Nomine Renard Special Club Brut 2014

Nominé-Renard Special Club Brut 2014 is a vintage grower Champagne produced via méthode champenoise at 12.5% ABV in a standard 750ml bottle. Earning a 90-point critical score, this cuvée carries the elite Special Club designation — the highest classification available to grower Champagnes, reserved only for bottles that pass a unanimous evaluation by the Club Trésors de Champagne.

Quick Facts: ABV: 12.5%  |  Origin: Villevenard, Champagne, France  |  Vintage: 2014  |  Producer: Nominé-Renard

Production & Heritage

Nominé-Renard is a grower-producer (récoltant-manipulant) based in Villevenard, roughly 20 kilometers southwest of Épernay in Champagne's Côte des Blancs fringe. The house is a member of the Club Trésors de Champagne, a collective of independent vignerons who submit their finest single-vintage cuvées to blind evaluation; only those that receive unanimous approval may be bottled in the distinctive green Special Club bottle, whose design draws from an 18th-century original. The 2014 vintage was produced using traditional méthode champenoise and spent over 48 months maturing on its lees, a lengthy tirage that builds complexity and textural depth. The house typically works with Pinot Noir-dominant blends sourced from their own vineyards planted with vines averaging 30 years of age, supplemented by Chardonnay for freshness and structure.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: The nose opens with lively citrus and white-fleshed fruit before revealing nuances of white flowers. Underneath, a yeasty, toasted-bread character speaks directly to the extended lees aging, adding a layer of baked richness.

Taste: On entry, ripe citrus and green apple give way to a vigorous mid-palate defined by fresh acidity and delicate creaminess. The wine is full and structured, with fruity notes balanced by a minerally backbone that intensifies toward the finish.

Finish: Medium-long, with lingering nuances of toasted nuts and chalky mineral persistence. The mousse remains fine and integrated throughout, leaving a clean, refreshing impression.

How to Drink Special Club 2014

This Champagne is at its most expressive served slightly below cellar temperature — around 10–12°C — in a tulip-shaped glass that concentrates the aromatic complexity built during its 48-plus months on lees. Sipping neat allows the vintage character to unfold gradually. For cocktails: a Champagne Cocktail (sugar cube, Angostura bitters, Cognac) takes advantage of the wine's toasty depth; a French 75 pairs its citrus-forward profile with gin and lemon for a bright, elegant serve; and a Kir Royale with a small measure of crème de cassis complements the apple and mineral notes without overwhelming them.

Best For

• Gifting a Champagne enthusiast who values grower estates over grande marque houses
• Celebrating a milestone anniversary or promotion with a single-vintage prestige cuvée
• Anchoring a multi-course dinner party with a Champagne that stands up to rich dishes
• Adding a collectible, lesser-known vintage to a serious Champagne cellar

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Special Club 2014 taste like? It delivers ripe citrus, green apple, and a creamy mid-palate underpinned by toasted brioche and mineral notes, with balanced acidity driving a clean, persistent finish.

How does Special Club 2014 compare to grande marque vintage Champagnes? As a grower Champagne, Nominé-Renard's Special Club is estate-grown and estate-bottled, giving it a more terroir-specific character than large-house vintage cuvées that blend across many vineyards. The Special Club classification also requires a unanimous blind tasting approval, a quality gate that differs from the internal selection processes at négociant houses.

Is Special Club 2014 good for sipping neat? Absolutely — its 48-plus months of lees aging produce a textural complexity and aromatic layering that reward slow, contemplative drinking at a cool serve temperature.

Where is Special Club 2014 made? Nominé-Renard produces this Champagne in Villevenard, a village located about 20 kilometers southwest of Épernay in the Champagne appellation of northern France.

What foods pair well with Special Club 2014? Seared scallops with brown butter complement the toasty, nutty lees character; aged Comté cheese mirrors the mineral undertones; roast chicken with tarragon matches the wine's weight and acidity; smoked salmon blintzes echo the creamy mouthfeel; and a simple tarte Tatin pairs beautifully with the apple and brioche notes.

What sizes does Special Club 2014 come in? The standard release is a 750ml bottle, presented in the distinctive green Special Club bottle designed after an 18th-century original.

Is Special Club 2014 worth the price? It positions in the premium tier for grower Champagne, and the Special Club designation — representing only a house's best vintages — provides a strong quality assurance relative to its price point within prestige cuvée territory.

Why Special Club 2014?

The Special Club classification is not a marketing label — it is an externally validated designation requiring unanimous approval in blind tasting by fellow Club Trésors de Champagne members. That alone sets this cuvée apart from the vast majority of vintage Champagnes on the market. The 2014 vintage, aged more than 48 months on its lees, delivers a balance of freshness and autolytic complexity that reflects both the quality of the harvest and Nominé-Renard's patient cellar program. For drinkers seeking a grower Champagne with genuine provenance and verifiable quality credentials, this is a compelling bottle that punches well above its visibility in the market.