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Wine Description
The Story
With an exceptional ageing period on the lees of more than 10 years in our cellars, Castelnau Blanc de Blancs Vintage is created for gastronomy : the power of the aromas and a hint of iodine from the soil make a perfect marriage.
Comments of the Chef de Cave :
This characterful « assemblage » has been resting quietly in our cellars, acquiring wisdom and maturity.
Today it will surprise the taster with its haunting perfume and a rare freshness on the palate.
The rich creamy notes lend a nobility and a vivacity to the whole wine.
For a large part the Chardonnay comes from the Montagne de Reims and takes time, quietly, to develop and open up. Blended with Chardonnay from the Cote des Blancs, the whole is more than the sum of the parts, and we see a superlative blend, rich in aromatic complexity yet keeping a youthful freshness.
100 % Chardonnay principally put together from the very di erent Montagne de Reims and Côte des Blancs base wines.
Description: This Blanc de Blancs vintage is a match made in heaven for expressive cuisine: the power of its aromas combined with a hint of earthiness makes it the perfect partner to many dishes. The bouquet is rich and complex: an explosion of flavours with hints of eucalyptus and aniseed which are accompanied by creamy autolytic notes. The palate expresses roasted almonds and hazelnuts while figs, candied lemon and biscuit notes combine to form an intense and lingering finish.
Food pairing: The elegance of this Blanc de Blancs goes beautifully with crayfish ravioli and a corral sauce, and with scallop tartare with truffles.
Vintage 2002
A cold winter and a mild late spring cued for a perfect June allowing early and fast flowering. Outstanding weather conditions prevailed and the season went on without dramatic turns. Rains in August raised concerns regarding gray rot, but finally sunshine and dry conditions throughout September resulted in an abundant crop of largely healthy fruit (11,930 kg/ha). Dehydration due to wind further aided in achieving perfect ripeness and additional concentration. This, and the cool nights, helped in retaining fresh acidity and, despite the ripeness (10.3% potential alcohol), the wines did not suffer from heaviness or a lack of life. A near-perfect vintage, which produced balanced Champagnes consistently around the region. The best show an impeccable combination of freshness, power, structure and finesse. However, some have matured aromatically quicker than expected and are already past their peak. 2002 produced an abundance of spectacular champagnes, such as Dom Pérignon (the entire range), Krug Vintage and Clos du Mesnil, Piper-Heidsieck Rare, Louis Roederer Cristal and Cristal Rosé, Ruinart Dom Ruinart and Dom Ruinart Rosé, Salon Le Mesnil and Taittinger Comtes de Champagne, to name a few.