My friend who manages the local Bev-Mo calls me up and is like, Have you had this? I’m selling the crap outa this stuff and it’s got a nondescript little label, is a natural and NOT cheap! I wasn’t familiar with it and had to check it out. Keep in mind both the demo and the competition at a place like this. ACRES of shelf-space filled with charmat and forgettable bruts and extra-dry’s, not to mention the choices at this PP: the yellow stuff, the black and red stuff, the gold-plated stuff, the bottled-water ones and a plethora of house-commissioned labels. There’s a SHIT-TON of options at the 45-60 dollar range, and this little guy does NOT jump off the shelf. Plus it’s Skurnik!!! That was what I noticed first: Skurnik at Bev-Mo???? Tons of great info on the back, including assemblage vintages, vineyard sources, disgorgement and variety.

Extreme mousse on initial pour, fading to rather dark golden with an absolutely NON ENDING stream of bubbles. No, I’m serious: I poured a glass and went to the store!–returning to a room-temp glass STILL sending solid streams from the stem. The nose is dusty and ripely tropical, with green shrubbery, marzipan and cardboard milking out a creamy nose tilting toward aged.

Creamy and sharp in the mouth, rich and full with elegance but the curves of Kate Moss and texture of a nail-file. I’ve never said this before in my life, but I think it actually might benefit from a couple grams of hummingbird food. When wines are bright and clear and young, I lust for the brut nature, but here the creamy richness and age and vague tropical aspects feel almost awkward against a stark landscape of sweetness. It’s a slippery slope, but this is a gorgeous wine and I can’t wait to show it off to people who care about such things.

NV MOUZON LEROUX et FILS ‘L’atavique’ Tradition 65/35 CH/PN Grand Cru Verzy 12.0 0 g/l

www.champagne-mouzon-leroux.com/en
www.skurnik.com/producer/mouzon-leroux/
https://www.bevmo.com/shop/wine/other_wine/champagne/sparkling/mouzon_leroux_l_atavique_750_ml/p/1564405684712533106