TN: A bunch of Coteaux Champenoises

WINE TALK
1

So, at the beginning of the year me and few of me pals decided to have a small get-together around a few bottles of Champagne, since, after all, it’s still the festive time of year. Everybody was supposed to bring at least one bottle with them, but with one extra condition - the wine should have no bubbles (and no, this didn’t mean whisking the bubbles away beforehand with a Champagne whisk!). I wonder if our unconventional choice of wine to celebrate the new decade was an omen for all the unusual stuff that has happened since?

In addition to the still Coteaux Champenois wines, we had a few non-French wines; in the beginning and in the end.

Quite deep golden yellow color. Ripe, somewhat restrained and quite sweet-toned nose with moderately developed aromas of honey, apricots, some cantaloupe, a little bit of poached pear and a hint of beeswax. The wine is full-bodied, rich and juicy with concentrated flavors of apricots, some nectarine, a little bit of steely minerality, light toasty notes suggesting age, a hint of beeswax and a touch of peppery spice. The wine is very oily and viscous on the palate with rather modest medium acidity and quite pronounced alcohol warmth. The finish is long, rich and concentrated with intense flavors of honey, some apricots, a little bit of beeswax, light notes of apple sauce, a hint of developed toasty character and a touch of lime marmalade. The relatively low acidity makes the aftertaste feel rather heavy and ponderous.

A very heavy, noticeably ripe and concentrated Riesling that feels more like a Condrieu that tastes of aged Riesling. The wine retains some sense of balance and structure despite its rather modest acidity, but it lacks the freshness and finesse normally associated with this noble grape variety. Overall the style is quite atypical for a Riesling, since the wine is concentrated and viscous like a dessert wine, yet the wine is practically bone-dry. An impressive wine in its own right and definitely one to pique academic curiosity, but this wine is suitable mainly for meditative purposes on its own - it’s hard to come up with any food that would complement this wine or vice versa. (92 pts.)

  • 2015 Jacques Lassaigne Coteaux Champenois Blanc Haut Revers du Chutat - France, Champagne, Coteaux Champenois (2.1.2020)
    Labeled “Acte I, Scène III: Haut Revers du Chutat, Lieu-dit Montgueux”. A Coteaux Champenois Blanc from the Haut Revers du Chutat vineyard planted in 1968. Made only in vintages when the grapes in this vineyard produce too much sugar to produce balanced Champagnes. The wine sees only a little bit of sulfites during the crush, otherwise vinified completely without sulfite additions or chaptalisation. Fermented spontaneously with indigenous yeasts. Aged for 22 months in six old oak fûts and one 500-liter demi-muid. 12,2% alcohol.

Pale grassy-green color. Somewhat restrained nose with a reductive note of flinty smoke followed by aromas of leesy yeast, some apple peel, a little bit of crunchy quince, light reductive notes of rubber and a sweeter, candied hint of gummi bear. The wine is tangy, lean and medium-bodied on the palate, yet not tightly-knit or unripe, but instead relatively ripe with flavors of tart green apples, tangy salinity, some quince, a little bit of lemony citrus fruits, light creamy notes and even a lactic nuance of buttermilk, a hint of sweeter white fruit and a touch of steely minerality. The wine is very precise and incisive with its bracing acidity. The finish is tangy, crisp and saline with long flavors of tart green apples, some sharp lemony citrus fruit tones, a little bit of apple peel bitterness, light lactic buttermilk tones, a sappy hint of herbal greenness and a touch of sweet white fruits.

A sophisticated, refreshing and very youthful Coteaux Champenois Blanc with very tangy, acid-driven overall character and a lovely streak of sweeter, ripe white fruit running underneath the cool minerality. Still all too youthful at the moment, but shows great promise. Probably will come across as steely, tangy and restrained for years to come, but I have no doubts this will unwind with age. Probably starting to sing only after its 10th or even 15th birthday. Perhaps not that accessible, but quite lovely. (91 pts.)

