29 Sep 2021

We are just about to ship what we hope will be the first of many consignments of Champagne Mailly, but to say this house is 'new' to Richard Kihl Ltd is not the whole story.

When we decided to look for a new, premium champagne from a small, quality-driven house, Mailly immediately came to mind, having admired its reputation over the years.  Then we mentioned the name to Richard Kihl himself (retired for many years, but still an occasional visitor to the office here in Aldeburgh) and he took great delight in reminding us that he had worked at Mailly as a young 'stagiare', sixty years ago in 1961.

Richard joined us last week to taste the Brut Reserve and Blanc de Pinot Noir.  We were delighted by the purity and finesse of both wines, which are superb value, compared to offerings from the best 'grande marque' houses. Despite the predominance of Pinot Noir in both blends, the main impression is of fine citrus fruits.  With long-ageing in Mailly's traditional chalk 'crayères', the Brut reserve is still full of freshness and energy, as opposed to the more oxidative style favoured by houses such as Bollinger.  With the vines on mostly north-facing slopes, there is also a mineral or saline character, particularly noticeable in the Blanc de Pinot Noirs, which is otherwise broad and rounded on the palate with a wonderful depth and which calls out for foods like turbot or light game.

With our shipment landing in time for delivery before Christmas, this is a great time to plan ahead, particularly with the much written about logistical issues facing the country this winter.

Offered in bond.  Landing late autumn 2021, in time for pre-Christmas delivery, subject to shipping.

 

Floral, precise and intense on the nose, an immediate and wonderful reminder of the elegance and appeal of champagne versus the more concentrated fruit character of the best English sparkling wines.  Acacia, honey, majoring on citrus rather than red fruit aromas (surprisingly, given there is 75% Pinot Noir in the blend!).  The autolytic character is a background note, fine pastry and pain d’epices rather than a rich, leesy-style.  Delicate lemon flavours with a clean, chalky texture, great acidity, intense on the palate.  RKL

"A very refined example, zesty and limey on the nose with supporting floral notes. Elegant palate, with great purity on the finish.  93 points."  Decanter Magazine, Dec 2019

 

More expressive of Pinot Noir, but this is still mostly about minerality on the nose rather than red fruits, with a saline finish.  Other than that, it has a broad, rich and rounded on the palate, very distinctive and a brilliant match for meaty fish like halibut or turbot, or feathered game, particularly partridge.  RKL 

"100% Pinot Noir. Silvery gold. Cool stony nose. A rigorously upright spine of lemon chalk, assertive intensity, like a particularly precise, exacting, Sadler's Wells ballet teacher. Fine boned and light on its feet, yet there is firm power. Very good. (TC).  17 points."  Jancis Robinson.com 2015

 

Producer Profile

Champagne Mailly Grand Cru

Mailly takes its name from the village of Mailly, on the Montagne de Rheims, with entirely grand cru rated vineyards, one of only 17 out of 319 villages in Champagne which can say this.  After the First World War and the subsequent crash in champagne sales, the growers of Mailly banded together to form an association, bottling their champagne under the village name.

Today, 80 growers farm the villages 70 hectares of vines, owned by 25 families.  Mailly is tiny in size compared to the larger houses, but has more grand crus vines than most of them.  Pinot Noir is a speciality here and the Brut Reserve is composed of 75% Pinot Noir and 25% Chardonnay.