Just over a month left for the Modena Champagne Experience 2023 (October 15th-16th), the largest Italian event dedicated to Champagne, with hundreds of labels to try and as many producers between Maison and Vigneron with their story to tell.
Finding your way among the numerous proposals can be a difficult job, especially if you don't have clear ideas where to stop for a taste. For this reason, for each area of Champagne (for who doesn’t know, the fair is organized by geographical area: Montagne de Reims, Vallée de La Marne, Côte des Blancs and Côte des Bar) we have selected two producers that you can’t miss, all to be discovered and tasted. An in-depth journey in which we will give you some more information about their history and their production methods, so that you do not arrive unprepared.
Let's start from the Montagne de Reims. In Treslon, in the Vallée de l'Ardre we discover the Domaine Lagille, owned by a family of winemakers for many generations and currently managed by Vincent and Maud, brother and sister with clear ideas and a farsighted gaze who, with their Champagnes, passionately tell the link between wine, terroir and family heritage. The cultivation practices adopted favor a biological approach (the Domaine has been in bio conversion since 2019) which have allowed to obtain the HVE - Haute Valeur Environnementale certification. Domaine Lagille has 7.20 hectares of vineyards mainly cultivated with Meunier (55%), Chardonnay (30%) and Pinot Noir (15%), with a production of around 50,000 bottles a year. Meunier is cultivated with "cordon royat" (spurred cordon) pruning, a system usually reserved for the most important Grand Cru vineyards of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Parcel vinification, minimum dosages and use of wood are the characteristics of Champagne Lagille, which are distinguished by their gustatory purity and which upon tasting reveal all the richness and complexity of the clayey-limestone soil of the Montagne de Reims. Do not miss Champagne L'Inattendu, 100% Meunier and Champagne Grande Réserve, a blend in equal parts of Chardonnay, Meunier and Pinot Noir.
In Ambonnay it’s difficult not to know the Champagne Marguet. The Domaine covers 8 hectares in Ambonnay and Bouzy and has been managed by Benoît Marguet since 2004 according to the principles of biodynamic philosophy (the Domaine is Demeter certified). A holistic cultivation method without invasive interventions that contributes to the resilience and adaptation of the vineyard by improving the functionality of the terroir. The parcels are vinified separately in wood, while the blends and dosages are established by Benoît from year to year. Even in the cellar, all phases follow careful principles aimed at respecting and enhancing the material to obtain distinctive Champagnes, with a precise and expressive style. Champagne Sapience 2013 is memorable, born from the collaboration of Benoît Marguet, Benoît Lahaye, Vincent Laval and David Leclapart; and Champagne Shaman 19, a predominantly Pinot Noir blend with the addition of approximately 13% Chardonnay from Ambonnay Grand Cru vineyards.
Alongside the best known names of the Vallée De La Marne including Jacquesson, Tarlant and Pouillon, the Champagne Françoise Bedel stand out for their opulent, rich and complex character. 9 hectares of vineyards aged between 20 and 60 years of which Meunier represents about 80%. Françoise Bedel is openly a pioneer of Biodynamic agriculture applying its principles since 1982 and obtaining the Demeter certification in 2006. Vinification prevalently in enamelled tanks and only a small percentage in oak barrels with the aim of conferring a light controlled micro-oxidation . Finally, the long refinements allow the wine to best develop its aromatic complexity. L'Âme de la Terre 2010 best expresses all the characteristics of complexity, power and stylistic intensity of the Domaine.
Also in the Vallée De La Marne area, the Maurice Choppin Champagnes deserve further study. Protagonist of some of our recent tastings, his Champagnes will delight you as they have delighted us: power, roundness, balance and authentic personality. The Domaine is today managed by Benjamin Choppin, son of Maurice and last of 7 generations. HVE certification which guarantees sustainable and reasoned agriculture, in the cellar spontaneous fermentations are favored with indigenous yeasts and limited external and mechanical interventions (no filtration and clarification) to preserve the purity and identity of the wines. The vinification is done for single parcels, for "millesimé" and not, in order to highlight the typical characteristics of each terroir and of the single vintages. Try Champagne Epinette de Champagne, 100% Chardonnay from the homonymous lieu-dit and Champagne Les Terres Des Reguins, 100% Meunier; both vinified in fût de chêne.
