NO. 7
OFFER
NO REGION SPARKLES QUITE LIKE CHAMPAGNE
WINTER 2023
FEATURE: PRODUCERS: ANDRÉ CLOUET, JACQUESSON, RUPPERT-LEROY,
ETIENNE CALSAC, LAUNOIS, MICHEL ARNOULD, JOSEPH PERRIER, JEAN LAURENT, BERNARD REMY
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Of France’s many renowned viticultural areas, no region sparkles quite like Champagne. Home to the most prestigious sparkling wine production in the world, Champagne has long been a staple amongst collectors and industry folk alike—and the proof is in the bottles. From historic houses to small grower producers (referred to individually by the locals as a récoltant-manipulant), the meticulously crafted bottles coming out of this special corner of the world promise to satisfy wine drinkers of all specific preferences, as well as pair perfectly with a large variety of foods and flavors.
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MONTAGNE DE REIMS
Located between the Marne and Vesle Rivers—and just south of the eponymous city of Reims—the Montagne de Reims is one of the most diverse areas for Champagne production, as the area’s mosaic of soils renders it capable of growing all three of the region’s most widely used varieties: Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Meunier (though Pinot Noir is most common). Home to 25 villages, of which 10 are designated grand crus, the Montagne de Reims covers an east-west surface area of approximately 30 kilometers, and according to the Union des Maisons de Champagne, more than 2,000 hectares are currently under vine.
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André Clouet (Bouzy)
André Clouet is a small family-owned estate based in the village of Bouzy. Comprising eight hectares of sustainably-farmed vines, the Clouet estate focuses mostly on Pinot Noir, with a small smattering of Chardonnay planted for their single Blanc de Blancs cuvée. The base wine fermentations are completed in a combination of stainless steel and/or oak vessels prior to long periods of bottle aging. All Clouet wines rest beneath the family’s home, which dates back to the 17th century. (Fun fact: The home was originally built by one of André’s past relatives, who worked as Louis XV’s graphic designer and printer in Versailles!)
Michel Arnould (Verzenay)
Verzenay has long been deemed one of the top terroirs in the Vallée de la Marne, and the Arnould family knows a thing or two about the village. The most northerly of all of the subregion’s grand crus, Verzenay’s mysterious climate somehow allows Pinot Noir to optimally ripen, which provides a strong backbone to the family’s structured wines. Now comprising just under 11 hectares of vines—of which 80% is planted to Pinot Noir (the remaining 20% is rounded out with Chardonnay)—the property is
now spearheaded by fifth-generation Patrick Arnould. Prior to bottling and sur-lie aging, all wines finish malolactic fermentation in a combination of stainless steel and enamel vessels. The resulting wines are rich and round, yet maintain an impressive balance.
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VALLÉE DE LA MARNE
Located south of the Montagne de Reims and north of the Côte des Blancs, the Vallée de la Marne is unofficial Meunier country, though Pinot Noir and Chardonnay are certainly cultivated here as well. Situated near the main city of Epernay, the Vallée de la Marne is made up of mostly limestone and chalk subsoils, with ample smatterings of clays and marls found throughout the area. Aÿ and Tours-sur-Marne are the only two grand cru villages in the Vallée de la Marne, though a handful of premier cru sites are also present. Like most of Champagne, the Vallée de la Marne is marked by very cold winters and an average rainfall of around 600 mm per year.
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Joseph Perrier (Châlons-en- Champagne)
Champagne Joseph Perrier was founded by father-son duo François-Alexandre and Joseph Perrier in 1825. Today, the estate remains in the family’s hands, with Perrier’s sixth generation at the helm of operations. Comprising 23 hectares, the family’s vines are located on the right bank of the Marne and are handpicked, carefully sorted, and vinified / aged for a minimum of three years prior to bottling. Champagne Joseph Perrier is known for their respect for traditional and artisanal winemaking methods, as well as their authentic, high-quality Champagnes that promise to satisfy a variety of preferences.
Jacquesson (Dizy)
The Jacquesson estate is one of the most renowned in Champagne. Boasting more than 200 years of history, the terroir-focused winery has been farming without herbicides or chemicals for decades, far before it was fashionable to do so. In the same vein, rather than favoring consistent flavor profiles, Jacquesson embraces the variations from each vintage, and has long adopted a vintage-forward expression over one of steady ‘house’ blend. (Note: The first vintage to adopt this mentality was the cuvée 728; since then, the cuvée number has increased by one digit per year.) However,
the thread that ties all of the numbered cuvées together is that they always use all three main grape varieties, are vinified in old oak barrels, and use a small percentage of reserve wine. Jacquesson is also known for its single-vineyard bottlings and large number of old, late-released bottles.
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CÔTE DES BLANCS
Situated perpendicular to the Marne Valley is the Côte des Blancs, one of Champagne’s most prestigious subregions. Characterized by a higher proportion of limestone-rich chalk than anywhere else in the region, the terroir is impeccable for cultivating high-quality Chardonnay, which accounts for 95% of the subregion’s plantings. These world-renowned Blanc de Blancs wines hail from a handful of recognizable villages, of which six are designated grand cru (Cramant, Avize, Oger, Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, Chouilly, and Oiry). Amongst the larger houses, many estates craft their top-tier and vintage bottlings from fruit planted in the Côte des Blancs, thanks to its supreme quality and promising structure.
