Nomine Renard Special Club Brut 2019

Nominé-Renard Special Club Brut 2019 is a 750ml grower Champagne bottled at 12.5% ABV from the Marne region of France. As a member of the exclusive Club Trésors de Champagne — a collective of independent grower-producers founded in 1971 — this cuvée represents the house's prestige bottling, released only in exceptional vintages and aged a full 60 months on the lees, far exceeding the Club's mandatory three-year minimum.

Quick Facts: ABV: 12.5%  |  Origin: Champagne, France  |  Vintage: 2019  |  Producer: Nominé-Renard (Villevenard, Marne)

Production & Heritage

Nominé-Renard is an independent Récoltant-Manipulant — meaning they grow their own grapes and produce their own wine entirely on-estate — based in Villevenard in the Marne department. The house sources fruit from six villages across the Coteaux du Petit Morin, Côte de Sézanne, and Vallée de la Marne, pressing and vinifying each grape variety and vineyard plot separately to preserve terroir identity. For the Special Club cuvée, the wine is fermented in stainless steel tanks and undergoes méthode champenoise secondary fermentation, followed by 60 months of aging on the lees — nearly double the Club's required minimum. The blend is predominantly Chardonnay and Pinot Noir; for reference, prior Special Club vintages have ranged from 70/30 Pinot Noir–Chardonnay (2015) to 50/25/25 Chardonnay–Pinot Noir–Meunier (2016), with vines averaging 30 years of age.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: The nose opens with ripe citrus and green apple before giving way to grilled hazelnuts, almond cake, and flaky pastry notes developed during extended lees contact. Subtle white flower and white peach aromas add a delicate, fragrant layer.

Taste: On the palate, lively acidity leads into a creamy mid-palate where lime citrus meets the structured weight of Pinot Noir. The Chardonnay component drives freshness and precision, while the Pinot Noir contributes body and depth, resulting in a wine that feels both energetic and generous.

Finish: The finish is persistent, with lingering mineral notes and a subtle nuttiness that recalls the brioche character from the nose. A fine, integrated mousse carries these flavors through to a clean, dry close.

How to Drink the Special Club 2019

This Champagne is best enjoyed chilled to around 10–12°C in a tulip or white wine glass, which allows its aromatic complexity to unfold fully. Drinking it neat lets the five years of lees aging speak for itself. A French 75 made with this wine brings citrus and effervescence into elegant balance with gin and lemon. A Champagne Cocktail — sugar cube, Angostura, and a lemon twist — plays off the existing brioche and nut notes beautifully. For a lighter aperitif, a Kir Royale with a small measure of crème de cassis complements the wine's ripe fruit character without overwhelming its minerality.

Best For

• Celebrating a milestone — vintage Champagne signals occasion and intentionality
• Gifting a wine enthusiast who appreciates grower Champagne over large houses
• Hosting an intimate dinner party where the aperitif deserves as much attention as the meal
• Building a cellar with age-worthy Champagne — the producer notes strong aging potential

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the Special Club 2019 taste like? It delivers ripe citrus, green apple, and brioche on the nose, followed by a creamy, mineral-driven palate with lively acidity and a persistent nutty finish shaped by 60 months of lees aging.

How does the Special Club 2019 compare to Pierre Gimonnet & Fils Special Club? Both are founding members of the Club Trésors de Champagne collective and represent each producer's tête de cuvée, released only in exceptional vintages under strict Club rules. Gimonnet tends toward a more Chardonnay-dominant, Côte des Blancs-driven profile, while Nominé-Renard draws on a broader range of villages and typically includes a higher proportion of Pinot Noir for added body and generosity.

Is the Special Club 2019 good for sipping neat? Absolutely — five years on the lees and vintage-quality fruit make this a Champagne built for contemplative drinking, with enough complexity to reward slow, attentive tasting.

Where is the Special Club 2019 made? It is produced entirely on-estate by Nominé-Renard in Villevenard, a village in the Marne department of the Champagne region, using fruit from six surrounding villages across the Coteaux du Petit Morin, Côte de Sézanne, and Vallée de la Marne.

What foods pair well with the Special Club 2019? Grilled lobster or langoustines complement the wine's creamy texture and mineral spine. Aged Comté or Gruyère echo its nutty, toasty lees character. Seared scallops with brown butter mirror the brioche and hazelnut aromas. Chicken or veal in a cream sauce matches the wine's weight without overpowering its finesse. Light mushroom risotto brings out the earthy mineral undertones.

What sizes does the Special Club 2019 come in? The standard release is a 750ml bottle, which is the format required under Club Trésors de Champagne bottling rules for this cuvée.

Is the Special Club 2019 worth the price? It positions as a prestige-tier grower Champagne — the top bottling of an independent estate, produced only in select vintages with five years of aging. As industry importers have noted, comparable vintage tête de cuvée bottlings from large Champagne houses frequently sell for two to three times the price, making the Special Club category a strong value proposition within the prestige segment.

Why the Special Club 2019?

The Special Club designation is not a marketing label — it is a peer-reviewed distinction. Each Club Trésors de Champagne member submits their candidate wine for blind tasting by fellow grower-producers; only wines that pass earn the right to carry the distinctive Special Club bottle and label. Nominé-Renard's decision to age this cuvée for 60 months on the lees — well beyond the three-year Club minimum — reflects a commitment to depth and complexity over speed to market. The result is a grower Champagne with the richness and structure of a prestige cuvée from a major house, but with the transparency and terroir specificity that only a Récoltant-Manipulant can deliver. For anyone looking beyond the familiar names of Champagne's grandes marques, this 2019 vintage provides a compelling case for the grower movement at its most serious.