G.H. Mumm’s new chef de caves, Laurent Fresnet, visited Sydney last month to present the house’s new vintage RSRV Collection.
Fresnet joined Mumm in January 2020 from his previous cellar master role at Champagne Henriot, which he held since 2006.
A native of Champagne, Fresnet grew up the Grand Cru village of Sillery in a wine growing family that has been making 100 per cent Grand Cru champagnes for five generations.
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Over lunch at Ursula’s Restaurant in Paddington, Fresnet presented four new wines that were paired with chef Phil Wood’s sumptuous cuisine:
- RSRV Cuvée Lalou 2008 ($300) – a blend composed from Mumm’s 12 best plots, divided equally between Pinot Noir on the Montagne de Reims, and Chardonnay on the Côte des Blancs. Seven parcels were selected this year, with ten years’ ageing and a light dosage of six grams per litre drawing out their full aromatic complexity and elegance;
- RSRV Blanc de Noirs 2012 ($180) – 100 per cent Pinot Noir from Verzenay, a Grand Cru grown to the north of the Montagne de Reims. The minerality that typifies this terroir produces a clear, high-quality Pinot Noir, giving this vintage an elegant complexity;
- RSRV Blanc de Blancs 2015 ($170) – 100 per cent Chardonnay from Cramant (“chalk mount”) in the Côte des Blancs. The terroir of this Grand Cru offers ideal climatic conditions and a chalky soil which accentuate the mineral, delicate taste of Chardonnay; and
- RSRV Foujita Rosé ($170) – a blend of six Grand Cru terroirs, bringing together Pinot Noir from Verzenay, Aÿ and Bouzy, and Chardonnay from Cramant and Avize. Red wine from another Grand Cru village, Ambonnay, contributes fullness and intensity, as well as aromas of red and black fruit. The grapes are pressed and vinified separately before being blended with reserve wines.
Many Australians likely consider G.H. Mumm as a mainstream champagne house, given the ubiquity of its flagship NV Cordon Rouge.
The RSRV Collection recasts the maison in a completely different light. An acronym of ‘reserve’, these limited release, exceptional cuvées command new respect for Mumm’s Grand Cru riches and master craftsmanship.
You can find the RSRV Blanc de Blancs 2015 exclusively in Vintage Cellars. The rest of the range is exclusive to Langton’s and key on-premise venues.
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