Marc Hebrart Champagne Mes Favorites Vieilles Vignes 1er Cru NV

- 96 Punkte Tyson Stelzer’s Champagne Guide 2020: „Behind the village of Mareuil, directly under the vineyards, a sheer chalk cliff stands as a dramatic and stark testimony to the profound terroir that forms the bedrock of what is the greatest premier cru of all. To drink Jean-Paul Hébrart’s new cuvée is an equally profound experience of the confronting minerality of Mareuil-sur-Aÿ. The ability of the deep roots of old vines to extract the chalk signature of the terroir of great sites is remarkable indeed, and Hébrart bores to the very core of the chalk of Mareuil. Old vines infuse sensational concentration, too, rippling and rumbling with layers of generous white peach, fig and layers of spice. Chalk brings dynamic freshness to this succulent generosity, holding pronounced persistence and impeccable line. It’s little wonder that these plots, Hébrart’s most representative of his village, are the closest to his heart. Mes Favorites, indeed. Mine too.“

- 93 Punkte, DECANTER Tom Hewson (10/2023): „Old vines and low yields seem to give an impression of age and depth in this wine, even if there are no old reserves and no oak here. Full of dried pear, ginger and sweet grapefruit peel, complex with spiced apple tart and brown bread toast, this is saturated with flavour and detail but not at all heavy; superb value. 80% Pinot Noir and 20% Chardonnay from old vines in Mareuil-sur-Aÿ in the Vallée de la Marne. 50% each from the 2019 and 2018 vintages.“ Drinking window: 2023-2028

-  93 Punkte JEB DUNNUCK, Audrey Frick (7/2022): „A blend of 80% Pinot Noir and the remainder Chardonnay, with 60% from the 2018 vintage and the rest from the 2016 vintage, the NV Champagne Mes Favorites Vieilles Vignes Brut takes on more dark fruits, but they remain pure, with notes of kirsch, wet asphalt, and hay. The palate offers more red fruit eau de vie of raspberry, river rock, and saltiness, and it is dry, inviting, and pleasurable. This is a beautiful wine to drink now or over the next 15 or more years.“ 2022-2037

- 93 Punkte Robert Parkers WINE ADVOCATE, William Kelley: "The NV Brut Premier Cru Mes Favorites Vieilles Vignes is a new cuvée for Hébrart that's well worth seeking out, derived from superior, south-facing sites in Mareuil-sur-Ay that also inform his Special Club bottling. The inaugural released, based on the 2014 vintage, is showing very well, wafting from the glass with aromas of apples, pears, tangerine, white flowers, spice and pastry cream. On the palate, it's medium to full-bodied, concentrated and nicely structured, with good cut and dry extract, as well as all the charm that defines the house style."

- 92 Punkte VINOUS, Antonio Galloni (11/2021): „The NV Brut Mes Favorites Villes Vignes is perfumed and quite airy in feel. The Mes Favorites is a pretty wine, but there is not exactly the depth or gravitas I expect to see in an old-vines bottling. Dried flowers, herbs, chamomile and citrus open nicely in a tasty, mid-weight Champagne from Marc Hébrart. Disgorged: August 28, 2019.“

- 92 Punkte Robert Parkers WINE ADVOCATE, William Kelley (2021): „Disgorged in August 2019, Hébrart's new release of the NV Brut Premier Cru Mes Favorites Vieilles Vignes is based on the 2015 vintage. Wafting from the glass with aromas of pear, white flowers, blanched almonds and Meyer lemon, it's medium to full-bodied, bright and pillowy, with a pretty core of fruit, lively acids and a refined mousse. Once again, it derives from superior, south-facing sites in Mareuil-sur-Ay that also inform his Special Club bottling.“

- JEAN PAUL HEBRART: "Plots of land in our Domain for which I have a strong attachment, which represent the spirit and the heart of Mareuil sur Ay’s Terroir."

- LA REVUE DU VIN DE FRANCE: "Le charactere de ce pinit noir (75% de l'assemblage) de Mareuil-sur_ay est bien identifie dans ce champagne intense en saveurs. Belle finale structure."

- TERRY THEISE 2019 Terry Theise Estate Selections Champagne:  "I have no idea why I’ve never done this for Champagne! Permit me to draw your attention to this short-list of indispensable masterpieces, some of which might have been below your radar.
THE GREATEST WINES IN THIS OFFERING ARE:
HÉBRART “Mes Favorites”
HÉBRART 2014 Spécial Club
HÉBRART 2015 Les Noces de Craie
THE GREATEST VALUES IN THIS OFFERING ARE:
HÉBRART Selection NV
THE BEST NV BRUT IN THIS OFFERING IS:
HÉBRART “Reserve”

- +++ TERRY THEISE 2019 Terry Theise Estate Selections Champagne: "The facts first—It is 75% PN from Mareuil, 25% Chard also from Mareuil. Old vines, massale selection. Deg 4/2018. 60% 2014, 20% 2013, 20% 2012. It’s from his favorite parcels in Mareuil—and is intended as a tribute to its terroir. It has a truly noble PN fragrance, leading to an utter masterpiece of weightless concentration, as huge and yet as penetrable as a cumulous cloud. Mareuil is clearly great but it’s also somewhat inscrutable; it has some of the malt of Aÿ, some Mirabelle confiture, an almost gingery spice and top notes of chalk. This wine has great, gossamer opulence."

- 16,5 Punkte LE POINT: "Vieilles vignes premier cru Mareuil-sur-Ay. Nez vanille, floral, bouche vive, tendue, fraiche, épicée, sous-bois, bonne amertume en finale."

- 16,5 Punkte VINUM World of Champagne Special 2021: "Explosive Aromatik, fruchtig, Obst; fülliger Auftakt, besitzt Tiefe und Rasse, weinig, Finale von ausgesprochener Länge, voller Rasse, toller fruchtiger, charaktervoller Champagner."

- 16,5 Punkte GAULT & MILLAU: "Superbe d'Equilibre. Cette cuvée, à majorité de pinot noir, n'est composée que de jus issus des parcelles du village de MAreuil-sur-Ay. Le nez oscille entre raisin frais et minéralite. La bouche est à l'avenant avec une sapidité, une fraîcheur citronnée et une presence nette. Finale très longue et salivante. Sans conteste l'une de nos cuvées favorites aussi."