2012 J.L. Vergnon, Champagne Extra-Brut Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru "MSNL"

Just when we think that the glorious 2012 vintage in Champagne is gone for good, we discover a tiny treasure trove of what is easily the most pedigreed bottle of sparkling nirvana we’ve offered all year. J.L. Vergnon’s “MSNL” doesn’t really need superlatives, though, just cold hard facts: 100% Grand Cru Chardonnay from the best Cru in the Còtes de Blancs, Mesnil-sur-Oger; 72 months of aging on the lees; the aforementioned brilliance of 2012; and on top of all that it isn’t just “Mesnil” but it is primarily sourced from the most famed parcel in said Grand Cru, “Chétillons.” Just that name alone has connoisseurs of Blanc de Blancs swooning, and then you learn that grower-producer extraordinaire Clément Vergnon is the talent behind the label. Champagne expert Peter Liem says of Vergnon, “This is one of the top estates in the Côte de Blancs today.” Got it? Now don’t delay, we only have a few cases! When thinking about the tangle of geography, geology, and land ownership history that makes