2008 Champagne, Philipponnat, Clos des Goisses
About Producer
The Philipponnat family first settled in 1522 in Aÿ when Apvril le Philipponnat owned vines at a place called ‘Le Léon’ between Aÿ and Dizy. The famed Clos des Goisses is a 5.5ha walled vineyard owned by Philipponnat since 1935. It’s the largest walled vineyard in Champagne and sits on the steepest, at an incline of up to 45°, south-facing slopes on chalky soil in Mareuil-sur-Aÿ, overlooking River Marne. ‘Gois’ or ‘Goisse’ in local vernacular means a very steep slope. The cuvée Grand Cru 1522, with vines from Le Léon being the mainstay, commemorates the year that the family settled in Champagne. Since 1997, under the aegis of Charles Philipponnat, this house has made tremendous strides, and is now more than ever on top of its game.
Varietals
Blend of 55% chardonnay and 45% pinot noir. Aged 9 years on the lees, dosage is 4.5g/L.
About Appellation
One of the first mentions of vines in the region was made by Saint Remigius, the Bishop of Reims who baptised the King of the Franks Clovis I in 496, who listed in his testament a vineyard in the suburb of Reims. Much has been written about the key roles of Dom Pierre Pérignon (1638-1715), a Benedictine monk at Hautvilliers Abbey, and Frère Jean Oudart (1654-1742), from Saint-Pierre-aux-Monts Abbey in Pierry, in the development of Champagne as we know today. In 1690, 'Champagne Wines' were first mentioned to designate sparkling wines of the region, and it was also the first time in France that a wine was identified as produce from a specific region. Today, the vineyards covers 34,300ha in four sub-regions, Montagne de Reims, Vallée de la Marne, Côte des Blancs and Côte des Bar. Within the three first sub-regions, there are 17 Grand Cru communes. While the main grape varieties are pinot noir, chardonnay and pinot meunier, four other varietals are also used in some blends, arbane, petit meslier, pinot blanc and pinot gris (known locally as fromenteau).
Tasting Notes
Enthralling nose of white stone fruits, citrus, almond, vanilla cream, brioche and iodine notes, ample mouthfeel with creamy texture, remarkable breadth and incredible purity, multilayered flavours of orchard fruits, lemon, acacia honey, puff pastry, ginger and smoky notes intermingled with lively mineral notes, bright acidity and very fine mousse carrying through a long, saline finish. This is a splendid champagne with excellent precision and astonishing freshness meandering gracefully between controlled power and magnificent finesse. It’s complex, full of tension and rich without any impression of weight. I particularly love the vivacious energy exuding from every single sip and the thrilling lift on the palate that adds a pleasurable feel to the aftertaste. (06/2023)