Named for the late, lamented horse whose successor now plows the portion of La Fosse (with both chalk and clay elements) in which it originates, Agrapart’s 2007 Brut Blanc de Blancs Nature Venus opens up with sourdough, lightly toasted wheat, lemon rind, iris, lily-of-the-valley, and intimations of ocean breeze that presage the mineral nuance and saliva gland-milking salinity featured on a spare yet delicate palate, where juicy fresh pear and apple lusciously enter the equation. This is understated in the manner also of Agrapart’s “Avizoise” bottling and brings to bear a shimmeringly interactive array of crystalline and stony nuances and diverse, mouthwateringly savory and mineral coquillage in its hauntingly long, still subtly and refreshingly fruited finish. It is likely to merit following for at least 6-8 years.
