2017 PRINTEMPS DES CHAMPAGNES TASTING

Tuesday 25th of April in the prestigious Domaine Les Crayères, the association called Les Artisans du Champagne organized their annual Vins Clairs tastings allowing professionals from all over the world to discover and understand a little bit more the diversity of their terroirs and the expression of the Champagne region through highly individual Champagne wines.

17 wine artisans with well-defined personalities and identity wines reflecting their character, 17 Domains located throughout the Champagne regions, a multitude of terroir individualities and 1 exclusive guest of honor – Domaine Marc Kreydenweiss from Alsace -… the group of winemakers presented in a friendly and casual atmosphere the joint values of their association – sharing, passion, respect, rigor, freedom – as well as their common vision of their profession. The event started with Franck Wolfert and the “still wines” Master Class : the opportunity for the professionals to discover some of the vins clairs of the last harvest.

2016 Vins Clairs tasting with Franck Wolfert

It is in the magnificent bar of « La Rotonde » that Franck Wolfert – expert and author of the book “Champagne et Gastronomie” – guided the professionals through a great experience to understand the objective and the complexity of this stage of Champagne making process which is the still wines tasting. During this step, the winemakers have to imagine how the vins clairs can evolve into champagne, judge the potential and seek blending synergies between different wines of the estate. A difficult but essential phase in the wine making process to create great cuvées. In order to understand the 2016 vins clairs, Franck started with a review of the season…

2016 harvest was rather late compared to previous years with a heart of the harvest on the 18th of September but 2016 was unusual in many ways… First, beginning of April brought frosts : – 6 °C, – 8 °C (i.e 21,2 ºF , 17.6 ºF) around April 7th and 9th which caused a loss in volume – around 15% of the buds – and potentially in quality. Spared or with up to 70% loss for certains, the winegrowers then endured the rain until mid-July with about 3 months of rain which lead to a high pressure of diseases included mildew that started very quickly and forced the growers to be very present in the vineyard. The volume of rain doubled compared to the usual average quantities. The flowering was of mixed results which led to a grape harvest with different ripeness. July finally brought the heat but also more rain. As for August, it was an even stronger heat with late in the month a heat wave causing sunscalding – burned grape – in some plots. Fortunately, the return of a little bit of rain after, swelled the grapes and thus increases the volume during the harvest. The harvest dates were quite difficult to fix as mid-September the Pinot Meunier very ripe while the Chardonnay was not enough. 2016 was a quite complicated year that led to a spread and heterogeneous harvest.

With this in mind, the Master Class starts with a Chardonnay still wine from Champagne J.L Vergnon in Mesnil-sur-Oger : from a harvest on September 28th, the wine with low pH (2.85) is fully vinified without malolactic fermentation, with indigenous yeasts and a primary fermentation in stainless steel tanks. During the tasting, the wine offers a light yellow color, the nose is highly aromatic and open with apple aromas. As for the palate, it expresses freshness, elegance with a frank attack but a more discrete, chalky and mineral finish.

The second wine is a Meunier vin clair from Champagne Christophe Mignon in Festigny. In fact, the winegrower chose his future La barrière cuvée : coming from the most productive plot with 1200kg, the wine is vinified in stainless steel tank and without malolactic fermentation. The color is slightly pink, the nose is more discreet than the previous wine and the palate is tense and frank at first, but rather pinching and acidulous on the finish – a more discrete, balanced acidity.

The tasting goes on with a Pinots Noir wines from Champagne Savart in Ecueil. This time, the wine is vinified in barrel and without malolactic fermentation. The color is light as well but a little more pink – rose petal color. As for the nose, it is fruity, open and flowery with a crunchy character on fleshy fruit notes. The palate is powerful with character: saline, astringent and mineral with some bitterness. The attack offers a great freshness which becomes more discreet in the middle to conclude with a stable finish. A generous wine.

The next wine is a 100% Pinot Blanc vin clair – i.e 100% old grape variety – coming from Champagne Fleury in Courteron. The vinification is done in barrels and the wine has undergone the malolactic fermentation. The color is light, the nose is both milky and buttered. As for the delicate palate, it develops suppleness and crispness but also offers a beautiful balance.

