Champagne Paul Launois Blanc de Blancs Monochrome #6 Extra Brut Grand Cru NV

Paul Launois’ remarkable Le Mesnil bottling – of all Grand Cru fruit, all chardonnay, expressed by one of Champagne’s most exciting grower-producers and a perpetual First Bottle favorite – it’s simply something worthy of celebration!

Julien Launois grew up in Le Mesnil, working with his father’s house, Champagne Jean-Pierre Launois, and also following in his footsteps – taking over his father’s gig as head for the local Le Mesnil co-op (quite the village honor) for a time. He headed out on his own in 2013, alongside his graphic designer and artist wife, Sarah. They bought a worn and aged home, winery, and cave compound – adjacent to the revered Clos du Mesnil vineyard – and launched their own brand under the name of their son, Paul. The Launois family's holdings go back over three generations, up on the chalk and limestone-based slopes adjacent to the revered ‘Clos de Mesnil’ parcels (where Krug's $1000+ bottles are born). Paul Launois’s Monochrome (unofficially dubbed Monochrome #6, as this is the sixth iteration of the wine under the Paul Lanois house) is an absolute gem of top-notch grower champagne.

This rare wine has a production of only about 400 cases per year, and only 10 cases made it out here to First Bottle HQ – so do not wait to add some of this to your own collection. Our limited allocation disappears faster and faster every year, and after my unforgettable visit there in November – at least a couple of these beauties are coming home with me! Julien crafts five compelling cuvées in total, all hand-crafted, hand-riddled and disgorged traditionally in the a-la-volee style. This compelling Blanc de Blancs (as all the Launois cuvees) boasts a barely-there dosage of just 2 grams per liter, with cuvee #6 based on the 2020 vintage – 6% of which is reared in oak barrels. The final 30% of the blend is from the house reserves, adding layers of depth and texture to this bright, clean, and exceptionally pure expression of the revered Le Mesnil terroir.

Aromas of lemon and lime peels, with a saline and mineral edge, start things impressively – all accented by gentle florals of star jasmine and honeysuckle. Myriad fresh and racy citrus notes such as grapefruits, Eureka lemons, and tangerines create the ample core of the wine, with juicy accents of white nectarine, and the unmistakable Le Mesnil signature crushed oyster shells and crushed river rocks. A buttery Madeline, kissed with a whisper of almond extract gives you an opulent facet to the wine – balancing the linear and fresh verve that makes this house such a pleasure to contemplate with every sip! Just an incredible wine that is worthy of any Le Mesnil you can find – at prices two or three times our exceptional price!

PAIRING IDEAS: Something fresh, briny, and just a touch decadent should pair nicely with these bubbles...I’m opting for these Baked Scallops in the Shell.