  • 2010 Jacques Lassaigne Coteaux Champenois Blanc Haut Revers du Chutat - France, Champagne, Coteaux Champenois (2.1.2020)
    Labeled “Acte I, Scène II: Haut Revers du Chutat, Lieu-dit Montgueux”. A Coteaux Champenois Blanc from the Haut Revers du Chutat vineyard planted in 1968. Made only in vintages when the grapes in this vineyard produce too much sugar to produce balanced Champagnes. The wine sees only a little bit of sulfites during the crush, otherwise vinified completely without sulfite additions or chaptalisation. Fermented spontaneously with indigenous yeasts. Aged for 22 months in old oak barrels. 12,4% alcohol.

Pale and very slightly hazy lemon-yellow color. Fragrant and slightly sappy nose with aromas of leesy creaminess, some floral apple blossom tones, a little bit of developed cantaloupe character, light green-toned notes of herbs and vegetal leafiness, a hint of sweet golden apples and a touch of cool, stony minerality. The wine is light-bodied, crisp and very racy on the palate with lean and very intense flavors of tart lemony citrus fruits, pronounced saline minerality, some apple peel bitterness, a little bit of leesy yeast, light chalky mineral tones, a hint of leafy greenness and a touch of slivered almonds. The bracing acidity lends an almost electric feel to the wine and keeps the overall feel very precise and airy. The finish is crisp, firm and very lengthy with intense flavors of pronounced salinity, tangy green apples, some crunchy quince, a little bit of pithy grapefruit bitterness, light leafy green tones, a hint of leesy yeast and a touch of lemon.

A very fresh, crisp and still quite youthful Coteaux Champenois that feels like it is tiptoeing between the fine line between barely ripe and unripe. It is obvious that the fruit used here is quite ripe for Champagne, but nevertheless just enough ripe to make still whites - I do enjoy the racy acidity here, but the fruit feels very light and delicate in comparison and there is a streak of leafy, almost vegetal greenness that would lend a nice counterpoint to ripe fruit, but only accentuates the leanness in the crisp, acid-driven fruit we have here. The wine has lost most of its reductive qualities it showed 4 years ago, but otherwise the wine shows quite little development in taste - only the overall feel has improved and the wine feels a bit more complete. However, I doubt the green tones will ever leave the wine and I wonder how much longer fruit this light and delicate can last? This wine feels like it could use some more age, but I think it is going to last as long as the vintage 2015, which showed a bit more weight and fruit. (90 pts.)

  • 2015 Olivier Horiot Coteaux Champenois Riceys Blanc En Valingrain - France, Champagne, Coteaux Champenois (22.3.2020)
    A blend of organically farmed Chardonnay and Pinot Blanc from the En Valingrain Cru. Vinified in a more or less hands-off approach. Only 2 oak barrels made, totaling 615 bottles; this was bottle #472. Bottled in march 15th, 2017. 12% alcohol.

Pale lime-green color. The nose feels both sweet-toned and slightly green at the same time with aromas of ripe golden apples, cow parsley, some Calvados-like aromas of cider apples, a little bit of sweet tangerine, a rich, leesy hint of custard and a subtle touch of vanilla. The wine is dry, fresh and medium-bodied on the palate with ripe flavors of red apples, some creamy leesy notes, a little bit of custard, light crunchy notes of quince, a hint of steely minerality and a touch of barely ripe fig. The very high acidity serves as a nice counterpoint to the ripe fruit, making the wine feel quite lean yet not austere. The finish is lively, long and acid-driven with precise flavors of steely minerality, some tangy green apples, a little bit of sharp lemony citrus fruits, light leesy and oaky notes of vanilla custard and a touch of chalk dust.

