Pierre Péters - Champagne Grand Cru Cuvée Speciale Blanc de Blancs 'Les Chetillons' 2017

Pierre Péters is a grower Champagne house whose vineyards are located in Le Mesnil sur Oger, at the heart of the Côte des Blancs. 

The story begins in 1840, when Gaspard Péters, a Luxembourger married a young French woman who owned a vineyard in Le Mesnil-sur-Oger. He began to cultivate vines and sold the entire harvest, as did his son.  But by 1919, his grandson, Camille Péters, decided to vinify the estate's first vintage of champagne. The financial crisis of 1929 further convinced him to continue down the path of in-house bottling.
After his death in 1944, his five children divided the family vineyard equally (0.99 ares). Among them was his son Pierre Péters, who sold his first vintage in 1947. In 1959 he bought the land from one of his sisters. His descendants, François Péters and his son Rodolphe worked during the second half of the 20th century to expand the vineyard of the Pierre Péters estate.  

Since 2008,  Rodolphe Péters has led his family estate and has largely consolidated his family's holdings. Today, he oversees 20 hectares of vines predominantly in the grand cru of Les Mesnil-sur-Oger where 45 of their 63 parcels are located. 

And while the Péters name is heavily identified with the village of Le Mesnil,  only one wine - the single vineyard Les Chêtillons is pure Mesnil with the others being grand cru blends from the villages of Oger, Avize, Cramant and Chouilly.

Les Chétillons, located just southeast of the village of Le Mesnil is the source of the domaine’s most iconic cuvée. The family acquired 3 plots here in 1930 and has been making this single-vineyard champagne since 1971. Its depth relies on the interplay between three different parcels within the vineyard, with vines ranging from 70 to between 35/35 years. Dosage is between 3.5-4.5 g/L.

“Derived from three old-vine parcels within the same lieu-dit, the 2017 Brut Blanc de Blancs Cuvée Spéciale Les Chétillons, disgorged in July 2024 with four grams per liter dosage, is structurally open today, but Rodolphe predicts it will tighten up with more time post disgorgement, as I’m sure it will. Opening in the glass to reveal notes of fresh almond, iodine, clams and citrus fruit, it is flamboyant and charming. Less youthfully austere and more demonstrative than the 2016 vintage rendition, it is Les Chétillons with a more powerful musculature, balanced by a bright spine of acidity and concluding with a long, saline finish. More mineral-laced than the Les Montjolys of the same year, one will want to consider laying down the bottles as they refine with age. It’s the first release where Péters decided to extend aging sur lattes for six more months (from six years to six and a half years), followed by a year post-disgorgement, a decision based on tasting.” - 94 Points, Wine Advocate 

Producer: Pierre Péters

Country: France

Region: Champagne

Varietal: Chardonnay

Appellation: Champagne Grand Cru

Vintage: 2017

Size: 750ml