I think it’s safe to say that by now, I am one of the top wine writers for Coteaux Champenois! Following my recent Wine Enthusiast article about them, I am on the hunt for the best cuvées to share with you. I was recently invited to the second edition of Coteaux Champenois : La Dégustation, an industry-only tasting event focused on these confidential wines. These are my 24 Top Coteaux Champenois that you must try!
Menu
What is Coteaux Champenois?
About Coteaux Champenois : La Dégustation 2024
Top White Coteaux Champenois
- Benoît Marguet Ambonnay Blanc Coteaux Champenois **
- Benoît Marguet Avize Chardonnay Coteaux Champenois
- Francis Boulard & Fille Coteaux Champenois Blanc *
- Pierre Gerbais Coteaux Champenois Blanc *
- Champagne Brice Bouzy Blanc Les Hautes
- Etienne Calsac Photogramme Coteaux Champenois Blanc
- Larmandier-Bernier Cramant Nature Grand Cru Blanc
- Marc Hébrart Coteaux Champenois Blanc Premier Cru
- Georges Remy Les Houardes Bouzy Blanc
- Benoit Lahaye Coteaux Champenois Blanc
- Carré Frères Coteaux Champenois Blanc Origine
- Drappier Perpétuité Blanc de Pinot Noir
- R. Pouillon et Fils Les Blanchiens Mareuil Blanc
Top Red Coteaux Champenois
- Champagne Egly-Ouriet Coteaux Champenois Ambonnay Rouge Cuvée des Grands Côtés **
- R.H. Coutier Ambonnay Rouge La Sotabienne **
- Champagne Brice Bouzy Rouge *
- Pierre Paillard Les Mignottes Coteaux Champenois Rouge *
- Champagne Gonet-Médeville Coteaux Champenois Ambonnay Cuvée Athénaïs
- Georges Remy Le Chapeau de Fer Bouzy Rouge
- Benoit Lahaye Bouzy Rouge
- Louise Brison En Val des Saults
- Champagne Geoffroy Moulin à Vent Cumières Rouge
- Benoît Déhu La Rue des Noyers Rouge
- R. Pouillon et Fils Paunet Mareuil-sur-Aÿ Rouge
What is Coteaux Champenois?
While the Champagne region of France is famous for its eponymous sparkling wines, it was originally a red wine producing region. Due to the popularity of bubbly (among other factors), the art of still wine making all but disappeared until recently. Today, these still wines of Champagne, officially known as Coteaux Champenois, are having a Renaissance. New generations of winemakers are open to experimenting, merging local traditions with new ideas from other regions and countries. These wines can be difficult to find, due to low production and increasing demand from wine-lovers and sommeliers.
Since moving to Champagne, these have become some of my favourite wines. And I am happy to share the best discoveries with you.
About Coteaux Champenois : La Dégustation 2024
Coteaux Champenois : La Dégustation is a tasting event hosted by winemakers for industry professionals. It is similar to Les Printemps des Champagnes but only for Coteaux Champenois. The focus was on Bouzy (the most famous Coteaux Champenois village, known for its Pinot Noir), and Ambonnay (the neighbouring Grand Cru village). There were several producers from other Champagne regions too, even all the way from Côte des Bar. In total, 32 producers attended with about 100 wines for tasting. The event was kindly hosted in the estates of Champagne Brice, Pierre Paillard, and Domaine Georges Remy (they all make fantastic champagnes too).
Pre-event
To kick off the event, I was also invited to a private evening at the local 3 Michelin Star restaurant, L’Assiette Champenoise. Its Executive Chef, Arnaud Lallement is another big supporter of these wines. He even has his own Coteaux Champenois specially made for the restaurant by Champagne Brice. Limited edition, and in magnum, tasting it was one of the highlights!
Other favourite moments of the evening include learning about the ageing potential of these wines while sipping Urville Coteaux Champenois Rouge… from 1975! And the rare opportunity to try Coteaux from Jeroboams (double magnums) thanks to Domaine A. Bergère.
