Philipponnat’s Les Cintres is one of the most precisely terroir-focused expressions in the estate’s portfolio, produced from a single parcel of Pinot Noir grown on the steep south-facing “cintres” (named for their curved, amphitheatre-like shape) vineyards of Marëuil-sur-Aÿ, the same commune in which the famous Clos des Goisses is situated. The Les Cintres vineyard’s specific combination of chalk and the distinctive microclimate of this steeply inclined, sun-trapping bowl produces Pinot Noir of unusual richness and mineral concentration, making it one of the most significant and precisely documented single-vineyard Champagnes produced by any house with its own specific lieu-dit identity. The Extra Brut designation and the vintage format place this wine among Philipponnat’s most ambitious expressions: a precise, individual wine that reveals the character of its specific Maréuil-sur-Aÿ terroir with the same clarity that the Clos des Goisses achieves from its own exceptional monopole position.

The 2012 Champagne vintage was one of the most challenging of the modern era, with very low yields from cold, wet summer conditions producing wines of exceptional concentration, high natural acidity and remarkable mineral tension that have developed beautifully in the years since disgorgement. For a single-vineyard Pinot Noir Champagne from this vintage, the combination of low yields and the Les Cintres vineyard’s inherent concentration and chalk mineral precision should produce a wine of extraordinary depth and ageing potential, now at a stage of development where the vintage’s austere primary character has been softened by bottle age into something of considerable complexity and interest.

Les Cintres, as Philipponnat’s most individual and precisely located single-vineyard expression outside the Clos des Goisses, represents the estate’s commitment to the most specific terroir-driven approach possible within the Champagne appellation’s tradition of vineyard identity. For those who follow Philipponnat’s work and for collectors who seek vintage Champagne of documented single-vineyard provenance from a respected house, the 2012 Les Cintres is a wine of genuine distinction and interest.

Pale gold with fine bubbles and a complex nose of red cherry, ripe apple, chalk mineral, brioche, dried rose and the distinctive Pinot Noir character of Marëuil-sur-Aÿ on its steep south-facing chalk slopes. Medium to full-bodied with excellent natural acidity, a precise mousse and a long, dry, mineral finish. Drink now through 2032.