Maison Mumm RSRV Grand Cru Blanc De Blancs Brut

Tatler Champagne Guide 2024-2025

Grape Makeup:

100% Chardonnay

Sweetness Level:

Brut

Ageing on Lees:

Seven years

Price:

$$$ (V)

Cellar:

Ten+ years

Category:

Celebration

What

The fourth largest production house in Champagne, given a major boost in quality since its purchase by Pernod Ricard in 2005, which allowed it to move into a large new winery sufficient for its production needs.

Where

Reims; 218ha estate vineyards, of which 160ha are in Grands Crus, with substantial holdings in Ambonnay, Avize, Aÿ, Bouzy, Cramant, Mailly, Verzenay and Verzy; 78% Pinot Noir.

Why

The RSRV cuvées, first launched in 2020 in France, are Grand Cru only cuvées that were originally saved for friends and family of the house, habitually labelled by past Chefs de Cave with the letters RSRV. The 2015 Blanc de Blancs is a smoke show: stony, citric, sexy stuff from a killer vintage.

What Else

Cuvée 4.5 is an NV blend matured for four years and made from five Grands Crus that have been owned by the house since 1840; the wine is gentle and honeyed, with a classic house champagne profile. Cuvée Lalou 2013, just released this year, is a glorious 50/50 Chardonnay/Pinot from a vintage that just managed to get ripe, giving it a certain edgy finesse that recalls its predecessor from 2008. All the bottles of RSRV have the bottling and disgorgement dates printed on the back label for maximum transparency.

Tasting Notes

Powered by yeast and flinty reduction, this opens quite smoky with a sexy matchstick and cedar layer on top of bitter lemon and gentian over a backdrop of wet concrete. It stays very stony and austere on the entry, more wet stone than struck match, while the mousse is very forceful. Acidity is plentiful and the chalky texture is striking, though with no bitterness to accompany it. The fruit is very citric, especially lemony, with a return of the wet stone note on the finish. We like this a lot.

Try It With

Smoked fish, ideally flaky rather than tender but either works.

When To Drink

Apéritif

Perfect For

Your ex club-kid friend turned sophisticate

Tatler Tip

If you don't love the smokiness, you could decant this, but for me it's the perfect amount (also keep that bottle out of the light).

TL/DR

Smoky, citric and austerely sexy

Supplier

Pernod Ricard