Champagne, Chavost, Blanc de Meunier Brut Nature
About Producer
Champagne Chavost is a co-op founded in 1946 by 20 winegrowers in the village of Chavot-Courcourt, 5km south of Epernay. As an alternative to selling their grapes to big champagne houses, they decided to team up their efforts to produce champagne that would be the best possible renditions of their terroirs. Today, the co-op has 100 members, totalling 70ha of vineyards around the village, who are committed to sustainable viticulture and artisanal winemaking. After 10 years of winemaking in different New World estates, oenologist Fabian Daviaux is now the chef de cave at Chavost with the aim to produce personality-driven champagne with minimum intervention.
Varietals
100% meunier from a 5ha north-facing vineyard in organic conversion, on clay and limestone soil planted with 10- to 60-year-old vines. Aged on the lees for a minimum of 3 years before being disgorged. No added sulphites and zero dosage. 3,709 bottles produced.
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
Fragrant nose of orchard fruits, citrus, cotton candy, buttery notes, crushed stones and white flowers, supple mouthfeel with creamy texture, ample volume and excellent focus, oodles of flavours of red fruit compote, pear, green apple, warm brioche and faint hints of sweet spices interlaced with savoury chalky undertones, refined bubbles and bright acidity leading onto a long, persistent finish. This is a very seductive champagne with vivacious charm and delicate finesse, striking a perfect balance between fruit purity and mineral richness. Brimming with spirited energy and vibrant freshness, it’s a cracking wine showing a lovely feel of weightlessness on the palate that makes you ask for more. There is no claim to complexity here, just sheer pleasure of immediate bliss. (09/2023)