From Champagne Dehours & Fils, Jérôme – the winegrower – chose to present a Meunier vin clair from his plot Les Genevraux. A wine which has endured all the problems from the 2016 season. Concerning the vinification, it is done in barrels and the malolactic fermentation is carried out. Visually, the colors shows a certain maturity and is œil-de-perdrix. The nose is iodized, oxidative and mature. On the palate we find the oxidized side as well. A very interesting discovery of the impact of one year conditions !

Back to the Pinot Noir grape variety with a vin clair coming from Champagne Gonet Medeville located in the village of Bisseuil. This time no malolactic fermentation for this wine vinified in oak barrels. The color is lightly tinted and the nose is elegantly spicy. During the tasting,  the palate is crisp and fruity with a good density and a chalky minerality.

The Chardonnay from Champagne Hébrart in Mareuil-sur-Aÿ is aged in oak barrel and without malolactic fermentation. Le Clos de Léon – future cuvée made from this vin clair – is a 100% 1er cru champagne from Dizy. The color is pale, the nose is open with generous aromas of ripe fruits. As for the palate, it is balanced round and generous showing a certain maturity.

An other Chardonnay but from Champagne Lancelot Pienne in the village of Cramant. As a matter of fact the winegrower precisely chose a vin clair coming from two plots of Cramant. This wine has been vinified quite late – 29th of September – in stainless steel tanks and undergone the malolactic fermentation,  The color is light, the nose discrete and vegetal – with herbs, laurel notes – and the palate brings honey, faded flower and herbal tea aromas.

Finally, Champagne Vilmart & Cie in Rilly-la-Montagne presented a blend : 80% Chardonnay and 20% Pinot Noir, future Coeur de cuvée 2016. The vinification – without malolactic fermentation – is done in barrels of 228L. The wine offers us a clear and pale color, a quite woody nose as well as a restraint, structured and taut palate with malic acidity and chalky minerality.

To conclude this first part of Les Artisans du Champagne tasting, 2016 vins clairs showed that the grape varieties surprised us with Pinot Meunier which seem very ripe and light wines for chardonnays.

Tasting of individual champagnes

In the main room, the visitors meet up with the winegrowers of the association including this year guest : Domaine Marc Kreydenweiss from Andlau in the Alsace region. The estate is managed by Antoine Kreydenweiss and his family who apply the biodynamic approach on the 13.5 hectares since 1989. The terroirs are based on a mosaic of different soils offering a large panel of terroirs : pink sandstone – Wibelsberg -, black slate – Kastelberg and blue slate – as well as marls and limestone – Moenchberg. This complex soil diversity brings a lot of finesse, minerality and freshness to the wines but also allows Antoine to create wines with strong personality and expressing the soul of each terroir of the estate. The first wine introduced was Wiebelsberg Grand Cru 2013 – a 100% Riesling wine from pink sandstone terroir from the Vosges mountains. It is a mineral wine with a good dryness as well as ripe and saline notes. KASTELBERG Grand Cru Riesling 2014 – 100% Riesling from blue and purple schist terroir – is both mineral and delicate with yellow ripe fruits notes. Finally, Late harvest Pinot Gris 2010 – from marls and limestone Grand Cru terroir of Moenchberg- is complex and rich with roast apple, honey and quince aromas.

Located in the village of Cerseuil in the Vallée de la Marne, Champagne Dehours & Fils is managed by Jérôme, 4th generation of growers of his family. The winemaker takes care of 14 hectares divided into 42 plots spread over 3 crus – Mareuil le Port, Oeuilly and Troissy. A Pinot Meunier terroir composed of chalky bed stock covered by clay on surface but offering also a great diversity of exposure and subsoils. Solicitous of the environment, the estate is HVE3 environmental certified and Jérôme creates from the identity grape variety of the estate – Pinot Meunier – generous and highly individual champagnes reflecting perfectly the identity of the terroir as well as the winegrower personality. Terre de Meunier Extra-Brut – 100% Pinot Meunier – is vibrant, complex and generous with delicate spicy and honey notes. Troissy “les Genevraux” 2009 Extra-Brut single plot cuvée – 100% Meunier from clay terroir with old vines in massal selection – is a precise, mineral and highly expressive cuvée with warm bread and floral notes. Les Vignes de la Vallée  Brut – 100% Pinot Meunier with a high portion reserve wines aged in Solera since 1998 – is mineral and complex developing almond and honey notes.