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Bernard Remy (Allemant)
Contrary to many of the larger houses in Champagne, Bernard Remy is a smaller grower- producer founded in 1968. Now five decades in, the small family winery comprises fewer than 11 hectares of vineyards—though make no mistake, they’re rooted in some of the Côte des Blancs’ top grand crus. (Note: Technically, Bernard Remy is a négociant-manipulant, as they do source some fruit from long-term leases they have with farmers outside of vineyards they own.) Bernard’s son, Rudy, officially took the reins at the estate back in 2008, with dad never too far behind to answer questions or share his opinion. Currently,
the Remy family’s vines are located in both the Côte des Blancs and Côte de Sézanne, with additional small holdings in the Aube (Pinot Noir) and Vallée de la Marne (Meunier). Remy Champagnes are known for their rich-yet-finessed flavor profiles marked by bright acidity and persistent finishes. Etienne Calsac (Avize)
Don’t let his young age fool you—Etienne Calsac’s expertise and knowledge of the Côte des Blancs go far beyond his years. His eponymous project began at the age of 26, when he took over three hectares of his grandparents’ vineyards. Since then, Etienne has slowly but surely expanded his holdings, and has fiercely converted to organic farming. Each of Etienne’s parcels are vinified separately, and all base wines are fermented with native yeasts in a combination of steel tanks and/or oak vessels. His “Les Rocheforts” cuvée is made from a perpetual reserve, while “Les Revenants” highlights a handful of the region’s
forgotten varieties, including Pinot Blanc, Arbanne, and Petit Meslier cultivated in the Côte de Sézanne. Etienne’s wines are concentrated, serious, and dynamic—just like the hands that make them.
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Launois Père et Fils (Le Mesnil-sur-Oger)
Launois Père et Fils was founded in the village of Le Mesnil-sur-Oger back in 1872, and today, remains in the same family under the oversight of Bernard Launois (who has recently been joined by his children, Séverine and Caroline). Le Mesnil- sur-Oger has long been associated with top-tier Chardonnay, providing a solid backbone to the appellation's highly regarded Blanc de Blancs wines—and Bernard's expressions are no exception. A true grower-producer at heart, Bernard represents the eighth generation as his family estate, and manages all aspects of growing, harvesting, and vinifying the fruit himself. Launois Père et Fils wines are known for their distinguishable house style, which is marked by complexity, freshness, and an emphasis on terroir reflection. CÔTE DE SÉZANNE Although perhaps lesser known than the aforementioned three subregions, the Côte de Sézanne plays an important role in the Champagne region, as it supplies large amounts of fruit to the region’s bigger houses, most of which is used in their non-vintage blends.. Located south of the Côte des Blancs, the area is planted to 75% Chardonnay and 18% Pinot Noir, with Meunier rounding out the majority of the remainder. Contrary to the chalk-heavy soils of the Côte des Blancs, the soils in the Côte de Sézanne have higher proportions of clay, which allow fruit to ripen slightly earlier than in other subregions.
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AUBE Deemed by many as Champagne’s most unique subregion, the Aube is actually located closer to Chablis than it is to Champagne’s other four subregions. Vineyards in the Aube account for 20% of Champagne’s total production, with Pinot Noir leading the way as its key variety. Due to its proximity to Chablis, the area’s terroir is heavily made up of kimmeridgian limestone, and its southerly location renders it slightly warmer than Champagne’s northerly four subregions. Over the past few decades, the Aube has become regarded for its quality-focused grower producers, making it an up-and-coming “region to watch” amongst collectors and sommeliers alike.
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Jean Laurent (Celles-sur-Ource) Based in the tiny village of Celles-sur-Ource, Jean Laurent embodies the true spirit of what it means to be a récoltant-manipulant. Jean, who represents the third generation at his family estate, farms 14 hectares of vines averaging 25 to 30 years old, with some of the oldest parcels clocking in at more than six decades in age. A fervent believer in sustainability, Jean limits treatments in the vines, uses solar panels for electricity, and collects rainwater to be reused at the property. Jean’s wines are produced as single- varietal bottlings and are vinified in steel (with full malo) prior to aging sur-lie for a minimum of 30 months (vintage bottlings rest for an impressive 10 to 40 years prior to release!) All bottles at Jean Laurent depict disgorgement date and are bottled with 6-8 g/L of dosage (8-10 g/L for rosé expressions).
Ruppert-Leroy (Essoyes)
Bénédicte Leroy has been at the helm of her family’s farm (accompanied by her husband, Manu) since 2000, though her parents first established the estate back in 1975. However, under Bénédicte’s parents’ oversight, all fruit was sold off to the local cooperative. Since her arrival, Bénédicte and Manu have fully implemented biodynamic farming practices, and have become pillars in the overall biodynamic movement across France. Their wines are made with as little intervention as possible, and no sulfur has been used at the winery since 2013. Each cuvée of Ruppert-Leroy Champagne comes from a single vintage and single vineyard, and all bottles are bottled without dosage, and thus Brut Nature.
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