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Wine Description
The Story
This Blanc de Blancs cuvée of incomparable purity is based on Chardonnay, mainly from the magnificent vineyards of Trépail and Villers-Marmery.
These Premiers Crus from the Montagne de Reims area, recognised for their elegance and freshness, are blended in a perfect accord with delicately fruity Chardonnay from the Côte de Sézanne.
This crystalline champagne exudes subtle aromas of citrus fruit, white flowers and almonds. Fresh and silky on the palate, it unrolls with finesse on beautiful mineral notes that are typical of these chalky soils.
Wine Information
The Year Climate
OLD VINTAGES BLANC DE BLANCS 1987
After a particular and somewhat mixed summer, September began with wet and bad weather conditions. The humidity led to attacks of botrytis, which, very fortunately, remained limited.
The needs of reaching a level of suitable maturity led to postpone the harvests until the 1 fortnight of October.
The picking took place according to the order of maturity of each plot of land and, thus in spite of the rain and the wind which accompanied daily and endlessly the grape pickers.
Relatively light, the wines of 1987 are however characterized by an attractive aromatic complexity, a clear and cut expression and a character typically Champenois.
One had to forget and leave this vintage calmly, smoothly and simply developing its most wonderful assets... A 25 years ageing on “pupitres” (neck upside down on wooden boards) contribute to give birth to a Champagne of Prestige!
Tasting notes
Surprising aromas of walnut, of bees-wax aromas mixed with notes of truffle. The whole on a floral base which is further enhanced by perfumes of precious woods. Short after smells exhaling the very ripe red pepper confer a singular side on this vintage wine.
Actually, the vintage 1987 is quite amazing by its aromatic complexity which associated with an incomparable freshness in mouth, rank this wine to a champagne of surprising character in its range: a great and paradoxical illustration....with the work of time, the notion of vintage is clearly and simply born with this Champagne.
Food Pairing
The liveliness and freshness of this wine offer a wide range of degustation, at any time and for any event: as an aperitif for example (accompanied with small dices of Comté).
Its subtle and rich aromas offer many original and genuine pairings with forgotten vegetables (Jerusalem artichokes, Chinese artichokes, potimarron);
Other delicate dishes such as sweetbread caramelized with soft spices, a tajine of poultry (an earthenware cooking pot) gently stewed and cooked with cumin; at last but not least, a light cake perfumed with honey and ginger.... Just to name a few...
Vintage 1987
Champagne: Generally speaking, the rainy year produced a meager harvest, and it was impossible to produce good vintage wines. This year, the region's interest group, CIVC, introduced new regulations to improve the quality of champagnes. Winegrowers received greater compensation when they sold grapes and not wine. For producers, however, it was made so that purchasing ready wine was more expensive than the grapes themselves. This year has been the sabbatical of the decade. It was still not enough to save the poor harvest year of 1987.
The spring was exceptionally rainy and the summer continued in the same vein. In between, however, there was a favorable time for inflorescences in June. In August, there were three more good weeks before the fall rains and mold problems. A few announced that they had made vintage wine, but in general the vintage was really modest and was used only for non-vintage wines.