Champagne Philippe Gonet 2009 Belemnita Blanc De Blanc and all the Philippe Gonet Champagne in the store on SALE!!
“Too much of anything is bad, but too much Champagne is just right.”
Mark Twain
And those of you that know me know that there is no such thing as too much Champagne! We have been big fans of Champagne Philippe Gonet for a long time and have hosted several events with this small family-owned grower producer over the last few years. As the saying goes, “it’s not what you know it’s who you know”. So, whenever our good friend Chantal Gonet has a limited number of bottles of their top cuvee to offer, Wine Watch is at the top of the list!
We drank ½ of the 1988 Special Club that Chantal offered us last year and one of the six bottles that we received we even drank with Chantal on her last visit. We showed this wine at the last big vintage Champagne tasting we hosted at the wine bar and it was my WOTN!
We have just received a few cases of the 2009 Belemnita Blanc De Blanc 2009 so I figured it was a good time to send an offering out on this wine along with all the wines from this great Champagne house.
I have also included a few of our favorite small Champagne houses on this offering and many of the Special Club Champagnes that we have in the store on SALE!!
New Releases from Philippe Gonet Champagne
2009 PHILIPPE GONET BELEMNITA BLANC DE BLANCS BRUT MILLESIME, CHAMPAGNE
Price: $295.00 Your Price: $259.60 Quantity in Stock: 22
BELEMNITA is an exclusive and confidential selection of Grand Cru Chardonnay grapes from the vines in Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, some of which were planted in 1929. The harvest takes no shortcuts: carefully selecting each bunch of grapes grown on a one-of-a-kind terroir. This cuvée owes its name to the fossils, the belemnite rostra (Belemnita Quadrata in Latin) found in the chalky soil of Le Mesnil, formed in the tertiary period.
This exceptional cuvée undergoes no blending. It is therefore the purest expression of Le Mesnil-sur-Oger’s renowned terroir. This wine is aged for at least 6 years in the heart of our cellars, at a constant temperature of 12°C. This champagne has an extra-brut dosage, allowing its true nature to shine through. Crafted only the years producing grapes with outstanding characteristics, this cuvée is an inimitable interpretation of our best parcels selected in Le Mesnil.
A brilliant and crystalline wine. Its effervescence is steady and vivacious. Strings of tiny bubbles rise to the surface, nurturing a persistent and creamy cordon of foam. Its aromatic bouquet is complex: smoky, grilled, nutty (hazelnut and cashew) and candied, all underlined by a touch of acacia honey. Its fleshy and welcoming palate greets you with an elegant vanilla warmth and a buttery touch then opens up to dried fruit and candied citrus (lemon, grapefruit) notes. Its fatty, supple beginning paves the way for a vivaciously mineral and wonderfully lasting finish.
NV PHILIPPE GONET BRUT ROSE, CHAMPAGNE, FRANCE
Price: $66.00 Your Price: $58.08 Quantity in Stock: 25
NV PHILIPPE GONET BRUT ROSE, CHAMPAGNE, FRANCE MAGNUM
Price: $149.00 Your Price: $131.12 Quantity in Stock: 3
A blend of 10% red Pinot Noir and 90% Chardonnay, the acidity of Mesnil is key to keeping these wines they still have 1945 in their cellars, a lot of minerality wild strawberry and very intense white chalky mineral soils, two types of fossils snails and bone of calamari, salty briny quality. Wild strawberry fruit, a very elegant style with that distinct Salty mineral nuance through the finish notes of floral highlights. Finish 40+ Excellent
NV PHILIPPE GONET SIGNATURE BLANC DE BLANCS, BRUT CHAMPAGNE, FRANCE
Price: $55.50 Your Price: $48.84 Quantity in Stock: 7
NV PHILIPPE GONET BLANCS DE BLANCS SIGNATURE CHAMPAGNE (MAGNUM)
Price: $139.00 Your Price: $122.32 Quantity in Stock: 1
NV PHILIPPE GONET BLANCS DE BLANCS SIGNATURE CHAMPAGNE 3 LITER
Price: $395.00 Your Price: $347.60
Four Different vineyards , Ogier Les Mesnil, Sur Ogier and Vindey, Montgueux- very ripe chardonnay facing the sun tropical pineapple, very fresh brioche, fresh bread notes. Very creamy texture on the tongue with lemon zest and quince fruit very mineral driven with that chalky mineral tongue tingly finish. Finish 45+ Excellent +
2016 CHAMPAGNE PHILIPPE GONET BLANC DE BLANCS GRAND CRU MILLESIME
Price: $105.00 Your Price: $92.40
Made from grand cru Chardonnays from different plots of the family vineyards of Mesnil-sur-Oger and Oger, this wine is made from only the best vintages. It is nuanced with silky and toasty aromas, with a well-balanced ‘‘minerality’’.
