NV René-Henri Coutier Brut Blanc de Blancs de Ambonnay Grand Cru
Market price
Buying options
Tasting notes
The NV Brut Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru is fabulous. Ambonnay is highly regarded for Pinot Noir, but Chardonnay is a rarity. Here, Chardonnay carries all the pedigree of the best-known wines of the village. White pepper, lemon peel, slate white pepper, chalk and mint race out of the glass. Finely sculpted, energetic and precise, the Blanc de Blancs is a real winner from Coutier. This release is based on the 2012 vintage, with some reserve wines. Coutier's Brut Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru remains one of the undiscovered gems of Champagne. Dosage is 6 grams per liter. Disgorged: June 2016.
Critic scores
Average Score
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
Antonio Galloni, Wine Advocate
More reviews and scores
The NV Brut Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru is a striking wine, and frankly one of the best wines I have ever tasted from Coutier. Pure Blanc de Blancs is unusual in Ambonnay, where Pinot plays the leading role. Coutier’s NV presents an intriguing combination of the richness that is typical of Ambonnay married to deep, expressive varietal Chardonnay fruit. Smoke, ash and crushed rocks are all layered into the energetic, vibrant finish. This is a flat-out delicious, utterly joyous Champagne from Coutier. Disgorged May 2012. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2017. Coutier is one of my favorite among Champagne’s smaller houses. The wines always deliver tons of quality at reasonable prices. The estate is located in Ambonnay, a village with a reputation for broad-shouldered Champagnes. Coutier lists disgorgement dates on their corks, which is better than nothing but far from consumer-friendly. This is the last year I will review the Coutier NV wines until disgorgement dates appear on back labels. Importer: Polaner Selections, Mt. Kisco, NY; tel. (914) 244-0404