Notify me
2015 Brut Grand Cru “Special Club”
Paul BaraLike all of Paul Bara’s releases, Pinot Noir is the back-bone of their Special Club. Production is strictly old-school, with only free run and first press juice used, fermentation in small cement tanks, and aging and riddling in cold, extremely deep cellars for several years. Nothing is released until ready.
Each year, the Special Club represents the pinnacle of the Bara process and style. Superlatives seem to be insufficient when describing the experience of savoring a glass of this Champagne. It simply has it all—refined hazel-nutty, toasty notes, bright acidity, some of the most delicate bubbles ever created, and a finish that lasts and lasts (sometimes longer than the bottle does).
—Clark Z. Terry
Wine Type: | sparkling |
Vintage: | 2015 |
Bottle Size: | 750mL |
Appellation: | Champagne Grand Cru |
Country: | France |
Region: | Champagne |
Producer: | Paul Bara |
Winemaker: | The Bara Family and Christian Forget |
Vineyard: | 35 years average, 11 ha total |
Soil: | Clay, Limestone |
Aging: | Ages in bottle for 5 years before release |
Farming: | Lutte Raisonnée |
Alcohol: | 12.5% |
More from this Producer or Region
2016 Blanc de Blancs Extra-Brut 1er Cru “Monts de Vertus”
France | Champagne
From noteworthy terroir, Veuve Fourny brings us a clean, chiseled style—Chardonnay married with pure chalk and barrel aging.
NV Rosé Brut Grand Cru HALF BOTTLE
France | Champagne
Bara's grand cru rosé is a staff favorite and best-seller: with its ripe, juicy red fruit, fine bead, and creamy yet lively texture, it is the perfect pairing for anything, everything, or nothing at all.
2016 Bouzy Brut Grand Cru Millésime
France | Champagne
Vintage bottles have more grip and a bit of weight than their blended counterparts and often have their best moments at table.
NV Champagne Extra Brut 1er Cru “Platine”
France | Champagne
Beautiful perfume of orange blossom, very fine with an incredibly soft mousse.
NV Rosé Brut Grand Cru
France | Champagne
This is the best way to start a dinner party and nothing says the holidays like rose bubbles. Please imbibe and enjoy.
Brut Réserve Grand Cru
France | Champagne
With classic notes of sweet spice and quince, it’s great with dessert. An apple-walnut pie? Apricot and frangipane tart?
Brut Réserve Grand Cru MAGNUM
France | Champagne
With classic notes of sweet spice and quince, it’s great with dessert. An apple-walnut pie? Apricot and frangipane tart?
2008 Brut Grand Cru “Annonciade”
France | Champagne
“That wine should be paired with a steak,” said Anthony Lynch when tasting this tête du cuvée from Paul Bara.
NV Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut 1er Cru MAGNUM
France | Champagne
If, like me, you gravitate toward drier Champagnes with laser focus, then you will love the wines of Veuve Fourny.
NV Blanc de Blancs Brut Nature 1er Cru
France | Champagne
This Brut Nature bottling, which receives zero dosage, is the driest style of Champagne that exists.
About The Producer
Paul Bara
About The Region
Champagne
True Champagne must not only sparkle, but also must come from grapes grown in the Champagne region of France and be made using méthode champenoise—a process that involves prolonged aging of the wine as well as a bottle fermentation used to add the sparkle to the finished product. Though wine has been made in this region since at least the 5th century, Champagne as we now know is a relatively new creation. It wasn’t until the 19th century that sparkling wine production took hold on a large scale in much part due to improvements in the strength of glass for bottles and the embrace of French nobility of the sparkling wines of the region.
Only three grape varieties may be used to make Champagne: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier. The chalk-heavy soils not only provide complexity and texture to the finished wine, but also act as a natural humidifier thus keeping the vine’s roots warm during colder months of the year. There are grand cru and premier cru designated vineyard areas but unlike Burgundy, there are few lieu-dit vineyards (though in recent years there has been a greater interest in producing vineyard specific Champagnes).
Kermit’s first foray into the region came in 1981 when he began importing the wines of J. Lassalle and Paul Bara—two producers whose wines we still import. In the mid 2000s, Kermit began importing the wines of Veuve Fourny et Fils.
Of Champagne, Kermit says, “You might be surprised to learn that I don’t like a goût de terroir to dominate the taste of Champagnes. If it dominates, you lose finesse. I want some, obviously—but only enough to keep things interesting.”
More from Champagne or France
2000 Rosé Extra Brut 1er Cru “Vinothèque” MAGNUM
Veuve Fourny et Fils France | Champagne
2019 Champagne Extra Brut 1er Cru “Montchenot”
Nicolas Maillart France | Champagne
2011 Brut 1er Cru “Cuvée Angéline” MAGNUM
J. Lassalle France | Champagne
NV Extra-Brut 1er Cru “R 20 Ans d’Age”
Veuve Fourny et Fils France | Champagne
2019 Champagne Extra Brut 1er Cru “Mont Martin”
Nicolas Maillart France | Champagne
2016 Rosé Extra Brut 1er Cru “Vinothèque”
Veuve Fourny et Fils France | Champagne
2022 Rosé Brut 1er Cru “Cuvée Angéline” MAGNUM
J. Lassalle France | Champagne
Brut Réserve Grand Cru
Paul Bara France | Champagne
NV Rosé Brut 1er Cru
J. Lassalle France | Champagne
2016 Blanc de Blancs Extra-Brut 1er Cru “Monts de Vertus”
Veuve Fourny et Fils France | Champagne
NV Champagne Extra Brut 1er Cru “Platine”
Nicolas Maillart France | Champagne
NV Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut 1er Cru
Veuve Fourny & Fils France | Champagne
2000 Rosé Extra Brut 1er Cru “Vinothèque” MAGNUM
Veuve Fourny et Fils France | Champagne
2019 Champagne Extra Brut 1er Cru “Montchenot”
Nicolas Maillart France | Champagne
2011 Brut 1er Cru “Cuvée Angéline” MAGNUM
J. Lassalle France | Champagne
NV Extra-Brut 1er Cru “R 20 Ans d’Age”
Veuve Fourny et Fils France | Champagne
2019 Champagne Extra Brut 1er Cru “Mont Martin”
Nicolas Maillart France | Champagne
2016 Rosé Extra Brut 1er Cru “Vinothèque”
Veuve Fourny et Fils France | Champagne
2022 Rosé Brut 1er Cru “Cuvée Angéline” MAGNUM
J. Lassalle France | Champagne
Brut Réserve Grand Cru
Paul Bara France | Champagne
NV Rosé Brut 1er Cru
J. Lassalle France | Champagne
2016 Blanc de Blancs Extra-Brut 1er Cru “Monts de Vertus”
Veuve Fourny et Fils France | Champagne
NV Champagne Extra Brut 1er Cru “Platine”
Nicolas Maillart France | Champagne
NV Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut 1er Cru
Veuve Fourny & Fils France | Champagne
Vintage Chart Mentality
Vintage Chart Mentality
Trust the great winemakers, trust the great vineyards. Your wine merchant might even be trustworthy. In the long run, that vintage strip may be the least important guide to quality on your bottle of wine.—Kermit Lynch