On the nose , there are toasted and nuts (hazelnut) aromas supported by aromas of white flowers. The powerful and fleshy palate reveals brioche and fresh butter notes completed by a strong minerality and citrussy. The finish is long and shows the origin of its great terroir. This wine has an aging potential of 10 years.
2011 PHILIPPE GONET BLANC DE BLANCS MILLESIME, CHAMPAGNE, FRANCE
Price: $90.00 Your Price: $79.20 Quantity in Stock: 19
2007 PHILIPPE GONET BLANC DE BLANCS MILLESIME, CHAMPAGNE, FRANCE MAGNUM
Price: $180.00 Your Price: $158.40
NV PHILIPPE GONET 3210 BLANC DE BLANCS EXTRA BRUT, CHAMPAGNE, FRANCE
Price: $67.50 Your Price: $59.40
NV PHILIPPE GONET 3210 BLANC DE BLANCS EXTRA BRUT, CHAMPAGNE, FRANCE MAGNUM
Price: $150.00 Your Price: $132.00 Quantity in Stock: 5
3 years of aging in the bottle mainly 2008, 2 different vineyard sites and 1 grape 50% Montgueux, 50% Le Mesnil Sur Oger, very tropical pineapple with amount rich in mineral and that signature mineral notes on the nose. Very smooth and creamy on the tongue with wonderful concentration and richness with a long finish with no dosage in this wine so it could be vin nature, very focused and laser like minerality. Even better on the second day. Long and balanced finish. Most Excellent
NV PHILIPPE GONET ROY SOLEIL GRAND CRU, BRUT CHAMPAGNE, FRANCE
Price: $81.00 Your Price: $71.28 Quantity in Stock: 4
NV PHILIPPE GONET ROY SOLEIL GRAND CRU, BRUT CHAMPAGNE, FRANCE MAGNUM
Price: $195.00 Your Price: $171.60
The sun king a very rich wine only from a single vineyard aged in 600 liter oak barrels 1/4 new, Le Mesnil vineyard 5.5 hectares, mainly 2008 30% vin du reserve, very creamy and rich only 200,000 bottles produced annually 25,000 bottles of this cuvee. Wow a very intense wine with layers of pineapple, green apple jolly rancher candy with layers of that distinct chalky mineral, salty briny nuance and a licorice good and plenty candy like nuance with a long finish, wonderful length and complexity through the finish. Even better on the second day, not bubbles but an array of nuance and minerality to the finish that seems to never end. Finish 55+ KILLER
NV PHILIPPE GONET 'TER' BLANC BRUT, CHAMPAGNE, FRANCE
Price: $67.50 Your Price: $59.40 Quantity in Stock: 7
The TER Collection is born out the desire to highlight our terroirs, hence the simplified name. They are subtle blends of three terroirs, carefully selected, for each cuvée. The bottle design is inspired from one blown in the 18th century, found in the cellars of the chateau. The collar is very thin and delicate; the curve of the shoulders is very generous. Pierre Gonet chose to make the collection in 60-hectoliter oak barrels, to bring out the complexity and depth of his wines. Without malolactic fermentation, these cuvées are exceptional. Some of the vines never received any insecticides or herbicides, out of respect for the soil, and a desire to have a more ecological approach. TER cuvées represent the epitome of Champagne Philippe Gonet’s style.
Origin: This pure Chardonnay is a selection from three plots. One-third comes from “Les Hautes Mottes” of Le Mesnil-sur-Oger; the second third, from the “Vozémieux” terroir of Oger. These two terroirs of the Cote des Blancs are classified Grand Cru, and the vines have never received herbicides or pesticides. The last third comes from the soil “Les Corrigniers” of Ludes, Premier Cru, of the Montagne de Reims. This great wine is chiseled and precise; a tension is present and persists in a saline finish. An outstanding wine.
