Champagne Montaudon is one of the most exciting and individual of Champagne Houses. The cellars are located in Reims, close to Reims Cathedral and are exported throughout Europe, USA, Japan, South Africa and now Australia. The Montaudon is still owned by the founding family, a rare thing in Champagne, which has become the home of Corporate Giants. In 1891 Auguste Louis Montaudon came to Champagne as a cellar manager. Some years later, his son Auguste Eugene, decided to create a Champagne House which danced its way to success in the 1920ís and was later to become the wine found in the top Caberet Clubs of Paris. It is said that in 1936, the mystical star of Revue Negre and Folies Bergeres, Josephine Baker signed a contract with Montaudon to supply her Caberet Clubs with first class Champagne. The rest, as they say, is history. Whilst the buildings which house the operations of Montaudon are historic, the wine making facilities are very modern, with a number of small stainless steel vats available to ferment and store the base wines until they are required for blending.
Nicks Wine Merchants / Vintage Direct have managed to secure the marketing and distribution rights for this outstanding Champagne for the Australian Market. The quality of Montaudon is exceptional as can be attested by the comparative tasting results conducted by Wine Spectator Magazine in the USA. From our own tastings the results have been very impressive, particularly so when one considers the price points compared with other much larger Champagne Houses. The most common form of assessment of a Champagne Houses quality is to judge the character of their N/V (non-vintage.). With this magnificent example, Montaudon passes with flying colours, out-ranking N/V styles from Louis Roederer, Pol Roger, Lanson, Veuve Cliquot & Moet Chandon in a recent Wine Spectator tasting. Minimum sweetening is carried out ensuring that the true character of the base wine is not disguised. The blend is composed of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier. The Champagne fills the glass with a sense of style and presence. Generous creamy white mousse with exceptionally fine and very persistent bead. This is a hallmark of all Montaudon Champagnes. Delightful nose, showing plenty of yeast autolysis character but with style. Aroma of cashews, brioche and toast ñ instantly identifying it as French. The palate is creamy, yet full bodied and elegant at once. Flavours of yeast lees, cashews and biscuit emerge, excellent length and perfectly balanced. There is no sense of excessive acidity here. Very long aftertaste of biscuit, yeast lees, cashew and just a touch of citrus.
Cellar 2-3 years (2006-2007)
Alc./Vol.12%
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