Get 10% off the purchase price with every order of 12 bottles or more of still wine not already on sale. The savings add up!
Candela Prol, highly experienced certified wine educator and friend of the shop, is available for tastings and training for private and corporate events. For rates and other inquiries, please contact her at candelaprol@gmail.com .
*Offsite events are contracted to and coordinated by a 3rd party, and are in no way affiliated with Chambers Street Wines.
At Chambers Street Wines we're especially excited for the new Champagne releases from Emilien Feneuil, a prodigiously talented biodynamic grower from Chamery, whose first two vintages have dazzled us. These tiny production Champgnes and Coteaux Champenois have brilliant energy and a sensational terroir expression, the result of magnificent farming and deft work in the cellar.
Biodynamically farming 17 small plots (for a total of 2.37 ha) across the villages Sermiers, Chamery and Ecueil, , Emilien produces Champagnes that display magnificent energy, coupled with fine precision, and grounded by a deep sense of earthiness. Following viticulture school in Avize he returned to his familiy's domaine in 2006. After attending a meeting about organic viticulture in 2008 Emilien began converting the domaine with an eye to biodynamics and a holistic approach to farming as it relates to his surroundings, focusing especially on biodiversity in the vines. And one area where we see his committment to biodiversity is the occurence of 'volunteer' trees growing in the vines, which appeared on their own and which he considers as much an expression of terroir as the grapes his family planted.
Fermentation is in used barrels with native yeasts and a minimum of sulfur at the press, eleveage is just shy of a year before the mise and bottling is without dosage. His releases are extraordinary for their frank minerality, purity of fruit, vinous character, and an ineffable character one could ascribe to 'soulfullness.' Especially notable are his Coteaux Champenois which display a confidence and suavity that are impressive in such a young grower. We'll be following Emilien's progress with a keen eye as he grows as a winemaker. John McIlwain
Please note this is a pre-offer and the wines will arrive on May 26.
Feneuil, Emilien 2017 Champagne Cuvée Totum
The Totum 17 Blanc des Blancs is a is barrel selection, comprised of Chardonnay with the balance made up of Petit Meslier. The robe is a pale yellow hue and the wine has a soft mousse and unltrafine bead. The nose offers lovely aromas of apple blossom, cool herbs, and a lemon pith on the nose. Taut and nervy, the palate is chiseled and savory with a satisfying balance of sapid quinine and salty notes at the core with apple skin and white cherry flavors and a penetrating, briny finish. John McIlwain
Feneuil, Emilien 2017 Champagne Cuvée Totum 1.5L
The Totum 17 Blanc des Blancs is a is barrel selection, comprised of Chardonnay with the balance made up of Petit Meslier. The robe is a pale yellow hue and the wine has a soft mousse and unltrafine bead. The nose offers lovely aromas of apple blossom, cool herbs, and a lemon pith on the nose. Taut and nervy, the palate is chiseled and savory with a satisfying balance of sapid quinine and salty notes at the core with apple skin and white cherry flavors and a penetrating, briny finish. John McIlwain
Feneuil, Emilien 2017 Champagne Cuvée Mix Blanc des Blancs
The 2017 "Cuvée Mix" Blanc des Blancs is 85% Chardonnay and 15% Petit Meslier mixed at the press and bottled without dosage or added sulfur and disgorged 12/10/2021. The robe is a pale golden yellow and boasts a fine bead. Perhaps even more chiseled and intense than the already nervy Totum bottles. Cut Winesap apple and deep chalk on the palate. Lonnnnnnng finish. There's a finely-hewn muscularity here reminiscent of Laval with perhaps a touch less amplitude. Mouthwatering and lingering. John McIlwain
Feneuil, Emilien 2017 Champagne Cuvée Mix Blanc des Blancs 1.5L
The 2017 "Cuvée Mix" Blanc des Blancs is 85% Chardonnay and 15% Petit Meslier mixed at the press and bottled without dosage or added sulfur and disgorged 12/10/2021. The robe is a pale golden yellow and boasts a fine bead. Perhaps even more chiseled and intense than the already nervy Totum bottles. Cut Winesap apple and deep chalk on the palate. Lonnnnnnng finish. There's a finely-hewn muscularity here reminiscent of Laval with perhaps a touch less amplitude. Mouthwatering and lingering. John McIlwain
Feneuil, Emilien 2017 Champagne Sermiers 1er Cru Les Ruisseaux Blanc de Noirs
