Cheurlin Thomas Le Champion Blanc de Noir
-
Wilfred
Wong
Product Details
Your Rating
Somm Note
Winemaker Notes
100% Pinot Noir harvested from north, north-west exposed soil with red clay and limestone portlandien (hard limestone with a thickness of 80m) on the right bank of the Siene, in a plot over 45 years old. Wine is matured in stainless steel tanks with tern perature control. Second fermentation is in the bottle with a minimum of 18 months aging. Pinot reflects its terrior.
Professional Ratings
-
Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
Complex and refined, the Thomas Cheurlin Le Champion Blanc de Noir Champagne deftly combines earth, fruit, and leaves in its aroma and flavor delivery. The wine's frisky lemon peel finish pairs it naturally with raw, long-neck clam sashimi. (Tasted: June 13, 2017, San Francisco, CA)
Thomas has benefited from the opportunity to watch and learn not only from his father but also each of his older siblings. Thomas is a passionate winemaker who combines authenticity with innovation, continuously in search of oenological perfection. As Thomas says, their "flexibility to run a family (business) model [but] sell in large volume" is Cheurlin's greatest strength. Now at the helm of his family's dynasty, Thomas is the bridge that connects Cheurlin Champagnes to the United States… and his partnership with American legend Isiah Thomas is turning that dream into reality.
Located in the south of the Champagne region in the Aube, the Cheurlin vineyard extends over five villages and the valleys of the Ource, the Arce and Seine. Thanks to their geographic location and due to its aspect and nature of its soil, each vineyard produces its own unique taste, giving the grape a particular characteristic. What makes our vineyard unique is our versatility. The Cheurlin family lands have produced France’s finest champagnes using traditional growing and cultivating methods for over two centuries. But our unexpected touches – like our location in the south, rather than the north, of the Champagne region and our use of the uncommon pinot blanc grape – ensures the Cheurlin line of champagnes will provide you with a refreshing twist on a world-renowned classic.
A term typically reserved for Champagne and Sparkling Wines, non-vintage or simply “NV” on a label indicates a blend of finished wines from different vintages (years of harvest). To make non-vintage Champagne, typically the current year’s harvest (in other words, the current vintage) forms the base of the blend. Finished wines from previous years, called “vins de reserve” are blended in at approximately 10-50% of the total volume in order to achieve the flavor, complexity, body and acidity for the desired house style. A tiny proportion of Champagnes are made from a single vintage.
There are also some very large production still wines that may not claim one particular vintage. This would be at the discretion of the winemaker’s goals for character of the final wine.
Associated with luxury, celebration, and romance, the region, Champagne, is home to the world’s most prized sparkling wine. In order to bear the label, ‘Champagne’, a sparkling wine must originate from this northeastern region of France—called Champagne—and adhere to strict quality standards. Made up of the three towns Reims, Épernay, and Aÿ, it was here that the traditional method of sparkling wine production was both invented and perfected, birthing a winemaking technique as well as a flavor profile that is now emulated worldwide.
Well-drained, limestone and chalky soil defines much of the region, which lend a mineral component to its wines. Champagne’s cold, continental climate promotes ample acidity in its grapes but weather differences from year to year can create significant variation between vintages. While vintage Champagnes are produced in exceptional years, non-vintage cuvées are produced annually from a blend of several years in order to produce Champagnes that maintain a consistent house style.
With nearly negligible exceptions, . These can be blended together or bottled as individual varietal Champagnes, depending on the final style of wine desired. Chardonnay, the only white variety, contributes freshness, elegance, lively acidity and notes of citrus, orchard fruit and white flowers. Pinot Noir and its relative Pinot Meunier, provide the backbone to many blends, adding structure, body and supple red fruit flavors. Wines with a large proportion of Pinot Meunier will be ready to drink earlier, while Pinot Noir contributes to longevity. Whether it is white or rosé, most Champagne is made from a blend of red and white grapes—and uniquely, rosé is often produce by blending together red and white wine. A Champagne made exclusively from Chardonnay will be labeled as ‘blanc de blancs,’ while ones comprised of only red grapes are called ‘blanc de noirs.’