ready-improveChampagne Emmanuel Brochet, Le Mont Benoit, Extra Brut

Emmanuel Brochet derives from a farming family in a part of Champagne that converted from viticulture to agriculture (more lucrative, given their proximity to Reims) in the aftermath of phylloxera. One of the remaining outposts of the vine is the Mont Benoît, where his grandparents had some 2.5 hectares contracted out. So, in 1997, Brochet took over and started a project of his own—a choice he made freely and enthusiastically, he emphasizes, rather than out of obligation.

Emmanuel Brochet's brilliant NV Extra-Brut Le Mont Benoit is the finest rendition of this cuvée that he has produced to date. Unwinding in the glass with aromas of waxy citrus rind, crisp stone fruit, bread dough, beeswax and nutmeg, it's medium to full-bodied, deep and vinous, exhibiting terrific concentration without weight, uniting the full maturity of the vintage with the pillowy, chalky signature of the Mont Benoit. Complex and compelling, this release underlines Brochet's status as one of the reigning champions of artisanal Champagne.

Drink 2023 - 2040

William Kelley, Wine Advocate (December 2023)