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Champagne Paul Dethune Princess des Thunes Prestige Extra Brut Grand Cru NV  - First Bottle

Technical Details

  • Blend50% Pinot Noir and 50% Chardonnay
  • WinemakerPierre Dethune
  • CountryFrance
  • RegionChampagne
  • AppellationAmbonnay, Champagne
  • Oak34 hl oak turns
  • Residual Sugar5 g/L
  • Alcohol12.5%

Champagne Paul Dethune Princess des Thunes Prestige Extra Brut Grand Cru NV

Proprietary Blends  |  France

28% off retail!

Pierre Dethune is the latest in a long line of vintners going all the way back to 1610. Like each of his forebears, Pierre has created his own style of Champagne – rooted in tradition yet ever-evolving – the one constant being the grassy lands of Ambonnay. Over the past few years, the Dethune portfolio has gradually lowered the total dosage – moving below the 6g/liter allotment and transitioning the wines to Extra Brut or below (even when labeled as Brut). This shift has produced an enhanced freshness and verve to the finished wines without sacrificing the purely ripe fruit orchard characteristics that is definitively Ambonnay.

The Princess des Thunes is a 50/50 blend of chardonnay and pinot noir, with the addition of 30% reserve wine from lots going all the way back to the 1970s. The wine is all barrel aged, resulting in a “mature” style of Champagne that abounds with complexity – spicy, savory, and earthy tones, with the faintest whisper of oxidation adding even further depth. This is comparable in style to Krug or Jacques Selosse, at a price tag nowhere near those other wines! If ever a nearly $70 bottle of Champagne could be championed for its incredible value, this is that champion!

Located in the pristine hamlet of Ambonnay and is one of only 17 villages rated as "Grand Cru" in the whole of Champagne. Pierre and Sophie Déthune have become known for their powerful yet delicate wines. The vineyard practices natural and organic techniques such as integrated pest management, solar power, and a complete lack of chemical use in the vineyard. Ambonnay is arguably the center point of the grower champagne movement and host to numerous small farmers following in the path laid forth by the Dethunes.

The pinot noir takes the lead in this bottling, with a nose of summer strawberries and raspberries, followed by floral notes of peach blossoms and preserved lemons. On the palate, the wine showcases spicy ginger and nutmeg with a warm woodsy note. The finish is dry, lush, and creamy. This is powerful, heady, and thought-provoking stuff that seriously delivers (or, rather, over-delivers) for the price! Only 30 cases are available, so get some before it is gone!

PAIRING IDEAS: With cooler days on the horizon (about time!), I’m looking forward to fall. The perfect dish for this? Creamy Pumpkin Soup...and go ahead and ignore the recipe on this...the crème fraîche is NOT optional.

MUSIC SUGGESTIONS: “Come and join the party – dressed to kill…” It’s like Roger Daltrey of The Who was channeling me, in my long-stowed fall attire best, showing up to a post-harvest celebration with this show stopping bottle of wine. ”Eminence Front”, indeed!

About the Producer

Pierre Déthune learned to walk in the vineyards alongside his father Paul, who came from a long line of vintners that goes back to 1610. Like his great-grandfather Léon, his grandfather Henri and his father Paul, Pierre is tracing his own path… in the heart of the grassy wine country of Ambonnay. They do the demanding job of Grower-Producers, following a stringent sustainable development approach. As regards the line that came before them and the one that extends ahead, the couple considers themselves to be a generational relay of a timeless heritage. With quality and respect for people and the environment, they produce a range of seven champagnes that are 100% Grand Cru. This cuvee is made from 50/50 Pinot Noir and Chardonnay including 30% reserve wine from a period of 40 years.