Winemaker Notes
Verzenay is a Grand Cru village just east of Ludes where two lieux dits, Les Corettes (1979) & Les Champs St Martin (1967) present stately Pinot Noir fruit backed up by a firm backbone of pure chalk and citrus fruit.
Professional Ratings
-
Jeb Dunnuck
Moving to the 2018 Champagne Grand Cru Verzenay (100% Pinot Noir), it’s broad and expansive on opening, with notes of kirsch, violets, pink grapefruit, and blue fruits as well as a very pretty floral flourish. A bit more delicate on the palate than the Bouzy, it offers lovely purity, with a fluffy mousse and mouthfeel and a silky texture. It’s attractive now and will continue to improve over the coming 10-15 years. Zero dosage.
-
Decanter
Such delicacy and focus. Beautifully rendered mirabelle and orange citrus fruit amplified by pale honey richness and spiced red apple, the oak usage bolstering but not shading the wine. Structured, but in fine lines rather than heavy ones. 100% Pinot Noir from two plots in the north-facing grand cru village of Verzenay, and one of its finest single-village expressions. 50% in larger oak and 50% in barrel.
Representing the topmost expression of a Champagne house, a vintage Champagne is one made from the produce of a single, superior harvest year. Vintage Champagnes account for a mere 5% of total Champagne production and are produced about three times in a decade. Champagne is typically made as a blend of multiple years in order to preserve the house style; these will have non-vintage, or simply, NV on the label. The term, "vintage," as it applies to all wine, simply means a single harvest year.
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.’