Skip to main content

Tarlant

This has to be one of the most underrated, undiscovered Champagne houses out there.  Last year we offered the 2009 Triumvirant, and opened it for our in store tasting and floored everyone, because it was sheer magic.  These are complex, serious, powerhouse Champagnes with a chalky tension, layers and layers of complex aromas and flavors that range from orchard fruits, salt, apple, peach, hazelnuts and almonds, brown sugar, citrus, and just an overall exotic, oxidative style that few attain in their champagnes. All bound up in an electric, savory, mineral palate.  These are some of the most exciting champagnes I have come across, and I think 99% of champagne is insanely boring and one dimensional.  There, I said it.  We have a comprehensive offer of their champagnes, from entry level non-vintage blends (which are masterfully blended from many micro lots that they ferment individually spanning many vintages and having an aged base wine), through an array of amazing Champagne vintages like 2009, 2006, 2002, and 1996!

Champagne Tarlant is a small grower in the Vallée de la Marne with roots stretching back to the late 17th century, known for focusing on vineyard expression over house style like many of the large producers are known for. Family owned, In 1687, Pierre Tarlant began farming his first vines in their village. Benoît and Mélanie Tarlant are now the 12th consecutive generation working the family land. Farming is 100% organic (rare in Champagne) across a mosaic of prime parcels in villages such as Oeuilly, Boursault, and St-Agnan, allowing the family to bottle wines that highlight differences in soil, exposition, and vine age, which can be upwards of 70 years old in some cases. The estate consists of 14 hectares of vines within 31 lieu-dits of Pinot Noir (50%), Chardonnay (30%) and Pinot Meunier (20%), along with small amounts of Champagne's "forgotten"grapes" like Pinot Blanc, Arbane and Petit Meslier. Benoît and Mélanie have singled out 63 parcels that they vinify individually each vintage, permitting unparalled precision in blending decisions for base and reserve wines, but also letting them highlight single vineyard expressions of their land.   Fermentations done with native yeasts, and dosage levels are kept low or completely eliminated. Extended aging is common, as we see in this offer where we have vintages back to the heralded 1996 vintage that the winery has just released.  


These are extremely special champagnes, from a historic, very old house, whose style I have really fallen in love with over the years. 

Pricing is extremely fair as well.  For comparison, 1996 Dom Perignon, a huge (but great!) producer, sells for 3 times the price of Tarlant's 1996, Cristal is 3 times the price, Veuve's 1996 Grande Dame, a huge production Champagne, for twice the price, Salon's 1996 is 10 times the price, 1996 Krug is 20 times the price.  

Our pricing, as usual, is at some of the lowest in the US.

You pickin' up what I'm layin' down here?!

Wines start to arrive tomorrow and some next week.  In store pickup and shipping is available.  Right now, we are holding most shipments due to cold temperatures unless otherwise requested.

!