At Champagne Doyard in Vertus , Yannick and Charles – father and son – manage together more than 10 hectares of vineyard spread over about fifty plots in the Côte des Blancs – including a Clos – and more precisely on the crus of Vertus, Oger, Le Mesnil sur Oger, Avize and Cramant as well as Aÿ – for the Pinots Noirs. Their estate offers a great diversity of terroirs with soils with chalk very close to the surface. No chemical fertilizers and pesticides are used and the family recently started to farm biodynamically or what they also call ‘a contemporary natural viticulture’. Together, Yannick and Charles create authentic, mineral-etched and delicate champagnes. The tasting starts with Vendémiaire 1er Cru – 100% Chardonnay – a fresh and vinous wine with mineral, vanilla and wild flowers notes. Next, Rév0lution Grand Cru – 100% Chardonnay – reveals pure white flowers and peach aromas exalted with an elegant chalky minerality. Finally, Blanc de Blancs 2009 Grand Cru – 100% Chardonnay vinified in barrels – is a complex, mineral and fresh vintage with harmonious notes of lemon and ripe fruits.

From Champagne Fleury in Courteron of the Vallée de la Seine area, Jean-Sébastien and Benoît look after the 15 hectares of vineyard spread over plots planted on clayey-limestone hillsides of the Côte des Bar. On the viticulture side, the estate is a pioneer in the field of biodynamic approach in the region of Champagne – in conversion since 1992 and so managing the vineyard according to the laws of life since then. Together, the two brothers create generous and precise champagnes that draw their flavors with the immense respect that the winegrowers have for their terroirs. During the tasting, the winegrowers offered their Fleur de l’Europe Brut Nature cuvée – 85% Pino Noir and 15% Chardonnay with 2010 reserve wines – a fresh, ample and fine wine with honey notes as well as Notes Blanches 2011 – 100% Pinot Blanc champagne vinified in barrels – which is both delicate and  vinous with exotic and white flower notes. To finish, Sonate 2011 – 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay without added sulfure – is pure, mineral and frank developing  smoky and butter notes.

Located in Celles sur Ource, Pascal and Aurélien represent their family estate from the Côte des Bar area : Champagne Pierre Gerbais. The estate is composed of 18 hectares including 4 in Pinot Blanc. All the vineyard is rooted in Celles sur Ource and is spread over 20 different plots with a great variety of clay and limestone soils but also of unusual exposures. In order to highlight the subtlety of the terroir, Pascal and Aurélien favor old vines but also apply an sustainable viticulture certified AMPELOS since 1996. The champagnes of the estate are opulent, harmonious and well-balanced as well as without any added sulfure. During the event, the winemakers presented their Grains de Celles cuvée – 50% Pinot Noir, 25% Chardonnay and 25% Pinot Blanc -, a mineral, fresh with elegant wine with grapefruit and almond paste notes. As for, L’Originale – 100% Pinot Blanc located in a plot from 1904 – it offers crunchy, fruity and well-balanced aromas with a lot of roundness, fineness. Finally, L’Audace – a 100% Pinot Noir wine – is saline, rich and round with fresh almond and spicy notes.

From Bisseuil in the Côte des noirs, Julie and Xavier from Champagne Gonet Medeville manage 12 hectares of vines divided on 8 villages of the Côte des Blancs and Côte des noirs : Le Mesnil sur Oger, Oger and Ambonnay, Mareuil sur Ay, Bisseuil, Billy Le Grand, Trépail, Vaudemange. It is from the great purity of their terroirs of chalk and thanks to their high standard process – sustainable farming, control the yield and vinification of each parcel separately – that Julie and Xavier creates elegant, delicate and festive individual terroir champagnes but above all living wines. The winemakers offered their Tradition 1er Cru – 70% Chardonnay, 25% Pinot Noir and 5% Pinot Meunier – vibrant, mineral and fresh, this wine develops brioche and citrus notes whereas the Rosé 1er Cru Extra-Brut of the estate – 70% Chardonnay and 30% Pinot Noir – brings a creamy structure offering a racy tension and the palate is tannic and fruity. Last but not least, Athénaïs Coteaux Champenois Ambonnay Rouge 2015 – a 100% Pinot Noir vintage still wine – is both tannic and woody with elegant cherry and blackberry notes.

