On Friday I took a virtual class discussing the Modern Wines of Champagne. I will tell anyone and everyone that my favorite beverage in the world is Champagne (coffee and water are tied for 2nd due to being necessary for existence), and this class did not diminish that one bit. The focus was on the lesser known Grower Champagnes, a booming sector of the market, but one that can be challenging to get to know because of the smaller number of cases making it shelves near you. The teacher led us through samples of 12 different wines, and I tried to take notes of my impressions while being utterly distracted by the fact that I was trying 12 freaking Champagnes.
Fresne Ducret, Arquemie No. 4 “Les Glaisiers” Blanc, 2018
Wine 1 was a still wine from Champagne, part of a special AOC called Coteaux Champenois. Now, I knew this AOC existed, and knew it was for still wines. What I didn’t understand is that these still whites and reds (and roses of AOC Roses de Ricey) were truly stylistically still Champagnes. When you learn about Champagne making they tell you how enamel-ripping acid the still wines are that they taste for the assemblage, and these Coteaux Champenois are closely related to those! I mean, there was enough balance to make it enjoyable, but that may be because I am what is called an “acid freak” in the wine world.
These wines are very hard to get in the US because such small quantities are made (you can make a lot more money selling your grapes to a co-op to make sparkling Champagne), so I was thrilled to have it included in this tasting. As an example–only 388 bottles were made of this particular wine (a typical barrel holds 300 bottles worth, so that is a really small amount!).
This wine tasted like winter sunshine–bright and acidic, with just enough polish to bring you back for another sip. It was a pale white wine, even though it was only 60% Chardonnay with the rest being Petit Meslier (25%) and Pinot Meunier (15%). A more readily available wine that I have had that could be called similar is Electric Acid Test by Brand in Pfalz, Germany (90% Chardonnay, 10% Riesling). If you like dry & high acid wines, these are worth a try if you come across them!
Michel Turgy, Blanc de Blans (NV) & Veuve Fourny, Cuvee R Extra Brut (NV)
Wines 2 & 3 were both 100% Chardonnay blanc de blancs, but were vastly different in taste. The Turgy used a lot of reserve wine (read, wine that has been mellowing a bit, probably on the lees, over the years). It had a very soft nose with bright yellow fruit flavors and some nuttiness. The Fourny was a bigger presence, with a warmth that came from the wine fermenting and aging in oak for 18 months before assemblage. Fermenting in oak makes those oak notes much more integrated than simply aging after fermentation, and then the 4 years aging in bottle after 2nd fermentation polished the notes further. I probably would choose the Turgy for drinking as an aperitif and the Fourny with food, but they were both delightful.
Drappier, Quattor IV, Blanc de Quatre Blanc, Extra Brut (NV)
Drappier is known for being a “Pinot House,” but they also make this great blanc de blanc with 3 less common white grapes plus Chardonnay (all at 25%) – Arbanne, Petit Meslier & Blanc Vrai (another name for Pinot Blanc). The Pinot Blanc gives it a heady floral fragrance, and the combination itself gives it a far greater complexity than the 100% Chardonnay types. One of the other students wondered what this would be like decanted to allow the flavors and fragrances to open even more.
H. Goutorbe, Cuvee Prestige (NV)
Our first white sparkling that had red grapes in it, and you immediately got a hit of pink cotton candy in the fragrance. 70% Pinot Noir, 25% Chardonnay & 5% Pinot Meunier give it plenty of depth of flavor, and using about 25% reserve wine adds to the complexity. Very good, but didn’t take a ton of notes.
Drappier, Brut Nature Sans Soufre (NV)
As mentioned before, Drappier is known for Pinot Noir, and this one is 100%. This one comes from their work in trying to make Champagnes using as little added sulfur dioxide as possible, which is VERY difficult in sparkling wine production. This is also presented without any dosage, or added sweet wine at the end that is often used to balance the high acidity natural to this style. Both gambles work, though! My first sniff made me think of a very light Burgundy Pinot, but the flavor was a deeply textural Champagne. Lite red fruits and a touch of brioche.
Jean Michel, Meunier 2012
This 100% Pinot Meunier was our first Vintage Champagne. Vintage wines are far more challenging because you can only work with what that year gave you rather than add complexity with your back stock. They are more common in the “grower Champagne” world since so many of these makers don’t have a back stock to pull from. Lucky for us all 2012-2016 were all considered excellent vintages in Champagne, so you can find a lot from those years. This particular wine was disgorged in 2018, meaning that it was in its 2nd fermentation state for 5 years before being declared “ready” (minimum allowed is 3 years). I always recommend Meunier focused Champagnes for red wine drinkers. It was long thought of as the “rustic” grape in Champagne, but it is the dominant grape around the main villages of Reims & Epernay, so I think it just prefers to avoid the spotlight. This Champagne had broad, textured and zippy red fruit. Would love to drink more!
H. Goutorbe, Cuvee Millesime 2012
Another 2012 vintage, this one not disgorged until January of 2022! This drinks like a modern take on a classic Champagne flavor–strawberries and cream. 70% Pinot Noir, 30% Chardonnay
Aubry, Ivoire et Ebene 2014
A beautiful white champagne with almond and apricot notes up front, red plum on the finish. 60% Chardonnay, 30% Pinot Meunier, 10% Pinot Noir
Mousse Fils, L’Or d’Eugene Rose Perpetuelle (NV)
The first of our 3 rose Champagnes, Made from 92% Pinot Meunier, 8% Pinot Noir. The wine was fermented white and then made rose at dosage with the addition of still & red Pinot Meunier wine. The “Perpetuelle” in the name comes from their technique of having a barrel of reserve wine that they draw off 50% every year for use and top off with the latest vintage. That means this particular bottle is 50% from that barrel with wines from 2003-2019, and 50% 2019. The first sip to me tasted like liquid gold over red berries. Delightful.
Gamet, Rose (NV)
This rose was made similarly, but with 60% Meunier and 40% Pinot Noir, with still red Meunier added at the end. A deeper pink, and featuring reserve wines from 2014-2018, strawberry and white pepper notes. Another I would love to revisit.
Jean Vesselle, Rose de Saignee (NV)
This 100% Pinot Noir wine spent 24-36 hours macerating on skins, so is “rose done the hard way” in Champagne terms. All stainless steel fermentation after that and 48 moths on the lees before 2nd fermentation. This wine was disgorged in late April ‘22, and smells a little like candied cherries.
A fantastic way to spend an evening, and it left me with more names to seek out and geek out about. Zum Wohl!
Wine Nerd (in progress) 