Fallait Pas Commencer Blanc de Blancs Premier Cru Champagne 0218 | by Domaine des Arondes | fatcork
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Fallait Pas Commencer Blanc de Blancs Premier Cru 2018

Domaine des Arondes

$98

Named after the song “Fallait Pas Commencer” (“get started” in English) by the 1980s French/ Belgian pop icon Lio, this 100 percent chardonnay beauty is the first microvinification Marie-Marjorie started on her own using chardonnay from parcels that are surrounded by pinot noir. She makes only 887 bottles per year.

See: Light gold with lime green reflections and delicate, precise bubbles

Smell: Crushed sea shells, Asian pear and pastry dough

Taste: Mineral notes of damp earth and wet rock join lively flavors of lemon, lime pith and green almonds with just a hint of brioche. Very precise with bright acidity and a gently textured midpalate. 

Pair: Serve this with a salty snack mix or chicken schnitzel over spaetzle with brown butter caper sauce.

Celebrate: You purchased your plane tickets, booked the resort and reserved a rental car Now for the fun stuff:  food tours, excursions and oceanside beach cabanas! Pour yourself a glass of bubbles while you fill in the details for the French Riviera trip of your dreams. 

Village: Avenay Val D’Or

Region: Vallée de la Marne

Vintage: Base 2018

Varietal: 100% chardonnay

Disgorgement: 05/24

Dosage: 5 g/l

In 1982, Daniel Laurent began making Champagne with grapes he grew on two hectares of vineyards in the Premier Cru village of Avenay-Val-d'Or. His young daughter, Marie-Marjorie Laurent, grew up on the estate, helping wherever help was needed, learning the craft and developing a deep bond with both the family land and its legacy. 

After leaving for a time, Marie-Marjorie returned in 2023 to take over her father’s estate and begin a new endeavor of her own: Domaine des Arondes. Named for the migrating swallows (“les arondes” in Old French) that return to Champagne every spring, the micro winery is the vigneron’s homage to her family home, while at the same time, a symbol of renewal, curiosity and exploration. 

In the vineyards, Marie-Marjorie gently works her plots (now three hectares) by horse and plough with Clydesdales borrowed from a local company. Sheep, also on loan, graze on weeds and overgrowth between her vines. Back at the winery, Marie-Marjorie demonstrates a deep understanding of terroir, grape-variety selection and winemaking as each of the cuvées in her release (only 10,000 bottles a year) strikes the perfect balance of exceptional complexity and elegance. 

We Care Deeply About Your Grower Champagne.

Select “pick up” during check out, and we’ll safely store your bubbles in our temperature-controlled cave until you can collect them. Once we notify you that your order is ready, pop by at your convenience to pick it up and enjoy a splash. Or, if you prefer, give us a call, and we’ll bring it to you curbside.

Our new compostable, insulated packaging keeps your Champagne safe from breakage and at a constant temperature from our cave to you. Even so, we monitor the weather where you are, and if we feel that extreme heat or cold may affect the quality of your bubbles, we’ll be in touch to offer you options.

Out of town? On the run? Use the "Special Requests" field in your shopping cart or email us at info@fatcork.comto let us know. We’ll work with you to get the timing just right.

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Frequently
Asked Questions

  • Do you do tastings?

    Mais Oui!

    Join us every Saturday from 12pm to 5pm where we will have three cuvées chilled and ready for you.

    There is a tasting fee of 40$ for non-members (waived with the purchase of a bottle), and members taste for free! 

    *Reservations for groups of 5 or more appreciated. 

    Check out our Events & Tasting page under "Discover" on our homepage for seasonal ticketed events and happenings.

    For information on private group tastings and events send us an email at events@fatcork.com

  • Can you provide recommendations?

    We thought you’d never ask! Whether you’re choosing Champagne for yourself or a gift for someone else, fatcork celebration specialists have you covered! Need help pairing a bottle from your club allocation for your dinner party? We can help there too! In our online bottle shop, you’ll discover an assortment of beautifully curated bundles and gift sets. If you still can’t find what you’re looking for, call or email us, and we’d be happy to help you navigate our inventory of delicious bubbles.

  • Do I have to be a club member to shop bottles?

    No way José. All are welcome to purchase any of our delicious bubbles online or in person at the fatcork cave.

  • What do I do if my Champagne is corked?

    Damp, wet cardboard? That’s not on the tasting note! Cork taint is the worst, but all fatcork Champagnes use natural cork closures, so it does happen on the rare occasion. Please let us know, and will happily replace the bottle. Before you throw it away, snap a photo of the back label and we can refer to the code for reference. Email it to info@fatcork.com along with the order number.

  • Can I return or exchange my bottles?

    We aim to please. Call or email us, so we can talk about what happened and how we can make things right.

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