The Wizard of Pinot Meunier

Gueux!. Doesn’t really ring a bell in relation to wine does it? But I’ll give you a clue. We are in Champagne country - 15km west of Reims. No? 

Anyway - Gueux is a small cosy town – to a degree of romantic with lovely houses, clean pavements and an almost obligatory magnolia tree in the front gardens. Even the café here is nicer and made in a more chick look. The town is quite, which is something I am use to, when I drive around in Champagne. Despite Champagnes exuberant and festive reputation, the regions and its towns are somewhat sleepy towns. On the outside that is, because as soon as you get inside – down to those dark cellars, a huge hospitality awaits - and damn good wine to.

We arrived from the south a day in April and had been driving through endless landscapes of vineyards. But as you cross the town sign of Gueux, the vineyard setting comes to an end.  You sense you are closer to Reims and a more common landscape of approaching roads and suburbs neighbourhood.

(The tractor - go home Ferrari) 

Yet in Gueux resides a Champagne producer. Jérôme Prévost is his name and I suspect that bell rang?

Yet upon arrival at his house, he is not home. A where is the cellar? Instead I can see a cedar wood looking barn. It’s a little bit open. I am even more curious now. We find out that he is in the vineyard, which should be located 6-700 meters up the road. After turning left we start to sense that there are in fact vineyards in Gueux. The vineyards here are not your romantic notion of sloping hills, where a sparkling sunlight warms up the soil from hilltop in the distance. No! – Here the land is flat as a pancake. It’s not exactly screaming for attention and Jérôme’s vineyard " Les Béguines” are here with 5-6 other parcels.  We see Jérôme in the distance – all alone and on a behemoth of a tractor.

He jumps of and greets a handful of passionate wine people from Denmark. “It’s a good day to plow – such an occasion should not be missed, he says”. It’s already the fourth time he plows this year and it doesn’t take you long to see his vineyard looks a bit more healthy that it’s neighbours. The “other” parcels here sadly look like a lot of other vineyards in Champagne. Depleted soils, sprayed with small blue plastic pieces and other metals parts ranging from nails, glass to batteries. The small blue plastic pieces are a shameful chapter in Champagne. In the 1970s the Parisians cleverly disposed of a composting of household waste. “When the soil is so poor of life, the roots seek upwards to find nutrition and this is really not good”.  

"Les Béguines” is the story about this very flat vineyard. 2ha of very sandy soils, planted with Pinot Meunier, which by now are about 50 years of age. Pinot Meunier is like most of you probably know Champagnes rustic cousin and often not so highly praised. It’s paradoxically the most planted in Champagne. Yet it’s actually because it’s seldom seen as a mono grape release, but often blended to give some growling baseline. Before I got introduce to these grower Champagnes, I often perceived Pinot Meunier as being pretty baroque and often a very clumsy grape. But for sure in blends –like Krug Vintage, it acts as a good trio partner, giving opposition to the refine tonality of Chardonnay and the aristocratic Pinot Noir.  

”Les Béguines” is for sure filled with sand – but also lots of fossils. It can be a little hard to imagine, when you stand here in present time – and with 350km to the nearest coastline - that about 45million years ago the seabed was here in Gueux. The seas erosion has created massive layers of calcareous sand formations and fossils with tiny crustaceans. It’s not exactly hurting the quality of the terroir.

At the end of the vineyard you see a small white house and this is Jérôme 's childhood home. So you would think that he was born to make wine and walk the footsteps of his parents? But it was not like that. His parents didn’t even make wine and the vineyards belonged to his grandmother. She even leased the land out. Jérôme 's interest in life, took a different path towards a more artistic angle, with painting, philosophy, and photography. When he got the offer to take over " Les Beguines " it was not something he just jumped into with open arms. But in 1987 he decide to give it a go and Domaine "La Closerie" is born. The first period is all about bringing the vineyard back to balance by working with respect for nature and no use of pesticides. The juice is initially sold to negociants, while Jérôme seeks inspiration and knowledge. But it ‘s as if he is constantly struggling with the prejudice that you can not make great wine in Gueux and certainly not on such a flat and sandy vineyard, planted with dull Pinot Meunier. Perhaps that why, he in 1995/96 takes a journey to Jura. Jura was about seeking inspiration, but he was also on the verge of obtaining a vineyard there. Today, he looks back and says:” It was a great adventure with Jura, but it was ultimately too difficult for me to leave my home ."