In addition to tastings and mingling, there were interesting exchanges about the future of these wines with Antoine Gerbelle (Journalist), Jean-Philippe Bocahu (Director of AIDAC-INAO Champagne), and Nicolas Papavero (Caves Papavero & Le Wine Bar by Le Vintage aka my favourite wine bar).
Post-event
The whole event ended with another invitation. A little less formal than the restaurant, we enjoyed a convivial evening of BBQ, dancing, and amazing wines with fellow winemakers and friends in Pierre Paillard’s private Clos. Definitely one of my favourite wine events of the year!
Without further ado, this list comes from the official tasting portion of the event. The wines are not in any particular order, but (as usual), my absolute favourites are starred. Cheers!
Top White Coteaux Champenois
The wines are not in any particular order, but I starred the ones that really stood out to me. Vintages included in the descriptions.
- Benoît Marguet Ambonnay Blanc Coteaux Champenois **
- Benoît Marguet Avize Chardonnay Coteaux Champenois
- Francis Boulard & Fille Coteaux Champenois Blanc *
- Pierre Gerbais Coteaux Champenois Blanc *
- Champagne Brice Bouzy Blanc Les Hautes
- Etienne Calsac Photogramme Coteaux Champenois Blanc
- Larmandier-Bernier Cramant Nature Grand Cru Blanc
- Marc Hébrart Coteaux Champenois Blanc Premier Cru
- Georges Remy Les Houardes Bouzy Blanc
- Benoit Lahaye Coteaux Champenois Blanc
- Carré Frères Coteaux Champenois Blanc Origine
- Drappier Perpétuité Blanc de Pinot Noir
- R. Pouillon et Fils Les Blanchiens Mareuil Blanc
Benoît Marguet Ambonnay Blanc Coteaux Champenois 2021 **
2021
67% Pinot Noir, 33% Chardonnay | Aged 19 months in oak barrels | Assemblage of old vines from Lieux-Dits from Ambonnay Grand Cru: Les Crayères, La Grande Ruelle, Le Parc, Les Aigremonts et le Champ Muet. Soil is pure limestone with red clay | Biodynamic & organic | 1693 bottles
One word: MAGNIFICENT! I am already a huge fan of Benoit’s champagnes and reds, which I had the privilege of tasting for my Wine Enthusiast article. This tasting proves that his white wines are equally as incredible.
This Ambonnay Blanc 2021 has been produced in limited quantities, 1693 bottles. It has a gorgeous nose, reminiscent of what I expect from a great Burgundy. I find notes of fresh butter, croissant, lemon, exotic fruit, kaffir lime leaves, sea salt, and a slight nuttiness. The mouth is fantastic; I don’t know how to describe it better than I just want to bite into it! A perfect pairing for fine seafood. Exactly what I want in a white wine. WOW all around.
I also enjoy the 2019 vintage: super well balanced, buttery, full of flavour. Something else I want to point out is the high quality of cork that is used for these wines. To me, when I see these types of corks (punched without glue and long), I know that the wine will also be exceptional.
Benoît Marguet Avize Chardonnay Coteaux Champenois
2021
100% Chardonnay | Made in collaboration with Laurent Vauversin | Avize | Biodynamic & organic | 294 bottles
Some of Benoit’s cuvées are made in collaboration with other winemakers with similar philosophies towards winemaking (eg, enthusiastic biodynamic vineyard management) in the Côte des Blancs. And the results are really top notch.
Only 294 bottles of Avize 2021 are out there in the world (less after this event). Overall, it reminds me of a nice Chablis. It is perfectly crisp and bright with freshly squeezed citrus aromas and a hint of salinity. The mouth has nice tension. An elegant wine that would pair wonderfully with escargots. Yum!
