Champagne Wine Auction - No Reserve Price Champagne Duménil Réserve 26 Premier Cru Champagne Perpetual Reserve aged 26 years 3 bottles 0.75 L The crown jewels of Chigny les Roses This lot offers three bottles of Champagne Duménil Réserve 26, one of the most distinctive and historically significant cuvées produced by this Premier Cru grower estate. Réserve 26 is a perpetual reserve Champagne, patiently built over twenty six years, representing the living memory of the Duménil cellar and the purest expression of long term Champagne craftsmanship. Estate history and heritage Champagne Duménil is a historic family owned Champagne house founded in 1874 in the village of Chigny les Roses, Montagne de Reims. For more than 150 years and five generations, the Duménil family has remained independent, estate focused and terroir driven. As a récoltant manipulant, the house produces Champagne exclusively from its own Premier Cru vineyards, maintaining full control from vineyard to bottle. Champagne Duménil is a long standing member of the Club Trésors de Champagne, one of the most selective associations of independent grower Champagne estates. Membership requires repeated blind tastings, strict peer review and consistent excellence, placing Duménil firmly among the elite artisan producers of Champagne. Réserve 26 and the perpetual reserve concept Réserve 26 is the flagship cuvée of Champagne Duménil and the embodiment of the estate’s heritage. This Champagne is created using a perpetual reserve system that has been continuously maintained for twenty six years, incorporating wines from multiple vintages layered gradually over time. Each release includes a portion of the oldest reserve wines while being refreshed with younger wines, preserving both freshness and extraordinary depth. This method, comparable in philosophy to solera systems, creates a Champagne of remarkable complexity, continuity and identity. Réserve 26 is not a vintage Champagne but a living archive of Duménil’s Premier Cru terroirs, craftsmanship and stylistic fingerprint across generations. Sustainable viticulture and vineyard practices Champagne Duménil practices sustainable viticulture with a focus on long term vineyard health and soil vitality. Vineyards are farmed with reduced chemical intervention, careful canopy management and strict yield control. All grapes are harvested manually to ensure precision and quality. This approach allows the estate to produce base wines of sufficient purity and balance to support extended cellar ageing required for perpetual reserve Champagne. Champagne style and cépage Réserve 26 is based primarily on Pinot Noir, complemented by Chardonnay, reflecting the classic profile of the Montagne de Reims. Extended lees ageing and perpetual reserve integration result in a Champagne that balances power and elegance, freshness and maturity. Dosage is carefully calibrated to support structure without masking complexity. Tasting profile Golden colour with fine, persistent mousse. Aromas reveal layered complexity of brioche, toasted hazelnut, baked apple, dried citrus peel, honey, chalk and subtle spice. On the palate, the Champagne is deep, structured and silky, with remarkable integration between freshness and maturity. Flavours unfold gradually, showing yellow fruit, pastry, roasted notes and pronounced mineral depth. The finish is long, harmonious and persistent, underscoring the wine’s stature and ageing pedigree. Comparison with top prestige grower Champagnes In philosophy and quality, Champagne Duménil Réserve 26 stands alongside prestige cuvées from elite grower estates such as Egly Ouriet Vignes de Vrigny, Chartogne Taillet Chemin de Reims, Jacques Selosse Initial and mature releases from Agrapart. While many prestige grower Champagnes rely on single vintage or parcel selection, Réserve 26 offers a unique approach through long term perpetual reserve construction, delivering unmatched continuity, complexity and identity. For collectors, it represents a compelling alternative to the most famous prestige grower cuvées, often at a more accessible price point. Sommelier and gastronomy pairing Réserve 26 is a gastronomic Champagne suited to fine dining. Ideal pairings include lobster, scallops, turbot, poultry with truffle, veal, aged Comté, Parmesan and haute cuisine dishes with butter or cream based sauces. It also excels as a contemplative Champagne for experienced drinkers. Drinking window Drinking beautifully now with full maturity and harmony. With continued professional storage, Réserve 26 will maintain its balance and complexity for many years. Expected drinking window extends from now through at least 2035, with potential beyond due to its unique construction and cellar stability. Provenance and condition The bottles were sourced directly from Champagne Duménil and shipped immediately to the OHMS Connoisseurs Choice professional wine cellar. Storage has been continuous under controlled temperature and humidity. All bottles display clean and intact labels, original foils and high fill levels, confirming pristine condition and flawless provenance from estate to cellar. Collector and investment perspective Perpetual reserve Champagne from Premier Cru grower estates represents one of the most intellectually appealing and increasingly sought after categories in fine Champagne collecting. Champagne Duménil Réserve 26 combines 150 years of heritage, twenty six years of reserve wine accumulation, Club Trésors de Champagne membership and limited production. Pristine bottles with direct estate provenance and professional storage are increasingly rare, positioning this cuvée as a collector level Champagne with both emotional depth and long term value appeal. This is a rare opportunity to acquire the crown jewel of Champagne Duménil, Réserve 26, in perfect condition, with direct estate provenance, professional OHMS storage, no reserve price.