Instead he starts as an apprentice of Anselme Selosse. He tells us how he learned more about making wine the first day with Anselme, than he had ever learned before. Anselme gives Jérôme a task of pumping wine from a cask to another. Jérôme had never tried this before and Anselme begin to explain how to use the pump, but can see that Jerome is a little bit lost in all the technical information. Anselme stops and says to Jérôme "When you are dealing with wine making, both in the cellar and in the vineyard you are using your body and soul. You constantly need to ask yourself - why am I doing this? What is the meaning of this? Is it necessary?”

Personally I don’t know Jérôme very well, but hearing his story and spending some time with him, you begin to understand why this winemaker is so curious - why he constantly seeks inspiration (you will see later) and ask questions. When you combine it with a man of great intellect, humour and his artistic background, you begin to understand why the outcome is a pretty personal wine.

Jérôme spends 5 years with Anselme and it’s also him, who helps him to make the first vintages at his address in Avize. ‘1998 is the first official release with Jérôme Prévost on the label. In 2003 he leaves Anselme to make wine in Gueux. He starts of with one wine: "Les Beguines”. In 2000 and 2003 vintage he makes a wine called " d' Ailleurs “, which is limited cuvée, which have spent +one year more in barrel.  I remember tasting the ’03 in London some four years ago and it was truly an eye-opener. In 2007 a rosé sees the daylight, which goes by the name “Fac – Simile”. We are again at Pinot Menier frequency and this is a very juicy cousin. Yet I think many underestimate it’s potential due to its slightly polish candy like feel.  But as I see it “Fac – Simile” age very well and right now the ’07s fruit core are starting to feel a little dryer, saltier and obtaining that beautiful verbena note I adore in a rosé Champagne. 

With time Jérôme have obtained more land and planted these with Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Pinot Gris. The age of the vines are still very young and when he finally decided to release some cuvée(s) it will be a very limited number of bottles.

All of his Champagnes are non-vintage btw – despite they are never blended. So we deal with vintage juice, but officially non-vintage Champagne, as it falls short of the AOC-rules of 36 months on lees. This is quit common when it comes to the small growers. They simple don’t have economy of scale like the big houses, nor do they have the required space in their cellars. Jérôme’s Champagnes taste damn fine when released – especially his trademark of insanely sophisticated spices. Yet! – I have to say, I feel confident they will improve even more after 5-6 years after disgorgement. 

Back in the vineyard, Jérôme have really warmed up and a talking about sugar strings, enzymes, proteins, and how you must ensure oxygen in the soils to pump energy into the vines. It’s not your everyday talk for a number idiot like me and you really have to concentrate. But Jérôme explains it really well.  Basically he is trying to tell us what nature can do over modern winemaking. If you only leave the sugar addition  (Chaptalisation) and enzyme treatment for modern techniques in the cellar you are only extracting one chord to the wine's perfect symphony. But if you provide nature with the right growth conditions - to form sugar naturally, you get endless strings of DNA and it creates a much higher energy and complexity. It’s also one of the reasons why Jérôme never do Chaptalisation to his Champagnes. Instead he harvest with ripe maturity and about 10.5% natural alcohol. Only the natural indigenous yeast is used in the winemaking process.

One hour later we are back in the cellar…sorry barn…. Finally the Vikings can get something to drink.