Continuing in the Côte Des Blancs, stop by Pascal Doquet. We are in Vertus, on the southern tip of the Côte des Blancs, 15 hectares of Premier Cru and Grand Cru vineyards. Its elegant and characterful Champagnes are a limited production and are conceived according to the criteria of certified organic agriculture. Champagne Arpège, harmonious, with fruity and floral notes is a 100% Chardonnay from Premier Cru vineyards with a 2015 harvest base; Champagne Coeur de Terroir Vertus, a blending of 70% Chardonnay and 30% Pinot Noir from Vertus vineyards, broad, deep, vinous, pleasantly fresh.
Have you tried the Champagne De Sousa?
The Domaine is located in Avize, in the heart of the prestigious Côte des Blancs with property vineyards also in the famous Grands Crus of Cramant and Oger. Erick De Sousa, who led the Domaine passed away in January 2023 and will remain in the history of Campagne above all for having been a true pioneer of organic farming in the region, supporting this choice with deep commitment and conviction when it was not yet common practice, far from marketing strategies. In fact, the Domaine obtained the organic farming certification in 2010 and the Demeter one in 2013. With perseverance and foresight, De Sousa has been able to preserve its vines which are now over half a century old and continues to create unique cuvées, a tribute to this exceptional land. For tasting we recommend Champagne Cuvée des Caudalies, Blanc de Blancs from the best Grands Crus (Avize, Oger, Le Mesnil sur Oger, Cramant) and Champagne Umami, a limited production resulting from the blending of 70% Chardonnay of the Grand Cru of Avize and 30% Pinot Noir from the Grands Crus of Ay and Ambonnay.
Finally, passing through the Côte des Bar area, we suggest to have a stop at Pierre Gerbais, a reality extended for around 14 hectares in the Vallée de l'Ource and which is living a significant development. Here Pascal Gerbais, who currently leads the business together with his son Aurélien, has the merit of having recovered the rare Pinot Blanc of the "Vrai" variety, one of the Cépages Oubliés of Champagne; and to have included organic and natural viticulture practices since 1996. Integrated struggle in the vineyard, minimal use of sulfur dioxide in the cellar and limited productions, make Domaine Pierre Gerbais a constantly growing reality. If you have the opportunity, try Champagne La Loge, 100% Pinot Blanc and Champagne Grains de Celles, a blend of 50% Pinot Noir, 25% Chardonnay and 25% Pinot Blanc, elegant, round, creamy.
If you don't know Champagne Alexandre Bonnet yet, this is the right opportunity to explore the area of Les Riceys, a village on the Côte des Bar known for the production of rosé wines and for being the only one to have three Denominations of Controlled Origin (AOC): AOC Champagne, AOC Rosé des Ricey and AOC Côteaux Champenois. The Alexandre Bonnet wine property has become the emblem of this unique terroir: 47 hectares of vineyards dedicated to the production of Champagne, Côteaux Champenois Rouge and Rosé des Riceys. Its exceptional vineyard combined with the methods applied in the vineyard and in the cellar (the Domaine has been HVE certified since 2015), allow for the elaboration of truly interesting, precise and expressive Champagnes, which perfectly reflect the terroir of Les Riceys. Do not miss Champagne La Géande 7 Cépages 2018, an atypical blend of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Meunier, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, Arbane, Petit Meslier from the 2018 harvest from a single parcel at Les Ricey; and Champagne Rosé de Saignée La Foret, 100% Pinot Noir, intense, well structured, with silky but powerful tannins.
If you want to discover all the Champagnes in the GLUGULP! collection at a special price, click HERE