Francis Boulard & Fille Coteaux Champenois Blanc *
2021
100% Meunier | Vinified in one single barrel for 18 months | Faverolles-et-Coëmy, Vallée de la Marne | Organic | 262 bottles
This is one of the more confidential picks on the list, with virtually no info about it anywhere online! With a small release of 262 bottles, it is one of those wines for “in-the-know” connoisseurs. Meunier is the favourite grape of this domaine and they treat it beautifully. It’s pretty difficult to find still wines made from it, and even rarer when it’s white.
I am wowed overall by this one. The aromas are what I call a “popcorn nose”: buttery, salty, a little toasted, gourmande all around. The mouth is perfectly balanced and round with a long finish. I am surprised that Boulard actually only started making Coteaux Champenois in 2018. To me, they have already mastered their technique.
Pierre Gerbais Coteaux Champenois Blanc *
2022
100% Pinot Blanc | Stainless steel tanks for 12 months | Celles-Sur-Ource (Côte des Bar), from 50 year old vines on Kimmeridgian limestone soil | Sustainable agriculture | 769 bottles
Deliciously different from any other Coteaux Champenois that I’ve tried. Pierre Gerbais is known for his particularly unique champagnes, focused around the “forgotten grape” variety of the region, Pinot Blanc. And this is a wonderful representation of his work. Coming from a terroir similar to Chablis or Sancerre, this is a must-try if you are a fan of those wine regions!
The nose is beautiful; very floral (think elderflower), with notes of pear, almond, and white tea. The mouth is very fresh with a hint of salinity and elegant minerality. The perfect pairing for seafood or herbaceous vegetables. Both the 2022 and 2019 vintages are exceptional. Get your hands on one of the 769 bottles!
Champagne Brice Bouzy Blanc Les Hautes
Non-vintage
Multi-vintage 2018-2019-2020) | 100% Pinot Noir | Aged in oak for 12 months | Bouzy Grand Cru, plots: Les Hautes, Lieu-dit: Grue, Tourtelotte, Hudrisse, Basses Brousses | Organic | 647 bottles
If you follow me, you’ll know that I am a big Brice fan. The Brice family has been producing wine since the 1600s, and are a reference for Bouzy Rouge and lieu-dit wines (which are cleverly printed on the labels).
Interestingly, this is a white wine made from Pinot Noir, a grape traditionally used for red wine. The nose has a nice freshness and aromas of ripe summer stone fruits interlaced with wood and vanilla. The mouth is balanced and structured. Really crowd-pleasing and would be perfect alongside veal.
Étienne Calsac Photogramme Coteaux Champenois Blanc
2022
75% Chardonnay, 25% Petit Meslier | 100% oak barrels, on lees for 7 months, indigenous yeasts, malolactic fermentation, unfiltered | Montgenost (Côte de Sézanne), Lieu-Dit: Les Fours | Organic | About 500 bottles
If you’ve heard of Coteaux Champenois before on Instagram, there is no doubt that you have seen these bottles! They are super trendy with wine lovers right now and for good reason. Calsac is another winemaker that is dedicated to using forgotten local grapes. His signature is the difficult-to-grow Petit Meslier, a cousin of Jura’s Savagnin.
The 2022 vintage is blended with Chardonnay to produce a very easy to drink white. Buttered toast, oysters, and a little hint of green apple on the nose. The mouth is surprisingly round and with an almost oily mouthfeel and a long finish. It’s an expressive wine that gets even better the longer you wait.
2020
100% Petit Meslier | 100% oak barrels, on lees for 7 months, indigenous yeasts, malolactic fermentation, unfiltered | Montgenost (Côte de Sézanne), Lieu-Dit: Les Fours | Organic
Petit Meslier is known for its distinct apple aromas. Calsac does a great job of not only highlighting this, but also making it interesting. In addition to Granny Smith, the nose is incredibly fresh, like the sea, with notes of citrus and spices. Very refreshing and zippy. Perfect for light fare like seafood and appetizers.
