Champagne Discovery

Our “Champagne of the Month” for October 2024 is produced by Jean-Marc Sélèque from the village of Pierry on the Côteaux Sud d’Épernay. Jean-Marc controls 9 hectares of vines across seven villages, three on the Côteaux Sud d’Épernay at Pierry, Moussy and Épernay, two in the Vallée de la Marne at Mardeuil and Dizy and finally two on the Côte des Blancs at Vertus and Boursault. 

 

The vine stock consists of 60% Chardonnay with 30% Meunier and 10% Pinot Noir. At the helm since 2008, Jean-Marc set about making a number of changes to farming and production to realize his wine-making goals. These included: conversion to organic and sustainable farming. A state-of-the-art winery was constructed approximately 7 years ago by the slopes of Pierry beneath Chavot. Here Jean-Marc’s Coquard press enables a gentler pressing of the grapes which in turn allows for lower quantities of Sulphur to be added to the wines; cooler fermentation and longer lees contact. He has also increased his stock of oak barrels to allow more vinification in wood. The entire range is fantastic and we have long been fans of Jean-Marc; his wines are a must for any serious enthusiast.

 

Solessence Nature Élevage Prolongé is a non-vintage wine that as the name suggests, has additional aging in this case; 3 years in the bottle. It is a blend of 50% Chardonnay, 40% Meunier and 10% Pinot Noir from the seven villages listed above. The soil varies from village to village with shallow chalk to clay/limestone and even the presence of flint. The base wine comes from the 2018 harvest with 50% reserve wines added that are held in a perpetual reserve that ages in a mix of stainless steel and oak barrels. Vinification takes 10 months, 60% of which is in stainless steel and the remaining 40% in oak barrels. The wine does not undergo fining or filtration. Aging takes place under crown caps for five years prior to disgorgement in September 2023 without dosage; alcohol is at 12.5% abv. 

 

Tasted 11:00 Friday 4th October 2024 (sowing/root day in the lunar calendar) 

 

Glassware: Zalto Denk’art Universal

 

Appearance: Clear, medium, lemon. 

 

Characteristics: Pronounced intensity with primary aromas of honeysuckle, elderflower, lemon blossom, green apple, red apple, pear, quince, chiku, lemon juice, lemon peel, preserved lemon, lemon sherbet, grapefruit, honeydew melon, white peach, apricot, lychee, mango, passion fruit, pineapple and Mirabelle plum. There are secondary notes of sable biscuit, toasted brioche, lemon meringue pie, toffee apple, chausson aux pommes and vanilla. Tertiary aromas include frangipane, nut brittle, toffee apple, marmalade, dried apple, dried apricot, cinnamon, ginger, gingerbread, hay and honey. 

 

Price circa €53.00

 

Bursting with delightful, well-balanced acidity that you would expect from a top rate zero dosage champagne, the additional aging partnered with a high proportion of perpetual reserve has this wine singing from the top of its voice; fooling you into thinking you are enjoying an older vintage. A superior piece of winemaking indeed.