2019 Pascal Agrapart Mineral Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut Champagne Grand Cru

Champagne Pascal Agrapart is one of the great grower producers, based at the heart of the Cote des Blancs in the grand cru village of Avize. Pascal has the reputation for being a grape grower first and Champagne producer second; a philosophy shared with his son Ambroise who is now in charge of production. Ambroise and the team works an astonishing 70-plus micro-plots in the Cote des Blancs, mostly in Avize, but also in Cramant, Oiry, Oger, Avenay-Val-d’Or, Bergeres-les-Vertus and Mardeuil. All of these parcels are ploughed, and no chemical pesticides, fertilisers or herbicides are ever used. Production is very small, with no more than 6,000 cases produced in any given year.

Mineral is blended from two adjacent vieilles vignes plots (50-plus years old) on the border between Avize and Cramant, where the vine roots plunge straight into the chalky bedrock. The fruit from Le Champ Bouton in Avize fermented in tank, while the component from Les Bionnes in Cramant was vinified in 600-litre oak casks. The 2019 spent just over five years on lees and was dosed at 3.5g/L.

Other Reviews....
The 2019 Extra Brut Blanc de Blancs Minéral Grand Cru is fabulous. All it needs is time to unwind. Readers should be in no rush. Bright and packed with energy, the 2019 is so classy right out of the gate. Vibrant and intensely mineral, the 2019 is very closed in on itself. That won't be a problem in a few years' time, but for now, the Minéral is a wine for the cellar. Extended saline-inflected notes punctuate the sculpted finish, adding to the wine's alluring personality. Minéral, a blend of old-vine sites in Avize and Cramant, is slow to emerge, but it's a Champagne that rewards cellaring. Dosage is 2 grams per liter. Disgorged: June 2025; multiple disgorgements throughout the year. Drink 2027-2039.
96 points
Antonio Galloni - Vinous

A minerally Champagne with aromas of chalk, citrus, lemon pith, oyster shells, iodine and linden tree. Vertical on the palate, with floral flavors and a fine mousse. Very intense and persistent, with a medium body and long, zesty, lingering mineral acidity. 3 g/L dosage. Drink or hold.
97 points
JamesSuckling.com