Larmandier-Bernier Cramant Nature Grand Cru Blanc
2008
100% Chardonnay | Aged 2 years in barrels, malolactic fermentation, on lees, not filtered | Cramant, thick layer of clay on top of Campanian chalk | Biodynamic & organic
With over 8 generations of winemaking, Larmandier-Bernier is one of the more renowned growers in the Côte des Blancs. They are famous for their pure and mineral champagnes. This Coteaux Champenois is a wonderful extension of their style: true to the terroir and lively without being acidic. It’s interesting to note the ageing potential of this wine (2008 vintage!). The nose is delicious and encompassing. Think buttery, creamy pastries with pomelo with lingering minerality. The mouth is big and refreshing. Perfect for indulgent canapés like blini with crème fraîche and caviar or freshly baked gougères.
Marc Hébrart Coteaux Champenois Blanc Premier Cru
2016
100% Chardonnay | Aged in oak barrels on fine lees for 18 months, without malolactic fermentation | Mareuil-sur-Aÿ | Sustainable agriculture | 1169 bottles
It’s hard to believe that this is the first Coteaux Champenois by this producer. It is so masterfully created! Picture of a burst of all sorts of juicy, refreshing citrus aromas with a creamy, buttery finish. The mouth is silky and light. Perfect for summery seafood crudo or salads! Really a pleasure to drink.
Georges Remy Les Houardes Bouzy Blanc
2022
100% Chardonnay | 14 months in oak, unfiltered | “Les Houardes” plot in Bouzy | Organic | 862 bottles
Here’s another Coteaux Champenois that breaks away from the norm. While this legendary winemaker is known for his elegant champagnes and expressive Bouzy Rouge, his white wine is a must-try. Even though it has aged for more than a year in barrel, it is not overly oaky. The nose is like walking through a Mediterranean garden, with fresh lemons and lots of flowers and a hint of smokey bbq. The mouth is very fresh and toys with the idea of sweetness. Very sophisticated and fresh.
Benoit Lahaye Coteaux Champenois Blanc
2022
100% Chardonnay | Aged 2 years in barrel | Chalky Bouzy plot Les Argentières, from vines planted in 1962 | Organic and biodynamic | Not yet bottled, but about 300 bottles expected
If you want to be the first “in the know” about a wine, this is one to seek out! At the time of tasting, this Coteaux Champenois has not even been bottled yet and you won’t find other information about it online. Despite being Chardonnay from chalky soil this wine is surprisingly round and fruity. Think juicy grapefruit. It’s easy to drink and definitely crowd-pleasing!
Carré Frères Coteaux Champenois Blanc Origine
2020
100% Chardonnay | Aged in oak barrels for 23 months, then 21 months in bottle | Vineyards from the Premier Cru village of Trépail, Montagne de Reims | Organic | 932 bottles
You will definitely recognize this one if you follow me on Instagram: it’s not only one of my favourites, but also one of the wines on my usual rotation. 2019 was the first Coteaux Champenois released by these brothers and it was insanely popular. So here they are with a new vintage that is also likely to sell out quickly!
Inspired by Burgundy, these wines have big oaky elegance. Buttery and rich with aromas of ripe stone fruits. A bit of smokiness in a delicious campfire sort of way. Salinity and spiciness like ginger. Overall an energetic wine! This is the first time I tried it in a carafe. It’s a little softer on the palate and very pleasant.
Drappier Perpétuité Blanc de Pinot Noir
Non-vintage
100% Pinot Noir | Made from a perpetual reserve /solera started in 2002-2019 (15 vintages). Aged in oak foudres from the famous Tronçais forest | Urville (Côte des Bar) | Sustainable farming & partially organic (other vineyards in transition), carbon-neutral | 1006 bottles
Drappier has been producing still red and white wines since its first vineyards were planted in 1808. This particular cuvée is not only unique because it is a white wine made from black grapes. Solely coming from a perpetual reserve, this is quite unlike any other Coteaux Champenois.
