The Charles Duret Estate
Charles Duret is a special project from Vincent Sauvestre for his Sparkling wines. In 2003 he took over this Estate (formerly Moingeon, La Maison du Crémant).
The grapes are today harvested by hand and are transported in pierced cases to the presses.The juice is fermented in temperature-controlled stainless steel vats. The wines are then elaborated with the blending of two grape varietials: Chardonnay and Pinot Noir for the Crémant Brut and 100% Pinot Noir for the Crémant Rosé.
The next stage is the creation of effervescence: the wines are bottled and yeast is added, allowing the second fermentation process to begin, in keeping with the principles of the traditional Champenois method. Depending on the lots, the effervescence process in the bottles will last between 10 and 20 months. The last stage is the disgorging of the bottles, followed by the addition of a liqueur.
The Charles Duret Vineyards
The vineyards are located in the Yonne and the Hautes Côtes, which contribute to their freshness and crispness, to which they add grapes from the Mâconnais, which provide a more pronounced wine flavor and aromatic strength.
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Refined and very floral on the nose, with a shiny straw yellow color. The nose opens up citrus and honeyed, followed by white peach and cantaloupe notes. It is creamy and voluptuous on the palate. 2020 Gaia & Rey is a moving wine, with a vibrant freshness and lingering finish with a quality of sapidity. It shows remarkable elegance.
Review:
Always a fantastic chardonnay with apple pie, nougat, vanilla, and flint aromas and flavors. Hints of salted caramel. Medium to full body with racy acidity and bright fruit. Complex and lively. Tight and reserved at the end. Needs time to open. Try after 2024.
-James Suckling 96 Points
Quintessa is made from 91% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Cabernet Franc, 3% Carménère, 1% Merlot, 1% Petit Verdot.
The 2021 unfolds with Quintessa's signature balance of complex fruit, precise structure, and vital freshness amplified by an especially beautiful growing season. Floral notes— violet and lilac—lift an intensely aromatic bouquet of cassis and black cherry accented with anise, bay laurel, and forest floor. On the palate, firm but fine-grained tannins back dark berry and savory herb flavors interwoven with graphite and iron. Generous texture carries the complex layers to a fine, chalky finish.
Review:
An exquisite wine, relying primarily on Cabernet Sauvignon from a single estate. Aromas of lavender, dried herbs and grapefruit pith combine with flavors of firm fruits and cocoa on a structure of abundant, powder-fine tannin and a mouthwatering finish. This wine is refined, detailed and delicious, with as much elegance as energy. Best 2026–2040.
Cellar Selection
-Wine Enthusiast 100 Points