The Holiday Season is in full swing rolling into the second week of December, as a barrage of holiday parties brings up the question of which beverage to bring to the party to elevate good cheer as well as complement a diversity of foods. My first recommendation is Champagne, specifically the “Single Grower” category. Many overlook Champagne because they think they have to jump to the $100 to $150 range to procure a grand bubbly. On the contrary, a stream of family-run and estate grown operations have been making their way into the U.S. in record numbers since the early 1990s. It’s not just about the “Big Boys” based in Epernay and Reims anymore. Production from this small band of producers is still a drop in the bucket when you consider that the top three Champagne brands account for over 65% of all the Champagne imported into this country.
Wake up America! We have more choices than ever when it comes to excellent bubbly, and certain American retailers are taking a stance in the right direction, showcasing a variety of houses that emphasize their sense of place. Furthermore, these family-owned and operated houses frequently source from highly rated Grand Cru vineyards, in comparison to the luxury houses who only implement top-rated fruit in their most exclusive bottlings. Many of the luxury goods houses market a non-vintage category that is sweetened for the American palate. By law, a non-vintage Brut can receive a dose of sugar of up to 15 grams per liter. Many of the most recognizable and most mass produced non-vintage brands hit this mark. On the flip side, many of the “Single Grower” houses advertise a much lower dosage of sugar, averaging 6 to 9 grams per liter, allowing minerality and subtle fruit nuances to be revealed. Furthermore, many of these houses use a high percentage of Grand Cru rated fruit to make up the base for their entry level, non-vintage or multi-vintage category. You may need to spend an additional $5 to $15 on certain small house selections, but the rewards are tremendous, revealing Champagne as a truly serious wine, on par with high quality Burgundy!
I encourage the American wine public to make a New Year’s resolution to drink better quality Champagne and to demand more choices on its retail shelves from the “Single Grower” movement. The longer you are around fine wine, the more you will appreciate Champagne for its food pairing capabilities, diversity in site selection and style diversity. Vinfolio catalogues a healthy array of small producers from the non-vintage category to the vintage dated reserve cuvée. Below are six efforts that speak volumes for quality, making you seriously contemplate the unique and spectacular nature of Champagne.
Rene Geoffroy Brut 'Expression' NV $42.00 / IWC 90
Move over Veuve ‘Yellow Label’! Geoffroy’s entry level is far from being on training wheels. It doesn’t get better for the category. Recently disgorged, 11/06, it’s split between the ’03 and ’04 vintage (24% Chardonnay, 40% Pinot Meunier and 18% Pinot Noir). Be amazed by its refinement.
Rene Geoffroy Vintage Brut 1er Cru 1999 $65.00 / BH 92
The family traces ownership of their vineyards in Cumieres back to the 17th century. This house specializes in ageing its base wines in oak foudres without malolactic fermentation. The 1999 is equal parts Chardonnay and Pinot Noir that is 100% wood vinified. This is precious nectar! Vinfolio was fortunate to source a few cases.
Roger Coulon Brut Millesime 2002 $58.00 / IWC 92
The cellars are based in Vrigny, although Eric and Isabelle Coulon own nine hectares spread across five different villages. The holdings have a high percentage of Pinot Meunier that average 40 to 60 years of age. The 2002 is approximately equal parts Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier.
Jean Milan Vintage Brut 'Terres de Noel' 2002 $79.00 / IWC 92
You can’t talk about Chardonnay-driven estates without mentioning this Oger-based superstar. ‘Terres de Noel’ is a 50 year-old parcel that remains one of the finest of all the Blanc de Blancs. The 2002 vintage has been considered the best Chardonnay vintage since the heralded 1996. Tasty now, but will age gracefully for another 3 to 6 years.
Pierre Gimonnet 'Brut Paradoxe'1er Cru 2002 $49.00 / IWC 92
Growers in the village of Cuis since 1750, this house specializes in Chardonnay. However, the ‘Paradoxe’ incorporates 50% Pinot Noir from the ‘Les Clefs’ climat in Mareuil-sur-Aÿ. The Pinot Noir really shines on the nose!
Bruno Paillard 'Brut Millesime Assemblage' 1996 $55.00 / IWC 92
The house of Paillard, based in Reims, is the vision of Bruno Paillard, who built the house from scratch. This was one of the first firms to include disgorgement dates on the back label. The 1996 vintage is one of my favorites for this spectacular vintage at a song of a price.