Tasting: Pale yellow with a green light. the perlage is abundant and live a fine mousse which stays at the top of the glass. Elegant nose, fine, fresh nuts, subtle vanilla aromas which introduce fresh citrus fruits like grapefruit and lime. The mouth smooth at the beginning lives quickly the place to the lively freshness typical of the chardonnay grape. The end on white flowers has a great salinity which comes from the chalk, makes remember the purity of the origin of the terroir.
A bit about Champagne Philippe Gonet:
Founded in 1830, Champagne Philippe Gonet is located in the heart of Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, literally a stone’s throw away from Champagne Salon and a few steps away from Clos du Mesnil. The 23 hectares of family vineyards are divided among 47 parcels. Chardonnay is the Gonet’s select grape variety comprising 19 hectares planted in 11 different villages. One-third of their Chardonnay sites are in Le Mesnil, with one historical parcel located near the village entrance that was planted in 1929. In the early 1970s parcels in La Chapelle-Mothodon and Le Breuil were acquired for Pinot Noir. In 1990, the seventh-generation brother and sister team of Pierre and Chantal Gonet took control of their family estate when they were only 22 and 23 years old after the sudden death of their father.
They have succeeded in continuing to elevate the house as a reference for Chardonnay from Le Mesnil through wines of marked character, minerality and structure that express the rich, pure, nuanced terroir of Le Mesnil-sur-Oger. For the past 100 years, the house has built its reputation on Blanc de Blancs. While technically a negociant, the Gonet family is among the largest family growers in Champagne and the majority of their production is from estate grown fruit. Pierre and Chantal are committed to espousing the terroir of Le Mesnil through their distinct Blanc de Blancs cuvees.
Some other great small Champagne Producers on SALE!!
CHAMAGNE MARC HEBRART
2018 MARC HEBRART SPECIAL CLUB BRUT CHAMPAGNE
Price: $120.00 Your Price: $105.60
2013 MARC HEBRART CHAMPAGNE EXTRA BRUT RIVE GAUCHE/RIVE DROIT GRAND CRU
Price: $157.50 Your Price: $138.60
2014 MARC HÉBRART 'RIVE GAUCHE-RIVE DROITE' GRAND CRU BRUT CHAMPAGNE
Price: $160.50 Your Price: $141.24
2015 MARC HÉBRART 'RIVE GAUCHE-RIVE DROITE' GRAND CRU BRUT CHAMPAGNE
Price: $157.50 Your Price: $138.60
NV MARC HEBRART BLANC DE BLANC CHAMPAGNE BRUT 1ER CRU
Price: $70.38 Your Price: $61.93 Quantity in Stock: 3
2014 HEBRART 'CLOS LE LEON' EXTRA BRUT MILLESIME, CHAMPAGNE, FRANCE
Price: $262.50 Your Price: $231.00
Jean-Paul Hébrart took over Marc Hébrart from his father in 1997. His father had been producing estate bottled wines since 1964 and joined the Club Trésors in 1985 Jean-Paul has slowly developed the estate in the last 20 years to one of the very finest grower estates in the Marne. The basis for these outstanding wines are the privileged holdings in Aÿ, including the newly purchased plots in Le Léon, Mareuil-sur-Aÿ, and Dizy in the Grande Vallée as well as Avize, Oiry and Chouilly in the Côte and recently acquired vineyards in Louvois in the Montagne. Jean-Paul harvests, presses and vinifies each of his over 85 plots separately, blending sites to make harmonious wines which reflect the personality of the grower as well as the terroir. A majority of the wines are fermented in steel, though old used barrels have become a part of his program for Rive Gauche-Rive Droite and his new wine, Clos de Léon, both of which are fermented and aged in neutral barrique.
The Hébrart wines are truly of both place and person, the kind, welcoming and generous qualities that Jean-Paul Hébrart exudes can be seen in all of his Champagnes. And while he could easily rest on his laurels at this point, JP instead continues to expand his range, experimenting with lower dosage levels in his benchmark cuvées, and producing stunning Coteaux Champenoise from recently acquired, historic vineyards.
Peter Liem writes of Hébrart on Champgneguide.net: “Hébrart’s wines have a broad appeal: if you like to think about your wines, they’re intellectually engaging enough to satisfy you; on the other hand, if you’re just looking to drink, they’re simply delicious. The wines are full and generous without being weighty, complex and soil-driven without being demanding. Overall, the entire range is of consistently high quality, and represents excellent value for the money.”
