Aubry Champagne

Champagne Aubry in Jouy-les-Reims makes unique, wonderful and powerful wines

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Aubry is a Grower Champagne made by the twin brothers Pierre and Phillipe Aubry in Jouy-les-Riems, which is in western Montagne de Reims. They are unique and wonderful as well as powerful Champagnes, and asome tasting notea follow below.

As their importer and well respected all around guy Terry Theise says, "Are there any Champagnes more original than these? And any Champenoise more iconoclastic than the Brothers Aubry?"

There are several possible reasons for this uniqueness, including certainly the brothers themselves. Also they do not use sugar for dosage as others do; they use concentrated must.

The brothers use not only Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier, but also some ancient varieties still allowed by French law: one and a half hectares of Pinot Blanc, Fromenteau (Pinot Gris), Petit Mesilier, and Arbanne. These unusual grapes are used in two cuvées, La Cuvée Le Nombre d'Or Sablé Blanc des Blancs and La cuvée Le Nombre d'Or. Few others use or even consider these grapes in Champagne, although they are technically allowed.

I have not as of this writing tried any wines from Arbanne or Petit Mesilier, but supposedly the Arbanne tastes somewhat like Gruner Veltliner as it tastes green (not an unripe green) with some exotic Gruner Veltliner things, and the Petit Mesilier tastes even more exotic with cantaloupe and other melons and peppermint, and more.

There is some controversy as to why these grapes are no longer used in Champagne (or anywhere else to my knowledge). One theory is that they must have been pulled out and replanted for some reason, but the Brothers Aubry hold to the theory that after the phylloxera devastation in the late 19th century destroyed most of the vineyards, they were replanted with more robust varietals. In any case, I look forward to trying them and many Champenoise are watching carefully.

They grow grapes in 17 hectacres in clay and limestone soil, in Jouy, Coulommes-la-Montagne, Villedommange, and Pargny-les-Reims, and have an annual production just shy of 12,000 cases.

They make a number of cuvees, currently La cuvée Aubry de Humbert, La cuvée Brut Classique, La cuvée Ivoire et Ebène, La cuvée Le Nombre d'Or, one pure chardonnay, La cuvée Le Nombre d'Or Sablé Blanc des Blancs, and two roses: La cuvée Rosé Classique and La cuvée Sablé Rosé.

Thanks to my friend Paul The Ferrari, I tries the Aubry Rose Brut, a Non Vintage Champagne last night, and was impressed.

Tasting Note: Aubry Rose Brut

A nice light salmon/copper color.

A bit of yeast on the nose and small white spring flowers with some citrus in the background.

On the palate this was nice, light & attractive yet with plenty of body. In other words, elegant yet muscular. It was big on the front palate. Lemon zest with a slight orange citrus as well on the aftertaste. A slight touch of very appropriate bitterness. I expect this to be even better in a couple of years!

Aubry de Humbert 2006Tasting Note: Aubry de Humbert 2006 - January 2013, rated A - love it!

Tasted at a dinner at Yamas in Wellesley Mass.

The nose is high toned, spritely and lively, with  apple, spicy chalk, and fresh bread dough

The palate was smooth yet spicy, with some subtle apple and more minerals. The nose is more expressive than the taste, but this wine is quite young at this point.

At about US$60 this is a steal!

Click Here to visit the official Champagne Aubry Web site (all in French of course).

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