We kick of with 2012 Vins clairs. 2012 was on an extreme year. A rough winter, with temperatures hitting lows of -20 degrees Celsius in late February. Spring was wet as hell and even includes a devastating hailstorm. The summer was nothing to write about either, before a 10-day heat wave window opens in August and produces temperatures of 40 Celsius. The August window was sent from heaven and saves the harvest. Yet 2012 will still be marked by the rough winter condition and almost everyone reports of a very small harvest. This also goes for Jérôme Prévost, who normally produces 13.000 bottles, but in 2012-vintage he will only release about 6.000. The quality is however really promising.    

Hereafter awaits an interesting experiment. Two Champagnes are in play in our Zalto White Wine glasses. The first is lively, light and flowery. Elegant, delicate, yet also a bit short on the last meters. Such a Champagne would be perfect as an aperitif. The second one is more brutal, direct with higher energy and structure. Here you sense the trademark of Prévost, those sophisticated spices, which is really why this guy masters the Pinot Meunier like no other. This is a Champagne to drink with food.

Jérôme looks around and is curious to know our opinions’.

The verdict is the same – we all prefer Champagne no. 2.

But!!!

It’s the same wine – same vintage – both the challenging 2010 vintage.

What! – This can’t be, they are so different? But there is a reason. One of them is a “mistake”. An accident. The accidental wine is No.2. You see, Jérôme’s cellar employee by mistake forgot to add Bentonite. And what is Bentonite? It’s first of all a clay species, which is added to Champagne, securing the dead yeast residuals will petrify and slowly be transported to the neck of the bottle under remuage. If Bentonite is not added, the yeast residuals will not petrify and turn into a small blurry substance inside the bottle and make the juice unclear. “Think about it – Jérôme says, in Champagne we are obsessed with the clarity. Why do you think we call it Vins Clairs?”. Jérôme discovers the ”mistake” after 300 bottles – yet he doesn’t really look sad. Once again, this is a curious winemaker, not following a straight line and all the traditions. And maybe – Bentonite is not added to some bottles on purpose in the future. Who knows? 

From here a bombardment of vintage floats at a steady pace. Both rosé and ”Les Béguines”. Jérôme is eager to hear what he think and takes notice off everything being said. As you know I have tasted many of these wines before and if I should chose a favourite it would have to be the ’08. It’s simply magic. Jérôme nods – “I am pretty satisfied with my ’08s he says” with a warm twinkle in his eye.

We finish, outside. It’s crisp April weather. Jérôme has a tradition of serving wines from other producers, who inspires him. A myriad of ​​wines awaits us, with producers like Frederic Cossard, Ganevat, Philippe Pacalet etc. I am in heaven.

This is one those visits you just don’t forget. Thank you Jérôme and see you soon.

You can find another report on Jérôme Prévost here.

Champagne Shaken AND stirred

A visit to Cédric Bouchard.

I have always been drawn and fascinated by people who have the ability to think out of the box. It’s the result of two things. First – I hate flock mentality, which I have been dealing with the last 19 years in the financial markets. Secondly – I have a soft spot for the rare and those who takes things to the limit. I am feeling alive when that happens. However it’s not necessarily the road to success, but in it’s path I always see the opportunity to learn something. When it comes to wine I find it almost crucial to see wine as a challenge, as I like the thought of staying alert and curious, despite I know I am getting older and patterns have started to form.

Cédric Bouchard challenged me for the first time in May 2008 when I tasted the 2005 Les Ursules. I found it fascinating more than I really was ecstatic about it. But there was something there – like the first time you listen to an album and it’s all a big mess, but slowly it grows on you and after a while everything falls in place and suddenly you only hear shear beauty.

Cédric Bouchard has also challenged my belief of what Champagne is and maybe I was a sitting duck for that dilemma, but fact is – today I see Champagne offering far greater spectrum and funny enough he ranks among my favourite producers. All of his Champagnes are true gems with fascinating profiles; strong personalities and Champagne would be a poorer place without him.

