Feneuil's are among the last authentically exciting Champagnes to remain sanely priced. This will seem hyperbole if exciting is taken to mean new, trendy, rare, or some combination of these three. I intend exciting here not as a proxy for 'thrill of discovery,' instead as indicator of a more permanent achievement. It's not enough taste Feneuil; you want to drink them, and often.
Feneuil is a modern proponent of agroforestry, i.e. the practice of letting trees grow freely among the vines. He traces inspiration to travels in Morocco where olives, almonds, figs, and grapes often grow in wild symbiosis. (Increased biodiversity, higher microbial activity, and the cooling effect of tree canopies are three agroforestry advantages. Interestingly, Arthur Clair of Burgundy’s Bruno Clair reports that his domaine recently began practicing agroforestry in Gevrey-Chambertin).
These new releases will deepen Feneuil's reputation for remarkable flavor intensity allied to hovering, nearly weightless textures. How many Champagne addresses so persuasively manage the synthesis? And how many among them hold to such consumer friendly pricing?
Cheers,
Jason