The aromas are fruity and floral. Apricot dripping with summer honey comes to mind. The mouth is silky and fresh with a hint of minerality. It is complex and very smooth. A joy to discover.
R. Pouillon et Fils Les Blanchiens Mareuil Blanc
2022
50% Chardonnay, 50% Pinot Noir | Grape varieties fermented separately in old oak barriques, then blended and aged 18 months in oak barriques | Les Blanchiens historic parcel of the estate in Mareuil-sur-Aÿ: south-facing, situated mid-slope with clay on limestone soil | Organic | Around 300 bottles
Fabrice Pouillon describes this as this estate’s “DNA-wine”. Coming from his father’s favourite plot, it beautifully expresses the terroir and is made out of pleasure. The nose is deliciously citrus and saline with notes of dried and candied fruit. The mouth is creamy with impressive length. A perfect balance of complexity, freshness, and finesse that can pair with a wide variety of dishes.
Top Red Coteaux Champenois
The wines are not in any particular order, but I starred the ones that really stood out to me. Vintages included in the descriptions.
- Champagne Egly-Ouriet Coteaux Champenois Ambonnay Rouge Cuvée des Grands Côtés **
- R.H. Coutier Ambonnay Rouge La Sotabienne **
- Champagne Brice Bouzy Rouge *
- Pierre Paillard Les Mignottes Coteaux Champenois Rouge *
- Champagne Gonet-Médeville Coteaux Champenois Ambonnay Cuvée Athénaïs
- Georges Remy Le Chapeau de Fer Bouzy Rouge
- Benoit Lahaye Bouzy Rouge
- Louise Brison En Val des Saults
- Champagne Geoffroy Moulin à Vent Cumières Rouge
- Benoît Déhu La Rue des Noyers Rouge
- R. Pouillon et Fils Paunet Mareuil-sur-Aÿ Rouge
Champagne Egly-Ouriet Coteaux Champenois Ambonnay Rouge Cuvée des Grands Côtés **
100% Pinot Noir | 22 months in barrel, vinified in the traditional way “like great red Burgundies” | Very old vines (60 years) from the Ambonnay lieu-dit “Les Crayères”. Clay-limestone soils and southern and south-eastern exposures
Egly-Ouriet is an absolute legend, producing mind-blowing bubbly and one of the most sought-after red wines from Champagne. Easily rivalling the great vintages of the Côte de Nuits in Burgundy, these reds are becoming harder to find since appearing on some of the greatest wine lists in the world!
I had the unbelievable opportunity to try several of his vintages, including in magnum. Honestly, every single one I have tried has been a thrilling dance of the senses and I recommend any vintage of his that you can find! Here are a few notes from the tasting at this particular event:
2018
Served in magnum, this beauty is fruit-forward (think juicy summer berries), with elegant notes of dark chocolate and baking spices. The mouth is rich but fresh, with a wonderful persistent length. A pleasure alongside red meats.
2015
A really lovely aromatic evolution with more forest floor on the nose than the 2018 vintage. Lots of rich dark chocolate shines through with cozy hints of vanilla and leather. The mouth is enticingly velvety. A perfect pairing for duck or guinea fowl. Also served in magnum.
2011
This one was particularly surprising and delightful to me. The nose presents luxurious notes of confit fruits, leather, and tobacco. But the mouth is exquisitely fruity and round. It reminds me of a dessert with confit strawberry jam and dark chocolate. I would love this with game meats like caribou, venison, or elk. This was not served in magnum.
R.H. Coutier Ambonnay Rouge La Sotabienne **
100% Pinot Noir | Aged for about 2 years in oak barrels | From vines planted from 1964-1966 in La Sotabienne lieu-dit near Ambonnay | Organic conversion & HVE sustainable farming | Less than 900 bottles
Coutier is one of the first winemakers of Ambonnay (since 1619!) and the first to introduce Chardonnay to the village (although obviously not used in these red wines). Their sumptuous style celebrates fruitiness with a hint of spice. Their estate’s long history also allows them to have interesting older vintages that are relatively rare in the region!
