The Grange CLASSIC 2016 Magnum (Early Disgorged – ’22)

Description

This is a double first for The Grange - our first ever dated vintage and our first ever magnum...

There is a theory, cleaved to by most sparkling wine aficionados, that a magnum (twice the volume of a normal bottle) is the perfect size in which to bottle sparkling wine... something about the ratio of wine to lees means that, though it often takes longer to age than in a standard bottle, the way in which it ages in a magnum leads to a wine that is more subtle, more balanced and, ultimately, more delicious.

Every year since 2016 we have put some wine into magnums - either CLASSIC or PINK or sometimes both - and we are going to be releasing these magnums in batches of 100 as and when they become ready. We are keeping the batches small so that we can experiment with different periods of both lees and cork ageing, each of which brings different characteristics to the wine.  We will be closely monitoring their development and, over time, will build a clearer picture of how our wines develop and what treatment suits them best. The upside of this experimentation for you, dear customer, is that as soon as they arrive at a stage we like, we release them...

Our first magnum release is a blend of 65% Chardonnay, 20% Meunier and 15% Pinot Noir. We added 15% reserve wine from 2015 and fermented 14% of the base wines in old oak barrels for texture as much as flavour. 36% of the base wines were put through malolactic fermentation to soften any acidity and then, once the blend was bottled, it spent just shy of four years on lees being disgorged in March 2022. The last nearly 15 months on cork has added a little oxidative edge to its maturation.

Tasting Notes

Luxuriously toasty thanks to a year-and-a-half under cork. Luscious, ripe baked apples with sweet spice provide for a rich and full palate reminiscent of warm caramelised tarte tatin. A backbone of chalky acidity carries these flavours and leads to a long mineral finish. Generous, mature and CLASSIC

Pairs well with

• Scrambled eggs
• Mushrooms on toast
• Hard cheese
• Smoked salmon
• Blinis
• Pasta with a creamy truffle sauce