{"product_id":"a-r-lenoble-extra-brut-champagne-v-20","title":"A.R. Lenoble Extra Brut Champagne (V.20)","description":"\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eA.R. Lenoble Extra Brut Champagne 'Intense' (V.20)\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cem\u003eChampagne, France | 45% Chardonnay Grand Cru, 40% Pinot Meunier, 15% Pinot Noir Premier Cru\u003c\/em\u003e \u003cem\u003eBase Vintage: 2020 | 51% Reserve Wines | 42 Months on Lees | Dosage: 3 g\/L\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr class=\"border-border-200 border-t-0.5 my-3 mx-1.5\"\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"\u003eThere is a technique at the heart of A.R. Lenoble that sets the house apart from almost every other producer in Champagne, and it is deceptively simple: rather than storing reserve wines in stainless steel or large oak vats, the Malassagne family ages a significant portion of their perpetual reserve in cork-sealed magnums. The magnums slow oxidation to a near standstill while allowing the wines to develop quietly on their lees, preserving the precision and freshness of the original harvest while building aromatic depth and roundness over years of undisturbed repose. It is an old-fashioned idea, executed with meticulous modern discipline, and it is the defining technique of the house.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"\u003eA.R. Lenoble was founded in 1920 by Armand-Raphaël Graser in the village of Damery in the Vallée de la Marne. Over a century later, the house remains wholly family-owned and independent, now led by siblings Anne and Antoine Malassagne — great-grandchildren of the founder and the sixth generation to tend these vines. Under their stewardship the estate has been steadily elevated: yields are kept deliberately below the Champagne average, the farming has earned High Environmental Value Level 3 certification, and the house's philosophical commitment to low dosage and terroir transparency has become a defining feature of everything it produces. The 18-hectare estate spans three distinct and complementary zones: the Grand Cru village of Chouilly on the Côte des Blancs, home to the house's Grand Cru Chardonnay; the Premier Cru village of Bisseuil on the Montagne de Reims, source of all the Pinot Noir; and Damery in the Vallée de la Marne, which contributes the Meunier that provides texture and roundness.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"\u003eThe 'V.20' designation of this release identifies 2020 as the principal base vintage, which contributes 49% of the final blend. The remaining 51% is drawn from the perpetual reserve the house has maintained continuously since 2000 — a living archive of flavour that anchors each release in accumulated history. A portion of this reserve is aged in large oak foudres for additional roundness, while the magnum-aged component preserves lift and freshness. The blend unfolds across the three estate zones — Grand Cru Chardonnay from Chouilly for mineral tension and citrus precision, Premier Cru Pinot Noir from Bisseuil for structure and depth, and Damery Meunier for generosity and fruit. After assemblage, the wine spent 42 months on the lees before disgorgement, finishing at a restrained 3 grams per litre — firmly in Extra Brut territory.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"\u003eIn the glass, the V.20 presents a pale gold with a fine, persistent mousse. The nose is refined and layered: citrus zest, white pear, green apple, and acacia blossom in the foreground, with secondary notes of brioche, toasted almond, and a faint hazelnut undercurrent that speaks to the magnum-aged reserve. The palate is vibrant and tensile on entry — the Grand Cru Chouilly Chardonnay asserting its characteristic mineral backbone — before broadening through the mid-palate, where the Meunier contributes a supple, creamy generosity. The finish is long, crystalline, and distinctly saline, with the chalky mineral impression of the Côte des Blancs lingering long after the glass is set down. This is a Champagne of genuine precision and depth, punching well above its price point.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDrink:\u003c\/strong\u003e Now–2030\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Atherton Wine Imports","offers":[{"title":"750mL","offer_id":52184773361975,"sku":null,"price":55.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0901\/0918\/2263\/files\/ARLenobleextrabrut.heic?v=1779651577","url":"https:\/\/www.brentwoodfinewines.com\/products\/a-r-lenoble-extra-brut-champagne-v-20","provider":"Brentwood Fine Wines","version":"1.0","type":"link"}