2021
This one is a bit different than their usual style. The nose has appealing aromas of red berries (particularly strawberry and raspberry) with pronounced notes of vanilla. The mouth is bright and light. Easy to drink and nice for warm weather and light dishes.
2020
This vintage is wow-worthy. Expect delicate red fruits and a hint of vanilla, with spice (pepper, nutmeg). The mouth is like velvet with very soft tannins. Overall very pleasant.
1976
This old vintage is a real showstopper that presents the fantastic ageing potential of these red wines! The nose has alluring aromas of smoked strawberries and fig jam on freshly baked baguette. The mouth is also smokey and toasty with a whisper of rosemary. Again, velvety and soft. This is a wine that will stay on my mind for a long time!
Champagne Brice Bouzy Rouge *
100% Pinot Noir | Aged in oak barrels for 18 months and bottled without filtration | Historic Bouzy Grand Cru plots: Les Hauts Vaudayants, Les Doyennes, Les Basses Brousses | Organic
I think that Brice’s Coteaux Champenois will always make my “must-try” lists! Producing wine since the 1600s, they are a reference for Bouzy Rouge and lieu-dit wines (which are actually printed on the labels). Of course, with this background, it is no surprise that their red wines are so exceptional.
2022
The 2022 vintage was only bottled a couple weeks before this tasting. And WOW, it is already a force to be reckoned with! The nose has the most perfectly ripe summer berries, with lots of sweet juicy cherries mixed with vanilla. The mouth is complex and round. It’s like a (dry) dessert in a bottle! It’s the perfect summer red.
2021
This slightly older vintage can be paired with apéro all the way to a whole meal. It is crunchy like biting into fresh cherries. Expect a wine that is delicate and fresh; easy to drink and enjoyable all around.
Pierre Paillard Les Mignottes Coteaux Champenois Rouge *
100% Pinot Noir | Aged in oak barrels for 12 months with indigenous yeasts | Grapes from the oldest vines of the estate in the lieu-dit “Les Mignottes”, planted more than 45 years ago with perfect exposure | Organic
The highly esteemed Paillard brothers have perfected the art of making red wine, inspired by the winemaking methods of Burgundy. Vinified by plot with minimal intervention, they produce very expressive wines that perfectly reflect the terroir.
2022
This newer vintage is very fruity (cherry) with vanilla peaking through. It has less rich buttery notes than the 2018 that I also tried making it is lighter in mouth. A refreshing red.
2018
Totally seduced! The nose is like a buttery berry tart with cream and spices. The mouth is silky and delicate. This would be amazing alongside a traditional French roasted chicken or even turkey.
Champagne Gonet-Médeville Coteaux Champenois Ambonnay Cuvée Athénaïs
2022
100% Pinot Noir | 18 months in oak barrels (30% new) | Chalky soils of Ambonnay Grand Cru
This red wine was bottled only a couple of weeks before the tasting. The nose has nostalgic notes of creamy vanilla and cherry, reminiscent of traditional ice cream! Still a tad young but already yummy with a big mouth. This would make a great pairing with quail or veal.
Georges Remy Le Chapeau de Fer Bouzy Rouge
2020
100% Pinot Noir | Macerated in 500L vats for 15 days, aged 20 months in feuillette (small barrels half the size of traditional Burgundian barrels) ie 114L. Unfiltered | From a very tiny parcel in Bouzy | Organic | Only 146 bottles
This is something a little atypical of the Burgundian-type wines that are sweeping over Coteaux Champenois. Remy’s background in red winemaking in Bordeaux influences the style of his red wines fabulously. In fact, his wines are so esteemed that they made their ways to the top Michelin starred restaurants of the region, L’ Assiette Champenoise and Les Crayères.
