The Story
THE CREATION
The best batches are carefully selected, vinified and aged separately. Only some ten crus deserve this special treatment: the very best villages of the Montagne de Reims and the Côte des Blancs. Among them we find a predominance of Pinot Noir (64%) which marks the House’s style. Time is needed to reveal the fullness of Nature’s bounty. Ageing on the lees is patiently continued for five years. When the wine is judged to be ready, the dosage with a very low sugar content of 6g/l brings it out without altering it. For all these reasons G.H.MUMM Millésimé is a wine for laying down, that can be kept in a cellar for some ten years.
WINE TALK: OVER TO THE CELLAR MASTER
"The nose reveals the fine and rich complexity of this wine, starting with notes of apple and pear as well as yellow fruits such as apricot or plum, followed later by the aromas of dried fruits and nuts with some notes of pastry. After a strong attack the finish is well-defined and long."
Wine Information
BRUT MILLÉSIMÉ 1999
The history of the terroir
A vintage that was reminiscent of 1989 in its patterns, suggesting the potential for an exceptional year. All in all, 1999 is characterised by freshness, intensity and length, features that combine to make it a worthy embodiment of the House style.
The elaboration
The best grapes were carefully selected and separately fermented and bred. Less than ten crus received this special treatment, the elite of the villages of the Montagne de Reims and the Côte des Blancs. Predominant amongst them were the Pinots Noirs (64%), the distinctive signature of the House style. It took time to reveal this bounteous gift of Nature. The wine was left patiently to mature on the lees for 5 years. When it was deemed ready, a low dosage (8g/l) was added to bring out the wine’s inherent character. For all these reasons, G.H.MUMM Millésimé has a good ageing potential, one that can be kept cellared for seven years.
Vintage 1999
A difficult start to the year led to early budbreak. There were some damaging hailstorms in early May, but the frost ultimately stayed away. The summer was overall warm and thanks to the hot and dry August, the grapes looked promising for the harvest. However, a damp September challenged producers and dilution was an issue for some. The 1999 harvest that started on September 15th produced a large yield (12,989 kg/ha) of sweet grapes that resulted in soft wines, low in acidity, which produced Champagnes that, in many cases, miss linearity and structure. Voluptuous and enjoyable with ripe, fruity, even exotic characters but in most cases for the medium-term only, even if the best seem to be maturing better than initially expected. The red wines of the year were exceptional and resulted in some outstanding prestige cuvée rosés, such as Louis Roederer Cristal Rosé, Taittinger Comtes de Champagne Rosé and Bollinger La Grande Année Rosé.