For some odd reason, during my early days as a Champagne interested person, I never considered the Aube region of Champagne to be taken serious. In fact, when I first heard about “Aube” I had to examine a bit closer, to really understand where and what? Today, I think very few Champagne lovers will still refer to Aube as the “The Ugly Duckling of Champagne”. The swan transformation has indeed occurred and producers like eg. Vouette et Sorbée, Olivier Horiot, Marie-Courtin, Demarne-Frison and of course Cédric Bouchard are producing Champagnes which has changed and diversified the Champagne landscape even more.

Still, with my very limited knowledge, I consider Aube to be rather different. There is something urban – something Jurassic about the soil feel in some of these wines, which is truly inspirational and fascinating. In some areas of Aube you have historic proof of nature biting back with formations of chalk which is 100 millions years older than those you will find in Côte de Blanc. Even the villages here are different. Older – more middle age and you will find no polished facades or avenues with flower settings.

On my way to Celles-sur-Ource, where Cédric resides, I passed a white car – “That was him”, I shouted to my friend in the car. And yes…it was him. He pulled us over when we entered his hometown, as he also recognized my big Danish head and took us up to his place.

The production facilities of Cédric Bouchard are very austere like I have seen @ David Léclapart. It’s a one-man operation, from the work in the vineyards, cellar to disgorgement, wrapping and packing of the bottles. He makes roughly 6.000 bottles divided on 4 different cuvees (Les Ursules (100% Pinot Noir) / La Haute-Lamblée (100% Chardonnay) / La Bolorée (100% Pinot Blanc) / La Creux d’Enfer Rosé (100% Pinot Noir)) and 8.500 bottles of entry level wine; the 100% Pinot Noir “Inflorescence”.

The dogma of Cédric Bouchard is; one grape, one harvest and one parcel. “Blending doesn’t interest me, he says”. His yields are also ridiculous low. “I only want the best and even if a vintage from a parcel is good, but not the best – I will not make it". He practices sort of natural viticulture, but he is not certified organic or biodynamic, as he doesn’t like to be following specified methods. Nor does he like to be defined to belong in a certain category. He is also realistic and with so little land at his disposal, loosing a vintage due to dogmatic methods could bankrupt him. “I have only sprayed with chemicals once and hope I will never have to do it again, he says”.

Dosage would be like writing his own dead wish – it will never happen. Dosage is associated with Champagne and the more you get to know this guy, you begin to understand that he doesn’t really want to be associated with Champagnes paradoxes of mass production, glamour and whatever could be interpreted as “classic Champagne”. He even suppress the bar pressure to about 4.5 atmosphere (normal is roughly 6) as he in general don’t like bubbles, but also to bring forward the vinous side of his Champagnes.

All his Champagnes are made in steel, but as he is off curious nature and still sees himself on an experimental level he has an experiment going on in oak. The experiment is Coteaux Champenois – both white and red. The white comes from Chardonnay row in the Le Creux d’Enfer vinyard and the red is from the same vineyard and Les Ursules, just Pinot Noir. He is still sceptical about wood. “Steel will always bring more purity to the wines and I will always prefer steel for my wines”…but he continues, “Oak does something to the wine, which I find interesting and I want to learn more”. The two Coteaux Champenois will only be released in magnums in a ridiculous low number of 146 bottles, starting with the 2007 white and 2008 red.

In his cellar - Cédric had lined up 6 bottles for us to taste.

We kicked off with 2008 Inflorescence, which is a 1.49ha Pinot Noir plot called “Val Vilaine” in the village of Polisy . The Vineyard belongs to his Father, which he also shares cellar with, but it’s Cédric who makes the wine. In fact it was also his father, which kicked off his entrance to winemaking by giving him a go with the Les Ursules vineyard back in 2000. But despite family blood and sharing cellar, their philosophies about Champagne making and general relationship are in complete and colliding contrast. Their relationship is constant key to frustration for Cédric and it’s obvious they can’t continue making Champagne under the same roof. Cédric hopes he can obtain a cellar up for sale in a nearby village, which will give him a fresh start and the opportunity to expand a bit. I doubt you will see him produce a lot more bottles, unless he obtains more land, but from 2014 he will have the space to label all of his wines, except “Inflorescence” as official vintage Champagnes. But he is also planning releasing a cheaper Champagne than “Inflorescence”, as he wants his wines to be for everyone to enjoy. In fact when asking about his sudden cult status, he is very aware of keeping his prices fair, so they can be enjoyed by real wine lovers, he says. Again – it’s the same pattern; he doesn’t want anything to do with the “dark side of Champagne”. Who can blame him?

