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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 2005 vintage : 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. Its walled 5.5 hectare vineyard is not only the oldest in Champagne, but also the steepest, at 45°. This explains the origin of its name: in the local dialect, "Gois" means a very steep slope. This exceptional terroir with chalky soil is ideally situated facing due South, on Mareuil-sur-Ay’s best hillside.
A word from the Cellar Master This vintage was marked by contrasts: frost and dryness in winter, rainfall and warmth during the growing season, and a harvest of hot, particularly dry weather. It imparts a pleasant surprising quality to this powerful, intense, and exceedingly generous wine. Produced from grapes grown in the Champagne region’s most exceptional hillside vineyard
The blend
65% Pinot Noir and 35% Chardonnay.
Vinification
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 8 to 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
To the eye:Bright gold with fine and delicate froth.
With the nose: An overall elegant wine. The first nose is floral with notes of linden tea, followed by
toasted notes of cacao, blond tobacco and vanilla.
With the mouth: A very full structure calling to
Vintage 2005
The 2005 vintage was a year of marked contrasts between seasons and regions. Following a fairly harsh winter, 2005 had a mild spring with relatively warm temperatures all year long. There was above average sunshine and a slight water deficit, as had been the case throughout the dry cycle of 2005/2004 and 2003. The heat and humidity in July produced larger grapes and bunches, rather unusually for the Champagne region, while the cooler weather in August, followed by a very sunny month of September, led to favourable ripening in spite of heavy parasite pressure. The harvest dates were “typical” of those of the decade: September 12th for Chardonnays and the following day for Pinots Noirs.