright and concentrated, it's youthfully tightly wound, with a racy spine of acidity, an elegant pinpoint mousse and a penetrating, chalky finish. This can't quite match the plenitude of the 2009, but it may outpace it with time, as this is an impressively vibrant, structured young Grande Sendrée. Rating : 93+
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Wine Spectator
A quietly elegant Champagne, with a lovely soft, laciness to texture, and a minerally underpinning of smoke and saline accents. It displays a creamy mesh of crushed black cherry, grilled nut, kumquat and dried apricot and a refine, subtle finish. Drink now through 2030.
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James Suckling
Aromas of ginger, dried pineapple, baked apple, nutmeg and toast. Rich and flavorful, with silky bubbles and zippy acidity. Spicy and gently toasty, with a lengthy finish. 55% pinot noir and 45% chardonnay. Drink or hold.
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Jeb Dunnuck
Composed of 55% Pinot Noir and the remainder Chardonnay, about a third of the 2010 Champagne Grande Sendrée was raised in oak barrels. It is fleshy with aromas of buttered brioche, espresso, and apricot, while the palate offers more energy to balance the richness of the wine, with fresh red berries, beeswax, chamomile, and fresh orange, a lovely chalky texture, and a fluffy mousse. Providing a nice balance between opulence and a lifted feel, it is drinking well now. Best after 2022.
Other Vintages
2012-
Parker
Robert
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Parker
Robert -
Spectator
Wine -
Dunnuck
Jeb - Decanter
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Spectator
Wine -
Parker
Robert -
Enthusiast
Wine -
Suckling
James - Decanter
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Enthusiast
Wine -
Wong
Wilfred -
Spectator
Wine -
Suckling
James
Although the vines in Urville were originally planted by the Romans 2000 years ago, it was Saint Bernard, founder of Clairvaux Abbey, who had cellars built in 1152.
Seven centuries later, in 1808, the family domaine was created -- today, it is headed by Michel Drappier, and cultivated according to organic and natural principles. Urville is an area in which Pinot Noir thrives, however, Drappier also cultivates "forgotten" grape varieties: Arbane, Petit Meslier and Blanc Vrai.
Rather than ultra-sophisticated, sometimes overdone, wine, the winery prefers authenticity and a natural approach, limiting usage of sulphites.
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.’