Crete Chamberlin Quintile Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru 2013 0,75L

Crête Chamberlin Quintile Blanc de Blancs 2013

The Estate

Crête Chamberlin has built its reputation on an unwavering commitment to showcasing the purest expression of Chardonnay from the Champagne region’s most prestigious Grand Cru villages. With vineyard holdings concentrated in the legendary Côte des Blancs, the house has cultivated a philosophy centered on minimal intervention, extended aging, and single-varietal excellence. Each cuvée is crafted to reveal the distinctive mineral complexity and crystalline purity that only the finest chalky terroirs can deliver.

The Quintile designation represents the house’s pinnacle expression—a selection of the finest parcels from five exceptional Grand Cru sites, unified to create a Blanc de Blancs of remarkable depth and architectural precision. Extended sur lie aging and meticulous dosage ensure that each vintage achieves optimal balance between vibrancy and maturity.

Grand Cru Terroir: The Chalk Heart of Champagne

The Quintile draws exclusively from five exceptional Grand Cru villages along the Côte des Blancs, where Chardonnay reaches its most refined expression. These chalky slopes—stretching from Cramant to Le Mesnil-sur-Oger—possess subsoils of belemnite chalk dating back to the Campanian era, offering exceptional drainage and imparting the distinctive mineral signature that defines world-class Blanc de Blancs.

The vines, averaging 35-40 years of age, are cultivated using sustainable viticultural practices with严格 yield restrictions to ensure optimal concentration. East and southeast exposures capture the gentle morning sun, allowing for gradual ripening that preserves the variety’s characteristic acidity while developing complex aromatics. The combination of altitude, slope angle, and soil composition creates an ideal microclimate for producing Chardonnay of exceptional finesse and aging potential.

Hand-harvesting occurs at optimal phenolic maturity, with meticulous sorting to ensure only pristine fruit enters the cellar. Gentle pressing and parcel-by-parcel vinification preserve the individual character of each site, which are later assembled to create the harmonious complexity that defines the Quintile cuvée.

The 2013 Vintage

The 2013 vintage in Champagne presented unique challenges that ultimately rewarded patient, quality-focused producers. A cool, wet spring delayed budbreak, followed by a difficult flowering period that naturally reduced yields. However, a magnificent late summer and autumn brought extended sunshine and warm temperatures, allowing Chardonnay to achieve exceptional ripeness while maintaining vibrant acidity—a hallmark of great Blanc de Blancs vintages.

Critics have praised 2013 as a ‘winemaker’s vintage’ that favors precision and terroir expression over sheer power. The resulting wines display remarkable tension, crystalline purity, and aging potential. For Grand Cru Chardonnay, 2013 delivered the perfect balance of concentration and elegance, making it an exceptional vintage for Blanc de Blancs enthusiasts.

Tasting Experience

• The nose opens with breathtaking purity: white flowers, acacia blossom, and fresh almond intertwine with citrus zest—Meyer lemon and bergamot—alongside subtle chalky minerality and a whisper of brioche from extended aging.
• On the palate, the wine reveals exceptional precision and architectural structure. Flavors of white peach, green apple, and Mirabelle plum are framed by vibrant acidity and a fine, persistent mousse that creates remarkable textural elegance.
• The mid-palate showcases the wine’s Grand Cru pedigree: concentrated yet weightless, with a saline minerality that evokes wet stones and sea spray. Subtle notes of toasted hazelnut and butter add complexity without overwhelming the wine’s fundamental freshness.
• The finish extends for remarkable length, revealing layers of citrus confit, white pepper, and crushed chalk. This is Blanc de Blancs in its most refined form—a wine of tension, energy, and crystalline purity that speaks eloquently of its terroir.
• At ten years of age, this 2013 has entered a beautiful stage of development, balancing youthful vibrancy with emerging tertiary complexity. The integration is seamless, promising further evolution for those with patience.

Service & Food Pairing

Serve at 10-12°C in tall, tulip-shaped Champagne flutes to preserve the delicate effervescence and focus the aromatic complexity. While enjoyable upon opening, the wine benefits from 15-20 minutes in the glass to fully express its nuanced character. Decanting is unnecessary. Consider using white Burgundy stems for a more contemplative tasting experience that emphasizes texture and minerality over mousse.

Exceptional pairings:

• Oysters and shellfish (particularly Gillardeau oysters or Brittany langoustines)
• Seared scallops with cauliflower purée and caviar
• Delicate white fish preparations: turbot, sole, or sea bass with beurre blanc
• Burrata with white truffle oil and microgreens
• Comté cheese aged 24-36 months

Cellaring & Evolution

The 2013 vintage, now ten years from harvest, is drinking beautifully and will continue to evolve gracefully for another 5-8 years. Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs of this caliber typically reaches peak maturity between 10-15 years, where youthful citrus notes give way to honeyed complexity, toasted nuts, and profound mineral depth. For those seeking immediate pleasure, open now to experience the wine’s vibrant energy and precise fruit expression. For collectors, cellaring until 2026-2030 will reveal deeper tertiary aromatics while maintaining the crystalline structure that defines exceptional Chardonnay-based Champagne. Store bottles horizontally in a cool (12-14°C), dark cellar with consistent humidity to ensure optimal aging conditions.