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Wine Description
The Story
Vintage 2011 base (65%), reserve wines from 2010 (35%)
Appellation Champagne (Montagne de Reims)
Varietals 70% Pinot Noir, 30% Chardonnay
Farming Sustainable
Vineyard Les Parcelles is crafted from 100% estate-grown fruit in the Grand Cru village of Bouzy. Vines are exposed South. This cuvée is a blend of 22 plots whose vines average 30 years in age. Les Parcelles is a rare expression of a single cru village (Bouzy). All replanting is done using sélection massale from two specific parcels depending on the grape variety: Les Maillerettes for pinot noir and Les Mottelettes for chardonnay.
Soil Thick clay over chalk subsoils.
Viticulture Vineyards are farmed using organic methods since 2011. For the 20 years proceeding 2011, sustainable practices were used to gain a balance of soils; no fertilizers for over 15 years, natural grass covering between rows, two years to regain soil before replanting any vines. Yields are controlled.
Vinification Les Parcelles is vinified in stainless steel tank. Alcoholic and malolactic fermentations occur starting in September lasting until around May; kept on its lees for the nine months until bottling. Secondary fermentation is slow lasting around two months in the cave at a consistent 10°C (in Champagne it is normal for secondary fermentation to complete in only 2-3 weeks). The combination of a slow secondary fermentation and around 4 years of sur lies aging in the their cave 16 meters below ground.
Aging Aged for 48 months sur lattes in bottle before disgorgement. 1.8 grams per liter of dosage.
NV (10's)
Champagne Vintage 2011 / Pinot noir especially stood out this year, while pinot meunier was a ected partly by attacks. The winter came unusually early, in November of the previous year, but a mild late spring still led to a owering in May. The blending wines still have a fairly thin structure and a disturbing tone of bubblegum. Actually, this was one of the few autumns I have been present at harvest. I went around and made unannounced visits here and there. The strongest impression and question mark was actually the huge amount of invasive ladybugs that were caught in the presses and left a nasty, urine-saturated stabbing scent in the press houses. Will this leave an impression? I fail to see it disappear given how strong it was. Apart from that, I will never forget it was 86°F and the autumn sun radiant, when we celebrated with a magnum and reworks into the wee hours in Moulin de Verzenay.
by Richard Juhlin