His 2020 vintage is deliciously spicy with seductive notes of dark chocolate and raspberry. The mouth is also interesting and carries on the rich baking spice mix of the nose. This would be stunning alongside capon with truffled mashed potatoes.
Benoit Lahaye Bouzy Rouge
2020
100% Pinot Noir | 30 day whole-berry maceration in clay eggs. Ageing and malolactic fermentation in barrels for 18 months | Bouzy plot “Des Cloches” | Organic and biodynamic
A perfect example of what Bouzy can produce. This is Lahay’s rarest cuvée, made only in the best years, from grapes in the oldest and northernmost plot in the vineyards. The nose is absolutely lovely, like a fresh basket of cherries with a hint of violette. It has a nice velvety mouthfeel and long length. Elegance and finesse in a bottle.
Louise Brison En Val des Saults
2022
100% Pinot Noir | Burgundian-style maceration, vinified and aged entirely in wood with malolactic fermentation | 60 year old vines from Côte des Bar, kimmeridgien soil similar to Chablis | Organic
Brison’s command of gourmande champagnes extends to this Coteaux Champenois. Interestingly, the terroir is often associated with crisp whites, but this producer surprises with vibrant reds. It’s a fruit bomb in a good way, fresh with notes of griottes, a hint of flint, and just the right amount of woodiness. The mouth is structured and pleasant to drink, a good pairing for BBQ meats.
Another thing that stands out about this cuvée is that each bottle has a slightly different label by a local artist! This is a fun initiative for fellow label (or bottle) collectors.
Champagne Geoffroy Moulin à Vent Cumières Rouge
2018
100% Meunier | 18 months in demi-muid of 600L, unfiltered | Vines planted from 1953-1964 on clay-limestone soils on the high southern (and south-facing) slopes of the vineyard. Living soil tilled for over 30 years, south-facing | 1871 bottles
Geoffroy’s champagnes and Coteaux Champenois take up a sizable space in our wine cellar! Seriously, we have had at least one of each cuvée on hand. We are huge fans. Admittedly, there is only one on the list today because it was the last table I visited and most of the bottles were already finished!
This Meunier-based red is unlike any other on the list. Red berries, especially cranberry, and tropical fruit hit the nose, intermingling with hibiscus, vanilla, and spice. It is rich and deep in mouth and can pair well with lamb. He also makes a white Meunier-based wine from this plot and it is one of my favourite Coteaux Champenois that I cannot recommend enough!
Benoît Déhu La Rue des Noyers Rouge
2019
100% Meunier | Indigenous yeasts are used for primary fermentation, followed by around 11 months in barrel (made with wood from the surrounding forest) on lees, malolactic fermentation is avoided and there’s no fining or filtration | Parcel called La Rue des Noyers in Fossoy (Vallée de la Marne). Old vines, planted between 1970 and 1973, planted on clay, limestone and marl soil interspersed with silex and gritstone | Organic
After working for Champagne Bollinger, Déhu returned to his family’s historic estate and found himself inspired by Meunier. He soon became the reference for winemakers specializing in this grape variety. So it is no surprise that he can make gorgeous still reds from this grape. His passion shines through this cuvée, bringing to life aromas of sweet summer berries, as well as layers of black pepper, liquorice, and interesting floral notes (violette). It is a powerful and complex wine that can pair with game meats.
R. Pouillon et Fils Paunet Mareuil-sur-Aÿ Rouge
2022
100% Pinot Noir | Maceration for 12 to 14 days, aged 18 months in oak barrels, no filtration | From a small 1 ha parcel of Pinot Noir planted on clay and chalk typical of the region | Organic | Less than 600 bottles
Pouillon’s concept behind this red is to create a refreshing and light red wine in response to climate change. I say that he succeeds with this 2022 vintage. It is expressive and fruity: think red fruits, especially cherry and raspberry. A pop of vanilla. The mouthfeel is elegant, soft, and light. A lovely wine for increasingly hotter days!