The 2008 Inflorescence was by the way splendid – with divine ripe and pleasurable forward fruit and it’ the best vintage I have taste so far. Already at this entry level you get a sense of what the Cédric Bouchard fuss is all about. You can find a more detailed note here.

Next up was 2003 La Parcelle. I have only read about this cuvée until now and it’s again Pinot Noir from a 0.73ha parcel called “Côte de Bechalin”. This Champagne is not made by Cédric, but by a close friend of which Cédric bought the vineyard in 2007. This 2003 Vintage is also the final release of this cuvée. But it’s great Champagne and despite being from the opulent 2003 vintage, you have great red fruit and that sleek texture.

I have really looked forward to taste 2008 Les Ursules, which was next. We are still in Pinot Noir land – 0,9721ha and this vineyard are located in Celles-sur-Ource and the wine, which initially formed the making of the house “Roses de Jeanne”. Les Ursules is from release always a bit more backward, compact and more structured than Inflorescence. It posses greater layers of complexity and I tell you the 2008 vintage is more than good. I am totally in love with those black cherries and currant perfumes. 2008 Les Ursules is more of everything and despite it has plenty of cellar potential you have to try it now.

The next Champagne was the 2006 La Haute-Lamblée (100% Chardonnay). It’s a tiny tiny plot 0,071 ha with very young vines planted in 2002. Amazing so young wines can produce this kind of quality. I have tasted the 2006 once before in Berlin Sep-2010 and I found it absolutely adorable. But back then – I considered it to be rather transparent with its lush, ripe and yellow fruits. Now – it’s contracting a bit, showing more young Chablis like character with the minerality really biting back. It’s giving more structure even if we are still dealing with this sleek type of Champagne.

Already now, after 4 Champagnes, I was thinking, “This is heaven”, despite we are in a cold dark cellar. However more was to come. Next was 2006 La Bolorée (100% Pinot Blanc). La Bolorée (0,2107 ha) was one of 3 parcels for sale, but Cédric was far from the only interested buyer. So what to do? They drew lots and Cédric won La Bolorée. He was not at all happy about his award. “I took up a spade and dug a hole in the ground to see what I had obtained”. He encountered a south exposure vineyard with old Pinot Blanc planted in 1960 with soil on chalk. He now smiled and now knew he had obtained something beyond the ordinary, because La Bolorée is the only vineyard from Cedric solely on chalk where the other Champagnes are on argilo-calcaire soil. “The soil of La Bolorée is something else he says…and he continues “I see my Champagnes as small individuals personalities, just like people and this is what I want to bring forward”. La Bolorée are indeed a Champagne with a strong personality and maybe his most demanding Champagne. The 2006 are far shyer than the 2005 debut vintage. Incredible compact Champagne with a strong herbal touch it’s not easy Champagne to understand. It twists your mind and takes Champagne to the limit – but it’s also holding your attention and slowly making you understand as the herbal notes transform into sophisticated notes of ginger, wet rocks and hay. Personal, I can’t get enough of this Cuvée and I think it’s the one with the best cellar potential.

Just before I headed to Champagne I tasted the 2004 Le Creux d’Enfer rosé. Here it was again – one of the 475bottles made. You can read a more detailed note here, but I can confirm that this bottle was breathtaking as well

So that was it. Cédirc Bouchard more than fulfilled my expectations. He is truly fascinating with a strong passion in his heart and producing some of Champagnes most significant wines.