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Wine Description
The Story
Grand Blanc, blended exclusively from Chardonnay grapes, is a remarkable exception in Philipponnat’s range of wines, the House’s hallmark being the Pinot Noir grape. This is a unique opportunity to discover another facet oftheHouse’sstyleintheshapeofafine,mode- rately dosed blanc de blancs.
100% Chardonnay from Côte des Blancs, Montagne de Reims and Clos des Goisses. First press juice from exclusively Premier and Grand Cru plots.
vinification
Vinified using traditional methods to avoid premature oxidation. Partial malolactic fermentation for the wines in vats and vinification without malolactic fermentation for the wines in wooden barrels. An elegant wine that preserves a balance between freshness, floral aromas and vinosity. « Extra-brut » dosage (4.25 g/litre) to preserve its original purity and distinction.
aging
Aged for at least five to seven years to develop maximum complexity and to highlight the secondary and tertiary aromas which are the hallmark of extended aging on lees.
Wine Information
Traditional wine making, avoiding any premature oxidation. Malo-lactic fermentation is most often chosen for wines processed in vats. For the past few years, a portion of the wines has been fermented in barrels in order to obtain a discreet hint adding to the complexity of the blend.
These barrel-fermented wines do not undergo malo-lactic fermentation. The dosage (8-9 grams/litre) is low and the liqueurs are not aged, so they do not influence the wine’s character and purity.
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.