Les Ruisseaux is 100% Pinot Meunier from Sermiers located next door to Chamery. This is perhaps the most mineral on the attack of this year's releases. The nose is effusive and redolent of white flowers, salted plum, and sea spray. The palate is intensely chalky and salty with bright orchard fruit flavors and a lengthy, mouthwatering finish. I can't recall a more crystalline expression of Pinot Meunier. A brilliant Champagne. John McIlwain
Feneuil, Emilien 2016 Champagne Sermiers Les Ruisseaux 1.5L
Les Ruisseaux is 100% Pinot Meunier from Sermiers located next door to Chamery. This is perhaps the most mineral on the attack of this year's releases. The nose is effusive and redolent of white flowers, salted plum, and sea spray. The palate is intensely chalky and salty with bright orchard fruit flavors and a lengthy, mouthwatering finish. I can't recall a more crystalline expression of Pinot Meunier. A brilliant Champagne. John McIlwain
Feneuil, Emilien 2017 Champagne Chamery 1er Cru Les Goulats Rosé
Given the minuscule quantities, Emilien's Goulats Rosé is a rare bird under the best of circumstances. In 2017 the release that output crosses from anecdotal to darned near apocryphal. Strawberry, white pepper, underbrush on the nose. Pinpoint balance between textured ripeness and pungent, tangy soil notes. Pastilles, wild strawberry, and herbs on finish. There's impressive length on the juicy, lifted finish. (Limit one to customer, please.) John McIlwain
Feneuil, Emilien 2017 Champagne Chamery 1er Cru Les Puits Rosé
Two rosés in one vintage! In addition to the nervy Les Goulats bottling, Emilien released the Chamery Les Puits 17 Rosé Pinot Noir. With a 24 hour maceration the Les Puits features a darker ruby cranberry robe. Concentrated and broad. Fine bead, lifted, fabulous texture, more brambly red fruits and plum skin. Great length. For true Champagne nerd comparison Les Puits is En Barmont to Les Goulats' En Valingrain (for those versed in the Rosés des Riceys of Horiot). A brilliant wine that makes the case for terroir specific rosé Champagne. (Limit one bottle, please.) John McIlwain
Feneuil, Emilien 2018 Coteaux Champenois Chamery Rouge Drey Moutier
Whereas the Les Goulats is a more powerful and structured Coteaux, Les Drey Le Moutier is more overtly chalky and high-toned. The robe is an intense ruby. The nose (worth the price of admission) is spicy and red-fruited with notes of rose petal and cherry stone and though structured, the palate is a bit more juicy on the palate. Both of Coteaux Rouges are poised and elegant, though this is more silk to Goulats' (very pretty) velvet. John McIlwain
Feneuil, Emilien 2018 Coteaux Champenois Chamery Rouge Les Goulats
100% organically-farmed Pinot Noir. Les Goulats is a single parcel located in Chamery. The northeast-facing slope is comprised of sandy clays over limestone. For the Coteaux Rouge, the grapes are destemmed. The 2018 Coteaux Champenois Rouge Les Goulats is a most expressive Coteaux. Black-fruited, ripe, and a bit bosky on the nose. The palate shows black cherry and black berry seed fruit on a broad and structured palate. Impressive length and fine-grained tannins beneath fruit bode for excellent ageability. John McIlwain
Feneuil, Emilien 2018 Coteaux Champenois Chamery Rouge Les Goulats 1.5L
100% organically-farmed Pinot Noir. Les Goulats is a single parcel located in Chamery. The northeast-facing slope is comprised of sandy clays over limestone. For the Coteaux Rouge, the grapes are destemmed. The 2018 Coteaux Champenois Rouge Les Goulats is a most expressive Coteaux. Black-fruited, ripe, and a bit bosky on the nose. The palate shows black cherry and black berry seed fruit on a broad and structured palate. Impressive length and fine-grained tannins beneath fruit bode for excellent ageability. John McIlwain
Feneuil, Emilien 2016 Coteaux Champenois Blanc Les Puits Petit Meslier
It seems almost silly to include a single bottle of Coteaux blanc (and a very expensive one at that), but this may be the single best white wine I've tasted this year. Made from the semi-obscure Petit Meslier grape, the 2016 has me struggling for descriptors and comparisons. The nose is expressive and layered with aromas of apple blossoms, spice, honeysuckle nectar with hints of bee pollen and pear skin. Palate is rich and ripe but seemingly without the weight. Perfectly ripe stone fruit and soil notes vie for attention with hints of shortbread, green almond and beeswax emerging with air. The finish is long and vibrant. Is this the Lelfaive or Leroy of Coteaux, one doesn't want to get carried away; but as I said, this is a viscerally thrilling bottle of wine. And should you decide to blind a sommelier on it, if they get it correct buy them dinner. This is like no other wine I've ever tried. Magnifcent!