“Undeniably, Mareuil should belong to the grand cru villages. Most of the vineyards reach almost the same quality as those of Aÿ. In their youth, what may distinguish a Mareuil wine from an Aÿ wine is a hawthorn-like flowery bouquet. On aging, the wines become practically impossible to tell apart.” – Richard Juhlin, 4000 Champagnes
CHAMPAGNE PAUL BARA
2015 Paul Bara Brut Special Club Grand Cru Champagne
Price: $122.25 Your Price: $107.58 Quantity In Stock: 1
2014 Paul Bara Champagne Brut Special Club Grand Cru
Price: $130.00 Your Price: $114.40
2015 Paul Bara Special Club Rose Champagne
Price: $169.50 Your Price: $149.16 Quantity In Stock: 1
2016 Paul Bara Special Club Rose Champagne
Price: $154.50 Your Price: $135.96
2016 Paul Bara Brut Vintage Champagne Grand Millesime Grand Cru
Price: $96.00 Your Price: $84.48
Nv Paul Bara Brut Reserve Grand Cru
Price: $66.50 Your Price: $58.52
Nv Paul Bara Rose Brut Champagne Grand Cru
Price: $79.00 Your Price: $69.52
2012 Paul Bara Brut Comt Marie De France Champagne Grand Cru
Price: $165.00 Your Price: $145.20 Quantity In Stock: 3
The Montagne de Reims boasts some of the best Pinot Noir in the region, and Bouzy is its capital. The key to Bouzy’s inherent greatness lies in its deep, chalky subsoil which imparts intense expression of fruit and great mineral complexity in its grand cru wines. The village of Bouzy and Champagne Paul Bara are practically synonymous. As the published village historian, Paul is indelibly linked to the lore of his hometown. Many argue that he is their most renowned producer, being one of the rare récoltants-manipulants in a region inundated with the mass-produced wines of the large, corporate champagne houses. These récoltants-manipulants, or R.M.s as they are known, are of the few that still grow their own grapes and make their own wines. Champagne Paul Bara is the quintessential example, where everything is done with a personalized touch.
Over the years, gradual improvements have been made to the estate: the surface area of the vineyards was expanded to eleven hectares (only 26 acres!), the winery and press modernized, and the cellar extended – and what an impressive cellar! It is carved entirely out of pure chalk and reaches a depth of over thirty feet below ground. When Paul returned home at the end of World War II, he found these same cellars raided, pillaged of nearly all inventory, and irreverently trashed by the German occupying forces. Of the few bottles that were salvaged, one can still experience the longevity and timeless quality of the Bara’s classic style. When Paul retired, he passed the direction of the estate over to his eldest daughter, Chantale, who has kept their family traditions and their house style very much alive. The Baras make their wines by hand with low-yielding vines and good maturity ensured by prolonged bottle aging. Andrew Jefford, author of The New France, calls them, “…essential references for anyone who wants to enjoy and understand the ripe, dry richness of Bouzy…”
CHAMPAGNE GASTON CHIQUET
2014 CHAMPAGNE GASTON CHIQUET SPECIAL CLUB GRAND CRU BRUT MILLESIME
Price: $91.50 Your Price: $80.52
For more than twenty years, a group of winegrowers representing the most renowned crus of the region have come together as the Club Trésors de Champagne. The principle aim of this group is to uphold three principles – authenticity, originality and meticulousness – and to increase knowledge of their very best Champagnes through the “Special Club” cuvées. Each member uses grapes harvested on their own land to ensure typicity and character rather than a common product. A selection of blends is submitted to the rigorous regulations and standards of oœnologues and winemakers expert in the Champagne tradition. Only those that pass the test are deemed worthy of the Club Trésors label and presented in the Club’s elegant, exclusive bottle.
The 2014 Special Club is 70% Chardonnay and 30% Pinot Noir from Mareuil-sur-Ay, Ay, and Hautvillers. The wine underwent malolactic fermentation and was vinified and aged in stainless steel before spending 78 months sur latte.
