Red Wine Glasses, Bar Glasses, Champagne Glasses

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Champagne from the village of Le Mesnil

Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, often referred to simply as Le Mesnil is probably the quintessential village in the Champagne region for the Chardonnay grape. The area under vine is 432 hectares (1068 acres) and it is comprised of 42 growers and a few Champagne houses who have, over the years, gobbled up some of the region's most expensive real estate. The village produces their own special clone of Chardonnay that gives Le Mesnil its signature style.

The Champagnes of Le Mesnil are often racy and acidic when young only to burst into exotic fruit flavors with underlying levels of toffee, almond and vanilla, when matured in the bottle.

Some of the zones within the Le Mesnil who enjoy the highest reputations are Musettes, Chetillon, Champ d'Alouettes and the wildly famous Clos du Mesnil. The "Clos du Mesnil" sector was planted with grapes in 1698 and it is a tiny area within the Le Mesnil of only about 4 acres of which is completely enclosed by stone walls. This small plot belonged to the Benedictine Abbey of the area from 1751 and was purchased by Charles Krug in 1971. The infamous Champagne company Charles Krug found that the original vines were not up to standard for the house and they vigorously replanted the plots in the 70's and it was not until Krug's 1979 vintage that it was deemed worthy for sale.

Today, with that being their first aptly named prestige cuvee, "Clos du Mesnil" remains the Krug house's top label and among the most sought after and expensive Champagne's in the region. Other top houses from the Le Mesnil include: Delamotte, Salon and Pere & Fils Launois, with Veuve Clicquot and Moet also owning some plots within the village. Best recent vintages for Le Mesnil and all Champagne regions include 1996, 1990 and 1988.