A very fresh, precise and attractive Coteaux Champenois Blanc that could pass for a cooler-vintage 1er Chablis. Wonderful combination of lean, slightly green-toned character and understated ripeness. The wine has obviously seen some barrel, but it really doesn’t come across as oaky, just rich and creamy, which nicely takes the sharpest edge off from the crisp, acid-driven fruit. Very lovely and balanced effort that is drinking wonderfully now, but most likely can improve in the cellar for some more. Horiot seems to constantly produce some of the most impressive still wines of Champagne. Priced according to its quality at 32€. Recommended. (92 pts.)

  • 2016 Les Freres Mignon Coteaux Champenois Blanc - France, Champagne, Coteaux Champenois (2.1.2020)
    100% Chardonnay, organically farmed, from 42-yo vines planted in Avize. Fermented spontaneously with indigenous yeasts. Aged with the lees in oak barrels, going through MLF during this time. Bottled unfiltered and unfined under 2 bar pressure on 1st of September, 2017. 11,5% alcohol. Bottle #262 of total 573 bottles.

Very slightly hazy, pale neon-green color. Fresh, fine-tuned and slightly grassy nose with aromas of leesy yeast, some herbaceous green tones, a little bit of creamy oak, light reductive notes of flinty smoke, and a hint of spicy red apple. The wine is crisp, fresh and light-to-medium-bodied with the slightest tingle of carbonation on the tongue. Nuanced flavors of fresh green apples, some creamy leesy character, a little bit of golden apples, light mineral notes of chalk dust, a hint of vanilla blossom and a touch of salinity. The wine is noticeably high in acidity, bringing it good freshness and sense of balance, yet it never comes across as super lean or bracing. The finish is fresh, clean and slightly sappy with medium-long flavors of herbal greenness, tangy salinity, some tart lemony citrus fruits, a little bit of creamy richness, light golden apple tones, a hint of leesy yeast and a touch of steely minerality.

A fresh, clean and sophisticated Coteaux Champenois Blanc made in a very transparent and wonderfully refreshing style. Perhaps lacking a bit depth and intensity, but making it all up with the freshness, sense of focus and wonderful balance that makes the wine feel eminently drinkable. Hard to say whether the wine will improve from here, or just keep this way for some years. Nevertheless, a delightful effort - albeit perhaps a bit pricey for the style at 30€. (89 pts.)

Luminous and translucent cherry red color with a pale rim. Crunchy, perfumed and slightly sappy nose with aromas of autumnal leaves, stemmy greenness, some blueberries, a little bit of crunchy redcurrants, light lactic notes, a hint of peppery spice and a touch of dried aromatic herbs. The wine is dry, crunchy and somewhat lean on the palate with a light body and crisp flavors of tart lingonberries, some cranberries, a little bit of sappy and slightly stemmy greenness, light crunchy notes of redcurrants and a hint of stony minerality. High in acidity with firm, gently grippy medium tannins. The finish is dry, crisp and crunchy with firm, gently grippy tannic action and quite long flavors of redcurrants and brambly raspberries, some sour cherries, a little bit of stemmy greenness, light herbal bitterness, a hint of earthy Pinosity and a touch of lingonberry.

A clean, transparent and super-crunchy Coteaux Champenois Rouge. Not a grand vin by any means, this is a fresh, crisp and linear red wine with great sense of precision. Although not primary anymore, the wine is still very youthful with no obvious developed characteristics. Probably will gain some additional depth and sense of weight with age; most likely hitting its peak 5-7 years from here. A delightful effort for the acid freaks, but definitely a wine to avoid, if you like your reds ripe, soft and sweetly-fruited. Priced according to its quality at 36€. (90 pts.)

  • 2012 Roger Pouillon et Fils Coteaux Champenois Mareuil Rouge - France, Champagne, Coteaux Champenois (2.1.2020)
    Made with biodynamically farmed Pinot Noir sourced from the 1er Cru-rated Croix Blanche vineyard in Mareuil-sur-Aÿ. Macerated with the skins for 18 days. Aged in oak barriques. 12% alcohol.