CHAMPAGNE J LASSALLE
2013 J LASSALLE BRUT SPECIAL CLUB Brut Champagne
Price: $145.00 Your Price: $127.60 Quantity in Stock: 5
2012 CHAMPAGNE J. LASSALLE SPECIAL CLUB BRUT MAGNUM
Price: $320.00 Your Price: $281.60 Quantity in Stock: 1
2014 J. LASSALLE SPECIAL CLUB ROSE 1ER CRU BRUT CHAMPAGNE
Price: $210.00 Your Price: $184.80 Quantity in Stock: 4
Grapes are crushed on a traditional, wooden press, parcel by parcel. The must rests for 12-24 hours to allow the juice to settle. The alcoholic fermentation lasts from 8-10 days. Wines go through malolactic fermentation to soften their acidity. The blend of grapes changes every year for every wine, with consideration given to the conditions presented by the vintage, the terroir, and the house style. Secondary fermentation takes place in bottle for 6-8 weeks. Bottles are riddled in pupîtres and are adjusted a quarter turn at a time for 6 weeks. Bottles are disgorged manually.
The Special Club is an association of 25 growers, founded in 1970. J. Lassalle has been a member since the beginning. These Champagnes must be vintage, and each producer does not make a wine every year. The members must taste and approve before a grower releases their Special Club. There is no regulation for the blend, each grower can decide their own. Every Special Club released is in the same type of bottle and has the same label design, but of course with their own name on it.
Champagne Voirin Jumel
This is a fourth generation family from Cremant with a brother and sister now running the show and they each have two childred to take over the family business. This is one of the Great things about Chamapagne, 90% of the vineyards are owned by small growers most of whom have never made a wine under their own label.
1945 is the year when the Voirin family began to create their first bottles of Champagne. It was the same for the Jumel family, René Jumel married to Miss Richomme began to sell their trucks to buy vineyards.
Tradition has it that the wife stays in her native village after marriage. Therefore Gilles Voirin had to leave his native village of Chouilly and Grand Cru vineyard to move 3km away to the village of Cramant in order to join Ms. Françoise Jumel. Both from a family vineyard in the heart of the Grand Cru Blanc de Blanc, they decided to unite their harvest, Champagne Gilles Voirin appeared.
In the Champagne region there are many families who give their champagne their own names: the name of the husband followed the maiden name of the wife. Gilles Voirin and Françoise Jumel followed the Champagne tradition when their two children Patrick and Alice were aged around ten years old.
That’s how the Champagne Voirin-Jumel was born.
The house of Voirin-Jumel has founds its path over the past 15 years. Now Alice and Patrick Voirin, brother and sister, dynamically working together, boosts the range of Champagne Voirin-Jumel in perfect understanding: Alice manages marketing and Patrick Champagne production.
Valérie Voirin, wife of Patrick Voirin, opened its Bed and Breakfast in the heart of the Grand Cru vineyard. Ideal for a weekend in the heart of Champagne region. Since then the family Voirin-Jumel continues to flourish, and offers weekend to share with them: A visit; the family house, vineyards to the winery and cellars, accompanied by tasting.
NV Voirin-Jumel Brut Tradition Champagne
Price: $39.75 Sale $34.98
Côtes des Blancs et Vallée de la Marne, 50% de Chardonnay et 50% de Pinot Noir. Balanced and fruity, a good card to play at every moment: big occasions and cocktail parties. The aromas evoke fresh hazelnut and almond, hot pastries. In the palate it is creamy with a vinous well balanced pleasant freshness.
NV Voirin Jumel Champagne Brut 1er Cru Blanc De Noirs
Price: $45.00 Your Price: $39.60 Quantity in Stock: 2
Voirin-Jumel Champagne 1er Cru Blanc De Blanc Brut
Price: $45.00 Sale $39.60
A small house that is located in Cramant and they make on average 10-20,000 bottles. This wine has a good amount of fresh apple and pear fruit with hints of flinty mineral, ginger spice and white flowers. A very fresh style with no disgorgment date on the label has a good amount of apple and zesty lemon citrus on the finish, smooth creamy mousse on the tongue. Finish 40+ Excellent
Voirin Jumel Champagne Cuvee 555
Price: $65.00 Your Price: $57.20 Quantity in Stock: 3
This wine is aged on the lees for 7+ years and is fermented in older oak barrels, it is also 100% Chardonnay and is named in honor of their street address, which is hard to find - but only the first time.
This champagne is fermented in oak barrels (25 old barrels are needed to develop the Cuvée 555! They are devoid of tannin and have been refurbished by a barrel maker situated in the Burgundy region of France).