At Champagne Alfred Gratien in Epernay, Nicolas Jaeger look after the 1.56 hectares of the Domain. All classified Grands Crus and Premiers crus, the vines are located in the heart of the Côte des Blancs regions where the terroirs offer a great diversity of chalky soils and exposure. However, the winemaker also benefits from additional purchased grapes sourced from the best quality around the Epernay area. Meticulous, Nicolas chose to vinify each vintage and each wine origin separately ; a vinification exclusively carried out oak barrels in 228 liters. Through his artisan work, the winemaker handcrafts original full-bodied, lively and round champagnes. He presented the Brut Classique cuvée – 57% Chardonnay, 20% Pinot Noir and 23% Pinot Meunier – which offers roundness, elegance and minerality with vanilla notes as well as a 2004 Vintage – 68% Chardonnay, 13% Pinot Noir and 19% Pinot Meunier – developing a great fineness and a delicate smoky character.  As for the Paradis 2008 Cuvée – a 65% Chardonnay and 35% Pinot Noir wine -, it is both fresh and delicate, pure and mineral with ripe lemon flavors.

For Jean Paul from Champagne Hébrart in Mareuil sur Aÿ located in the Grande Vallée de la Marne, it is not less that 14 hectares of vineyard spread over the two banks of the Marne river that compose his Domain. An estate divided into 65 plots on six different villages: Mareuil, Avenay, Val d’Or and Bisseuil for the right banks and the crus of Oiry and Chouilly – Grands Cru of the Côte des Blancs – for the left bank. On the mineral side, the winegrower benefits from chalky and limestone soils that he preserves thanks to a sustainable viticulture limiting as much as possible the chemical treatments. The champagnes of the estate are smooth, delicate, racy and refreshing, just like his Spécial Club 2012 1er Cru which was presented in magnum: a 55% Pinot Noir and 45% Chardonnay wine with complex, elegant notes of butter and brioche but also pure white fruit aromas. When it comes to Noces de craie Aÿ Grand Cru Extra-Brut 2012 – 100% Pinot Noir from vines in Aÿ and massal selection -, the wine is mineral and fresh with plum and red fruit notes. Finally, Rive Gauche Rive Droite Grand Cru 2010 – 50% Chardonnay and 50% Pinot Noir Extra Brut vintage – is round, vinous and saline with intense fruit flavors.

Pierre and François from Champagne Huré Frères in Ludes – village of the Montagne de Reims – works hand in hand on the family estate. The two brothers manage a total of 10 hectares spread over the villages of Ludes – and its calcareous clay soil – but also Villedommange – with graveluches (a mix of limestone and clay) and sand terroir – Brouillet, Serzy and Prin – offering clay and sand soils with chalk beneath subsoils – and Vavray Le Grand – with hard chalk terroir. The winegrowers chose an environmentally sustainable farming and create ripe, balanced and precise champagne. For the tasting, the brothers offered three cuvées: Inattendue 2012 Blanc de Blancs – 100% Chardonnay – a delicate, full-bodied vintage with lemon peel and white fruit aromas, 4 Eléments 2013 Meunier – a 100% Pinot Meunier single plot cuvée from the parcel “La Grosse Pierre” and its limestone terroir – a generous and complex wine with vibrant stone and vinous character. And finally 4 Eléments 2013 Pinot Noir – a single plot cuvée from the plot “La Perthe” and its clay and sandy  terroir – a precise and highly individual champagne with dried fruit and red berry notes.

Located in Cramant – village of the Côte des Blancs area  -, Champagne Lancelot Pienne is an estate composed of 8.30 hectares of vineyard and is managed by Gilles. Spread over the Côte des Blancs and Vallée de Marne, the terroir is highly divided with clayey-limestone, sandy soils and an optimal exposure to let the minerality, the aromas and the flavors express themselves perfectly through the wines. Added to this, the winegrower chose a sustainable viticulture, adapting organic principles in order to preserve the terroir and to obtain the best quality grapes creating frank, supple and mineral champagnes. For the event, Gilles started by Accord Majeur – 70% Pinot Meunier, 15% Chardonnay and 15% Pinot Noir – a fresh, delicate and mineral wine with ripe fruit and spicy notes. Table ronde – 100% Chardonnay from Grand Cru terroirs – is generous with brioche notes and developing a fresh, mineral finish. As for the Marie Lancelot 2010 cuvée – a 100% Chardonnay wine from the village of Cramant -, the champagne is complex, generous and mineral with mandarin and saline notes.

