SPECIAL CHAMPAGNES
Millésimé
A millésimé or vintage champagne is a champagne in which grapes are used from only one harvest year (millésime).
A millésimé has to legally mature for at least 36 months and is only produced in excellent harvest years.
However, many producers let their vintage champagnes rest in the cellars for (much) longer.
This specific champagne is made with grapes from the 2012 harvest. It is not only a millésimé, but also a blanc de blancs (100% chardonnay). This champagne has matured for 6 years in the cellar.
Nicole Langen Fotografie
Rosé champagne
Rosé champagne can be produced in two ways:
1) By blending red still wine from the Champagne region to the white still wine during the blending process. Such a rosé champagne is called a 'rosé d'assemblage'.
2) By maceration: Before pressing, destemmed black-skinned grapes are left to macerate until the desired colour is achieved, this takes about 24 to 72, hours depending on the year. Once the desired color has been achieved, the juice is again separated from the grapes. This is called a champagne 'rosé de saignée'.
The rosé champagne on the right is a blend of 60% chardonnay and 26% pinot noir. 14% red wine from pinot noir has been added to this. This is an example of a rosé d'assemblage.
Blanc de blancs
Blanc de blancs means literally white from whites, so a white champagne made from 100% white (mostly chardonnay) grapes.
A blanc de blancs is often lively and elegant, with a beautiful minerality ('chalky') and fine acidity.
It is a champagne that is very suitable as an aperitif or with light, refined dishes.
The champagne on the left is a blanc de blancs vintage champagne from 2006. It is a real prestige cuvée, one of the most special champagnes of the champagne house.
Blanc de noirs
Blanc de noirs is a (white) champagne made from black grapes; of pinot noir, meunier or a combination of both varieties.
A blanc de noirs champagne is often more powerful, richer and fuller in taste and texture. It is a champagne that can be combined very well with many dishes.
The cuvée on the right is a blanc de noirs, made from 100% pinot noir (PN) from Verzenay (VZ).
Most of the base wines come from 2015, hence the name PN VZ 15.
Nicole Langen Fotografie
Monocru, clos and champagne parcellaire
A monocru is a champagne made from grapes that come from one (mono) cru, meaning a wine-growing commune.
A clos (French for fenced) is an official term for a vineyard that is surrounded by walls. Historically, it was surrounded by 'a wall or a hedge that a horse could not jump over.' This creates a specific microclimate, which has a special effect on the champagne.
A 'champagne parcellaire' is produced from grapes that come from one plot, in French 'parcelle'.
The champagne on the left is a prestige cuvée, a millésimé (see above) and a monocru, from several plots. The vineyards of this clos are located on a very steep slope.