Delicately scented Cuvée 555 is distinguished by its golden yellow color, very fine bubbles, its woody smell and especially deep aromas of candied fruits and gingerbread. Keen fans of champagne find it generous and full-bodied and are more than satisfied with its attributes. The grapes from a 4 to 5 year old harvest. 100% Chardonnay Grand Cru from The « Clos du Mardu » is the name of the vineyard at Cramant.
NV Voirin Jumel Rose De Saignee Champagne Magnum
List Price: $103.50 Your Price: $91.08
NV Voirin Jumel Rose De Saignee Champagne
Price: $49.75 Your Price: $43.78 Quantity in Stock: 22
Mareuil/Aÿ and côte des Blancs, 70% de Pinot Noir – 30% Chardonnay, made with the Saignee method This sedutive rosé Champagne is the ideal partner for many occasions. It offers a delicious cocktail, with aromas of red fruits. The structure is bound in the mouth by the finesse of the bubbles with a cheerful persistent foam. It offers elegance and generosity.
Voirin-Jumel Blanc De Blancs Grand Cru
Price: $49.00 Sale $43.12 Quantity in Stock: 8
This wine is 80% of their production and is a blend of three vintages, 100% Chardonnay all estate fruit from the Grand Cru village of Cramant. A very rich and creamy wine on the palate with aromas of fresh tree fruits, citrus and biscuit like baked bread along with notes of ginger spice. Very long and layered finish with that classic chalk like minerality of Champagne.
Sulfur gives you a headache and they do not use it as they crush the grapes very quickly to avoid oxidation. Think of an apple when you cut it and immediately it turns brown and begins to lose its fresh crisp fruit the same thing happens to wine when the grapes get damaged, bruised, etc.
Champagne Drappier
Once occupied by Cistercian monks from Clairvaux Abbey, the seat of the house includes some magnificent 12th-century vaulted cellars.
Moving on to the more recent past, the ancestral tree of the Drappier Family nevertheless has its roots in the 17th century, with the birth in 1604 of Rémy Drappier, who like Nicolas Ruinart, becomes a cloth merchant in Reims. His grandson Nicolas (1669-1724) is a public prosecutor in the reign of Louis XIV. We must wait until 1803 for one of the ancestors of the house, François, to move to Urville and begin working a vineyard which today extends over 55 hectares, without counting a dozen contractual arrangements with other growers in the Côte des Bar, the Montagne de Reims and the Côte des Blancs.
In Urville, at the beginning of the 1930s, the vineyard suddenly erupts with heated discussions. This is when the descendant of that time, Georges Collot, maternal grandfather of Michel, the present head of the house, is the first to decide to plant Pinot Noir in the region. His decision causes some amusement and he is nicknamed 'Father Pinot'. In the meantime, this grape variety comes to represent 70% of Drappier's vineyards and almost three quarters of grape production in the local area. History has proved the mockers wrong.
In 1952 André and Micheline Drappier launch the Carte d'Or cuvée with its distinctive yellow label. This reminds one of quince jelly, a yellow fruit (left) of which several aromatic notes are found in every bottle. shop
After the historic frost of 1957 (when 95% of the potential yield is destroyed), André introduces Pinot Meunier, more resistant to icy spring weather. Even so, it is a 100% Pinot Noir Drappier cuvée which will captivate General de Gaulle for his family enjoyment at Colombey-les-deux-Eglises. shop
In 1968 Micheline has the idea of introducing a rosé champagne. It too will be 100% Pinot Noir and in a clear glass bottle, a feminine touch which is still very rare at this time. Forty years later, the Drappier Rosé has enjoyed true success, taking it right to the Elysée Palace. shop
Since 1979 Michel DRAPPIER has controlled the winemaking process, while André, with a lifetime's experience of harvests behind him, keeps a watchful eye over the vineyards, which today cover 53 hectares of land owned by the domaine and 40 hectares in contractual arrangements with other growers.
In 1988 deep cellars dug out of the Reims limestone in the reign of Napoleon III come under family ownership to house the prestigious cuvées. Since then, three young buds born of Michel and Sylvie - Charline in 1989, Hugo in 1991 and Antoine in 1996 - represent the eighth generation in the domaine.
The true cornerstone of the house, the Drappier vineyard has the good fortune to be able to rely on more than 90 hectares shared between the Côte des Bar, the cradle of the family where the old vines are no longer counted; the Montagne de Reims, well known for the power of its Pinot Noir; and the Côte des Blancs, famed for the finesse of its Chardonnay. A strong focus is placed on natural viticulture, and the house’s vines, as well as a portion of the rented parcels, are treated with organic composts made in-house, as well as organically-certified fertilisers. The only concession made is in the treatment of mildew, where some synthetic products may be used if necessary: “If I have to choose, I would rather have a healthy vine than an unhealthy but completely organic one,” says Michel Drappier.