From Ecueil, Nicolas of Champagne Nicolas Maillart, takes care of 16 hectares of vineyard exclusively spread over the 1er Crus and Grand Crus of the Montagne Montagne de Reims : 1/2 in the village of Villers-Allerand with its clay-limestone terroir with deep chalk, 1/4 in Bouzy and its chalky soils with fine limestone and clay as well as 1/4 in Ecueil with its sandy terroirs. The vines of the estate – rather old – are managed with a great respect of the environment and following a sustainable viticulture rewarded by the HVE certification label. Attentive to the singularity of each wine, Nicolas handcrafts powerful, elegant and refined champagnes. The winemaker selected three of his top cuvées to present to the visitors: Franc de Pied 1er Cru 2012 -100% of Pinot Noirs from the 0.26 ha and massal selection plot with ungrafted vines planted in sandy soils in 1973 – is aromatic and complex with vinous and yellow pulp fruits notes. 2012 Vintage 1er Cru – 55% Pinot Noir and 45% Chardonnay – is vinous and lively at the same time and expresses quince flavors. As for the 2012 Chaillots 1er Cru cuvée  – 100% Chardonnay wine from Ecueil – is mineral and delicate developing white flowers aromas .

In the village of Villers Marmery, Arnaud from Champagne A. Margaine looks after a total of 6.5 hectares spread over the chalky, clayey and limestone slopes of the terroir of the Montagne de Reims on the villages of Villers-Marmery, Verzy and Trépail. Owner of a great number of plots – around 40 -, the winegrower chose to use an approach that is respectful of the environment, a sustainable viticulture to allow the vines to express all their potential in the respect of the soil and to let the nature take its own course. Thanks to his meticulous approach, Arnaud creates fruity, expressive and smooth champagnes. For the tasting, the winemaker offered to the visitors three emblematic cuvées of the estate. The first one, Le Brut – 90% Chardonnay and 10% Pinot Noir – is well-balanced and creamy with white fruit and hazelnuts aromas. The second, L’Extra-Brut – 100% Chardonnay – is fresh with a racy tension and offering an elegant chalky minerality. The last champagne, “M” Cuvée – 90% Chardonnay and 10% Pinot Noir – is fresh and mineral at the same time with floral and citrus notes

 Located in the Vallée de la Marne area in the village of Festigny, Champagne Christophe Mignon was represented by Christophe. 5th generation of grower on the Domain, the winegrower looks after 6.5 hectares of vineyard situated between Le Breuil and Festigny. The estate offers a mosaic of around thirty parcels with soils which are predominantly made of limestone. With the aim to preserve this precious and diversified terroirs, Christophe uses what is called “alternative” methods : an approach opened to the integration of all natural techniques allowing to minimize the use of synthetic products. The champagnes of the estate are pure, harmonious and fresh. Christophe chose to present an Extra-Brut, a rosé and a vintage cuvée. The Extra-Brut Christophe Mignon – 100% Meunier – is elegant and refined with pear and dried fruit notes. The Rosé Christophe Mignon – 100% Meunier – is frank and fresh with vinous and red fruit flavors. Last champagne presented during the event, the 2010 Vintage – 100% Meunier from Le Breuil – is highly mineral with delicate floral notes.

Antoine and Quentin works hand in hand at Champagne Pierre Paillard in Bouzy. The family estate located in the Montagne de Reims Grand Cru covers a total of 11 hectares divided into 30 plots in the prestigious terroir of Bouzy. The village is well-known for his terroir of deep soils laid on secondary and tertiary chalk. For the viticulture, they implement an approach with great respect of the soil and vine balance but also a broad understanding of the vegetal material ; a sustainable method however the winegrowers do not wish to claim any label. Together, the family creates champagnes with great finesse, elegance and complexity but most of all pleasure wines. Les Parcelles 12 – 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay from the terroir of Bouzy – is the perfect exemple of the style of the estate : a fresh, mineral and vinous wine with citrus and pastry notes. Les Maillerettes 2010 – 100% Pinot Noirs from the plot called Les Maillerettes in Bouzy – is fresh with an elegant acidity and great balance as well as a delicate bitterness on the finish. La Grande Récolte 2006 – 50% Pinot Noir and 50% Chardonnay from Bouzy – is fresh, fruity and mineral but also buttered with quince flavors.

