Over the last few years we have had the opportunity to sample some of the Champagnes of Eric Rodez in Ambonnay. Prior tastings had allowed us to taste the NV Cuvée de Crayères, NV Rosé and NV Cuvée Grand Vintages, and we had also enjoyed full bottles of the full-bodied Grand Vintages at home. Both Laura and I were definitely interested to try more when Michael Quinlan of Table & Vine invited us to a tasting of the terroir wines of the estate.
A small grower, with only about six hectares of vines, the production is nevertheless divided into a significant number of cuvées. Farming is biodynamic, the conversion having begun in 2009.
The tasting was a series of ten wines, five from single varieties and specific parcels within the holdings of the estate, and five from the Empreinte de Terroir series which focus on specific varieties as expressed across the estate’s vineyards. Things moved quickly, so I did not get the detailed notes I was hoping for, but I can make some general comments across the tasting.
All of the 2012 wines (Pinot Noir Les Beurys, Pinot Noir Les Fournettes and Chardonnay Les Genettes ) showed great cut and excellent depth. Beurys was the darkest in fruit profile, while the Fournettes showed a lot more high-toned citrus that I would have expected from a Pinot Noir Champage. The Genettes Chardonnay was a classic example, with loads of fresh apple and citrus. Each wines was outstanding, though I would not drink any of them for several years. There was just too much left to unfurl.
The wines from less heralded vintages were actually equal to the 2012s in quality, and closer to ready for immediate drinking. The 2009 Pinot Noir “Les Fournettes” exemplified this with great richness and depth that was open for experiencing. I kept some of the wine in a glass through the tasting, and each time I went back it kept pushing to the front of the pack. It was not the laser focus of the 2012s, but it had so much flavor and persistence that it won me over, and more importantly won over my wife to order some. She’s a tough judge, and these wines are not inexpensive!
The other satisfying surprise was the level of the 2007 wines. It’s an overlooked vintage that I happen to like very much. Laura and I were both impressed by the 2007 Empreinte de Terroir Pinot Noir and the 2007 Empreinte de Terroir Chardonnay. Both wines handled their oak aging (Rodez used to work at Krug, and many of his wines, especially the Grand Vintages, share some characteristics), still expressing the varietal characteristics, as well as the brightness and fresh fruit of the 2007 vintage. These were the other two wines we ordered (plus a last second order of the 2012 Beurys)
We tasted a few other wines as well, and I would highly recommend them all, but the above were the clear highlights for me, as well as Laura. Again these are rather expensive wines, but they are very limited (the representative from the importer, AP Wine Imports, said about 1000 bottles each for the wines we tasted), and the quality is outstanding.