Champagne Vintage - Brut Millésimé

Vintage 2003:
  Guide GaultMillau 2010 : 16 /20
  Guide La revue du vin de France 2010 : 16 /20
Vintage 2002: Eichelmann Champagner guide : 91 /100

Matured by long cellar aging, our vintage champagne allows the aromas of the three traditional grape varieties in the very best years to blossom.

It is the perfect companion for special occasions and refined meals.

Cuvée brut - Vintage :

Origin: 7 villages (including one classified Grand Cru) in the Marne Valley - rigth bank - and in the Montagne de Reims. Vignobles Raymond Boulard.

Varietals:

White grape: Chardonnay 50 %,

Red grapes: Pinot Noir 30 % and Pinot Meunier 20%.

Soil type, chalky clay and sandy chalky clay (Chardonnay).
Rootstocks: mainly SO 4 (Chardonnay); 3309 and 41B (Pinot Noir & Pinot Meunier)
Average age of the vines: 30 years.

Pruning: Short,
- Pinot Meunier : Marne valley system
- Pinot Noir : Royat system
- Chardonnay : Chablis system

Harvesting: Manual.
Severe & successive selection on the plant.
"Late" harvesting to obtain optimum ripeness, a naturally raised alcohol level and to let the aromas blossom.

Pressing. 4000 kg pneumatic press to give a refined and delicate choice of juice. We only make our vintage champagne from the first pressings with the highest sugar content and which best represent the year in question.

Vinification: The wine is vinified in small oak barrels (225 litre from Burgundy 228 litre from Bordeaux and 205 litre from Champagne) which have been used for 3 or 4 previous wines, as well as about 5% of new barrels.
Alcoholic fermentation: indigenous yeasts.
The lees are beaten into the wine every 10-12 days
No fining is used.

Tasting notes:
Colour: Straw gold to mid gold, brilliant.
Nose: Generously blossoming aromas, expressive and clean.
Mouth: Harmonious, elegant, well structured, but subtle at the same time.

Serving temperature: 10°C. (50°F)
Marriage with food: As an Aperitif. With the first course: fresh foie gras, a gratin, perhaps of lobster or Dublin bay prawns or scallops. It will accompany white meat and fish in fine sauces, poultry and delicate game, grilled noble fish... in all a perfect accompaniment to a refined meal.

Read the press reviews (in french)...