Michel Gonet Le Mesnil-sur-Oger 'Les Hautes Mottes' 2017

Michel Gonet’s limited-release Champagne ‘Les Hautes Mottes’ combines Grand Cru fruit from one of the region's most distinguished lieu dits with the talents of two rockstar winemakers – Marco Pelletier and Raj Parr.

Marco – owner of Paris’ celebrated Vantre restaurant and current vigneron at Bordeaux’s idiosyncratic Domaine de Galouchey – has teamed up with his Champagne-obsessed pal Raj Parr, another acclaimed former sommelier-turned-winemaker behind the Burgundian-inspired projects Sandhi and Domaine de la Côte in California. 

The duo have isolated the best fruit in Le Mesnil-sur-Oger – a chalk-rich terroir famed for sublime bottles such as Salon 'Le Mesnil', Krug 'Clos du Mesnil', and Pierre Peters's 'Les Chétillons' – to create 'Les Hautes Mottes'. Having friends such as Jean-Marc Roulot also helps – the Burgundian legend now sends them up his old Meursault barrels.

Spending 60 months on the lees before disgorgement, ‘Les Hautes Mottes’ is bottled without dosage. Akin to white Burgundy with bubbles, it crackles with vibrant energy. Elegant and poised, Le Mesnil’s signature chalky minerality cuts through the pure citrus fruit, subtle toasty character, and gingery spice. One for the cellar or delicious racy with a good decant now.

94 Points, Vinous