Winemaker Notes
To the forgotten Champagne grape varieties: Arbane, Petit Meslier and Blanc Vrai, which express themselves in a tight sap, the classic Chardonnay brings its elegant and persistent note.
The cuvée displays aromas of very fresh grapes, citrus fruit, white flowers or honeyed apples. The Quattuor cuvée, from the number four in Latin, is a fine Champagne, mineral and chiseled.
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The latest release of Drappier's NV Brut Blanc de Quatre Blancs Quattuor—an unusual blend of Arbanne, Petite Meslier, Blanc Vrai and Chardonnay—opens in the glass with an attractive bouquet of honeycomb, crisp yellow orchard fruit, dried white flowers, marzipan and toasted walnuts. On the palate, the wine is medium to full-bodied, broad and crisply fleshy, with a deep core of fruit, an elegant pinpoint mousse and tangy balancing acids, concluding with a long, nutty finish. This is a terrific rendition of this rare bottling, and it's more than a mere curio; indeed, it's well worth seeking out.
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Jeb Dunnuck
Composed of four white grapes of Arbanne, Blanc Vrain, Petit Meslier, and Chardonnay, all from the home village of Drappier in Urville, the NV Champagne Quattuor Blanc De Quatre Blancs Extra Brut boasts a bright yellow hue and is savory on the nose, leading with rich aromas of lemon oils, golden apples, licorice, and flinty crushed stones. Medium to full-bodied, it’s compact on the palate, with a focused feel, a peppery mousse, and a clean, salty finish. It’s a very interesting blend of these lesser-known grapes and has a lot to offer over the coming 10 years. It would be really fun to try pairing this with winter chicories and dishes with roasted fennel and root vegetables. Disgorged in February 2023 with 4.2 grams per liter dosage.
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James Suckling
This crisp and refreshing Champagne shows lemon rind, grapefruit, chamomile, sourdough and acacia honey on the nose. It’s sleek and dry, with pretty citrus and light honey undertones. Elegant and something different. 25% arbane, 25% petit meslier, 25% blanc vrai and 25% chardonnay. 4.2 g/L dosage.
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Wine Enthusiast
An intriguing Champagne, a blending including four of the lesser known Champagne varieties only found in the Aube. Arbane, Petit Meslier, Blanc Vrai and the familiar Chardonnay have come together in equal proportions. The result is a rich style, with a ripe spice aroma and baked apple flavors.
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Wine Spectator
Well-balanced, this sleek, integrated Champagne is lightly creamy in texture, with a firm spine of acidity animating flavors of golden apple, white cherry, candied ginger and slivered almond set over a chalky undertow.
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Vinous
The NV Extra Brut Quattuor is a blend of a quarter each of Arbanne, Blanc Vrai (the local name for Pinot Blanc), Petit Meslier and Chardonnay. Lemon-glazed Viennoiserie and juicy, bright Mirabelle make for an inviting nose, promising fruity allure and subtle yeast. The palate is taut and bright, holding much fruit and freshness in its slender frame. A summery, bright and light aperitif style with a mouth-watering finish that has echoes of umami. Dosage is 4.2gr/L. Disgorged: June, 2022.
A term typically reserved for Champagne and Sparkling Wines, non-vintage or simply “NV” on a label indicates a blend of finished wines from different vintages (years of harvest). To make non-vintage Champagne, typically the current year’s harvest (in other words, the current vintage) forms the base of the blend. Finished wines from previous years, called “vins de reserve” are blended in at approximately 10-50% of the total volume in order to achieve the flavor, complexity, body and acidity for the desired house style. A tiny proportion of Champagnes are made from a single vintage.
There are also some very large production still wines that may not claim one particular vintage. This would be at the discretion of the winemaker’s goals for character of the final wine.
Associated with luxury, celebration, and romance, the region, Champagne, is home to the world’s most prized sparkling wine. In order to bear the label, ‘Champagne’, a sparkling wine must originate from this northeastern region of France—called Champagne—and adhere to strict quality standards. Made up of the three towns Reims, Épernay, and Aÿ, it was here that the traditional method of sparkling wine production was both invented and perfected, birthing a winemaking technique as well as a flavor profile that is now emulated worldwide.
Well-drained, limestone and chalky soil defines much of the region, which lend a mineral component to its wines. Champagne’s cold, continental climate promotes ample acidity in its grapes but weather differences from year to year can create significant variation between vintages. While vintage Champagnes are produced in exceptional years, non-vintage cuvées are produced annually from a blend of several years in order to produce Champagnes that maintain a consistent house style.
With nearly negligible exceptions, . These can be blended together or bottled as individual varietal Champagnes, depending on the final style of wine desired. Chardonnay, the only white variety, contributes freshness, elegance, lively acidity and notes of citrus, orchard fruit and white flowers. Pinot Noir and its relative Pinot Meunier, provide the backbone to many blends, adding structure, body and supple red fruit flavors. Wines with a large proportion of Pinot Meunier will be ready to drink earlier, while Pinot Noir contributes to longevity. Whether it is white or rosé, most Champagne is made from a blend of red and white grapes—and uniquely, rosé is often produce by blending together red and white wine. A Champagne made exclusively from Chardonnay will be labeled as ‘blanc de blancs,’ while ones comprised of only red grapes are called ‘blanc de noirs.’