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TASTING
TASTING
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– RARE BOTTLE –
CHAMPAGNE MAURICE VESSELLE
EXTRA BRUT GRAND CRU LES HAUTS CHEMINS 2011
95/100
Certified High Environmental Value since 2013, the vineyards belonging
to this Champagne house are managed by two passionate winegrowers.
The house is renowned for its mature vintages and vinous, food-friendly
Champagnes. Grown along the southern slopes of the Montagne de
Reims, the Pinot noir vines hived off for this 2011 Grand Cru fully
encapsulate the complexity of their 100% classified site.
The house was created in 1955 by
Maurice Vesselle. His two sons,
Didier and Thierry, now pamper
their nine hectares of vines in Bouzy and
Tours-sur-Marne all year round, as
generations of winegrowers have done
before them. They use techniques such
as tillage, hilling up, ploughing back and
soil amendments that were long
considered fanciful. However, their quest
for depth in the soils is now the envy of
many wine regions. By taking such a
conscientious approach to loosening
their soils, the Vesselle brothers not only
encourage the Pinot noir and Chardonnay
vines to put down long-lasting roots,
thereby revealing the full complexity of
their Bouzy vineyard sites, they also limit
the effects of drought and avoid the use
of herbicides.
When work in the vineyard is complete,
the two growers transition to winemakers
to produce their range of Champagnes.
This Extra-Brut Grand Cru 2011 Les
Hauts Chemins label is a single varietal
Pinot Noir. It is fermented without
malolactic fermentation like all the
winery’s bottlings. This is a deliberate
choice as it allows the wine to fully retain
its freshness and minerality. It is then
matured on lees in the estate's chalk
cellars, alongside its collection of vintage
Champagnes, before Extra-brut dosage
(3.5 grams) is added. This Grand Cru
displays a clear yellow-gold colour. The
nose is mature and conjures up berry
stone fruits. The palate is very full at
point of entry with pleasant softness and
tension carrying aroma over substantial
length. This is a very fulfilling
Champagne that should be set aside for
only the finest delicacies.
The site expressiveness of Bouzy is
enhanced in this 2011 vintage, where
bud-burst occurred early and the
growing season was relatively short with
a hot summer bringing harvesting
forward to the end of August. Once
again, Didier and Thierry have drawn on
these conditions to produce a vintage
Champagne which connoisseurs will
enjoy for many years to come...
Selected by
WINTER 2021 GILBERT & GAILLARD - THE FRENCH EXPERTS ON WINE 15
WINTER 2021 GILBERT & GAILLARD - THE FRENCH EXPERTS ON WINE 15