Dark, brooding and surprisingly little translucent blackish-red color with a subtle, youthful purple hue. The nose if fragrant, floral and quite dark-toned with complex aromas of violets, ripe forest fruits, some sweet boysenberries, light brooding notes of toasty oak, light mocha tones, a hint of earthy Pinosity and a touch of savory spices. The wine is light-to-medium-bodied, intense and rather lean on the palate with bone-dry flavors of tart lingonberries, crunchy cranberries, some toasty oak spice, a little bit of sour cherry bitterness, light stony mineral tones, a hint of earth and a touch of vanilla. High in acidity with moderately grippy medium tannins. The finish is long, dry and crunchy with some tannic tug on the gums and intense flavors of tart lingonberries, crunchy cranberries, some sour cherries, a little bit of savory wood spice, light floral notes of violets, a hint of peppery spice and a touch of toasty mocha oak.

A still all too young Coteaux Champenois Rouge with tons of crunchy, tart red-toned fruit and a somewhat noticeable yet already quite well-integrated streak of brooding oak spice. Although lean, delicate and bone-dry in style, this wine is nevertheless surprisingly vinous and even somewhat Burgundian for a red Coteaux Champenois. Good intensity, sense of structure and length of flavor here. If you like your red wines light, dry and sinewy, this is pretty impressive stuff. Will definitely get better over the next decade, if not for even longer. Good value at 31,95€.
(93 pts.)

Pale, translucent and beautifully luminous raspberry red color. Thin, almost colorless rim. Open, somewhat sappy and really fragrant nose full of Burgundian Pinosity. Seductive aromas of crunchy redcurrants, stemmy greenness, perfumed notes of violets, a some beetroot, a little bit of earthy spice, light notes of tar, a hint of ripe red gooseberry and a touch of cooked strawberry. The wine is medium-bodied, somewhat developed and rather acid-driven with nuanced flavors of tart lingonberries, sour cherries, some autumnal leaves, a little bit of dried wild strawberries, light green notes of birch needles, a hint of stone minerality and a touch of herbal bitterness. Wonderfully balanced overall feel with the high acidity and still gently grippy medium-minus tannins. The finish is moderately grippy, lively and persistent with complex flavors of tart lingonberries, some ripe cranberries, a little bit of sanguine iron, light stony mineral tones, a hint of sour cherry bitterness and a touch of brambly raspberry.

A wonderfully complex, harmonious and remarkably Burgundian red Coteaux Champenois. When the wine was poured, it was revealed that the wine had something to do with the theme of the evening, so it was obviously a Coteaux Champenois. The bigger question was its age. Since the wine felt somewhat evolved compared to the previous one, which was 2012, I guessed 2008. Nobody else went with the 2000’s, so the remaining guesses were around 2012-2015 (which really surprised me to some degree). However, even I was astonished to learn that the wine was even much older, when the wine was revealed to be Bara 2002. The wine is in a wonderful shape right now and shows still some potential to develop even further from here, although it definitely doesn’t require any more cellaring. Very delightful and impressively Burgundian for the style. Highly recommended. (94 pts.)

  • 2010 Agricola San Felice Chianti Classico - Italy, Tuscany, Chianti, Chianti Classico DOCG (2.1.2020)
    A slightly modified version of the classic Chianti blend; this is a blend of Sangiovese (80%) with Colorino (10%) to add color and Pugnitello (10%) to add structure. Macerated for 8-10 days in stainless steel. Aged for 12 months in large Slavonian oak casks. 13,5% alcohol. Tasted blind.