NV Drappier Carte d'Or Brut Champagne
List Price: $52.50 Your Price: $46.20 Quantity in Stock: 9
(90 Points) "Structured by steely acidity and a lively bead, this racy Champagne is quite firm, carrying flavors of raspberry, McIntosh apple, piecrust and fresh ginger followed by a lip-smacking, zesty finish." Wine Spectator
This is the tete de Cuvee of this house and is a blend of 55% Pinot Noir and 45% Chardonnay aged for seven years en-tirage in the cellars of Drappier. This wine has a rich golden color with aromas of quince, apricot and strawberry shortcake like aromas to the toasted nutty biscuit like aromas with light smoky notes, even more complex as the wine opens in the glass. Thick and viscous on the tongue with a texture of cream, rich ripe fruit and tongue tingly acidity along with that textbook chalky sea shell like mineral nuance through the finish. Finish 50+ Most Excellent +
NV Drappier Brut Rose Champagne
List Price: $72.00 Your Price: $63.36 Quantity in Stock: 16
(92 Points) "Lightly floral on the nose, with hints of lavender and verbena, and spicy on the palate, offering ground clove and anise accents to the flavors of pastry dough, wild cherry, golden raisin, grated coconut and fleur de sel. Harmonious and elegant throughout, presenting a long, mouthwatering finish." Wine Spectator
Scientific proof that Champagne is good for your brain
New research shows that drinking one to three glasses of champagne a week may counteract the memory loss associated with ageing, and could help delay the onset of degenerative brain disorders, such as dementia.
Scientists at the University of Reading have shown that the phenolic compounds found in champagne can improve spatial memory, which is responsible for recording information about one's environment, and storing the information for future navigation.
The compounds work by modulating signals in the hippocampus and cortex, which control memory and learning. The compounds were found to favourably alter a number of proteins linked to the effective storage of memories in the brain. Many of these are known to be depleted with age, making memory storage less efficient, and leading to poorer memory in old age and conditions such as dementia. Champagne slows these loses and therefore may help prevent the cognitive losses that occur during typical and atypical brain ageing.
Champagne has relatively high levels of phenolics compared to white wine, deriving predominantly from the two red grapes, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier, which are used in its production along with the white grape Chardonnay. It is these phenolic compounds which are believed to be responsible for the beneficial effects of champagne on the brain.
Professor Jeremy Spencer, Department of Food and Nutritional Sciences, University of Reading, said: "These exciting results illustrate for the first time that the moderate consumption of champagne has the potential to influence cognitive functioning, such as memory. Such observations have previously been reported with red wine, through the actions of flavonoids contained within it.
"However, our research shows that champagne, which lacks flavonoids, is also capable of influencing brain function through the actions of smaller phenolic compounds, previously thought to lack biological activity. We encourage a responsible approach to alcohol consumption, and our results suggest that a very low intake of one to two glasses a week can be effective."
Dr. David Vauzour, the researcher on the study, added: "in the near future we will be looking to translate these findings into humans. This has been achieved successfully with other polyphenol-rich foods, such as blueberry and cocoa, and we predict similar outcomes for moderate Champagne intake on cognition in humans."
Previous research from the University of Reading revealed that two glasses of champagne a day may be good for your heart and circulation and could reduce the risks of suffering from cardiovascular disease and stroke.
The paper is published in Antioxidants and Redox Signalling.
ENDS
For all media enquiries please contact Alex Brannen 07834 006 243 or James Barr 07788 714376
Notes for editors:
The University of Reading is ranked among the top 1% of universities in the world (THE World University Rankings 2012) and is one of the UK's top research-intensive universities
The Department of Food and Nutritional Sciences is the largest University department of its kind in the UK, combining state of the art teaching facilities, clinical nutrition unit, labs and the largest pilot processing plant in the UK. The Department is internationally recognised for the quality of its research and enjoys a high public profile both domestically and internationally.
The department continues to work with the food industry over a wide range of industrially funded research projects and contracts under our Food Chain and Health research theme. This includes one-to-one funding from multi-national companies through to small and medium sized enterprises.
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