At Champagne Pierre Péters in the village of Le Mesnil sur Oger, Rodolphe manages determinedly the 19 hectares of the family estate. The vineyard is located in the Côte des Blancs area for the most part in the villages of Le Mesnil sur Oger, Oger, Avize and Cramant. Thanks to the sustainable farming methods that are respectful of the environment but also adapted to each year, the winegrower makes good use of his chalky outcrop terroirs and creates highly mineral champagnes with a lot of finesse and generosity. Among the tasted cuvées during the event, L’Esprit de 2012 – a 100% Chardonnay vintage made from 4 plots – is saline with a lot of finesse and expresses candied lemon notes. The second wine, L’Etonnant Mister Victor Edition MK10 – a 100% Chardonnay Grand Cru champagne in Solera with vintages down to 1988 – develops intense, pure and complex character and offers brioche aromas. To finish, the Rosé for Albane cuvée – 56% Chardonnay and 44% Saignée of Meunier – is both mineral and vibrant with elegant blood orange and red fruit flavors.

Back in the Montagne de Reims area with Champagne Savart from the village of Ecueil and its charismatic winegrower, Frédéric. The estate covers a total of 4 hectares in Premier Crus made from 50 separate plots. Ecueil is a historic village for Pinot Noir with a notably sandy terroir with variation of clay and chalk in some area for a great diversity of soils. Moreover, Frédéric estate also included 1 hectare of vineyard in Villers-aux-Nœuds which have chalkier terroirs than those of Ecueil, bringing more shades to the winegrower palette. Both for his viticulture and vinification, the philosophy of the winemaker is respectful of the natural and earth balances following the organic approach principles and creating aromatic, taut and fruity champagnes. Three cuvées were presented: the first one, L’Accomplie – 80% Pinot Noir and 20% Chardonnay – is tonic, vinous and fresh at the same time with generous brioche notes. L’Année 2013 – 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay – is complex, mineral and rich with fresh fruit notes. Finally, Mont Benoit 2013 – 95% Pinot Noir and 5% Chardonnay – is a generous, highly expressive and mineral wine with plum flavors.

At Champagne JL Vergnon from Le Mesnil sur Oger in the Côte des Blancs, Christophe takes care of a 5.26 hectare estate with vines lying essentially on soils of chalk and limestone. The specificity of the Domain is that the vineyard is only planted with Chardonnay of old vines and is mono-cru, which means that the plots are gathered 100% on the village of Le Mesnil sur Oger. For the viticulture, Christophe chose to follow the sustainable principles and have a great respect for his terroir creating sharp, generous and precise champagnes with mineral character as well as a great aromatic persistence. As the winegrower pours the Eloquence Extra-Brut cuvée – 100% Chardonnay Grand Cru – we discover an authentic, mineral and acidulous wine with vanilla, grapefruit and biscuit flavors. The second cuvée, Résonance 2009 Extra Brut – a 100% Chardonnay vintage from 5 plots in Le Mesnil sur Oger – is rich, complex and mineral expressing almond and floral notes. Last wine, Confidence 2010 Brut Nature – a 100% Chardonnay vintage from one plot in Le Mesnil sur Oger – is mineral, elegant and supple with fine ginger notes.

Finally, from Champagne Vilmart & Cie located in Rilly la Montagne in the Montagne de Reims, Laurent Champs look after 11 hectares of vineyard classified in Premier Cru and lying mainly in Rilly-la-Montagne on 12 different parcels. The winegrower benefits from clayey-limestone terroir farmed according to the sustainable viticulture practices and following the Ampelos Charter. Solicitous over the respect of the environment, he looks for the vital harmony in the vineyard that will allow him to produce high-quality wines. Laurent creates elegant, full-bodied champagnes with refined finesse. The first cuvée presented for the tasting was Grand Cellier: a 70% Chardonnay and 30% Pinot Noir wine with a racy and fresh character, a creamy structure and developing citrus and spicy notes. Grand Cellier d’Or 2012 vintage – 80% Chardonnay and 20% Pinot Noir from old vines – offers white pepper, praline and exotic notes with a complex minerality. Finally, Coeur de Cuvée 2009 – 80% Chardonnay and 20% Pinot Noir from old vines – is an elegant, complex and harmonious vintage with vanilla and grapefruit notes.

Les Artisans du Champagne is definitively one of the greats, an association of winegrowers unmissable in the Champagne region and this year Printemps des Champagnes proved it one more time…