Winemaker Notes
1/3 Chardonnay, 1/3 Pinot Noir, 1/3 Pinot Meunier. This cuvée makes up 70-90% of Tarlant's production and "is my daily obsession," says Benoît Tarlant. Zero reflects the Tarlant emphasis on unadorned terroir, with no selected yeasts and no dosage The compostion is generally 60% of the base vintage plus 40% reserve wine. The organically farmed, hand-harvested fruit comes potentially from all 62 of Tarlant's parcels from across 4 villages (Oeuilly, Boursault, St-Agnan and Celles-lès-Condé), and incredibly, each is vinified separately to give maximum flexibility in dialing in the blend.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Fresh sourdough and light walnut aromas alongside sliced apples, raspberries and nutmeg. Very precise, dry and taut, with tight bubbles and subtle yeasty notes at the end. 32% pinot noir, 32% chardonnay, 32% pinot meunier and 4% petit meslier, arbanne and pinot blanc from 2017 reserve wines.
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Jeb Dunnuck
Based on the 2017 vintage, the NV Champagne Zero Brut Nature is 30% each Pinot Noir, Meunier, and Chardonnay, with a small amount of Petit Meslier, Arbanne, and Pinot Blanc, and it was disgorged in July 2023. It’s a lovely release that feels perfectly suited to the vintage, with a supple, sunny, shiny character, a pillowy mousse, and notes of citrus oils, raw honey, lime pith, herbs, and hints of mint. Medium-bodied, it has a refined, chalky texture and refreshing acidity without austerity, and the savory freshness really sings. As it opens, a more floral perfume rises out of the glass.
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Wine Spectator
Vivid acidity is a live wire driving this salty Champagne, layered with flavors of poached apricotand cherry fruit, pastry dough, blanched almond andlemon pith. Taut and lip-smacking through the minerally finish. Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Pinot Meunier, Petit Meslier, Arbanne and Pinot Blanc.
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.’