94 Points Vinous
The 2016 Special Club is a delight. Lemon oil, chalk, mint, white flowers, slate and dried herbs are all beautifully lifted. This energetic, vibrant Champagne has so much to offer. I find its complex, dynamic personality utterly beguiling. The 2016 growing season presented more than its fair share of challenges, all of which Chiquet handled with aplomb.
93+ Points Jeb Dunnuck
The 2016 Champagne Premier Cru Special Club Brut pours a bright yellow color and offers notes of cherry blossom, fresh pastry cream, candied lemon, and white grapefruit citrus. Airy and elegant, with a supple mousse and a medium-bodied frame, it's very fresh and young, with a silky, stony texture and a graceful, long finish. A floral vintage of this cuvée, a second tasting revealed some greenness and possibly a hint of weediness on the palate, but it might just be more lime leaf, lime zest, and oils that emerge as its profile opens. I would not be surprised to see this show better with time. Drink 2026-2050. Made from 70% Chardonnay and 30% Pinot Noir.
93 Points Wine Spectator
There's buoyant energy to this finely balanced Champagne, with the bright acidity and creamy mousse springboarding flavors of silky pear, juicy black currant and honeyed almond, plus a touch of brioche, as they expand on the palate. Minerally, with chalky and smoke accents through the finish.
Winemaker Notes
Prestige cuvée from one of Champagne's great grower families. The Chiquet family has grown grapes here since 1746, with winemaking beginning in 1911 and the Gaston Chiquet brand established in 1935. Now in its 8th generation. This Special Club bottling—70% Chardonnay, 30% Pinot Noir—comes from Premier and Grand Cru sites across Aÿ, Dizy, Hautvillers, and Mareuil-sur-Aÿ. Minimum 3 years on lees with 60+ months total aging. Each cuvée must pass multiple tastings to earn the Special Club designation. No oak aging—winemaker Nicolas Chiquet favors purity and fruit expression.
Blend: 70% Chardonnay, 30% Pinot Noir
