2014 Brocard Pierre “Bulles de Blancs” Extra Brut, Champagne, France

ABOUT THIS WINE

Made from 100% Chardonnay grapes, harvested in the 2014 vintage from the Frillon vineyard, planted in 1975, located near the village of Celles-sur-Ource. Soils consist of both Kimmeridgian and Portlandian limestone and clay. The vineyard is south-facing but maintains great freshness because it is in a valley between two forests, protected by pine trees on the ridge. The vineyard has excellent ventilation, with cooling breezes most of the year. Thibaud works non-oxidatively and notably utilizes nitrogen in the winery to protect his tanks, which helps him keep the use of sulfur dioxide in the winery to the absolute minimum while preserving fruit and vineyard expression.

Bulles de Blancs spends five years on the lees in bottle before release, giving it one of the best quality-to-value ratios in the world of Champagne. Grapes are manually harvested and then gently pressed in a vertical Coquard press. Only the heart, or the coeur de cuve, of the first pressing is utilized. Primary fermentation is spontaneous with native yeasts in stainless steel tanks. Malolactic fermentation is natural and spontaneous and the wines are not filtered or cold-stabilized. After secondary fermentation in bottle, the wine ages on its lees for five years before disgorgement and a final dosage of 1g/L of organic cane sugar. Wines are held at the winery after disgorgement for a minimum of six months to settle before sale.

ABOUT THIS PRODUCER

Champagne Brocard Pierre produces handmade, terroir-focussed wines with great transparency and electricity, without the aid of chemicals or the winemaking sleight-of-hand common in the worlds most recognizable wine appellation. The vibe at Brocard Pierre is a reflection of Thibaud: fresh and young; jovial, but always on-point. He delivers precise, gastronomic Champagnes designed for maximum pleasure at the table with friends, without pretense.

Vigneron Thibaud Brocard is the fifth generation of Champagne Brocard Pierre to work his family vineyards near the village of Celles-sur-Ource in the Seine River valley, known as the Barsquanais area of the Cte des Bar, the southernmost subregion of Champagne. Cte des Bar, located about an hour north of Chablis in the Aube department of France, is the transition point between Champagne and Burgundy. It was part of Burgundy for centuries until the French Revolution. This cultural association still forms the basis for the regions winemaking philosophy, as well as its traditions and gastronomic identity.

As a condition of Thibauds succession to the helm of the family business, he is only interested in pursuing wines of exceptional purity and character, without makeup or boundaries. His mission is to make the best, most delicious, and joyous wines possible from the geographically- and biologically diverse Cte des Bar region. This statement may seem simple on the surface. Yet, it is a sentiment that is exceedingly difficult to attain, given the reality of the variable and often harsh climate of northern France. It takes ingenuity, dedication, and talent to bring ideals such as these to life. Thibauds vision is clearly defined and focused on the clear transmission of the energy and singularity of his environment while having a damn good time along the way!