Champagne Discovery

beyond the bubbles

Le Champ du Clos, Vallée de l'Ource - Champagne Charles Dufour

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champagne et fromage

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ABOUT US

We are Gita and Lee, two self-confessed champagne lovers for whom this effervescent drink has been a huge part of our lives since meeting twenty-three years ago. Our first trip to the region was in 1999 to source bottles for our wedding. Since then, we have been visiting several times a year, have tasted thousands of champagnes and continue to discover amazing new producers, incredible wines and stories. We are immensely passionate about the top quality smaller domaines who tell a narrative through their creations, from vineyard to bottle. As well as the bubbles, Champagne is home to some excellent still white, red and rosés too; not to forget Ratafia de Champagne. This famous region is fortunate to be home to a myriad of World class winemakers, producing an array of diverse wines, we really are spoilt for choice. We love wine, we absolutely adore champagne!

Tchin tchin!

Champagne of the Month
FRANCIS BOULARD ET FILLE
Blanc de Blancs - Les Vielles Vignes 2010

We welcome in the New Year with a bottle from our older collection, produced by Champagne Francis Boulard et Fille and purchased on one of our visits to the winery back in 2015.

The recent history of the domaine saw Francis, the driving force behind Champagne Raymond Boulard; go his separate way from the family to form Champagne Francis Boulard. In doing so, it gave him and daughter Delphine the opportunity to pursue their goal of conversion to biodynamic viticulture. The pair continued working together until Francis’ retirement a few years ago when the winery was relocated from Cauroy-lès-Hermonville to Faverolles-et-Coëmy; a few kilometres to the south-west.

Delphine is now in control of the domaine’s 7.5 hectares that are predominantly located in the Massif de Saint-Thierry (Cauroy-lès-Hermonville) with holdings also in the Vallée de la Marne (Cuchery, Paradis) and Montagne de Reims (Mailly-Champagne).

As stated, the domaine is farmed biodynamically and certified by Ecocert. In the vineyards, vines are pruned short to control the yield which in turn limits the necessity for “green harvesting”. Light ploughing takes place around six times a year in order to control the weed cover which is encouraged for a natural symbiosis.

In the winery, a non-interventionist approach is taken. A gentle membrane press is used which helps provide precise control of the pressed juice. Indigenous yeast aids spontaneous alcoholic fermentation and minimal sulphur is added.

Alcoholic (and malolactic) fermentation take place in a variety of oak vessels from large 20 hectolitre vats, demi-muids, along with Burgundy and Champagne fûts - 300 and 228 litres respectively.

Blanc de Blancs – Les Vielles Vignes is a vintage wine, our version being from the 2010 harvest. It consists entirely of Chardonnay from old vines of a single plot “Le Murtet” in Cauroy-lès-Hermonville, where the soil is sandy limestone. Vinification took place in aged fûts where regular bâtonnage was carried out on fruit days. Bottling took place on 18th July 2011; it was disgorged on 30th April 2013 with 5gl dosage and sealed with a Mytik diamant cork.

Tasted: 17:15 hours Sunday 26th December 2021(sowing and flower day in the biodynamic calendar)

Glassware: Lehmann Jamesse Abolus

Appearance: Clear, pale, lemon.

Characteristics: Pronounced intensity with primary aromas of lemon blossom, chamomile, lemon juice, lemon rind, grapefruit, pomelo, lychee, passion fruit, honeydew melon, pineapple, green apple, Bramley apple peel, green pear and chiku. There are secondary notes of toast, brioche pastry, vanilla, vanilla fudge, caramel, chausson aux pommes and lemon tart. Tertiary aromas include almond, almond brittle, dried apple, ginger, gingerbread, hay and honey. It is medium (+) bodied with a delicate mousse and a long finish.

A beautifully crafted wine, it is incredibly fresh and vibrant: simply bursting with primary fruit. The current release is the 2017 vintage but this 2010 characterises how well Francis and Delphine’s wines age and this has many good years ahead of it!

Price – no longer available (2017 circa €57.00)