From: Ambonnay, Grande Montagne de Reims, Champagne, France
Varietals: 80% Pinot Noir, 20% Chardonnay
Tasting Notes: Aromas of red cherry, rhubarb, lemon rind, dried rose petal, and hints of sourdough. The signature rich, red-berried nature of Ambonnay fruit coalesces seamlessly on the palate with notes pear, of hazelnut, and spice, all balanced by a racy acidity that drives the wine towards its long, mineral-driven finish.
Pairing: Classic Champagne-friendly foods, including poultry, fresh cheeses, seafood, and fried foods will be lovely pairings with this champagne. For poultry, go with simple, classic recipes but don’t skimp on the quality! Go to your local butcher; you’ll absolutely notice the difference. If you can score a cheese from Champagne, definitely do it. And, regarding seafood, you can serve this with a fresh lobster salad, crab or lobster ravioli or risotto, fried crab cakes or croquetas, scallops served just about any way, shrimp or white fish served as dumplings, scampi, grilled, or incorporated into Vietnamese, Thai, or Cantonese cuisine. If you’re craving something savory, we recommend a pear galette, savory tart (see recipe below), or even fresh seasonal veggies over polenta.
Savory Apple and Pear Galette
By Annie Sherrick
About. Champagne R. H. Coutier is located in the grand cru village of Ambonnay, one of the top wine-producing sectors of the Montagne de Reims. The Coutier family has been in the village of Ambonnay since 1619, with fifth generation vigneron Antoine Coutier at the helm. While Ambonnay is thought of as Pinot Country, Coutier's nine hectares are made up of one third Chardonnay. Antoine's grandfather took the daring step of planting Chardonnay in 1948—a move unheard of at the time—and today Coutier is lauded as the premier grower of Chardonnay in the village.
The family vineyards consist of 40 different plots located exclusively in Ambonnay, with an average vine age of 38 years. In 2019, the Coutiers began organic conversion, which felt like a logical step after years of working with great respect for nature, including never using herbicides and focusing only on organic fertilizers.
The vineyards on the Montagne de Reims shift exposure as one arrives in the village of Ambonnay, facing south and southeast, and producing a warmer microclimate for the grapes. There is also a bit more clay, coupled with the strong influence of the chalky limestone, which gives Coutier's sumptuous wines both richness and freshness. This is
not a large domaine by any stretch of the imagination, only producing 60,000 bottles in any given year.
The Coutier house style is accentuated by vinification and cellar techniques that seek to marry the traditional richness of Ambonnay fruit with the racy and pure style that the family cherishes. To that end, two-thirds of the Coutier wines go through malolactic fermentation, as Antoine feels this balances opulence with tension in the finished wines. Barrel fermentation and/or aging is only used for the Cuvée Henri III and the single vineyard cuvée "La Pierre Aux Larrons.” A second single vineyard wine, "Le Bout Du Clos," sees ageing in ceramic vessels.
While the family previously sold a portion of their annual harvest to negociant houses, today all fruit is estate bottled. Their blends are more dominated by Chardonnay than one might normally expect from a house based in Ambonnay.