Dark yet translucent black cherry color with a youthful ruby overtones and pale brick-red rim. The nose feels cool, savory and somewhat restrained with attractive aromas of fresh red fruits, game, some boysenberry, a little bit of peppery spice, light notes of tomato purée, a hint of sweet red cherry, a floral touch of violets and a whiff of blood. The wine is firm, medium-bodied and textural on the palate with quite extracted and relatively tightly-knit flavors of sour cherries, some wild strawberries, a little bit of ripe cranberry, light sanguine notes of iron, a hint of black tea and a touch of sweet dark fruits. Remarkably structured overall feel with its high acidity and assertive, noticeably grippy tannins - most likely courtesy of Pugnitello. The finish is ripe, somewhat extracted and firmly tannic with firm, dry flavors of sour cherries, some bloody game, a little bit of stony minerality, light cranberry and wild strawberry tones, a hint of licorice and a touch of peppery spice.

A still remarkably youthful and impressively structured Chianti Classico that shows surprisingly little sense of development or resolution for its age. I guess the combination of 2010 vintage and Pugnitello is what makes this wine feel so much more muscular and structural compared to typical CC wines. I had Italy immediately in my mind when tasting this wine, but my thoughts hovered around Brunello di Montalcino, Sagrantino di Montefalco and Aglianico del Vulture; Chianti Classico was just out of bounds for such a punchy, muscular beast. Wonderful stuff and I have no doubts this wine will only get better if left to age. This is a keeper, not a drinker. (92 pts.)

Posted from CellarTracker

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2

Really neat experience with the Paul Bara. Have never had it. I saw the current release here is 2012. Does that mean someone in your group had the foresight to age this for ~10 years? Or was is sourced in the secondary market?

3

If I remember correctly, the reality is somewhere in-between. It was purchased probably 4-6 years ago, i.e. not recently but not right on release either.

4

I’m primarily a red Burgundy and Champagne drinker and have enjoyed many bottles of Paul Bara Champagne, so I purchased and drank an '02 Paul Bara Coteaux Champenois Bouzy Rouge on release. I recall it being among the best of the Coteaux Champenoises Rouge I’d had, though that wasn’t a very high bar at the time.

I assumed the warm 2002 vintage helped ripen the grapes sufficiently to balance the traditionally too high (for my taste) acids in still-red wines from Coteaux Champenois. I expect now that Champagne’s rising temperatures will produce even more good still-reds in the future.

5

I would think so. The best I’ve had, by such a wide margin that nothing else is even comparable, is Egly-Ouriet. The price keeps me from buying, but if Burgundy prices keep doing what they’ve been doing, it might start to look like a reasonable value.

6

I don’t follow Coteaux Champenoises very closely, as I’ve almost always found more pleasurable and interesting wines for the same price from Burgundy, so I’m speculating here from a place of relative ignorance: Is it notable that Bara’s Coteaux is from Bouzy and Egly-Ouriet’s is from neighboring Ambonnay? Aren’t they also both from 100% Pinot Noir?

7

100% Pinot Noir is correct on the Egly. Other than that, I have way too little knowledge of the category to addres your question. Maybe Otto or someone else can weigh in.

8

I haven’t had the Egly bottling, but many of my friends who have, consider it to be perhaps the greatest Coteaux Shampoo they’ve tasted.

The one thing notable with Bara being from Bouzy and Egly from Ambonnay is that they both are premium terroir for making ripe, powerful Pinot Noir in Champagne. Perhaps the best in the whole region. Bouzy is perhaps a bit better-known for their still red wines, but I think they are pretty much equal in the terms of quality.

9

Very interesting, Otto!
I have a lone bottle of the Egly-Ouriet Vielles Vignes 2002 that I have been saving for years, or rather decades. My idea was to throw it in as a ringer in a 2002 Burgundy tasting. But as I won’t be hosting any tastings in the near future, I might as well just pop it!

10

I’d love to know how it is when you open it. I’m serious that if the Burgundy price trend continues, and the Egly stays close to its current price, I might become a buyer. It seems like it would age really well, but I have never had an aged bottle.

11

This is really fantastic and off the beaten path in a way that’s truly unique. Thank you!

12

I was really lucky a few years ago to scoop a case of Bollinger 2009 La Cote des Enfants in magnums. The bottles we have had were magnificent.