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News
Robert Parker, 96/100: "From their iconic steep, south-facing, riverside vineyard in Mareuil-sur-Ay-acquired in 1935 - Philipponnat's strikingly beautiful 2004 Brut Clos des Goisses betrays no suggestion of alcoholic weight or opacity such as one might associate with an especially warm, fast-ripening vineyard. On the contrary, this is a bottling that combines silken feel with delicacy, refreshment, and utmost transparency to nuance. Chamomile, mint and lily-of-the-valley don't just turn heads from the rim of the glass; they waft through this wine's entire palate performance, against a greenhouse-like background of diverse if elusive flowering and leafing things. Salivary gland-tugging salinity and hints of chalk suffuse a fruit matrix of white peach, lime, red raspberry and red currant whose juicy, subtly crunchy expressions put me a bit in mind of certain supreme Nahe Rieslings..." -
Wine Description
The Story
Belonging exclusively to Philipponnat, the Clos des Goisses is an exceptional vineyard of 5,5 Ha enclosed by walls, with an impressive gradient of 30 to 45°, facing full south, where Philipponnat produces the most powerful of Champagne wines. Always vintaged, very lightly dosed, this uncommon wine is characterized by incredible length and body, in which Pinot Noir characteristics predominate. This fabulous wine for great occasions, extraordinarily mineral and intense is also a marvelous companion for gastronomy matching game, mushrooms and even cheeses.
Vinification: Wine-making for Clos des Goisses is totally traditional. Its only originality resides in the absence of malo-lactic fermentation, which is systematically avoided. Thus, the wine maintains a vivacity and freshness that balances its alcoholic strength, its intensity, its roundness without masking any of its body and aromas and, on the contrary, contributes to its persistence. Wood, in this elaboration philosophy, is only partially used (30%); rather as a minor element in blending only there to increase complexity.
Aging: Very mature and intense, Clos des Goisses is an open, aromatic wine, although closed when young. Ageing in our own cellars is not so much destined to round it out, but rather to add still greater dimension and complexity. Ideal ageing is from 8 to 10 years, the prime of life for Clos des Goisses. At this age, the wine attains its greatest complexity without having lost its freshness. It is at this point that degorgement is carried out and the wine readied for sale. The structure of the wine is such that it will age gracefully for decades if kept in an adequate environment (cool and dark). One should not be afraid to decant Clos des Goisses before service to let the wine reveal its full potential.
Clos des Goisses could only be served with meals as it is a wine in the truest sense of the term. It marries perfectly with foie gras, truffles, red meats, game and dishes with sauce. A wine as much as a Champagne, Clos des Goisses deserves to be put into a decanter. With in the ample curves of a ewer, it reaches its full potential as a fine wine: aromatic power, finesse and voluptuousness. Contrary to the preconceived notion that Champagne does not improve with age, this Champagne is perfectly suited to ageing and may he kept for more than 10 years.
Wine Information
Clos des Goisses 2004 / The first clos and first terroir to be vinified and blended separately, Clos des Goisses is unique and instantly recognisable for its extremely steep slope. The name of this plot with a 45° slope reveals its nature: in the old Champagne dialect, “Gois” means a very steep slope.
A word from the Cellar Master: 2004 was a fairly hot, dry and windy year but without peaks of temperature and with constant moisture levels compensating for the shortage of rainfall. In the Clos the harvest began on 28th September and yielded healthy and ripe grapes of excellent quality. The season’s coolness and the intense, warm September sun produced a perfectly balanced 2004 vintage Clos des Goisses. Produced from grapes grown in the Champagne region’s most exceptional hillside vineyard
Assemblage
65% Pinot Noir and 35% Chardonnay.
Vinification
A walled, 5.5 hectare vineyard, one of the region’s few clos and the oldest and steepest in Champagne. This exceptional terroir with chalky soil is ideally situated facing due South, on Mareuil-sur-Ay’s best hillside. Partial vinification in wooden barrels (50%) leads to more complexity without premature oxidation. There is no malolactic fermentation, which enables the wine’s natural acidity to compensate the powerful character of the terroir.
Aging
Aged for about 10 years at a constant temperature of 12°C in the House’s historic cellars in Mareuil-sur-Ay. The very low dosage (4.25 g/litre) gives full expression to the vinosity and minerality of this exceptional vineyard.
Tasting Golden in colour with fine and delicate froth. with the nose ,Very fine aromatic complexity with a first nose of crystallised angelica, developing, into light notes of pastries, cream and vanilla. with the mouth The structure is creamy and fluid, extremely delicate with persistent minerality.
Dining
Clos des Goisses is a very fine wine before being a very fine champagne. A perfect and unforgettable match for strong-flavoured dishes such as game, truffles, caviar and soft cheeses. It should be decanted into a carafe before being served to allowit to breath.
Storing
Cellar aged for eight years and put on the market only when perfectly mature, it can then be kept for several decades and will continue to develop magnificently in the right conditions.
Vintage 2004
A great example of how large yields do not necessarily mean poor quality in Champagne. As a reaction to the previous year's low yields, the vines produced one of the largest crops on record. The growing season proceeded without major difficulties but the bumper crop called for bud thinning. August brought about cooler weather and some rains, increasing the risk of rot. The massive crop, averaging 13,990 kg/ha, was picked from September 18th onwards. The quality was a pleasant surprise; vibrant wines with appropriate intensity, refined charm and refreshing lightness. This vintage impresses me more and more, and I feel tempted to give it the full five stars. It comes with a rare balance of freshness, lightness, yet fine aromatic intensity. Post-release, this vintage has proven to be slow to age, and elegant wines are likely to keep on ageing gracefully. Dom Pérignon and Louis Roederer Cristal both excelled.
